COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT STRATEGY AND SUSTAINABLE EDUCATIONAL DEVELOPMENT IN SOUTH WESTERN NIGERIA OMOWUNMI Joshua Olusegun Department of Politics and International Relations, Leadcity University, Ibadan Nigeria. omowunmijoshua7@gmail.com Abstract This study investigated the influence of community involvement strategy on sustainable educational developments in Southwest Nigeria. Survey research design was adopted in order to achieve set objectives. Structured questionnaire was administered to a sample size of 9,215 participants within the 6 states that formed the South-west states using the Krejcie and Morgan sample size calculatorfrom an estimated population size of 46,706,662. A remarkable response rate of 7,815 (84.8%) duly filled and returned questionnaire. Graphical representation, descriptive statistics and analysis of variance through a simple linear regression was employed to achieve set aim as the findings revealed a positive and significant influence of community involvement strategy on sustainable educational development. The high response rate highlights the level of engagement and interest from community members in the educational process. Hence, active participation of community members in educational initiative positively affects various aspects of educational development, including student learning, engagement and achievement in Southwest Nigeria. Keywords: Community involvement strategy, sustainable educational development, regression, Southwest Nigeria. 1.0 Introduction Community involvement plays a crucial role in promoting educational development and improving learning outcomes. It encompasses a range of strategies that engage various stakeholders, including parents, teachers, students, community leaders, and local organizations, in the planning, implementation, and evaluation of educational initiatives. When communities actively participate in educational processes, it fosters collaboration, increases accountability, and ensures the relevance of programs to the unique needs and aspirations of learners (Khemani, 2004). Numerous studies have shown that community involvement contributes to enhanced educational outcomes and student achievement. For example, research conducted in disadvantaged communities has found that effective community involvement strategies can positively impact student motivation, engagement, and academic performance (Epstein, 2001; Henderson & Mapp, 2002). Furthermore, community involvement in education has been associated with reduced dropout rates, improved school attendance, and increased graduation rates (Center for Mental Health in Schools, 2008). Community involvement strategies in educational development encompass a range of activities and approaches. These include parent-teacher associations, school advisory committees, volunteer programs, community outreach initiatives, and collaborations with local businesses and organizations. By involving parents and community members in decision-making processes, such as curriculum development and school governance, it affirms their active role as partners in education (Deslandes, 2016). A key component of effective community involvement strategies in educational development is building strong partnerships between schools, families, and the community at large. Collaboration and IJO- INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF SOCIAL SCIENCE AND HUMANITIES RESEARCH ( ISSN 2811-2466 ) Volume 06 | Issue 10 | October 2023 | http://ijojournals.com/index.php/ssh/index 1 shared decision-making ensure that educational initiatives align with the community's aspirations and cultural values, thus enhancing their relevance and effectiveness (Hill & Tyson, 2009). Moreover, community involvement provides valuable resources and expertise that can support schools in addressing complex challenges, such as improving school infrastructure, providing mentorship programs, or creating opportunities for experiential learning (Kruk, Kujawa-Myles, & Angrist, 2017). Community involvement also serves as a catalyst for educational equity and social justice. By actively engaging marginalized or disadvantaged communities, it helps address disparities in access to quality education, ensures representation of diverse perspectives, and empowers individuals to advocate for their rights (Byrne-Jimenez & Lee, 2020; Manzon, 2008). Community involvement strategies create a platform for dialogue and collaboration, enabling community members to voice their concerns, suggest improvements, and actively shape policies that impact educational opportunities (Foster & Wennmann, 2000). The motivation arising from this paper is to critically fine-tune the impact community involvement strategy has on educational development in Southwest Nigeria. To make a statistical inference on the set aim, below claim is stated using null hypothesis: H0: Community involvement as a strategy has no significant effect on educational development in Southwest Nigeria 2.0 Literature Review 2.1 Empirical Review Empirical studies have consistently demonstrated the positive