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CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

Background to the Study

Educational services are primarily focused on national workforce development and boosting knowledge for social and economic growth. Thus, the majority of nations aim to provide a significant amount of their GDP to education development. Nigeria’s education system, however, has routinely gotten less funding from the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization than is recommended (UNESCO). It is recommended that every country in the world dedicate at least 26% of its yearly budget to education, however Nigeria has not reached this guideline, as stated by UNESCO 2002.

According to the World Bank (2003), the federal government’s expenditure on education appears to be less than 10% of the total. As a result, it would have been more informative to reveal how much of this money is spent on elementary education. As a result of the lack of funding for elementary education, a number of other issues, such as a lack of human and material resources, have also been exacerbated by this (Iwuanyanwu and Anene, 2001). There is a present investment pattern in the education sector that favors the tertiary level over the elementary level, with the latter receiving the least (Alabi, 2010).

In Nigeria, there are other levels of education, such as tertiary education, secondary education and primary education. All these levels of education play a significant role in the socio-economic and political development of the nation. Higher education as defined by the Federal Republic of Nigeria (2004: 36) in her National Policy on Education is the education given in universities, polytechnics, colleges of education and monotechnics after secondary education including those institutions offering corresponding courses.

Historically, the principal player in the Nigerian public tertiary education system has been the government. The federal government through its various agencies, such as National Universities Commission (NUC), National Commission for Colleges of Education (NCCE) and the National Board for Technical Education (NBTC) provides grants to universities, colleges of education and polytechnics. The States also fund their public universities, colleges of education and polytechnics, (Emmanuel, 2011). Apart from tertiary education, we also have secondary education. Secondary school education according to Omonyi, (2000) refers to full-time education provided in secondary schools usually for students between the ages of eleven or twelve and eighteen years plus. Public secondary schools in this country are solely funded by the federal and state governments in this country.

The other level of education is the primary education. The Federal Republic of Nigeria in the National Policy on

Education (2004: 14) describes primary education as the education given in an educational institution for children aged between 6-11 years plus. The policy states that since the rest of the educational system is built upon it, primary education is the key or failure of the whole educational system. Despite the preeminence accorded this level of education in Nigeria, the sector is poorly funded.

Funding according to Ogbonnaya, (2012), refers to a sum of money saved or made available for a particular purpose. It can be called money or financial resources. In other words, funding is the amount of money needed to fund an on-going project or programme for future development. Investment in primary education has become internationally recognized as instrument per excellence for development. Primary education requires adequate public financing support more than any other of the other levels in education since it is the foundation level of any educational system. Gidado, (2000) asserts that primary education has suffered tremendously in Nigeria from poor finances, inappropriate allocation of funds and a host of other problems.

The management of primary schools by local governments has led to deterioration in infrastructural facilities at this level of education. Most of the infrastructures currently existing at this level of education in many parts of the country are in a dilapidated state. The local governments have consistently claimed that their inability to put these infrastructures in proper shape is due to the limited financial resources available to them. As a result of this, children in most primary schools in the country provide their own desks and teachings are times done in an unconducive environment.

In view of the importance of primary education the then Head of State, (Rtd) General Olusegun Obasanjo launched the Universal Primary Education (UPE) scheme in September 1976 with an enrolment of 8.2 million primary school pupils for the whole country. The number of primary school teachers trained for the scheme was 48, 780. This was 11, 220 teachers less than the projected figure of 66,000. As a result, the government employed retired but healthy teachers on contract, withdraws teachers in their third year of five year programme for one year before returning to their training institutions and employed auxiliary teachers, (Ogbonnaya, 2010).

The scheme did not last the test of time as a number of factors were responsible for the failure of the scheme and one of such factors was the issue of inadequate funds. The scheme was short-lived because of lack of funds as enough funds were not available to pay teachers salaries and allowances, procurement of textbooks, provision of instructional materials, construction of classroom blocks provision of school equipment among others , (Nwagwu, 1989).

As a matter of fact, education is an expensive project and the government alone cannot successfully handle it in the country. This is evidenced in the previous Universal Primary Education (UPE) scheme which collapsed because of poor funding and it suffered multiple setbacks under the federal military government of 1976. In an attempt to achieve the ill-

fated Universal Primary Education (UPE) scheme, the federal government under former president Olusegun Obasanjo launched the Universal Basic Education (UBE) scheme in 1999 to provide free compulsory basic education,, free adult literacy programme amongst to its citizens as a means of eradicating illiteracy in the country and free junior secondary education, Maduasi, (2005) but with the look of things, the scheme is having some financial challenges in terms of funding because since its launching in 1999, we have not seen great impact of the scheme in this country, (Enock and Okpede, 2000).

