SCHOOL-COMMUNITY RELATIONSHIP AND EFFECTIVE ADMINISTRATION OF PRIMARY SCHOOLS IN IKONO LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA OF AKWA IBOM STATE, NIGERIA
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background of the Study
Administration is a process of achieving the desired goals of an organization through efficient utilization of materials human and financial resources. It is the process of getting things done through people operating with a stated objective in organization. For example, education, hospital, religious, etc.
According to Nwankwo (1987), educational administration can be defined as the systematic arrangement and coordination of human, material and financial resources that are available for educational administration, and carefully using them within defined guideline or policies to achieve educational goals.
The educational administrator is therefore essentially and implementer of plans, policies and programmes meant for specific educational objectives. In the process of implementing educational policies, administrator also engages in planning, organizing, coordinating, controlling, commanding, and evaluating. Although the educational administrator may contribute in one way or the other to planning, policy making or designing educational programmes, it is worthy to note that the major role rests with the effective and efficient implementation of plans, policies and programmes for benefit of educational sector.
The administrative structure of a school comprises a number of units with well defined functions. It shows the direct lines of authority from top to bottom in the school organization. Each officer has well defined responsibilities in each of the unit. The sum total of the objective of organization in a secondary school is to make teaching and learning a reality. For a school to achieve its educational objectives, authority and responsibility must be properly allocated in a prescribed manner. Rules or procedures must be established and duties must be sub-divided.
It can be said that the success or failure of an organization depends on its relationship with the immediate community. Efficient and effective utilization of the resources available in the community to relate to the learning situation help in the growth of the organization. The community likes to be involved in decisions that affect them directly. To win the community support in administration of the schools, administration should encourage community participation in some of their decision making process.
It is the responsibility of the school head to maintain good public relations with parents, members of the local community, officials and other visitors to the school. They should also promote school community relations through participation of the school in community activities and projects and community must participate in some aspect of school life.
This investigative study is to consider how this relationship that should be strength between the schools and the local community affect the school facilities, financing, discipline, curriculum and administration.
1.2 Statement of the Problem
Education seeks to develop the minds and characters of future citizens, their abilities, skills and potentials in order to equip them for the society in which they have to make definite contributions. (Uko E., 2001).
The success of any organization (the secondary school) depends on effective and efficient management of available resources, be it men, materials machines/equipment and money. The school system seeks to assure a productive, enlightened and competent citizenry it also seeks to promote knowledge and the acquisition of the right attitudes among it members. The primary school system, as a subject of the national educational structure plays a pivot role in bringing about these policy objectives by ensuring that the products for secondary education or vocational training.
The school existing in environment from which its draws it raw materials (student) from is required to have a proper relations with the community as this adversely affect the effective management of the school resources such as discipline, funds, facilities and curriculum.
This study is undertaken to determine to what level school community relationship influences the effective administration of primary school in terms of school discipline, school funds, facilities and school curriculum.
1.3 Purpose of the Study
The purpose of this study was to find out the extent of which the school and its relationship with its immediate community influence:
- Effective administration of school discipline,
- Effective administration of school facilities,
- Effective administration of school funds,
- Effective administration of school curriculum.
The research formulated the following research questions to guide the study.
- What influence is created by school-community as related to school discipline?
- What relationship exists between the school and the community with regards to effective administration of school funds?
- What relational influence exists between the school and the community with regards to effective administration of school facilities?
- What influence exists between the school and the community with regards to effective administration of school curriculum?
1.5 Statement of Hypothesis
- School-community relationship does not significantly influence effective administration of school discipline.
- School-community relationship does not significantly influence effective administration of school funds.
- School-community relationship does not significantly influence effective administration of school facilities.
- School-community relationship does not significantly influence effective administration of school curriculum.
1.6 Assumption of the Study
This study is based on the following assumptions:
- School-community relationship assists to improve the administration of school discipline.
- School-community relationship assists to improve the administration and effectively utilize the school funds in meeting both school goals and it immediate community.
- School-community relationship assists to secure, conserve and effectively utilized the facilities within the school and in the community.
- School-community relationship helps to improve the school curriculum, effectively making it relevant to the society in which it draws materials from.
1.7 Significance of the Study
The result of this study will serve as a very important instrument and guide for the school and the community, the teachers, educational administration; school heads and the nation as a whole.
The study will help the student to be close to their society and become relevant in solving the immediate problem the community faced based on the experience they acquired.
The teachers will recognize the importance of relating with his immediate community therefore will channel his community therefore will channel his curriculum to meet the need of the society.
For the development of better educational programs; effective utilization of the school funds and school facilities, this study will serve as a guide for the planning of school curriculum assignment of teaches to subjects and classrooms.
The community developer will also find the student relevant as it will sharpen its relationship skill with the school.
Finally, it is hoped that this study will serve as a benchmark for further studies and investigation in this educational area, will therefore contribute to the mental health of this nation as a whole as it will bond the relationship between the school and the community.
1.8 Limitations of the Study
Due to lack of time and material, the study was being limited to some secondary schools in Uyo Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State.
The study sample is limited to student in JSS 3 and five (5) is selected secondary schools in Uyo Local Government Area.
Respondent attitude towards the questionnaire has always been not so encouraging.
1.9 Scope of the Study
This investigation is aimed at surveying the school-community relationship and effective administration of secondary schools in Uyo Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State.
1.10 Definition of Terms
The definitions of the following terms are given in accordance with their usage and interpretation within this particular study.
School-Community Relationship: This is a type of relationship (whether symbiotic or parasitic) that exist between as school which is a learning centre and its immediate community in which the school is established.
Effective Administration: This is defined as a systematic arrangement of human, material, and financial resources that are available for education and carefully using them within defined guidelines or policies to achieve educational goals effectively.
Teachers’ Effectiveness: The ability of the teacher to bring about the intended result of his instructional tasks, his qualification and teaching experience for instructional effectiveness.
Students: Participants in the research sample, who are people studying in secondary schools.
