Indexed and Abstracted ISSN 2045-8460 (Online) African Journal of Education and Technology ISSN 2045-8452 (Print) Volume

1 Number 2 (2011), pp. 143-157 www.sachajournals.com

AN EVALUATION OF THE EUROPEAN UNION MICRO PROJECTS IN NIGERIA: THE CASE OF EDUCATIONAL IMPROVEMENT IN CROSS RIVER STATE AGBOR, Uno Ijim1; PETTERS, Janet S.2 and OKON, Maureen Okang2 Department Of Political Science, University Of Calabar, Nigeria Dept.Of Educational Foundation, Guidance and Counselling, University Of Calabar, Nigeria
1

ABSTRACT This study evaluated the impact of European Union Micro Projects Programme six on enrolment rates in affected rural schools in Cross River State, Nigeria. The aim is to assess the extent to which the programmes objectives of enhancing enrolment rate in the affected rural schools through the construction of classroom blocks was achieved. The studys main hypothesis was that there is no significant impact of the EUMPP6 education infrastructure Programme on improved enrolment in affected schools in rural Cross River State, Nigeria after the intervention. Data were collected through document study, questionnaire and Focus Group Discussion and were analyzed with t-test statistical tools. The result of the analysis revealed that EUMPP6 intervention in classroom blocks improved the rate of enrolment in the affected schools. It is recommended that consistent efforts be made in attracting more interventions to rural communities especially to those that were not affected by the EUMPP6 programme. Keywords: Rural Infrastructure, Education, School Enrolment, European Union, Nigeria

INTRODUCTION The issue of access to education by the rural people has remained a concern of all discerning members of the Nigerian society as well as some donor integrations the world over. This is so because, the rural areas which account for over 80% of the country's population and society is replete with neglected and undeveloped educational facilities. The situation shows a celebration of poverty and misery. As Ikeji (2002) puts it, rural areas in Nigeria, are unquestionably characterized by debilitating material poverty and alarming decadence of infrastructure, arising from a long social period of sad neglect by policy makers. What is obvious is the deplorable condition and life of the rural people essentially aggravated by the near absence of social infrastructure such as enhanced healthcare delivery system, motorable roads, potable drinking water, improved school facilities including the quality of teachers and electricity. 143

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In other words, poverty, which in most cases arises from ineffective government policies, the absence of basic infrastructure and other neglect of the rural people constitute a major characteristic of rural communities in Nigeria. The result of the backward social situation of the rural communities has largely left rural children with no choice other than to grow without any measure of formal education. The implication has always been that such children grow without adequate preparation to face the challenges of life. The negative consequence has always been a resort to antisocial behaviour such as armed robbery, militant activities and other forms of social nuisance with such situation causing unwarranted social tension in the society. Others who cannot stay within the rural areas carry their unemployable quality into the urban centres to look for white collar jobs thus worsening unemployment by increasing the number of redundant non-agricultural persons seeking urban jobs. Beyond this, there is complete villagisation of the urban areas arising from the practice of rural values brought by rural-urban migrants. Given the backward nature of infrastructure at rural schools and the need to care for that sector of the society in order to develop the abundant human resource who could become self reliant and also contribute to the national economy, it becomes necessary to embark on an aggressive transformation of infrastructure at rural schools. The depressed condition that characterizes rural communities of developing countries especially Nigeria necessitates a realistic approach to rural transformation and development marked by the changes in the social and economic structures, institution and conditions of the rural population. It is therefore, essentially a human process concerned with not only the improvement of the living standards of the low income population living in the rural areas on a self-sustaining basis through transforming the socio-economic structures of their productive activities (Mabogunje, 1974) but improving the educational facilities to give them access to education which is a more fundamental process of rural transformation. Improvement in the quality of basic educational infrastructure as well as the living standard of the people will largely stem the tide of migration to the urban centres. The United Nations Organization (UNO) aligns with this argument when it contended that when rural families can reach an urban standard of living in their place of residence, they are likely to remain there, becoming a constructive element. The essence of rural development in Nigeria as noted by Ebong (2006) implies the enhanced capacities of the society as manifested by increases in the living standards of people and greater self-actualization. The place of infrastructure in bringing about this enhanced capacity becomes very clear. Idachaba (1985) captured it very clearly when he noted that rural welfare must necessarily go beyond the traditional and limited approach of agricultural development projects, to the provision of rural basic amenities such as health and medical facilities, rural transportation facilities, electricity, pipe-borne water and schools. The European Union Micro Project Programme Six (EUMPP6) as an infrastructure agency was introduced to address among others the issue of the absence of modern education infrastructure in the rural areas of the Niger Delta States with the primary aim of improving infrastructure in schools, and with such improvement increasing enrolment in rural schools. The European community evolved an instrument (MPP) of cooperation between it and the ACP countries to finance at local level micro-projects that have an economic and social impact on the life of the people. These projects are designed to meet a demonstrated and observed priority need and have to be undertaken at the initiative and with the active participation of the local communities, which will benefit from it in all countries where MPPs are implemented. The European Union provided 75% of the funds needed for the projects while the benefiting communities provided the remaining 25% in kind mainly through the provision of unskilled labour and natural materials such as wood and sand. The European Union also provided the 144