The head of primary school is the Head- Teacher. The Head-Teacher is the School Administrator who guides, leads and controls both teaching and non-teaching staff and the pupils in primary school to achieve the goals and objectives in the school. The Head-Teacher is to ensure the smooth running of the school and to ensure that he and his staff perform their duties effectively and efficiently to achieve the goals and objectives of the school and also the seat of accountability in the management of funds lies on the Head-Teacher.

Local Government Education Authorities came into existence through Decree 3 of 1991 to manage and fund primary education in each local government area of the country, (Nwosu, 2005). Nwosu further stated that, the Decree empowers Local Government Education Authorities to recruit teachers and non- teaching staff on grade levels 01-06 into the teaching service in their areas of jurisdiction as well as payment of their salaries and allowances, submission of accounts and monthly returns to the state Primary Schools Board, now State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), raise vouchers for the payment of staff salaries and allowances, acquisition and distribution of materials and equipment to all primary schools, undertaking general maintenance of school buildings and infrastructure and stimulating, promoting and encouraging community participation in their areas of jurisdiction. The question that will be bothering educators, scholars and stakeholders mind

is, how can they carry out these various functions without adequate funds? Obviously, it will be difficult; hence, it is imperative for Local Government Authorities to look for other modalities to fund primary education in the country. As a statutory body set up through a Decree, the government appoints Local Government Education Secretaries to oversee and carry out the functions as stipulated in Decree 3 of 1991. In other words, the Local Government Education Secretaries are in- charge of the authorities to ensure the smooth running of primary school education in their areas of jurisdiction.

In Nigeria, local government councils administer funds received from the federation account to primary education. Local government, according to Akpan, (2002) is the breaking down of a country into smaller units or localities in which the inhabitants of the different units concerned play direct and full part through their elected representatives who exercise power or undertaken functions under the general authority of the national government.

Each local government council in the federation contributes huge percentage in the funding of primary schools in their areas of jurisdiction. It is estimated that more than 80% of the funds for primary education in this country came from the local governments allocation derived from the federation accounts. The federal government provides only percentage, while the state governments’ contributions appeared to have around 10-23%, (World Bank, 2003).

The primary education sector is so important to the country and that is the more reason why other modalities should be adopted to improve the funding of this level of education in this country. Modalities, according to Hornby (2008) is the way or mode in which something exists or done. The present level of primary education in this country needs an urgent improvement. Improvement, according to Hornby, (2008) is an act of improving or the state of being improved. In other words, improvement refers to a situation or condition of being better than before. In his view, Nnabua, (1997) stated that there is need for this sector of education to improve

financially or otherwise the whole educational system in the country will be in comatose. Funds are one of the major factors of the management of education in any country. No educational institution or programme can be managed effectively without adequate funding. The way funds are disbursed in Bayelsa State is not encouraging as there is lack of sufficient funds to run the primary schools in the State. As a result, this tends to lead to many other problems, such as, delay in the payment of primary school teachers salaries and allowances, lack of teaching staff, lack of befitting school buildings for learning, lack of infrastructure, inadequate supply of instructional materials, lack of equipment, lack of funds for effective supervision among others. As a result of this, teachers that are being employed in the schools are not commensurate with the increasing number of pupils and also pupils are learning in a very poor environment and this affects the standard of primary education in Bayelsa State. It is based on this reason that, the researcher is interested in carrying out the study on

Approaches to Funding Of Primary Schools By Local Government Education Authorities in Nigeria. The policy makers of this nation are conscious of the importance of primary education as the first stage where the foundation of education is laid. Thus, from the foregoing, the situation for improving Local Government Education Authorities in funding primary schools is imminent as the federal, the states or the local governments cannot shoulder the responsibility of funding primary education alone, hence, they should look for other modalities for funding primary education in Nigeria. This is because Local Government Authorities seem not to be living up to expectations towards primary level of education; hence, this has made the researcher to find out modalities for improving the funding of primary schools by Local Government Authorities in Bayelsa State.

Statement of the Problem

The Nigerian educational system has witnessed a great deal of transformation in recent times. As the aims and

objectives for setting up educational institutions has continued to widen, new subjects have been enlarged to reflect the critical needs of Nigerian society. In other words, high premium is placed on the funding of education, because the success of any project depends to a large extent on the availability of funds for the project.

There are many problems associated with the funding of primary education in Bayelsa State. There is the general outcry in the state that primary education have not produced the desired objectives as stipulated in the national policy on education due to lack of proper funding. On the basis of this, there is the need for improved funding of primary education so as for the state to achieve the goals and objectives of primary education in the country.

