An Assessment of Secondary Education Funding, Infrastructure Challenges, and their Impact on Teaching–Learning in Public Schools
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.47941/jep.3764Keywords:
Education, Funding of Education, Infrastructure, Government Policy, RegulationAbstract
Purpose: This study evaluates the funding of secondary education and the infrastructural challenges facing public secondary schools in Nigeria, and how these factors influence teaching and learning outcomes.
Methodology: A descriptive survey research design was adopted for the study. Two research questions and two hypotheses guided the investigation. The population comprised teachers from public secondary schools, from which a sample of 296 teachers was selected from five secondary schools using a stratified random sampling technique due to the homogeneous nature. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire developed by the researcher titled Secondary Education Funding, Infrastructure and their Impact on Teaching–Learning in Public Schools Questionnaire (SEFI-TLQ). Descriptive statistics, including mean and standard deviation, were used to answer the research questions, while the chi-square (χ²) statistical technique was employed to test the hypotheses.
Findings: The findings revealed a significant relationship between government funding policies for secondary education and the state of school infrastructure. The study also established that both funding and infrastructural conditions are statistically significant determinants of teaching and learning performance in public secondary schools in Nigeria. The results indicate that effective implementation of policy measures, such as increased educational funding, reduction of corruption, improved teacher motivation, and strategic educational planning would significantly enhance the development and performance of the secondary education sector.
Unique Contribution to Theory, Policy and Practice: The study contributes to educational management and public finance theory by providing empirical evidence on the interconnectedness of educational funding, infrastructural development, and teaching–learning outcomes in public secondary schools. From a policy perspective, the findings support the need for increased government investment in education and reinforce UNESCO’s recommendation that 26% of national budgets be allocated to the education sector. The study further highlights the importance of prompt payment of teachers’ salaries and allowances, regular infrastructural maintenance, and strategic resource allocation as critical measures for improving educational quality and student performance in Nigerian public secondary schools.
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