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technical skills required and ensured general supervision while the benefiting communities manage the programme and ensure sustainability through a body known as the Project Management Committee (PMC). This study therefore, assesses the EUMPP6 education infrastructure development programme in the benefiting rural communities of Cross River State in order to ascertain the extent to which it was able to meet its objectives. LITERATURE REVIEW Although the rural areas in Nigeria are inhabited by more than two thirds of the population, basic infrastructural development efforts continue to be skewed in favour of urban areas, which tend to attract disproportionate amounts of all forms of resources other than those that are immobile, namely land and other resources. This situation is becoming unacceptable and political will seems weak to redress the imbalance, which in recent time has led to a social explosion especially in the Niger Delta region. As argued by Naseem (2002) and rightly so for Nigeria, the decline in the importance attached to rural infrastructural transformation and the public policy attention paid to rural areas also stems from the fact that the agenda of rural development itself is often determined largely by those who, even though, come from rural areas, often have little concern for the well being of those who live in them. It is a common view in rural development literature that education infrastructure plays a prominent role in repositioning the rural population for effective transformation. Todaro (1977) opines that among the broader goals of rural development is a broadened access to the formal (in school) and non-formal (out of school) education for adults as well as children that will have direct relevance to the needs and aspirations of rural dwellers. From Todaros position, rural development substantially entails improvement in education upon which employment, health and nutrition, housing and assorted social services can be guaranteed through self-reliance. In other words, education is the pivot upon which other rural development indices hinge. What is paramount in strengthening education in the rural areas is infrastructure. This suggests that improvement in education at the rural level lies in part on adequate, appropriate and reliable infrastructural provision. Ukpong (1979) regards investment in education as investment in human resources which has been discovered as a factor of economic growth and development both in developed and in developing countries It is generally believed that one of the key factors in the development process is the human element because it is this human element that is the dynamic decision making factor that develops natural and capital resources as well as the human factor itself. Education which develops the human factor serves not only as an agent of social transformation but also as a unique factor in promoting economic development. Ukpong and Iniodu (1991) espouse the necessity of education infrastructure because education is an agent of nation building as well as an instrument of technological progress and industrial development. This recognition has formed the basis of intervention by donor agencies. The result of a study conducted by Silva (1999) for the World Bank titled Sub-Saharan Africa: Lessons from Four Sectors, shows that in terms of education, the Bank completed 33 projects in the education sector between 1992 and 1997. These projects totalled US$1. 2 billion and represent 7% of the total Sub-Saharan Africa portfolio. Eleven projects, worth US$166 million, focused mainly on primary education. The study found that the Bank efforts in the education sector were of long-term effectiveness, with deepening project objectivesfrom the provision of infrastructure early in the period toward more institutional and policy objectives. Another most intriguing study worth reviewing is the comprehensive study report conducted by OFID in its 30 years of existence. The work edited by Mckechnie (2006) is titled Making a Difference: OFID and the fight against poverty. 145