impact of community involvement strategies on educational development and student outcomes. Researchers have explored various aspects of community involvement, including its effects on academic achievement, student engagement, and school improvement initiatives. This empirical review highlights key findings from relevant studies on the relationship between community involvement strategies and educational development. Multiple studies have found a significant positive association between community involvement and academic achievement. A study by Fan and Chen (2001) examined the impact of family and community involvement on student achievement in a sample of Chinese middle schools. The findings revealed that higher levels of community involvement were associated with improved academic performance, particularly in mathematics and language arts. Similarly, research conducted by Jeynes (2005) synthesized data from 51 studies and found that community involvement positively influenced student achievement in diverse populations and varied educational settings. A study by McNeal Jr. (1999) examined the influence of parental involvement on student engagement in secondary schools. The results demonstrated that students whose parents were actively involved in their education were more likely to be engaged in school activities, such as attending class regularly, completing assignments, and participating in extracurricular programs. Similarly, a meta-analysis conducted by Wang and Holcombe (2010) found a positive correlation between community involvement and student engagement across multiple studies. Bryk and Schneider (2002) investigated the impact of community involvement on school reforms in Chicago. The researchers found that schools with more extensive community involvement experienced greater improvements in student achievement, attendance, and discipline. Another study by Miron and Mooney (2016) examined the influence of community involvement in school decision-making processes. The findings indicated that schools with strong community involvement had higher levels of student success indicators, including graduation rates and college enrollment. IJO- INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF SOCIAL SCIENCE AND HUMANITIES RESEARCH ( ISSN 2811-2466 ) Volume 06 | Issue 10 | October 2023 | http://ijojournals.com/index.php/ssh/index 2 An empirical review by Bolivar (2005) explored the impact of community involvement on educational equity in urban schools. The study found that community involvement strategies helped address disparities in access to educational resources, fostered inclusive practices, and empowered marginalized communities. Furthermore, research by Souto-Manning, Swick, & Jones (2016) indicated that community involvement facilitated dialogue and collaboration among diverse stakeholders, leading to more equitable educational policies and practices. 2.2 Theoretical Review This paper adopted theCivic Engagement Theory. This theory focuses on the active participation and involvement of individuals in their communities and society (Verba et al., 1995). In the realm of education, community involvement is viewed as a form of civic engagement that goes beyond traditional parent-school relations and includes broader community members (Checkoway & Aldana- Beceril, 2006). Engaging in educational development initiatives builds individuals' sense of civic responsibility, democratic values, and social identities (Kahne & Westheimer, 2003). By participating in collaborative decision-making processes, community members develop a shared ownership of educational outcomes, leading to improved educational programs and policies (Stewart-Wells & Maurrasse, 2000). This theory emphasizes the transformative power of community involvement in shaping educational development by fostering active citizenship and promoting democratic education practices. 3.0 Methodology We adopted survey research method in this paper. This was done through the use of questionnaires as the research instrument to elicit responses from participants of the study. The target participants are dwellers of the identified areas/local governments selected for inclusion in the sample. The data collected through the use of questionnaire was quantified in order to provide the researchers with numerical data that can be explored statistically. South-West Nigeria was selected as the study area. This was as a result of its high literacy level of participants in this geo-political zone as compared to other five (5) zones in Nigeria. This zones consists of six states namely: Ekiti, Lagos, Ogun, Ondo, Osun and Oyo. The target population of this research consists of all dwellers in the six (6) states that are made up of South-Western Nigeria. The total population of the Southwest geopolitical zone is estimated to be around 46,706,662 people (NBS, 2021). These states are divided into three (3) senatorial districts each, making a total of eighteen (18) senatorial districts altogether. This senatorial districts was made up of one hundred and thirty seven (137) local governments The research adopted a multi-stage sampling procedure. Adopting multi-stage sampling made the sample selection in this study to be in three stages. The multi-stage sampling method is commonly used when the population is scattered over a wide area. Multistage sampling usually introduces a complex dependence in the selection of the final units, which makes asymptotic results quite difficult to prove. The first stage is based on the selection of the local government areas partaking in the study per each of the senatorial districts, the second stage is based on the selection of communities within the selected local government areas while the third stage is on the selection of the respondents. 