Abstract
This investigation set out to determine the level of Local Community contributions towards the development of secondary education in Imo State. It also set out to find out whether the derived gains with regard to the satisfaction of community needs are commensurate with the input into secondary education by the community. Twelve (12) hypotheses were tested to arrive at the decisions. Ten schools from each Educational Zone were randomly chosen for the investigation, giving a total of fifty (50) schools. The respondents for each school consisted of the principal, two teachers, two parents, two town union or community leaders, two final year students and the Eze (Traditional ruler) of that particular school community. The instrument of questionnaire as well as information from the Ministry of Education formed the basis of data collection. Structured interview questions were also used. It was found that in the establishment of schools, the Voluntary Agencies exceeded the government and the Local Communities. In the case of funding of the secondary schools before the government take-over of schools in 1970, it was found that the three bodies, the community, the government and the Voluntary Agencies contributed equally. The Analysis of Variance technique was used to test the difference. It was also found that there was no significant difference in the community contributions before and after the war; the same applied to that of the government, but in both instances, community contributions surpassed that of the government. In these cases the chi2 test was used to test the differences in contribution. With regard to the relevance of the curriculum to community needs it was found that despite the government's effort to satisfy the different needs and aspirations of the people, theoretical education still prevails, thus providing no solution to the unemployment problem. The Student-t test was used to identify significant differences in the opinions of adults and students with regard to the relevance of the curriculum in the achievement of educational objectives. Significant differences were found in the areas of employment, ability to acquire local culture and crafts, spiritual development, acquisition of high morals, discipline, ability to go for further education and ability to think objectively. Histograms were used to show the differences clearly. In spite of this, parents are still enthusiastic about secondary education in that they still contribute towards the establishment of new schools and are still keen on sending their children to school. It was therefore recommended that:- 1. Government should allow other bodies such as the voluntary agencies, individuals and other interested groups to be involved in the development of secondary education to reduce the costs borne by the community and the government. 2. The government should increase its areas of involvement in secondary education development. 3. The government should see that budgeting and curriculum planning should involve representatives of all interested groups in secondary education. 4. Artisans and people skilled in the local crafts should be incorporated in the School-Community Relations workshops by the government to train the crux of the new breed of teachers. 5. Workshops, seminars and in-service training should be organised by the government for serving teachers at minimal costs to the teachers. 6. The government should ensure that the least qualification for teachers in the secondary schools be the Nigerian Certificate in Education (N. C. E. ). 7. Government should ensure that guidance and counselling services be provided in schools to advise the students about vocational choice. 8. The people should consider alternative avenues of economic investments such as small scale industries, to absorb both secondary school drop-outs and graduates without jobs. 9. Specification of aims and objectives should be shared at four levels of the educational system. General aims by the Federal government, specific aims by the State government, general objectives by the local communities and specific objectives by the school. 10. Measures to improve curriculum design are also suggested. 11. The government should organise a carefully planned, coordinated and long-term investment in both community and educational welfare to avoid spirals of educational deprivation.