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The aim of the study was to showcase the giant steps taken by OFID into the world of development financing as well as other international assistance to developing economies. It also presented an analysis of OFIDs assistance to Cote dIvoire to raise school standards in the country. Statistically, the study holds that a Basic Education Project, co-financed by the OPEC Fund, set out to help rectify some of the deficiencies in the Ivorian education system that were holding back human development. In 1999, the Fund extended an assistance of $7 million to finance the bulk of the costs of phase I of the Basic Education Project co-financed by the government of Cte dIvoire, aimed at correcting shortcomings in the Abidjan and Bouak regions. Focusing primarily on children aged six to 11 and placing special emphasis on the needs of girls in that age group, the project financed the construction of 198 classrooms distributed among 66 primary schools, 51 of them in rural areas. Each classroom was furnished and provided with didactic materials and equipment. In addition, the project established a fully furnished and equipped lower secondary college to meet the critical need for more post-primary educational institutions. It should be noted here that by helping to make education more accessible and better organized, and by providing pupils with a healthier and more comfortable learning environment, the project could stimulate enrolment, reduce absenteeism and raise the quality of instruction, thereby contributing to the countrys overall social and economic progress. In its analysis of further assistance in the area of education infrastructure in some Southern African countries, the study pointed out that Angola and Mozambique are two Southern African states that endured decades of civil unrest starting in the 1970s. In both countries the school system was hard hit; in Mozambique alone over 45% of all educational facilities were damaged or destroyed. The OPEC Fund extended loans to the governments of both Angola and Mozambique to build their education sectors. $9.39 million was loaned to Angola and $9.2 million to Mozambique in 2002. This takes the cumulative total Fund spending on education in Angola to $17.88 million and in Mozambique to $18.2 million. The scope of this study is primarily concerned with the objectives and the outcome of EUMPP6 education infrastructure programme in the rural areas of Cross River State, Nigeria. It is limited to the following variables: The amount of physical education infrastructure put on ground by EUMPP6. The effect of these infrastructures on increase in enrolment in affected rural schools. In specific terms, the study seeks to: Determine the extent to which EUMPP6 infrastructure development in rural communities of Cross River State in the areas of education has been achieved. Assess the extent to which the EUMPP6 intervention in education infrastructure has affected the rate of enrolment in the affected schools of rural communities of Cross River State, Nigeria. THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK The theoretical framework adopted for this study is the theory of change. Weiss (1995) defines a theory of change quite simply and elegantly as a theory of how and why an initiative works. Building on Weiss work, Stufflebeam and Shinkfield (2007) defined a theory of change approach to evaluation as a systematic and cumulative study of the links between activities, outcomes, and contexts of the initiative. This definition suggests that the first step toward evaluating an initiative is to determine its intended outcomes, the activities it expects to implement to achieve those outcomes, and the contextual factors that may have an effect on the implementation of activities and their potential to bring about desired outcomes. 146

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In the broadest sense, a theory of change is the articulation of the belief an organization holds about how exactly its actions will bring about the change it seeks (Weiss, 1972). Carol Weiss was one of the early scholars to articulate this theory when she evaluated community development projects in the United States. A hint at its origin can also be found in the works of notable methodologists such as Huey Chen, Peter Rossi and Michael Quinn Patton. They also constitute the proponents of this theory (Weiss, 1972). The theory portends that every intervention programme is directed at achieving an objective that brings about changes in the society (outcome). For such outcomes to be determined through evaluation there must be a roadmap that articulates an intention and steps towards achieving the articulated intentions as this serves as a proper guide. In other words, the theory is clearly objective-oriented. In evaluating the programme, emphasis should be placed on the objectives of the programme with a view to ascertaining whether outcome meets intended objectives. The evaluator therefore should take its rise from the objectives articulated by the programme. The theory supports objective-oriented model of evaluation. As put forward by Babbie (1986), evaluation research primarily involves the process of determining whether the intended result was met. Researchers must begin their evaluation by examining the objectives of a programme. It usually does not make sense to determine whether a programme achieves outcome X when its purpose is to achieve outcome Y. Every programme should articulate a theory of change and should be evaluated on the basis of such articulations. The approach requires more specificity about goals and about the conditions needed to reach them. The theory emerged as a result of the need to find a solution to the evaluation of complex programmes. As noted by Weiss (1972), the reason why complex organizations are difficult to evaluate is because there is no proper articulation of change procedure. In other words, programme objectives are not clearly stated to make evaluation easy and straight forward. The theory holds further that the determination of a change brought about by a programme is possible by carrying out an evaluation which is guided by the underlying assumptions (objectives) of the programme. Such a theory of change can be mapped on a diagram for a better understanding of its component parts. The Roundtable's model for mapping, called a "pathway of change," outlines the following components: The outcome is the ultimate goal the organization wishes to achieve. What do you want to happen when you complete this process? In other words, why do you want to create that particular change? Preconditions are the sub-objectives that must be met for the final outcome to become possible. Indicators are measurable effects that operationalize each precondition in order to monitor the progression throughout the change process. How will you know when you are done? Interventions are the actions the organization must take to bring about each precondition. What steps are you going to take? Assumptions are beliefs about the cause and effect relationships between interventions and preconditions. Why do you think the steps in your plan of action will work?

