Effect of School-Based Management Committees on Educational Quality in Basic Schools in Kwara State

This study evaluates the effect of school-based management committees on educational quality in basic schools in Kwara State, North Central Nigeria. School-based management, which devolves decision-making authority to school communities including parents, teachers, and community representatives, has been promoted as a decentralisation strategy for improving school accountability and educational outcomes. Despite mandatory SMC formation under the Universal Basic Education Act, their actual functionality and impact in Kwara State schools remain poorly understood. A descriptive survey design was used, with data collected from 30 SMC chairpersons, 150 teachers, and 60 head teachers across 30 basic schools in Ilorin, Offa, and Kaiama local government areas. SMC functionality was assessed using an activity log and interview protocol measuring meeting frequency, budget involvement, and community mobilisation activities. Educational quality was evaluated using pupil-teacher ratios, textbook availability, and primary school leaving examination scores. Regression and descriptive analyses were applied. Results indicate that functional SMCs, defined as those meeting regularly and actively participating in budget oversight, are significantly associated with better resource availability and higher examination performance. Dormant SMCs showed no meaningful difference from schools without committees. The study concludes that SMC effectiveness, not mere existence, is the critical factor in improving educational quality. It recommends that the Kwara State Universal Basic Education Board introduce an SMC performance evaluation system and provide capacity-building workshops for committee members to strengthen their governance and accountability roles.

Keywords: school-based management, educational quality, basic schools, Kwara State, community participation.