ASSESSMENT OF IMPACT OF SCHOOL-BASED MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE ON SOCIAL STUDIES STUDENTS
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
Background to the Study
The importance of education to socio-economic development of any nation cannot be over-emphasized. This justifies the basis why the government of any country always makes education the centre-piece of its programmes to be implemented. Henry (2002) stated that upper basic education is very important because it is the level that prepares children for secondary education and based on this, government should be highly committed to it by ensuring that adequate resources are provided.
However, with recent economic recession in the country, it is obvious that government alone cannot adequately provide all the needs of junior secondary schools, members of the community should avail themselves chance to join hands with the government so that the goals of education at this level could be achieved.Olayinka (1985) explained that school-based managementcommittee means involvement of members of the community in the running of the school. The school management cannot achieve the goals with only the resources made available by the government unless the community puts forward their support. Raymond (2003) opined that it should be noted however that the need for effective teaching learning process calls for school-based management; that is, involvement of the community in the school maintaining, running, monitoring and administration. Community has however become an important aspect of school administration. It deals with deliberate and sustainable efforts to establish and maintain mutual understanding between the school and community. The essence of this relationship is to establish a good report between the school and community in order to achieve educational goals.Ojedele (2000) described school-based management as a way by which parents/guardians, philanthropists, and corporate organizations involve in the school operation. However, through the relationship that exists between the schools and communities, the school heads tend to provide lasting solutions to some problems facing the school.
Agbaje (1996) noted that school-based management committee helps in bridging the gap between the towns and gowns. Suleiman (2001) stated that the importance of having community to participate in school affairs is to enhance effective goals achievement. Schools ensure renewal of the society’s culture. In view of this, the community needs to support the schools so that the purpose of their establishment could be realized. Bello (2011) believed that open relationship between the school and community could bring about high opportunities that will allow community resources to be optimally utilized so that goals set for the school could be realized. Yusuf (2000) opined that community participation is a strong avenue for achieving effective school administration. This could help the schools in getting cash, facilities, and the likes. Olohundare (2001) observed that students’ academic performance connotes outcome of the students’ achievements in a particular examination or test. It is essential that we determine the level at which goals of a particular course(s) or subject(s) undertaken by the students have been accomplished and this can only be realized through the measure of students’ academic performance. The purpose of conducting examinations either internally by the school or by an external examination body is to determine the level of students’ academic performance.
Abdul (2000) stated that to facilitate realization of improved students’ academic performance in schools, the communities where the schools are located have to play their own part. FRN (2004) also stated that education cannot be free at all levels. Agbaje (1996) believed that school-based management enhances community involvement in school development not only by providing educational facilities but also by maintaining the school plant and maintenance school discipline. The school does not exist in vacuum and its development is not only the responsibility of the school authority or government but also the community in which the school is situated (Kimbrough & Burkett, 1990). Therefore, this study investigatedteachers’ assessment of impact ofschool-based managementcommittee on Social Studies students’ academic performancein Ilorin West Local Government junior secondary, Nigeria.
Statement of the Problem
It was observed by the researcher that academic performance of junior secondary students in Social Studies has not been encouraging over the years and this could be due numerous challenges facing the school. These challenges include inadequacy of human and material resources, infrastructural facilities, counselling and supportive servicesand ineffective maintenance of school facilities. Johnson (2005) conducted a study to examine the impact of school-based management committee on students’ academic performance in Social Studies in Orire Local government junior secondary schools, Oyo State. The study found out that school-based management has significant impact on students’ academic performance in Yoruba Language in Orire Local Government junior secondary schools, Oyo State.Olanipekun (2011) carried out a study on the impact of school-based management committee on students’ academic performance in Islamic Studies in Asa Local Government junior secondary schools, Kwara State.The study also found out that school-based management committee has significant impact on students’ academic performance in Islamic Studies in Asa Local Government junior secondary schools, Kwara State. This study is different from the previous studies in the sense that it will be carried out in the environment different from the areas covered by the previous studies. Also, the subject this study wants to focus upon is also different from that of the previous studies.
Purpose of the Study
The main purpose of the study was to examine teachers’ assessment of impact of school-based management committee on Social Studies students’ academic performance in Ilorin West Local Government junior secondary, Nigeria. Specifically, the study assessed:
i. the impact of SBMS in the provision of human and material resources for junior secondary schools in Ilorin West Local Government Area of Kwara state, Nigeria;
ii. the impact of SBMS in the provision of infrastructural facilities for junior secondary schools in Ilorin West Local Government Area of Kwara state, Nigeria;
iii. the impact of SBMS in the maintenance of school facilities in junior secondary schools in Ilorin West Local Government Area of Kwara state, Nigeria; and
iv. the impact of SBMS in the provision of Counselling and supportive services for junior secondary schools in Ilorin West Local Government Area of Kwara state, Nigeria.