137 Local Government Areas make up the Six (6) Southwest States. Out of these, convenient sampling procedure was used to select 23%(31) of the entire Local Government for inclusion in the sample.Proportional allocation procedure was adopted in selecting thirty-one (31) local government areas for inclusion within the state per senatorial districts out of which the population of the conveniently selected local government areas is based upon for selection of total respondents. A total of 9,216 community members was randomly selected across the 31 LGAs using the Krejcie and Morgan (1970) sample size calculator (288 sample members estimated from each local government area). IJO- INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF SOCIAL SCIENCE AND HUMANITIES RESEARCH ( ISSN 2811-2466 ) Volume 06 | Issue 10 | October 2023 | http://ijojournals.com/index.php/ssh/index 3 Closed-ended questionnaire was administered to the sample community members where 84.8% of the research instrument was duly filled and returned. Table 3.1: Reliability Statistics Variables Items No. Cronbach’s Alpha Community involvement strategy 8 0.868 Educational development 8 0.697 Source: Researchers’ self-computation From table 3.1, results indicated that the research instrument used in the collection of data is reliability as the reliability statistics for each of the examined variables are within 0.697 to 0.868. This implies that the questions raised through the research instrument is valid and measures what it is purported to measure in gaining insight from the research objectives. Descriptive and inferential methods of data analyses was employed on the data collected. The descriptive part consists of graphical representation of socio-demographic characteristics of participants, frequency, percentage and mean response score while the inferential method is not limited to analysis of variance via simple linear regression analysis.The simple linear regression model fitted is expressed in equation (1) as: ���� = �� + ������ + �� (1) Where EDT represent average response on educational development; CIS represent the average response on community involvement strategy; �� and �� are parameters to be estimated while �� is the error term. 4.0 Results and Discussion 4.1 Demographic Data Analysis Fig. 1: Distribution of respondents by Southwest States. Distribution of the respondents by states can be depicted in fig. 1. Result showed that 15.9% of the respondents were domiciled in Lagos, 22.5% were from Ogun, while 19.7% were from Ondo. Other states such as Osun, Oyo and Ekiti were represented by 16.6%, 17.1% and 8.3% respondents respectively. This implies that Ogun state has the highest number of participants in the survey, which might be due to the respondents’ high compliance in filling the research instruments compared to other Southwestern states. The image cannot be display ed. Your computer may not hav e enough memory to open the image, or the image may hav e been corrupted. Restart y our computer, and then open the file again. If the red x still appears, y ou may hav e to delete the image and then insert it again. The image cannot be display ed. Your computer may not hav e enough memory to open the image, or the image may hav e been corrupted. Restart y our computer, and then open the file again. If the red x still appears, y ou may hav e to delete the image and then insert it again. Fig. 2: Distribution of respondents by Gender IJO- INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF SOCIAL SCIENCE AND HUMANITIES RESEARCH ( ISSN 2811-2466 ) Volume 06 | Issue 10 | October 2023 | http://ijojournals.com/index.php/ssh/index 4 Fig. 2 above shows the gender distributions of the respondents who participated in the study, where 54.04% of the respondents are male, while 45.96% of the respondents are female. This implies that majority of the respondents used in this study as selected from the respective Southwestern states are male. Fig. 3 shows the distribution of the respondents based on their highest educational qualification, where 17.3% has Primary/Secondary education as their qualification, 47.5% has HND/B.Sc, 27.01% has MA/MBA/MSc while 8.19% has other qualifications. This implies that majority of the respondents are HND/B.Sc. degree holder. However, irrespective of the educational qualification of the respondents, their respective highest level of education may not vary their perceptions