Community Volunteering and Security Services in Unity Schools in North-West Nigeria

Abstract

This study examines the relationship between community volunteering and effectiveness of security services in unity schools North-West, Nigeria. The study was guided by three objectives, two corresponding research questions and one null hypothesis. A descriptive correlational research design was adopted. The population comprised 1,108 teachers across the 18 Federal Unity Colleges in North-West, Nigeria, from which a sample of 285 teachers was selected using proportionate and simple random sampling techniques. Two self-structured instruments Community Volunteering Rating Scale (CVRS) and Effectiveness of School Security Services Rating Scale (ESSSRS) were used for data collection. The instruments were validated by experts and content validity was obtained for VRS and ESSSRS respectively; the instruments were administered twice to a group of respondents outside the study sample, with 4 weeks interval between administrations, and the two sets of scores were correlated using Pearson Product Moment Correlation and reliability indices of 0.82 and 0.72 were obtained respectively. Data were analyzed using mean and standard deviation to answer the research questions, while Pearson Product Moment Correlation Coefficient (PPMCC) was used to test the null hypothesis at 0.05 level of significance. The findings revealed that the level of community volunteering in Unity Schools was moderate. The effectiveness of school security services was also moderate. Furthermore, a significant negative relationship was found between community volunteering and effectiveness of school security services, leading to the rejection of the null hypothesis. The study concluded that although community volunteering exists at a moderate level, its significant negative relationship with security service effectiveness suggests that higher levels of community volunteering were associated with lower levels of security service effectiveness in Unity Schools in North-West Nigeria.It was recommended that school management should establish formal structures for community volunteer engagement, clearly define volunteers' roles and responsibilities, and provide appropriate orientation and training to ensure that volunteer activities are properly coordinated with formal school security arrangements.