AN EVALUATION OF THE FREE EDUCATION POLICY IN PUBLIC PRIMARY SCHOOLS IN EDO STATE: PERSPECTIVE OF PARENTS

ABSTRACT

The study is an evaluation of the free education policy in public primary schools in Edo State from the perspective of parents whose children attend the public primary school. The objectives of the study are to evaluate the following: parents awareness of free education policy in public primary schools in Edo State; payment of fees by parents for the education of their children in the public primary schools; the teaching of primary education subjects in the schools, as stated in the National Policy on Education; and parents’ level of satisfaction of the quality of education in the schools.  Survey research design was adopted for the study and the research instrument for the collection of primary data was a questionnaire. The research instrument was structured in line with the study objectives and research hypotheses. The sample size for the study was randomly selected from four local government areas which have an estimated population of 3450% of the total population of the State. Findings in the study indicated that the parents were aware of free education policy in public primary schools in the State; and they were satisfied with the number of subjects in the curriculum of the schools. The parents were also satisfied with the quality of teaching, provision of desks and chairs in the schools. However, the parents indicated that education in the public schools was not free due to the levies and other charges they were required to pay. In addition parents incurred other expenses to provide some items and services needed in the school system for the education of the children. The items and services were supposed to be provided free of charges by the government, as stated in the National Policy on Education. It can therefore, be stated that the parents are involved in financing the education of their children who attend the Edo State public primary schools in the supposedly free education policy.