Civil society organizations and educational development in Benue state, Nigeria
Author: Ugba Dajo, dajougba@gmail.com
Department: Sociology
University: Benue State University, Nigeria
Supervisor: Dr. Benjamin Ahule
Year of completion: 2021
Language of dissertation: English
Keywords:
Civil Society
, Education
, Development
Areas of Research:
Economy and Society
, Education
, Social Transformations and Sociology of Development
Abstract
This research assessed the contributions of civil society organizations (CSOs) to educational development in Benue State. The study was anchored on five objectives; these were to identify the CSOs involved in educational development, the extent of their involvement, the specific areas the CSOs have intervened in educational development, factors limiting the intervention of CSOs in educational development and ways to improve the intervention of CSOs in educational development in Benue State. The study had two research assumptions. The assumption stated that CSOs have not contributed significantly in educational development while the second averred that CSOs lack the conducive environment to promote educational development in Benue State. Neo-liberalism was used as the theoretical foundation for this research. The theory was that CSOs have not been able to contribute significantly to educational development because they are agents of capitalism and profit making is their primary motive. The dimensions of data collection techniques included open-ended questionnaire, key informant interview, documentary sources and detailed observational tours of communities that benefited from the projects/ programmes executed by CSOs. The sample size of the study was 361. Quantitative data were analysed with the aid of Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) software version 21 and the results were presented in tables and percentages for better understanding. The assumptions of the study were discussed descriptively. Also, qualitative data were analysed descriptively and discussed simultaneously to validate or invalidate quantitative data. Findings from the study revealed that respondents were aware of the CSOs involved in educational development in their communities and were also able to identify those CSOs. The study also observed that CSOs contributed to a small extent in educational development in the study area. It was also evident from the findings of the study that CSOs have intervened in educational development through provisions of educational infrastructure, scholarship, capacity building and the promotion of mass literacy. However, looking at the education needs of State vis-à-vis the intervention made by CSOs, the study concluded that CSOs did not contribute significantly to educational development in Benue State. It was also observed that CSOs did not contribute anything in the area of policy design, implementation and monitoring. Corruption, insecurity, lack of capacity, lack of cooperation among CSOs and the absence of CSOs in the rural areas were identified as some of the major factors limiting the intervention of CSOs in educational development in Benue State. The study recommended that CSOs should be open, transparent and accountable. Government should review appropriately existing legislations to ensure the full involvement of CSOs as critical stakeholders in the design, monitoring and implementation of educational policies in the State. It was further recommended that the CSOs in Benue State should convoke a forum for regular interface and review of strategies to address the problem of duplication of projects/programmes and should build their own capacities to be able to deal with the complexity of modern development challenges.