Preconditions are intermediate goals that must be met in order to bring about the longterm outcome. They are achieved through strategic actions by the organization, called interventions, and measured by indicators (Anderson, 2005). These terms can be applied in the context of the present study. EUMPP6 engaged in the infrastructure intervention in order to achieve precondition of school accommodation. The ultimate outcome, of course, was to improve enrolment rates in the affected schools. Finally, each step in this mechanism is connected by assumptions. For example, the model assumes that the provision of these rural infrastructures will translate into greater access to education at the rural level. 147

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The benefit of articulating a theory of change lies in the fact that it establishes a standard model on which the organization can coordinate its various strategies (Weiss, 1972). This theoretical model is like a compass that the organization can use to plan actions with direction and purpose (Filson, 2006). Its utility, rather, is helping an organization to measure its successes and failures along the way, and have more opportunity for strategic adjustment. Without such a tool, techniques and evaluations are dependent on assumptions that may prove to be inaccurate, and thus undermine the organization's effectiveness (Weiss, 1972). The theory is useful because it sets the stage for evaluation of clarifying goals, strategies, and milestones. As Connell and Kubisch (1998) point out, this approach has a number of advantages in the evaluation of multi-strand initiatives set in complex contexts. It makes it more likely that the evaluation will focus on changes and outcomes that are actually implied by the initiative, rather than on ones which are easiest to measure with standard evaluation techniques. The approach potentially overcomes the problem of attribution since the articulated theory of change fills in the links between action and outcome, whilst evidence of immediate and intermediate changes substantiates the reality of those links. Articulating a theory of change at the outset and gaining agreement on it by all stakeholders reduces the problems associated with causal attribution of impact. A theory of change specifies, up front, how activities will lead to interim and longer-term outcomes and identifies the contextual conditions that may affect them. A theory of change approach would seek agreement from all stakeholders that, for example, activities A1, A2, and A3, if properly implemented (and with the ongoing presence of contextual factors X1, X2, and X3), should lead to outcomes O1, O2 and O3; and, if these activities, contextual supports, and the outcome all occur more or less as expected, the outcomes will be attributed to the intervention. With a theory of change in hand, the measurement and data collection elements of the evaluation process will be facilitated. For example, a theory of change asks that participants be as clear as possible about not only the ultimate outcomes and impacts they hope to achieve but also the avenues through which they expect to achieve them (Weiss, 1972). Finally, perhaps the most significant advantage of mapping a theory of change is the increase in the legitimacy of the organization's strategy. When the logic behind a plan is clear, detailed, and thoughtful, it becomes more convincing to policy makers, sources of funding, and the public (Weiss, 1972). The theory seems to exhibit unbridled confidence in its ability to inspire easy programme evaluation if its logic is taken as a guiding factor in any intervention programme. An issue we need to take into consideration is that an evaluation of a well articulated programme plan can be frustrated by internal constraint such as unethical behaviour of the researcher. Even if programme objectives are clearly articulated unethical behaviour of the researcher such as skewing data to give the researcher the kind of results he wants can mislead an evaluation. Poverty, lack of time and limited intellect on the part of the researcher can be responsible for this behaviour and this can highly weaken effective evaluation of programmes. Also, ignorance on the part of programme beneficiaries can hamper the process of collecting responses on the direct impact of the programme on them. The theory failed to stand out clearly on these issues as it suggests very confident that the program objectives are clearly articulated, the success of its evaluation is guaranteed. It is not often so especially in backward societies such as Africa. The theory of change becomes more suitable in this regard because of its emphasis on the process of change arising from an intervention and its insistent that programmes should be evaluated on the basis of its objectives. As an objective-oriented evaluation, the theory explains our study as it focuses on whether actual changes caused by EUMPP6 interventions match 148

