Abstract:
The main aim of this study was to investigate the extent to which communities
in the Gomoa East District participate in improving basic education delivery.
Specifically, the study looked at the activities that communities perform and the
extent to which they engage in those activities to improve access, infrastructure
development and academic performance, as well as ensuring effective monitoring and
supervision. The sampled respondents consisted of basic school heads and teachers,
School Management Committee, Parent Teacher Association and Unit Committee
executives. Respondents were selected using the random sampling approach and
questionnaire used as instrument for primary data collection. The study showed that
community members were aware of the need to participate in the provision of basic
education and saw their participation as very significant to improving education
delivery. However, they had little knowledge on the specific roles they needed to play
in the school to improve education delivery. The study also revealed that lack of
understanding of educational issues, poor communication and lack of resources and
time on the part of parents and community members in general were major setbacks
to participation in education delivery in the area. This study also notes that the top
three ways of improving education delivery were using local language at meetings,
informing community members about positive things happening in the school and
ensuring effective communication between the school and the community by
involving community members in decision making about the school.
