Impact of School-Based Management Committees on Educational Outcomes in Kano State

This study investigates the impact of school-based management committees on educational outcomes in public schools in Kano State, North West Nigeria. School-based management was introduced in Nigeria as part of the broader decentralisation agenda in basic education, aiming to bring decision-making closer to the school level and improve accountability in resource use. Despite policy provisions, the effectiveness of these committees in influencing measurable educational outcomes in Kano State remains underexplored. The study employs a descriptive survey approach and samples 380 committee members, teachers, and school administrators from 35 public primary and junior secondary schools across five local government areas. Data are collected using structured questionnaires and in-depth interviews, and analysed with descriptive statistics and analysis of variance. The study is grounded in the Decentralisation Theory of educational management. Findings reveal that schools with functional and well-trained management committees demonstrate better resource utilisation, higher enrolment figures, and lower dropout rates compared to schools with inactive committees. A major challenge identified is the lack of training and capacity for committee members, which limits effective oversight. The study recommends mandatory orientation programmes for newly inaugurated committee members and stronger linkages between committees and the Kano State Universal Basic Education Board. Keywords: school-based management, educational outcomes, decentralisation, community governance, Kano State.