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predicted changes. The theory predicts that if a theory of change is taken into consideration while planning an intervention programme such as EUMPP6 the likelihood of having an easy evaluation of the programme for further policy is achievable. Every evaluation must look at the underlying assumptions of the programme and the intended objective articulated in order to determine whether actual change match intended outcome. This is with a view to evaluating a programme within the context. It is in an organization's interest to define a theory of change for its strategies, because doing so provides an opportunity to scrutinize the assumptions on which the strategies are based. The theoretical direction of the study is to show how actual changes caused by EUMPP6 intervention match predicted changes. Because we are interested in identifying a few specific ways in which EUMPP6 actions address the education infrastructural needs of the rural areas of Cross River State, the theory of change model is also a useful medium for this investigation. We believe that regardless of identified weaknesses, the theory possess the utility to serve the purpose of this study. The present condition of rural schools in Nigeria is appalling. It needs urgent and long lasting attention if the negative effect of poor facilities and lack of access to basic education must be nib in the bud. In terms of theoretical relevance, findings from this study would assist in theory building in educational administration to meet the current rural education transformation requirement in Nigeria. As a product of an empirical research, and given that no known work has attempted a critical analysis of the activities and impact of EUMPP6 rural education infrastructure programme for the rural communities of Cross River State, the study therefore, fills the gap in the literature. In this regard, further studies in this direction can be guided by this study. It is expected that by adding to the existing literature, this study would have contributed to learning at the level of scholarship and knowledge that has policy implication. With regard to policy relevance, this study will provide the basis upon which the government of Cross River State in particular and the government of Nigeria in general as well as the European Union can address the problem of providing adequate education infrastructure to guarantee adequate access to education especially in the rural areas. RESEARCH HYPOTHESES The hypotheses formulated for the study are as follows: 1.) H0: There is no significant difference in the state of education infrastructure in the rural communities of Cross River State before and after the EUMPP6 intervention. 2.) H0: There is no significant impact of EUMPP6 education infrastructure Programme on improved enrolment in affected schools in rural Cross River State, Nigeria after the intervention. METHODS AND MATERIALS The stratified random sampling was used in selecting subjects for the study. The study population was stratified into three on the basis of senatorial districts, namely Southern, Central, and Northern Senatorial Districts. Sixty six percent (66%) of the local government areas of the State, representing two third of the Local Government Area were randomly selected to participate in the study. In each senatorial district, four local government areas were randomly selected for the study. At the local government level, two rural communities were randomly selected from each local government area, in such a manner that such selected communities were those that were affected by the EUMPP6. The technique of the random sampling method employed was the hat-and-draw method (Denga and Ali, 1998). The names of 149

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the Local Government Areas in each senatorial district were written on pieces of paper, rolled into paper balls and mixed thoroughly in a container from where the required number of local government areas from each senatorial district was blindly drawn. The same procedure was adopted in selecting the communities from the sampled local government areas. The sample consists of twenty four (24) communities randomly selected from the 12 local government areas randomly selected for the study. In terms of respondents, the sample consists of 264 respondents selected as follows: 24 Heads of Schools (Principals and Head Teachers), 216 most senior staff (9 from each of the 24 schools under study) selected on the basis of having been in the school before and after the intervention, and 24 senior school prefects. Purposive sampling was adopted in this regard because given the heterogeneous and the ambiguous nature of the population of study, sole reliance on random sampling was not only impossible, but capable of excluding some categories of the population that could be relevant in providing needed data. This method also guaranteed that all relevant units in a heterogeneous population were represented in the sample. In other words, it meets multiple interests and needs (Patton, 2002). In terms of geographical spread, the study covered a total of 24 communities that benefited from the intervention and randomly selected from the three senatorial districts of Cross River State. The study also adopted a time frame of 2003 to 2010. This period covers also the gestation and the manifestation period of the intervention. This was to enable us to determine whether there was any significant difference in some of the variables under study before and after the intervention. As a framework to guide this study, Tylers (1950) objective oriented evaluation model was adopted. According to Tyler, evaluation is a process of determining the extent to which programme objectives are actually met. The model emphasizes the specification of goals and objectives and determining the extent to which they have been achieved. The evaluators task is to gather evidence of programme outcome and compare the actual performance against programme objectives. Bhola (1990) tells us that the objectives-oriented model of evaluation is perhaps the oldest of the available models. This type of evaluation compares what was identified as "intended outcomes" with the "actual outcomes" of programs (Bhola, 1990: 3637). Two sources of data collection methods were explored: The primary and the secondary sources. The primary source involved the use of questionnaires. The secondary source involved document study. This involved the examination, of policies and documents. It constitutes the dominant method of generating data by traditional political scientists (Obasi, 1999). In other words, research information was also retrieved from textbooks, newspapers, journals, official documents etc. to form the basis of data backup. The questionnaire provided data on the respondents view and perception of the programme and the effect it has on them. In essence, it addresses the objective of the research. The questionnaire was designed in a close ended form suggesting that it carries options for the respondents to choose from. The questionnaire was administered by the researcher and some Research Assistants (RA). Research Assistants became necessary because of the vast nature of the study area. The data generated for the study was analyzed with both descriptive and inferential statistics. Frequency tables and percentages as descriptive statistics were used to analyze data related to the study objectives. Inferential statistics such as dependent t-test were used to test the hypotheses generated for the study. The dependent t-test was used because the study largely compared two sets of data on a particular group. For example, comparing data on before and after the intervention on enrolment in schools, before and after on classroom blocks. 150

