The effect of community participation in education on the learning and teaching environment in selected high schools in Mongu District
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Date
2011-06-24
Authors
Wabei, Siyumbwa Lucy
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Abstract
This study investigated the effect of community participation in education on the learning and teaching environment in selected high schools in Mongu District of the Western Province.
The objectives of the study were to: find out the effect of community participation in
education on learning environment; find out the effect of community participation in
education on teaching environment; and to find out the effect of community participation in education on the provision of educational support.
The study used a survey approach. Data collection was done through questionnaires,
interview schedules and focus group discussions. The respondents were the school managers,teachers, parents, pupils and Parent-Teachers Association chairpersons. Mongu District has a
total of four high schools, namely school A, school B, school C and school D (identity of the schools deliberately concealed). The study sampled all schools. The sample included 80 pupils (20 from each school), 32 teachers (eight from each school), four school managers (one from each school), four PTA chairpersons (one from each school) and 20 parents from the local communities of the high schools. All in all, there were 140 respondents.
The findings of the study revealed that community participation in education had effect on learning and teaching environment. The effect was more positive than negative. It was quite beneficial when the community was allowed to participate in education because the learning environment became conducive and rich. The study also revealed that the effect of community participation on teaching environment had more advantages than disadvantages.
Community participation in education created a teaching environment with adequate
resources and friendly enabling environment. Further, the study revealed that the effect of community participation in education on the provision of educational support had proved to be reliable, very significant and of great value.
The study showed that the effect of community participation in education on the learning and teaching environment in Mongu District was positive because community participation in education created a friendly enabling environment with adequate resources which was conducive and rich for learning and teaching. The study further revealed that community participation in education was critical to the provision of educational support because the
community owned resources and skills that would meet and spearhead the aspirations of
teachers and learners positively.
The study recommended that Ministry of Education programmes should be separated from
palace programmes for schools situated within palaces without cutting the relationship between the two; schools should not be built in palaces or near bars; school managers,teachers and pupils should be sensitised on the importance of community participation in education; and that communities should be innovative and responsible enough to run as many
projects as possible; PTA chairpersons should work out awareness programmes among
parents; the Ministry of Education should give directives to school managers to work hand in hand with communities to solve problems; and should give directives to schools to work with communities in ensuring that pupils are given right nutrition.
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Keywords
Education--Community participation--Zambia , Community Participation--Zambia