on the community involvement as an enhancer to sustainable developments. On the religion of the respondents, result of fig. 4 indicated that 52.5% of them are Christians, 41.56% practices Islam while 5.92% practices other religion. This implies that majority of the respondents practice Christianity as a religion. From fig. 5 showing the distribution of the respondents by marital status, result showed that 24.2% of them are single, 46.7% are married, 22.4% are divorced/separated while 6.8% are widow/widower. This implies that majority of the respondents participating in the survey are married. Taking the occupation of the respondents into consideration, result indicated that 32.45% of them are civil servant, 29.47% are trader, 21.91% are students while 16.17% are entrepreneurs. This implies that majority of the respondents who participated in this study are majority civil servants. The image cannot be display ed. Your computer may not hav e enough memory to open the image, or the image may hav e been corrupted. Restart y our computer, and then open the file again. If the red x still appears, y ou may hav e to delete the image and then insert it again. The image cannot be display ed. Your computer may not hav e enough memory to open the image, or the image may hav e been corrupted. Restart y our computer, and then open the file again. If the red x still appears, y ou may hav e to delete the image and then insert it again. The image cannot be display ed. Your computer may not hav e enough memory to open the image, or the image may hav e been corrupted. Restart y our computer, and then open the file again. If the red x still appears, y ou may hav e to delete the image and then insert it again. Fig. 3: Distribution of Respondents by Highest Educational Qualification Fig. 4: Distribution of Respondents by Religion The image cannot be display ed. Your computer may not hav e enough memory to open the image, or the image may hav e been corrupted. Restart y our computer, and then open the file again. If the red x still appears, y ou may hav e to delete the image and then insert it again. Fig. 5: Distribution of respondents by Marital Status Fig. 6: Distribution of respondents by Occupation IJO- INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF SOCIAL SCIENCE AND HUMANITIES RESEARCH ( ISSN 2811-2466 ) Volume 06 | Issue 10 | October 2023 | http://ijojournals.com/index.php/ssh/index 5 4.2 Descriptive Statistics Table 1: Perceptions of Respondents on Community Involvement Strategy s/n Community involvement Strategy SDA DA NS A SA Total Mean/ SD 1 Community involvement has helped to reduce the rate of poverty in Southwest, Nigeria. f 1880 1232 1887 1327 1488 7815 2.91 % 24.0 16.0 24.0 17.0 19.0 100.0 [1.43] 2 Community involvement has helped to ensure gender equality in Southwest, Nigeria. f 1072 1048 840 2871 1984 7815 3.74 % 14.0 13.0 10.7 36.7 25.0 100.0 [1.35] 3 Community involvement has helped to achieve clean water and sanitation in Southwest, Nigeria. f 1240 1096 1040 1559 2880 7815 4.02 % 16.0 14.0 13.3 20.0 36.9 100.0 [1.374] 4 Community involvement has helped to promote good health and wellbeing in Southwest, Nigeria. f 1192 936 1751 1760 2176 7815 3.36 % 15.0 12.0 22.0 23.0 28.0 100.0 [1.393] 5 Community involvement has helped to fast- track economic growth in Southwest, Nigeria. f 1728 1015 872 1624 2576 7815 4.04 % 22.0 13.0 11.0 21.0 33.0 100.0 [1.424] 6 Community involvement has helped to foster peace, justice and strong institutions in Southwest, Nigeria. f 1143 1064 1001 2337 2272 7815 4.39 % 15.0 14.0 12.8 29.9 29.0 100.0 [1.404] 7 Community involvement strategy has made Southwest, Nigeria to witness growth in the areas of industry, innovation and infrastructures. f 1304 1064 912 1911 2624 7815 4.19 % 17.0 14.0 11.7 24.0 33.6 100.0 [0.358] 8 Community involvement strategy has ensured inclusiveness and access to equitable education in Southwest, Nigeria. f 1208 984 984 1855 2784 7815 3.86 % 15.0 13.0 12.6 24.0 35.6 100.0 [1.352] Grand Mean/Standard Deviation 3.81 [1.261] SA = Strongly Agree; A=Agree; NS = Not Sure; D=Disagree; SDA=Strongly Disagree; Figures in [ ] represents standard deviations Source: Field Survey, 2022 Table 1 above shows the responses of the respondents in relation to Community involvement strategy in Southwest Nigeria. Analysis made on the reduction of poverty showed that 1488(19.0%) of the respondents strongly agreed that community involvement has helped to reduce the rate of poverty in southwest Nigeria, 1327(17%) agreed, 1887(24%) were not sure, 1232(16%) disagreed, while 1880(24%) strongly disagree. A mean value of 2.91 implies that majority of the respondents were not sure that community involvement has helped to reduce the rate of poverty in southwest Nigeria. Analysis of item 2 of the table showed that about 1984(25%) of the respondents strongly agreed that community involvement has helped to ensure gender equality in southwest Nigeria, 2871(36.7%) agreed, 840(10.7%) were not sure, 1048(13%) disagreed while 1072(14%) of them strongly disagreed. A mean response score of 3.74 implies that majority