Evaluation of Cooperative Principles Application in Workers’ Cooperatives in the Educational Sector in Anambra State

The International Cooperative Alliance's seven cooperative principles provide a normative framework for evaluating the ideological authenticity and operational integrity of cooperative organisations. This study evaluated the degree to which the seven ICA cooperative principles are applied in workers' cooperatives in the educational sector in Anambra State, South East Nigeria. A descriptive survey was conducted among 150 teacher and school worker cooperative members from twelve cooperatives affiliated with educational institutions in Awka, Onitsha, and Nnewi. A structured questionnaire rated the application of each ICA principle on a five-point Likert scale, with responses aggregated by principle and analysed using mean scores, standard deviations, and ranking. Results revealed that voluntary and open membership and democratic member control received the highest mean compliance scores (4.21 and 4.08 respectively). Education, training, and information (mean 2.87) and cooperation among cooperatives (mean 2.64) were the least practised principles. Concern for community was rated at 2.91, indicating limited social responsibility programming. The autonomy and independence principle was inconsistently observed, with external interference in elections reported in 28.7 percent of cooperatives. The study concludes that workers' cooperatives in Anambra's educational sector demonstrate strong adherence to membership and democratic principles but underinvest in cooperative education and inter-cooperative collaboration. Recommendations include inter-cooperative networking events and a cooperative education fund within the state federation budget.

Keywords: ICA cooperative principles, workers' cooperatives, educational sector, Anambra State, cooperative values