Assessing Participation in Secondary Education Quality Enhancement: Teachers, Parents and Communities in Cross River State

Abstract

The study examined some factors responsible for low participation of teachers, parents and communities in quality enhancement of secondary education in Cross River State, Nigeria. Teachers and parents of students in public secondary schools were used. A total of 8,590 subjects constituted the population of the study. However, only 840 teachers and 100 parents i.e. 940 subjects formed the sample from where data were obtained through questionnaires and interview methods respectively. Twenty (20) indicators of reasons for low participation of stakeholders in school affairs were built into the questionnaire. A survey design was adopted and multistage sampling technique was used. Teststatistics used for data analysis were weighted mean (X) and standard deviation (SD), and a mean score of 2.5 and above formed the level of significance/acceptance. The findings indicated poor motivation of teachers, inadequate school facilities, unrealistic pupils assessment, poor knowledge of subject matter and inadequate supervision as teachers factors, while large family size, state and national ailing economy, low moral values and philosophy of the end justifies the means were reasons for low parents and communities involvement in secondary education-quality improvement. It was recommended that the quality of instruction in teachers training institutions be improved, as well as intense public enlightenment programme were among the recommendations made.

Keywords: Participation, Quality, Enhancement, Parents-teachers Association and Communities