of the respondents agreed that community involvement has helped to ensure gender equality in southwest Nigeria. From item 3 of the table, result showed that 2880(36.9%) of the respondents strongly agreed that community involvement has helped to achieve clean water and sanitation in southwest Nigeria, 1559(20%) agreed, 1040(13.3%) were not sure, 1096(14%) disagreed while 1240(16%) of them strongly disagreed. A mean response score of 4.02 implies that majority of the respondents were not sure if community involvement has helped in in achieving clean water and sanitation in the region. IJO- INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF SOCIAL SCIENCE AND HUMANITIES RESEARCH ( ISSN 2811-2466 ) Volume 06 | Issue 10 | October 2023 | http://ijojournals.com/index.php/ssh/index 6 Analysis of item 4 of the table indicated that 2176(28%) of the respondents strongly agreed that community involvement has helped to promote good health and wellbeing in southwest Nigeria, 1760(23%) agreed, 1751(22%) were not sure, 936(12%) disagreed while 1192(15%) of them strongly disagreed. A mean response score of 3.36 implies that majority of the respondents were not sure if community involvement has helped to promote good health and wellbeing in southwest Nigeria. On the analysis of item 5 of the table, result indicated that 2576(33%) of the respondents strongly agreed that community involvement has helped to fast-track economic growth in southwest Nigeria; 1624(21%) agreed, 872(11%) were not sure, 1015(13%) disagreed while 1728(22%) of them strongly disagreed. A mean response score of 4.39 implies that majority of the respondents agreed that community involvement has helped to fast-track economic growth in southwest Nigeria. Analysis of item 6 of the table showed that about 2272(29%) of the respondents strongly agreed that community involvement has helped to foster peace, justice and strong institutions in Southwest Nigeria; 2337(29.9%) agreed, 1001(12.8%) were not sure, 1064(14%) disagreed while 1143(15%) of them strongly disagreed. A mean response score of 3.39 implies that majority of the respondents agreed on the opinion that community involvement has helped to peace, justice and strong institutions in southwest Nigeria has been fostered through community involvement. From analysis of item 7 of the table, result indicated that 2624(33.6%) of the respondents strongly agreed that community involvement strategy has made Southwest Nigeria to witness growth in the areas of industry, innovations and infrastructures; 1911(24%) agreed, 912(11.7%) were not sure, 1064(14%) disagreed while 1304(17%) of them strongly disagreed. A mean response score of 4.19 implies that majority of the respondents agreed on the opinion that community involvement strategy has made southwest, Nigeria to witness growth in the areas of industry, innovation and infrastructures. On the analysis of item 8 of the table, result showed that 2784(35.6%) of the respondents strongly agreed that community involvement strategy has ensured inclusiveness and access to equitable education in Southwest, Nigeria; 1855(24%) agreed, 984(13%) were not sure, 984(13%) disagreed while 1208(15%) of them strongly disagreed. A mean response score of 3.86 implies that majority of the respondents agreed that there is inclusiveness and access to equitable education in Southwest, Nigeria via community involvement strategy. From the responses above, it can be deduced that community involvement strategy in the Southwest, Nigeria is high, as a grand mean of 3.81 was recorded which is above the acceptable mean of 3.49. The respondents opined that community involvement has neither helped in reducing the rate of poverty in the region nor promote good health and wellbeing, but ensure gender equality, achievement of clean water and sanitation, economic growth fast-tracking and access to equitable education. It was also found that majority of the respondents understands what community involvement entails as shown from their perceptions. IJO- INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF SOCIAL SCIENCE AND HUMANITIES RESEARCH ( ISSN 2811-2466 ) Volume 06 | Issue 10 | October 2023 | http://ijojournals.com/index.php/ssh/index 7 Table 2: Perceptions of Respondents on Educational Development s/n Educational Development SDA DA NS A SA Total Mean/SD 1 Education in Southwest, Nigeria is now inclusive because of the community involvement strategy applied to sustainable development f 736 1039 776 2712 2552 7815 3.68 % 9.4 13.3 9.9 34.7 32.7 100.0 [1.42] 2 There is equity in the education sector of Southwest, Nigeria because of the community involvement strategy applied towards its sustainable development. f 648 755 816 3028 2568 7815 3.78 % 8.3 9.8 10.4 38.7 32.9 100.0 [1.415] 3 There is a lifelong learning opportunity in the education sector of Southwest, Nigeria because of the community involvement strategy applied towards its sustainable development. f 1027 864 896 2052 2976 7815 3.65 % 13.1 11.1 11.5 26.3 38.1 100.0 [1.395] 4 All girls and boys complete free education in Southwest, Nigeria because of the community