In Bayelsa State, there is a neglect of this sector of education by government for the past decade and more and if nothing is done to arrest the situation, for our children to acquire basic education will be a mirage. This is because of the following factors: there is an increase in pupils enrolment

in primary schools without the corresponding increase in the number of professional teachers, delay in the payment of teachers salaries and allowances, inadequate supply of instructional materials, poor infrastructural facilities, lack of befitting building for learning, lack of effective supervision and motivation, lack of financial commitment by Parents Teachers Associations (PTA), non-challant attitude of Non-Governmental Organizations (NGO”s) and educational philanthropists, total neglect of the rural schools in the state among others have continued to plaque primary school education in the state.

From the foregoing, it is clear that most of the problems confronting primary education in the state is poor funding and it is on the basis of these enumerated problems that the researcher saw it imperative to carry out the study on the Approaches to Funding Of Primary Schools By Local Government Education Authorities in Nigeria.

Purpose of the Study

The general purpose of this study is to find out the Approaches to Funding Of Primary Schools By Local Government Education Authorities in Nigeria.

Specifically, the study intends to:

Find out the extent the Local Government Education Authorities fulfill their statutory roles in the funding of primary schools
Find out the constraints to Local Government Education Authorities in the funding of primary schools
Examine how the identified constraints will affect funding of primary schools
Determine strategies to be adopted for improving Local Government Education Authorities in the funding of primary schools.

Significance of the Study

The theory of public expenditure developed by Adalph Wagner (1855-1977) emphasized that governments irrespective of the levels have the tendency of increasing public expenditure in such areas as defence, general administration of law and order, social welfare, health, social amenities, agriculture, transportation, communication and education among others. The implication of this theory to this study is that, since governmental activities and expenditure is increasing day by day and there is this increasing demands of the other sectors of the economy, such as power, infrastructure, agriculture, health, social welfare among others, it is therefore imperative for managers of education, including primary education to look for other modalities of funding education in the country. The findings of the study will therefore validate or invalidate the stipulation of the theory.

The following group of people shall benefit from the findings of the study. They include the Local Government

Education Authorities, the pupils, teaching and non- teaching staff and the parents.

The Local Government Education Authorities shall benefit from the findings of this study in the sense that, they shall be enlightened on how to improve funding of primary schools. In other words, the study will provide them with an alternative means of or sources of funding primary education.

The result shall also benefit the pupils because when funding of primary schools is improved, the set objectives shall be achieved and then the quality and quantity of primary school pupils shall be what it is supposed to be.

It is a fact that, when there is improvement in the funding of primary education, payment of teaching and non-teaching staff shall be regular. This shall motivate them for maximum performance and it will also avoid the incessant strikes always embarked upon by primary school teachers in the country.

On the part of the parents, they will benefit from the study because they will be expected to be more involved in the education of their children.

Scope of the Study

The scope of the study is delimited to public primary schools in Bayelsa State. It does not include the private and commercial primary schools in the state. The content coverage include: the extent to which Local Government Education Authorities fulfill their statutory roles in the funding of primary schools, constraints to funding primary schools, effects of the identified constraints and strategies to be adopted for improving Local Government Education Authorities in funding primary schools.

Research Questions

The following research questions were formulated to guide the study:

To what extent do the Local Government Education Authorities fulfill their statutory roles in the funding of primary schools?
What are the constraints to Local Government Education Authorities in the funding of primary schools?
Examine how the identified constraints will affect funding of primary schools?
What are the strategies to be adopted for improving Local Government Education Authorities in funding primary schools?

Hypotheses

The following null hypotheses were formulated to guide the study and shall be tested at 0.05 level of significance.

Ho₁: There is no significant difference between the mean

ratings of primary School Head-Teachers and Local Government Education Secretaries on the extent Local Government Education Authorities fulfill their statutory roles in funding primary schools.

Ho₂: There is no significant difference between the mean

ratings of primary School Head-Teachers and Local Government Education Secretaries on the constraints to Local Government Education Authorities in funding primary schools.

Ho₃: There is no significance difference between the mean

ratings of primary School Head-Teachers and Local Government Education Secretaries on strategies to be adopted for improving Local Government Education Authorities in funding primary schools.

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Full Project – APPROACHES TO FUNDING OF PRIMARY SCHOOLS BY LOCAL GOVERNMENT EDUCATION AUTHORITIES IN NIGERIA

Click here to Get The Complete Research Project Chapter 1-5

Full Project – APPROACHES TO FUNDING OF PRIMARY SCHOOLS BY LOCAL GOVERNMENT EDUCATION AUTHORITIES IN NIGERIA

Full Project – APPROACHES TO FUNDING OF PRIMARY SCHOOLS BY LOCAL GOVERNMENT EDUCATION AUTHORITIES IN NIGERIA

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