Policy Implementation and Achievement of Quality Education
CHAPTER ONE
OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY
The major purpose of this study was to assess the effects of policy implementation on the provision of quality education. Specifically, the study set out to:
- To examine the extent the provided policies has be implemented.
- To investigate the implementation of teachers’ welfare policy (e.g remuneration, overtime allowance, compensation and appreciation packages) influenced job satisfaction.
- To examine if there is was any significant relationship between curriculum implementation and students’ performance.
- To examine whether the implementation of secondary school policies ensured the achievement of the stated goal of useful living within the society and higher education.
CHAPTER TWO
LITERATURE REVIEW
INTRODUCTION
Our focus in this chapter is to critically examine relevant literatures that would assist in explaining the research problem and furthermore recognize the efforts of scholars who had previously contributed immensely to similar research. The chapter intends to deepen the understanding of the study and close the perceived gaps.
Precisely, the chapter will be considered in two sub-headings:
- Conceptual Framework
- Chapter Summary
CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK
Policy
A policy serves the purpose of ensuring that every offi cial action of an organisation must have a basis or a backing. Terry (1977: 1989) considers that “a policy is an overall guide that gives the general limits and direction in which administrative action will take place”. According to him, “a policy defi nes the area in which decisions are to be made but it does not give the decision”.
A policy brings about a meaningful relationship between business objectives and organisational functions as it discourages deviations from planned courses of action. A policy ensures consistency of action because an organisation is governed by approved principles. A policy does not have to be rigid, as there should be room for adjustment if necessary after its formulation. Perhaps this is why Hoy and Miskel (1978:215) believe that “policies are not only formulated but also programmed, communicated, monitored and evaluated”? The non-rigid nature of policies is confirmed by Lindblom (1959:86) when he describes policy making as a “process of successive approximation to some desired objectives in which what is desired itself continues to change under reconsideration”. In fact, a good policy is one that can be reviewed as the need may arise. Lindblom believes that a wise policy maker cannot expect all their policies to achieve a one-hundred percent success. Regardless of how good a policy may be, its implementation may introduce some element of imperfection.
Policy Implementation
In the field of education, “implementation” is a complex term which has different meaning for different people. The lack of consensus on the definition is noticeable among scholars. The term “implementation” itself may convey a limited approach to the concept. Yet analysis suggests that the term may require taking into consideration a large variety of factors including the policy making process itself, in addition to context and the actual policy. Alternative terms from educationalists include “delivery” (Barber, 2008[46]), “enactment” (Bell and Stevenson, 2015[30]) “realisation” (Donaldson, 2015[53]) or educational change (Fullan, 2015[21]). This Section proposes a definition of education policy implementation based on a review of the literature. While we use the term “implementation”, as it is the most widely used by policy makers who are the focus of our analysis, the paper aims to give it a more comprehensive meaning. It aims to provide an understanding of what education policy implementation entails that can then be used to define its determinants. It first provides a description of relevant definitions, reviews the debates around them, and proposes a definition that aims to be meaningful for policy makers.
CHAPTER THREE
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
Introduction
This chapter gives the methodology that the researcher used in the study. The research design, population of the study, sampling and sample size, methods of data collection, techniques of data analysis and limitations of methodology.
Area of Study
Kosofe is a Local Government Area of Lagos State, Nigeria. Its headquarters are in the town of Kosofe. It has an area of 81 km2 (31 sq mi) and a population of 665,393 at the 2006 census.
Research Design
Research designs are perceived to be an overall strategy adopted by the researcher whereby different components of the study are integrated in a logical manner to effectively address a research problem. In this study, the researcher employed the survey research design. This is due to the nature of the study whereby the opinion and views of people are sampled.
Population
According to Udoyen (2019), a study population is a group of elements or individuals as the case may be, who share similar characteristics. These similar features can include location, gender, age, sex or specific interest. The emphasis on study population is that it constitute of individuals or elements that are homogeneous in description.
This study was carried out to examine policy implementation and achievement of quality education. The respondents for this study was obtained from the teachers of the 5 selected secondary schools in Kosofe Local Government, Lagos State. Hence the selected schools include; Comprehensive Junior High School Lagos; Ayedere Ajibola Junior High School; Estaport Secondary School; Ajo Estate Junior High School; and Anthony Village Senior High School.
Hence all the teachers of the selected schools form the population of this study.
CHAPTER FOUR
DATA PRESENTATION AND ANALYSIS
INTRODUCTION
This chapter presents the analysis of data derived through the questionnaire and key informant interview administered on the respondents in the study area. The analysis and interpretation were derived from the findings of the study. The data analysis depicts the simple frequency and percentage of the respondents as well as interpretation of the information gathered. A total of one hundred and twenty (120) questionnaires were administered to respondents of which one hundred (100) were returned and validated. This was due to irregular, incomplete and inappropriate responses to some questionnaire. For this study a total of 100 was validated for the analysis.
DATA PRESENTATION
The table below shows the summary of the survey. A sample of 120 was calculated for this study. A total of 100 responses were received and validated. For this study a total of 100 was used for the analysis.
CHAPTER FIVE
SUMMARY, CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS:
Introduction
This chapter summarizes the findings on the policy implementation and achievement of quality education using selected schools in Kosofe Local Government Area of Educational District 11, Lagos State as case study. The chapter consists of summary of the study, conclusions, and recommendations.
Summary of the Study
In this study, our focus was to assess the effects of policy implementation on the provision of quality education. The study specifically was aimed at examining the extent the provided policies has be implemented; investigate the implementation of teachers’ welfare policy (e.g remuneration, overtime allowance, compensation and appreciation packages) influenced job satisfaction; examine if there is was any significant relationship between curriculum implementation and students’ performance. And examine whether the implementation of secondary school policies ensured the achievement of the stated goal of useful living within the society and higher education.
The study adopted the survey research design and randomly enrolled participants in the study. A total of 100 responses were validated from the enrolled participants where all respondent are teachers of five selected schools in Kosofe Local Government Area of Lagos State.
Conclusions
Based on the findings of this study, the researcher made the following conclusion.
- The extent to which the provided policies were implemented was very low.
- The implementation of teachers’ welfare policy did not influenced job satisfaction.
- There is a significant relationship between curriculum implementation and students’ performance.
- There is a significant relationship between teachers’ welfare and job satisfaction.
- The implementation of secondary school policies did no ensure the achievement of the stated goal of useful living within the society and higher education.
- There is a significant relationship between class size and teacher’s performance.
RECOMMENDATIONS
Based on the findings and conclusion the study recommend that government should invest heavily in education by providing adequate and well equipped classrooms and laboratories in learning environment as well as ensuring proper maintenance of equipment and facilities in schools with regular and effective monitoring . The study also recommended the inclusion of social and democratic values along with psychomotor competencies in the curriculum among others. Finally the Government should review teachers ware-fare policy and ensures it adequate implementation.
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