Examining the Free Fee Policy Implementation in Public Primary Education Management in Ebonyi State, Nigeria

Abstract

This study examined the free fee policy implementation in the public primary education management with focus on three key performance indicators namely: quality of education provision, pupils’ enrolment and infrastructural facilities provision to establish whether the policy has brought to an end or a new beginning to public primary education challenges in Nigeria. Ebonyi State was used as the case study. The study employed descriptive survey research design. The population of the study comprised of all head teachers in public primary schools in Ebonyi State. Stratified simple random sampling technique was used to select 600 head teachers that formed the sample size of the study. The instrument for data collection was a 25 item structured questionnaire developed by the researchers and was duly validated with a reliability index of ‘r’ = 0.87 using the Cronbach Alpha statistical tool. Data collected was analyzed using the statistical method of mean and standard deviation for the research questions and t-test statistic for the hypotheses. One of the findings of the study was that enrolment into public primary schools was on the decrease in Ebonyi State. Based on the findings, the study concluded that if government does not give urgent attention to public primary education in Ebonyi State, there may be a soon end of it. The study therefore recommended among others that government should ensure adequate provision and maintenance of infrastructural facilities in public primary schools in Ebonyi State.