Research Questions
The following research questions were raised to guide the study:
i. What is the impact of SBMS in the provision of human and material resources for junior secondary schools in Ilorin West Local Government Area of Kwara state, Nigeria?
ii. What is the impact of SBMS in the provision of infrastructural facilities for junior secondary schools in Ilorin West Local Government Area of Kwara state, Nigeria;
iii. What is the impact of SBMS in the provision of Counseling and supportive services for junior secondary schools in Ilorin West Local Government Area of Kwara state, Nigeria?
iv. What is the impact of SBMS in the maintenance of school facilities in junior secondary schools in Ilorin West Local Government Area of Kwara state, Nigeria?
Research Hypotheses
The following hypotheses were formulated to guide the study
Ho1: There is no significant difference in the assessment of male and female teachers on the impact of SBMC in the provision of human and material resources for the school.
Ho2: There is no significant difference in the assessment of experienced and less experienced teachers on the impact of SBMC in the provision of human and material resources for the school.
Ho3: There is no significant difference in the assessment of male and female teachers on the impact of SBMC in the provision of infrastructural facilities for the school.
Ho4: There is no significant difference in the assessment of experienced and less experienced teachers on the impact of SBMC in the provision of infrastructural facilities for the school.
Ho5: There is no significant difference in the assessment of male and female teachers on the impact of SBMC in the provision of counseling and supportive services for the school.
Ho6: There is no significant difference in the assessment of experienced and less experienced teachers on the impact of SBMC in the provision of counseling and supportive services for the school.
Ho7: There is no significant difference in the assessment of male and female teachers on the impact of SBMC in the maintenance of school facilities.
Ho8: There is no significant difference in the assessment of experienced and less experienced teachers on the impact of SBMC in the maintenance of school facilities.
Scope of the Study
This study focused on the impact of school-based management committee on Social Studies students’ academic performance Ilorin West Local Government junior secondary schools, Kwara State. The scope of the study covered all the 46 public junior secondary schools in Ilorin West Local Government Area Kwara State (Ilorin West Local Government Education Authority, 2017). All the 65 Social Studies teachers were used for the study (Ilorin West Local Government Education Authority, 2017). The measures of school-based management committee were its involvement in the provision of counseling and supportive services, provision of human and material resources and infrastructural facilities.Questionnaire titled “School-Based Management Committee Questionnaire” (SBMCQ) was used to collect data for study the while descriptive statistics of frequency count, percentage and t-test were used to analyze the data collected.
Operational Definition of Terms
The following terms were operationally defined as used in the study:
School-Based Management Committee:means a committee set up to ensure junior secondary schools get support from members of the public so that goals could be achieved. It includes the principal, representatives of the teachers, parents, students, community, faith-based organizations, old students’ association, traditional institution, artisans and civil society.
Counsellingand Supportive Services: mean academic advice given to the school by the members of the community to enhance effective academic activities in school.
Human andMaterial Resources: mean the teachers and materials which are mainly used during teaching-learning processes.
Infrastructural Facilities: they are buildings and other equipment used in carrying out the school activities. These include classrooms, library, laboratories and their equipment and the likes.
School Plant Maintenance:refers to the process of ensuring proper of the school plant.
Students’ Academic Performance: is the performance of the students in Social Studies in Junior secondary schools in Ilorin West Local Government Area of Kwara State.
Less Experienced Teachers:these are social studies teachers that have spent 5 years in Junior Secondary Schools in Ilorin West Local Government Area of Kwara State.
Experienced teachers: these are social studies teachers that have spent 6 years and above in Junior Secondary Schools in Ilorin West Local Government of Kwara State.
Significance of the Study
It is hoped that the findings of the study would benefit the government, school managers, students, community members and other researchers.
It will make the government see more, the importance of school based management community to students’ academic performance in Social Studies.
It will encourage the school managers to be more committed to the smooth operation of school-based management committee because of its relationship to the students’ academic performance in Social Studies.
It would give more sensitization to the community members on why they should continually be of adequate support to the school to enhance students’ academic performance.
It would serve as a reference point to other researchers who may want to carry out a study related to this study.
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