involvement strategy applied towards its sustainable development. f 1327 1016 1832 1840 1800 7815 2.23 % 17.0 13.0 23.4 23.5 23.0 100.0 [1.384] 5 There are remarkable learning outcomes in Southwest, Nigeria because of the community involvement strategy applied to sustainable development. f 1767 1472 1552 1648 1376 7815 2.92 % 22.6 18.8 19.9 21.1 17.6 100.0 [1.415] 6 Education is easily accessible in Southwest, Nigeria because of the community involvement strategy applied to sustainable development. f 1303 1056 544 1648 3264 7815 3.58 % 16.7 13.5 7.0 21.1 41.8 100.0 [1.438] 7 Education centres are well secured and safe in Southwest, Nigeria because of the community involvement strategy applied to sustainable development. f 1696 1304 1752 1560 1503 7815 2.98 % 21.7 16.7 22.4 20.0 19.2 100.0 [1.416] 8 Students in Southwest, Nigeria have access to world class education resources because of the community involvement strategy applied to sustainable development. f 1000 1256 1528 1864 2167 7815 2.38 % 12.8 16.1 19.6 23.9 27.7 100.0 1.771 Grand Mean/Standard Deviation 3.15 [1.457] SA = Strongly Agree; A=Agree; NS = Not Sure; D=Disagree; SDA=Strongly Disagree; Figures in [ ] represents standard deviations Source: Field Survey, 2022 Taking educational development in Southwest Nigeria into consideration, result of table 2 showed from item 1 that 2552(32.7%) of the respondents strongly agreed that education in Southwest, Nigeria is now inclusive because of the community involvement strategy applied to sustainable development; 2712(34.2%) agreed, 776(9.9%) not sure, 1039(13.3%) disagreed while 736(9.4%) strongly disagreed. The mean response score of 3.68 implies that majority of the respondents were of the opinion (agreed) that education in Southwest Nigeria is now inclusive due to its community involvement strategy applied to sustainable development. Item 2 showing responses based on equity showed that 2568(32.9%) of the respondents strongly agreed that there is equity in the education sector of Southwest Nigeria because of the community involvement strategy applied towards its sustainable development, 3028(38.7%) agreed, 816(10.4%) not sure, 755(9.8%) disagreed while 648(8.3%) strongly disagreed. It cannot be overemphasized from the mean response score of 3.78 that majority of the respondents agreed that community involvement strategy creates equity in education sector for sustainable development. IJO- INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF SOCIAL SCIENCE AND HUMANITIES RESEARCH ( ISSN 2811-2466 ) Volume 06 | Issue 10 | October 2023 | http://ijojournals.com/index.php/ssh/index 8 Result of item 3 of the table above showed that 2976(38.1%) of the respondents strongly agreed that there is a lifelong learning opportunity in the education sector of Southwest, Nigeria because of the community involvement strategy applied towards its sustainable development, 2052(26.3%) agreed, 896(11.5%) not sure, 864(11.1%) disagreed, while 1027(13.1%) strongly disagree. A mean response value of 3.65 implies that majority of the respondents agreed on the opinion that education sector in the Southwest zone has lifelong opportunity because of the community strategy applied towards its sustainable development. On the area of free education via community involvement, result of item 4 of the table showed that 1800(23%) strongly agreed that all girls and boys complete free education in Southwest, Nigeria because of the community involvement strategy applied towards its sustainable development, 1840(23.5%) agreed, 1832(23.4%) not sure, 1016(13%) disagreed while 1327(17%) strongly disagreed. Mean response of 2.23 implies that majority of the respondents disagreed on the opinion that boys and girls complete their education freely in Southwest, Nigeria because of the community involvement strategy applied towards its sustainable development. Taking item 5 into cognizance, result indicated from the table that 1376(17.6%) strongly agreed that there are remarkable learning outcomes in Southwest, Nigeria because of the community involvement strategy applied to sustainable development, 1648(21.1%) agreed, 1552(19.9%) not sure, 1472(18.8%) disagreed while 1767(22%) strongly disagreed. Result from the mean response score of 2.92 implies that majority of the respondents neither agree nor disagreed that there are remarkable learning outcomes in southwest Nigeria taking community involvement strategy into consideration. On the accessibility of education in the Southwest Nigeria zone, result depicted in item 6 showed that 3264(21.1%) of the respondents strongly agreed that education is easily accessible in Southwest, Nigeria because of the community involvement strategy applied to sustainable development, 1648(21.1%) agreed, 544(7%) not sure, 1056(13.5%) disagreed while 1303(%16.7%) strongly disagreed. From the mean response score of 3.58 of the item, it implies that majority of the respondents agreed on the accessibility of education due to the community involvement strategy put in place. On item 7 portraying the security of education centres in the Southwest