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Dependent t-tests are a special brand of t-tests used when one group is measured on two occasions. For example, you could use a dependent t-test to compare a group's score before and after they have witnessed an intervention process. In this case only one group is involved but received two treatments (Madukwe, 2004). In other words, a class is tested twice (Denga and Ali, 1998). RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS The responses of respondents were dichotomized into Yes, No and Do not know. The analysis is presented in the table below. Table 1: Respondents opinion on educational infrastructure
Responses Issues related to study objectives Infrastructure Accommodation provided better than before 264(100%) 0 0 180 (68.18) 50 (18.94) 34 (12.88) Intervention solve classroom problem 140 (53.08) 70 (26.52) 54 (20.45) There is increase in enrolment 150 (56.82) 90 (34.09) 24 (9.09)

Yes No Do not Know

Source: Fieldwork, 2011 The empirical analysis shows that 264 respondents representing 100% attest to the fact that the EUMPP6 provided education infrastructure in their schools. In terms of accommodation, 180 respondents representing 68.18% submitted that accommodation is better now in their school than before the intervention. 50 respondents representing 18.94% held the view that the intervention has not improved accommodation in their school while 34 representing 12.88% do not know. In terms of whether the intervention solved classroom problems, 140 respondents representing 53.08% expressed considerable satisfaction with the intervention as it has solved accommodation problems in their schools. 70 respondents representing 26.52% added that the intervention has not improved the accommodation problems in their school while 54 respondents representing 2.45% do not know. Concerning the effect the intervention had on enrolment in schools, 150 respondents representing 56.82% reported that the intervention has led to increase in enrolment of students into their schools. 90 respondents representing 34.09% were of the view that the intervention has not affected positively the enrolment status of their schools. 24 respondents measuring 9.09% do not know. In general terms, this analysis was to confirm the study objectives of ascertaining whether the objective of providing education infrastructure sought by the EUMPP6 as well as improve enrolment in rural schools was met. From the analysis, all the respondents (100%) affirmed clearly that EUMPP6 provided education infrastructure in their schools. With regards to the other study objective of ascertaining improvement in enrolment, a greater proportion of the respondents were of the view that the intervention has assisted in increasing enrolment in rural schools of Cross River State. Hypothesis 1 The hypothesis states that, There is no significant difference in the state of education infrastructure in the rural communities of Cross River State before and after the EUMPP6 intervention. 151

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Decision Rule: When calculated t value is greater than the table t value, reject the null hypothesis and accept the alternative hypothesis. The result shows that the dependent t-test analysis for education produced t-value of 18.87 for classroom blocks. This result indicates that t-value associated with classroom blocks (t=18.87. p=.000) is statistically significant (P.05), suggesting that there is a significant difference in the classroom blocks before and after the intervention. Since the calculated t value of 18.87 is greater than the table value of 2.07, we reject the null hypothesis and accept the alternative hypothesis that there is a significant positive difference in the state of education infrastructure in the rural communities of Cross River State after the intervention. This result indicates that the intervention impacted significantly on the construction of classroom blocks. Hypothesis 2 The hypothesis states that, There is no significant impact of EUMPP6 education infrastructure Programme on improved enrolment in affected schools in rural Cross River State, Nigeria after the intervention. Decision Rule: When calculated t value is greater than the table t value, reject the null hypothesis and accept the alternative hypothesis. The result with respect to enrolment on table 4 above shows that the analysis produced a t-value of 6.51, which is statistically significant (t = 6.51, P= 000). This result means that there is a significant difference statistically in the enrolment before and after the intervention. The analysis follows that the significant increase in the classroom blocks led to a significant increase in enrolment within the period under study. In view of the fact that the calculated t value of 6.51 is greater than the table t value of 2.069, we reject the null hypothesis and accept the alternative hypothesis which suggests that the EUMPP6 projects on education infrastructure significantly improved enrolment in schools in the affected communities. It is gleaned from the above that the programme's objective of improving enrolment in rural schools of Cross River State has been significantly achieved. DISCUSSIONS One of the principal findings made by this study is that the Eumpp6 brought about significant changes in the nature of education infrastructure in the benefiting rural schools of Cross River State. This result suggests that there is a significant difference in the nature of these infrastructures now and before the intervention. The test statistics used in testing the hypothesis indicated a significant difference suggesting that a lot has been done to transform the infrastructures in the area of education. It is obvious from this result that the Eumpp6 objective of providing education infrastructures in affected rural schools was achieved. It also points to the fact that Eumpp6 as an infrastructure agency has kept its promise of assisting to ameliorate the infrastructural decay in schools in some rural communities of Cross River State. By this result, we reject the null hypothesis and state that there is a significant positive difference in the state of education infrastructure in the rural communities of Cross River State after the EUMPP6 intervention. 152

