School-Community Relations and Secondary Schools’ Development in North West, Cameroon

Purpose: This study examined school-community relationship and government secondary schools’ development in the North West Region of Cameroon. It specifically, investigated how the relationship between school leaders (principals) and the school- host communities in terms of communication and leadership attitude, determined government secondary schools’ development in Mezam Division of North West Cameroon. Methodology: A mixed method, sequential explanatory design was adopted in carrying out the study. A sample size of 230 government secondary school stakeholders – made up of 200 school-host community members and 30 school principals were sampled from four government secondary schools in using the Krejcie and Morgan table of sample size determination. A structured close-ended likert-scale questionnaire for school-host community members and interview guide for principals were used to collect data. Descriptive statistics (in the form of frequencies, percentages, charts and tables) and inferential statistics (the two-way ANOVA and Regression analysis) were used in analysing the data to answer the research questions and test the hypotheses. Finding: The regression coefficient showed that when the principal has zero school-community communication strategy, government secondary schools’ development is at 27.315. Also, when principals’ school-community communication strategy increases by one unit, government secondary schools’ development increases by 0.235. This increase is significant as indicated by F (1,198) = 17.220 with p = 0.000 (p < 0.05). The regression coefficient revealed that when the principal has zero or negative school-community leadership attitude, government secondary schools’ development is at 30.553. However, when principals’ school-community leadership attitude increases by one unit, government secondary school development increases by 0.117. This increase is significant as indicated by F (1,198) = 8.074 with p = 0.005 (p < 0.05). Conclusion: School-community communication and attitude have positive effect on government secondary schools’ development. Recommendation: The study recommend government to adopt pertinent policy measures to motivate greater and inclusive community participation in secondary schools’ development in the region. The study also recommend school leaders to offer opportunities for refreshed in-service trainings on the effective management of school-community relationship on top of creating a positive attitude and working climate with host-communities. This is important considering the critical role of school-host communities and stakeholders in not only school but educational development as a whole.