School-Community Relations and Secondary Schools’ Development in North West, Cameroon
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.58425/jetm.v2i1.117Keywords:
School-community relationship, secondary schools’ development, CameroonAbstract
Purpose: This study examined school-community relationship and government secondary schools’ development in the North West Region of Cameroon. It specifically, investigated how the relationship between school leaders (principals) and the school- host communities in terms of communication and leadership attitude, determined government secondary schools’ development in Mezam Division of North West Cameroon.
Methodology: A mixed method, sequential explanatory design was adopted in carrying out the study. A sample size of 230 government secondary school stakeholders – made up of 200 school-host community members and 30 school principals were sampled from four government secondary schools in using the Krejcie and Morgan table of sample size determination. A structured close-ended likert-scale questionnaire for school-host community members and interview guide for principals were used to collect data. Descriptive statistics (in the form of frequencies, percentages, charts and tables) and inferential statistics (the two-way ANOVA and Regression analysis) were used in analysing the data to answer the research questions and test the hypotheses.
Finding: The regression coefficient showed that when the principal has zero school-community communication strategy, government secondary schools’ development is at 27.315. Also, when principals’ school-community communication strategy increases by one unit, government secondary schools’ development increases by 0.235. This increase is significant as indicated by F (1,198) = 17.220 with p = 0.000 (p < 0.05). The regression coefficient revealed that when the principal has zero or negative school-community leadership attitude, government secondary schools’ development is at 30.553. However, when principals’ school-community leadership attitude increases by one unit, government secondary school development increases by 0.117. This increase is significant as indicated by F (1,198) = 8.074 with p = 0.005 (p < 0.05).
Conclusion: School-community communication and attitude have positive effect on government secondary schools’ development.
Recommendation: The study recommend government to adopt pertinent policy measures to motivate greater and inclusive community participation in secondary schools’ development in the region. The study also recommend school leaders to offer opportunities for refreshed in-service trainings on the effective management of school-community relationship on top of creating a positive attitude and working climate with host-communities. This is important considering the critical role of school-host communities and stakeholders in not only school but educational development as a whole.
References
Allyn, B. and Fiore, D. J. (2010). School-Community relations. Larchmont, NY: Eye on education
Amin M. E. (2005). Social Science Research Conception, Methodology and Analysis, Uganda, Kanpala: Makerere University.
Ashu F. E (2016). The Historical Foundation of Education in Cameroon. Limbe-South West Province, Cameroon
Ashu, F. E. (2020a). Decolonsising the Duriculum at Cameroonian Universities: The Case of the Department of Education Foundation and Administration. African journal of education and practice (AJEP). 6(5), 13-39
Auerbach, S. (2012). School Leadership for authentic family and community partnerships. New York: Routledge.
Badrasawi, F and Khalid (2016). Challenges to parental involvement: A Rasch Analysis: Journal of Education Studies, 7(1),
Barker, L. L. (1990). Communication (5th ed.). New Jersey, USA: Prentica
Eagly, A. H., & Chaiken, S (1993). The psychology of attitudes. Harcourt brace Jovanovich College.
Epstein, J. L. (2001). School, family and community partnerships: Preparing educators and improving school builders, CO: Westview Press
Fazio, R. H and M. A. Olson (2003). Attitudes: Foundations, Functions, and Consequences. The Sage Handbook of Social Psychology. London: Sage.
Fitrah, A. (2012). Community Participation in Education: Does Decentralization Matter?: An Indonesian Case Study of Parental Participation in School Mangement. Palmerston North: Marsey University
Fonkeng, E. G and Tamajong, E. V. (2009). Secondary School Administration and Principalship. Yaounde: Presse Universitaires d’Afrique
Fullan, M. (2007). Leading professional learning. The School Administrator, 10(63), Retrieved March 20, 2009, from
Khalifa, M. (2012). A renewed paradign in successful urban schoo leadership: principal as community leader. Educational Administration Quarterly, 48 (3), 424 – 467
Leandre, J. and Guyer, F. (2015). The attitude-behavior link: A review of the history. International Encyclopedia of Social Behavioral Sciences: 908–913
Lewis, Ted, and Everett D. Edington (1983) Small District Teacher Study. Executive Summary. Monograph No. 2. Las Cruces, NM: New Mexico Center for Rural Education, 1983. ED 231 580.
Lumsden, G & Lumsden, D. (2000). Communicating in groups and teams:sharing leadership. Belmont, Calif.: Wadsworth
Mbua, N. F. (2003). Educational Administration: Theory and Practice. Limbe: Pressprint Ltd.
McBeath, Gerald A., (1983) Principals in Rural Alaska: A Descriptive Profile. Fairbanks, AK: Center for Cross-Cultural Studies and tShe Institute of Social and Economic Research, 1983a. ED 233 839.
Okeke, N.O. (2001). Administering education in Nigeria: problems and prospects. Ibadan: Heinemann Education books Nigeria.
Posner. B.Z. (2016). Investigating the reliability and validity of the leadership practices inventory. Administrative Science, 6 (17). Retrieved from doi: 10.3390/admsc16040017
Servaes, J. (1999). Communication for development. One world, multiple cultures. Creskill, NJ: Hampton Press.
Titanji P. (2017). Understanding Educational Organizations. Calabar, Nigeria; University of Calabar Press.
Ubben, Hughes, & Norris, 2011 Partnerships in Education, Community Involvement, Principals, Community Leaders, Instructional Leadership. California Association of Professors of Education Administration. Web site: http://www.capea.org
Williams, R. B. (1950). Leadership for school reform: Do principal decision-making styles reflect a collaborative approach? Canadian Journal of Education Administration and Policy,
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
The authors retain the copyright and grant this journal right of first publication. This license allows other people to freely share and adapt the work but must give appropriate credit, provide a link to the license, and indicate if changes were made. They may do so in any reasonable manner, but not in any way that suggests the licensor endorses them or their use.