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This finding supports the view that foreign assistance plays significant role in transforming the unpleasant condition rural communities of the Third World Countries find themselves. The result of the study by Panitchpakdi (2008) supports the claim. In a world development survey, it establishes that transnational cooperation (TNCS) contributes significantly to infrastructure development in Africa and other developing countries. The amount of money spent to boost infrastructure development in the developing countries increased 29-fold, to an estimated $199 billion. In the same direction Eichengreen (1994) discovered in a Cross country survey that foreign assistance in infrastructure development in the developing countries has been successful and has done much to boost productivity and growth. The same is the position of the findings of DUC (2006) on foreign Aid and Economic growth in the developing countries. Another finding of the study holds that enrolment in affected schools significantly increased after the intervention. The t-test statistics used to measure this variable indicated that there is significant positive difference in enrolment rate after the intervention. Beyond the test statistics, a greater proportion of the respondents submitted that the educational infrastructure provided by Eumpp6 has assisted them to increase their intake. In other words, the Eumpp6 objective of increasing enrolment in the affected schools after the intervention has been significantly achieved. We therefore reject hypothesis two and hold that there is a significant positive impact of the EUMPP6 education infrastructure programme on enrolment in affected schools in rural Cross River State, Nigeria after the intervention. In other words the infrastructure provided has contributed to increasing enrolment in the benefiting schools after the intervention. This result corroborates Deolalikars (1998) findings in a similar study. In his study on increasing school quantity versus quality in Kenya and the impact it has on children from low and high income households, the author discovered that an improvement and expansion in school facilities increased the enrolment of children in the poorest expenditure background in rural Kenya. The result also aligns with Lee (2007) findings. In his study of rural Sierra Leone titled Improved child-friendly schools offer girls a better future in Sierra Leone the author discovered that the construction of brick buildings which replaced the hitherto grass hut used as classrooms increased the enrolment rates of pupils in Kabuita community school in Sierra Leone. Again, the result finds corroboration in Mapula (2010) study. In his study of the effects of primary schools infrastructure on Universal Primary Education and Poverty Reduction in Misungwi District in Tanzania, the author discovered that the Primary Education Development Programmes improvement in school physical infrastructure and learning facilities brought about the rapid increase in school enrollment which went beyond the national target. However, it is not in all cases that improvement in school facilities will lead to increase in enrolment. In other words, improvement in infrastructure may not necessarily produce a corresponding improvement in enrolment in schools. This assertion finds corroboration in Jaiyeoba, Ayeni, and Atanda (2007) study on enrolment trends and prospects for technical education in Oyo state. The authors discovered that while facilities such as classrooms, workshops, equipment etc appreciated very well, enrolment in the technical education declined every session. Owusu Ansahs (2007) paper on the state of the Atwima Mponua district in Ghana also corroborates this position. He held that despite the tremendous improvement made in the area of education infrastructure, enrolment in primary, senior high schools and vocational institutions have not improved correspondingly in the district. Also, Arokiasamy and Retnakumar (2003) who enquired into the impact of declining fertility on school infrastructure facilities in primary schools in Kerala district of India discovered that despite the poor rate of enrolment, there has been an improvement in the quality of infrastructure. 153