Nigeria, result indicated that 1503(19.2%) of the respondents strongly agreed that education centres are well secured and safe in Southwest, Nigeria because of the community involvement strategy applied to sustainable development, 1560(20%) agreed, 1752(22.4%) were not sure, 1304(16.7%) disagreed while 1696(21.7%) strongly disagreed. Buttressing the result from the mean response score of 2.98 implies that majority of the respondents could neither agree nor disagree that there is safety and security of education centres in Southwest Nigeria as a result of the community involvement strategy applied to sustainable development. On the analysis of item 8, result showed that 2167(27.7%) of the target respondents strongly agreed that students in Southwest, Nigeria have access to world class education resources because of the community involvement applied to sustainable development, 1864(23.9%) agreed, 1528(19.6%) were not sure, 1256(16.1%) disagreed while 1000(12.8%) strongly disagreed. A mean response value of 2.38 implies that majority of the respondents disagreed and that students in the Southwest, Nigeria do not have access to world class education resources for sustainable development to thrive while taking community involvement into cognizance. From the responses above, it can be deduced from the grand mean of 3.15 which is below the acceptable mean of 3.5 that community involvement on the educational development in Southwest Nigeria is neither effective or not. The respondents’ opinion on educational development via CIS is not effective in terms of gender parity in completing their education, remarkable learning outcomes, security and safety of education and having access to world class education resources. Hence, communities do not participate fully in educational development of their local areas, possibly as a IJO- INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF SOCIAL SCIENCE AND HUMANITIES RESEARCH ( ISSN 2811-2466 ) Volume 06 | Issue 10 | October 2023 | http://ijojournals.com/index.php/ssh/index 9 perception that government should be only one to provide for the needed amenities that will enhance education in the Southwest zone. However, the local communities see education as being inclusive, its equity and lifelong learning opportunity in the sector, thereby creating sustainable development. 4.3 Regression Analysis and Test of Model Significance H0: Community involvement as a strategy has no significant effect on educational development in Southwest Nigeria; Table 3: Regression Analysis of Community Involvement and Educational Development in Southwest Nigeria Variables Parameters Estimates Std. Error t-statistics p-value Constant �� 2.907 .034 85.246 .000 CIS �� .078 .010 7.481 .000 F-statistic = 55.971 (p-value 0.000); R = 0.084; R-squared = 0.007; Adj. R-squared = 0.007 Table 3 shows estimates of linear relationship existing between community involvement strategy (CIS) and its associated perceived educational developments (EDT) in Southwest Nigeria. Correlation (R) coefficient of 0.084 implied a low positive relationship between perceived CIS and EDT. The R-square coefficient of 0.007 showed that 0.7% variation in CIS can be explained by variation in EDT taking Southwest Nigeria into consideration. The adjusted R-square of 0.007 implies that adding other predictors of educational developments into the model do not improve the model due to non-variation of the adjusted r-square to its R-squared value. More so coefficients of the Adjusted R-square showed that there may be other variables not mentioned in study that may influence Educational development of South west Nigeria. In addition, the F-statistic of 55.971 with associated p-value 0.000 < = 0.05 confirms the adequacy of the model in adjudging that educational development in Southwest Nigeria is significantly influenced by community involvement strategy taking the scope of study into consideration. Estimate of the constant term of 2.907 implies that Educational developments in southwest Nigeria has far been in existence ab-initio, positive and statistically significant (p-value < 0.05) without community involvement strategy.Additively,estimate of the predictor variable parameter indicates that a unit increase in CIS significantly increases EDT by 0.078. However, significance of the perceptions of respondents on community involvement strategy and educational developments can be evidenced from the t-statistic of 7.481 with associated p-value of 0.000 < 0.05 level of significance. Hence, the rejection of H02 and thereby conclude that community involvement strategy has significant influence on educational development in Southwest Nigeria. 