DECLARATION

Candidates Declaration I hereby declare that this Dissertation is the result of my own original work and that no part of it has been presented for another degree in this university or elsewhere.

Candidates Signature:. Name: Georgina Agyapong

Date:.......

Supervisors Declaration I hereby declare that the preparation and presentation of the Dissertation were supervised in accordance with the guidelines on supervision of Dissertation laid down by the University of Cape Coast.

Supervisors Signature:. Name: Dr. (Mrs.) Rosemary Seiwa Bosu

Date:..

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ABSTRACT The main aim of the study was to investigate the extent to which the communities of the New Juabeng Municipality participated in improving access and quality of Basic Education in the country. The sample size for the study was 196 respondents consisting of 20 Basic heads and 20 teachers, 40 School Management Committees members, 40 Parent-Teacher Association Executives, 40 Parents, 13 Education Officers, 13 Municipal Assembly members, and 10 members of Unit Committees. These groups of people were selected using the purposive sampling technique. Research data was collected by means of questionnaire. The study showed that the community members were aware of the need to participate in the provision of basic education. However, they did not know their specific roles they needed to play in the schools. It was also revealed that lack of communication, resources and time on the part of parents and the community in general were major setbacks. As at the time of the study there was no community participation coordinator at the municipal education office. On the basis of the findings, the following recommendations were made: They assembly, teachers, education officers should encourage parents to have time and take responsibilities and support the school during P.T.A/SMC meetings and workshops, sensitize the communities on the importance of their enrollment and their specific roles in monitoring, supervising and managing basic schools. Effective communication link should be established with all stakeholders and community participation coordinator should be restored at the education office.

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I wish to express my profound gratitude to all those who, in diverse ways provided valuable assistance toward the successful completion of this work. Prominent among them is Dr. (Mrs.) Rosemary Seiwah Bosu whose exhortations, supervision, and comments helped a great deal in getting this study successfully completed. I am also very grateful to Dr Emmanuel Kofi Gyimah of the Department of Educational Foundations for his immeasurable assistance to this work. Again, I greatly acknowledge the support and encouragement of all my lecturers including the diverse help received from the librarian and clerical staff of the Institute of Educational Planning and Administration (IEPA), University of Cape Coast. My sincere thanks also go to all my course mates for their companionship and support. To all these people, and others I could not mention, I extend my heartfelt appreciation. I bear responsibility to any act of omission or commission, which the reader might find in this study. I hope this work will be a source of help and inspiration to all those who read it and have interest in education.

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DEDICATION I dedicate this work to my late father Newton Kwasi Agyapong, my dear husband Mr. Baah, my children Gabriel, Seth, Linda and Emmanuel and all family members.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Page DECLARATION ABSTRACT ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS DEDICATION LIST OF TABLES CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION Background of the Study Statement of the Problem Purpose of the Study Objectives of the Study Research Questions Significance of the Study Delimitation of the Study Limitations of the Study Definition of Terms Organisation of the Rest of the Study 2 LITERATURE REVIEW Introduction The meaning of community and participation The role of the school and why it must relate to the community Forms of community participation Levels of community participation vi 1 1 8 9 9 9 10 10 11 11 12 13 13 14 16 20 21 ii iii iv v ix

Community and decentralization in education Effect of community participation on development of basic education How community participation can improve education Malawi Primary Education Project The challenges the community faces in their effort to participate in development of basic education Ways of improving the practice of community participation in the provision of basic education Ways of Winning Community Support Community Participation in the Provision of Basic Education Summary of the Literature Review 3 METHODOLOGY Introduction Study Area Research Design Population Sample and Sampling Procedure Research Instrument Pre-testing for Data Collection Tools Data Collection Procedure Data Analysis 4 RESULTS AND DISCUSSION Introduction Demographic characteristics of respondents The community view on the importance of their participation vii

22

25 35 36

38

42 46 49 53 56 56 56 57 57 58 61 61 62 62 64 64 64

in the provision of basic education Form and nature of community participation in the provision of basic education directed to improving access and quality The role the community plays in the supervision, management and monitoring of basic education The barriers community faces in its effort to support basic education 5 SUMMARY, CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS Introduction Summary of the Study Summary of the Major Findings Conclusions Recommendations Suggestion for Further Research REFERENCES APPENDICES A: Questionnaire/interview schedule for Head teachers, Teachers and Education Directorates

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70

73

75 77 77 77 77 79 79 80 81

B: Questionnaire/interview schedule for Municipal Assembly Executives, Unit Committee members, PTA and SMC members C: Map of the Study Area

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LIST OF TABLES Page 1. Sample size respondents 2. Sample of schools 3. Gender of respondent 4. Professional qualification of heads and education directorates 59 60 66 66

5. Educational level of SMC/PTA, MA, Unit Committee and Parents 67 6. Respondents view on the importance of their participation in education 7. The form and extent to which community participation is directed at access and quality of basic education 8. The role the community plays in the supervision, management and monitoring of basic education 9. The barriers or challenges the communities face in their effort to support the school. 75 74 71 69

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