4.4 Discussion of Findings The result corroborates with 160 where mental ownership and participation for innovation and environmental education and education sustainable development delves into issues connecting observations on current theoretical views on 'ownership of participation' with practical experience on educational development projects in a variety of nations such as Thailand, Namibia, and Denmark. Their findings indicated that while the process of developing mental ownership' is a neglected aspect of successful participatory approaches in development efforts as well as in education, there is good reason to consider the hypothesis that the level of mental ownership that a participatory initiative is capable of generating among participants corresponds with the experienced quality of the participatory approach. Community participation in education is a process that facilitates the realization of improving educational quality and the promotion of democracy in the society. This will be strengthened if adult and non-formal education is utilized in awakening the consciousness of various communities which the schools are meant for. This is because adult and non-formal education adopts strategies through which both the community and the school should intensify efforts in realizing the set objectives. The IJO- INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF SOCIAL SCIENCE AND HUMANITIES RESEARCH ( ISSN 2811-2466 ) Volume 06 | Issue 10 | October 2023 | http://ijojournals.com/index.php/ssh/index 10 partnership will also engender the expected standard of education in Nigeria (Ewelum & Mbara, 2016). The findings of Hamid et al. (2013), Sharma et al. (2014) and Kumar (2021) corroborate the findings of this study as most of the educationists are realizing the significance and benefits of community participation in school education and also recognized community participation as one of the ways to improve educational access and quality. Community participation is significantly correlated to school community relation (Hamid et al., 2013). Report Community-based approaches to educational development have the potential to enhance ownership, accountability, and efficiency. Community involvement in education facilitates the identification of community-specific education issues and informs the development of strategies to remove barriers to access and quality in education within a given community as the overall effect of community participation in school was positive (Kumar, 2021). 5.0 Conclusion and Recommendations In conclusion, community involvement is a powerful strategy for educational development that emphasizes collaboration, engagement, and equity. When communities actively participate in education initiatives, it enhances the relevance and effectiveness of programs, promotes student achievement, and addresses systemic disparities. By fostering strong partnerships and harnessing community resources, educational institutions can create inclusive learning environments that reflect the unique needs and aspirations of their learners.Community involvement/participation should be given more priority as it has been perceived to be sacrosanct when carrying out development projects within the southwest region of the country. References Bolivar, J. M. (2005). Towards a framework for critical community involvement in urban schooling. Educational Review, 57(4), 435-449. Bryk, A. S., & Schneider, B. L. (2002). Trust in schools: A core resource for improvement. Russell Sage Foundation. Byrne-Jimenez, A., & Lee, D. (2020). Community engagement, dialogue, and transformation: The role of community in addressing disparities in education. Journal of Educational Change, 21(3), 363- 386. Center for Mental Health in Schools. (2008). Community involvement in schools: What can make it work? UCLA Center for Mental Health in Schools. Deslandes, R. (2016). School and community partnerships in education. Springer. Epstein, J. L. (2001). School, family, and community partnerships: Preparing educators and improving schools. Westview Press. Ewelum J.N & Mbara K.U (2016). Community Involvement/Participation In Nigerian Educational System: The Role Of Adult And Non-Formal Education. The International Journal of Social Sciences and Humanities Invention, 3(6), 2284-2291 Fan, X., & Chen, M. (2001). Parental involvement and students' academic achievement: A meta- analysis. Educational Psychology Review, 13(1), 1-22. Foster, P., & Wennmann, A. (2000). Tackling exclusion through community and education: Challenges for future practice. Institute for Public Policy Research. Hamid, et al. (2013). Effect of community participation and school community relations, Middle East journal of scientific research 16 (3):378-382. 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Model Districts Education Project Columbia Global Centers, South Asia, Mumbai.Retrieved on 14/04/16 http://globalcenters.columbia.edu/mumbai/mumbai/files/globalcenters_mumbi/13. Souto-Manning, M., Swick, K. J., & Jones, M. S. (2016). Understanding community involvement in education and its consequences for justice. Theory Into Practice, 55(2), 99-108. Wang, M. T., & Holcombe, R. (2010). Adolescents' perceptions of school environment, engagement, and academic achievement in middle school. American Educational Research Journal, 47(3), 633-662. IJO- INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF SOCIAL SCIENCE AND HUMANITIES RESEARCH ( ISSN 2811-2466 ) Volume 06 | Issue 10 | October 2023 | http://ijojournals.com/index.php/ssh/index 12