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So many factors could be responsible for why enrolment in rural schools will not improve even though there may be improvement in infrastructure. First is the loss of confidence in public schools, second is an inadequate awareness campaign on the availability of these infrastructures, and third are poverty and the growing loss of confidence in formal education as a panacea to wealth creation. With the growing level of poverty among the rural people most parents feel that the best form of support and upbringing they can give to their children is to expose them to an experience that can make them become financially independent to assist themselves, their parents and other siblings. The simply do not see this possibility quickly in formal education. The finding of Ilo, Lawal and Otedola (2007) corroborates this outcome. They asserted that the Nigerian education system prepared students largely for basic white collar jobs and consisted of little more than basic numeracy and literacy education modeled on the British system. With the increasing scarcity of job, unemployment has become so high. This is because the education system does not prepare students to be self reliant. Increasing unemployment blamed in part on the type of educational model could discourage rural parents from sending their children to school. The reason simply is that it will not prepare them quickly for material endowment in the nearest future. To overcome this condition, the authors recommended effective effort at adequate funding of Technical-Base education at the post-primary level in Nigeria. Inability to pay school charges because of poverty could reduce the rate of enrolment in schools. In his study of the determinants of school enrolment in Nepal, Pirovarova (2009) discovered that the cost was a responsible factor for why children in rural Nepal were not adequately enrolled in schools. In the same direction Deolalikar (1997) found out that the inability to afford user charges (school fees) contributed to the decline in enrolment in schools in rural Kenya. In the same vein, the result of the study by Mwale and Henritt (2006) on education and rights: the path to development in Zambia revealed that greater numbers of rural children in Zambia were not enrolled in schools because they cannot afford user charges. The factor of loss of confidence in public schools is rising consistently. The claim is that private schools do better in terms of imparting knowledge in the children, which is now rare in public schools. This is not only common in Nigeria. The study of Kingdon (2007) on the progress of school education in India revealed that private schools are more effective in imparting learning. This accounts for why people prefer them to public schools even if they are not recognized by the government of India. CONCLUSION This study reveals that the EUMPP6 intervention made a significant difference in the area of education infrastructure provided. By this programme, so many benefiting rural schools were liberated from a dearth of classroom blocks and witnessed improvement in school accommodation. It provided more compared to what was existing. Arising from these results, hypothesis one which stated that there is no significant difference in the state of education infrastructure in the rural communities of Cross River State before and after the EUMPP6 intervention was rejected since the test analysis did not support it. We conclude in this regard that the EUMPP6 has significantly changed education infrastructures after the intervention in rural areas of Cross River State, Nigeria. The analysis for hypothesis two shows that the significant positive difference the intervention made in education infrastructure, significantly improve enrolment in the benefiting schools. This shows that the intervention recorded good achievement in the area of increasing enrolment rates in affected rural schools and implies clearly that it improved access to formal 154

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education which was limited due to lack of accommodation. We therefore reject hypothesis two which states that there is no significant impact of the EUMPP6 education infrastructure Programme on improved enrolment in affected schools in rural Cross River State, Nigeria after the intervention and state otherwise. RECOMMENDATIONS Arising from the findings of the study, we advance the following recommendations: The study discovered that EUMPP6 improved education infrastructure in the affected schools and this contributed to increase in enrolment in these schools. Given this good result, we recommend that the state government should attract further interventions in the area of education infrastructure especially in rural communities that were not affected by the EUMPP6 intervention. The attraction should not necessarily come from the European Union alone but from other international donor organizations. The European Union should also increase its intervention in this direction of education infrastructure so as to increase more access to basic education for children in rural communities in Nigeria. This study also recommends that adequate and consistent enlightenment campaign on parents around the communities and their environs should be mounted by the heads of these schools and heavily supported by the village leadership on availability of space availed school-going-age children by EUMPP6 as well as the necessity of going to school. Effective exercise in this direction can further improve enrolment in schools. It is not just enough to have these infrastructures in place but to use them adequately. The people must be made to be adequately aware of the projects and their utility, otherwise it will not consistently achieve the aim of increasing enrolment in schools. In other words, ignorance, loss of confidence in public schools as well as poverty could count against an increase in enrolment in mostly rural schools. In the case of loss of confidence in public schools, it is the responsibility of government to redress the ugly situation where children groomed in public schools cannot discharge themselves adequately. The study recommends that the right kind of teachers should be employed by government and posted to public schools in the rural areas. The common practice has been the employment of untrained personnel popularly referred to as ECOMOG Teachers with such untrained teachers posted to rural schools. Parents should see a significant difference in their children when they come back from school. This is also largely a function of what the teacher has to offer. The state government should think along this direction. The factor of truancy among teachers in rural public schools is alarming. In a focus group discussion with one of the schools sampled, participants from the affected community told me that it has become a recurrent practice where teachers posted to the school do not come to work for upwards of three months. Only the head teacher comes in occasionally. Their children merely go to the school and waste the whole day playing. It has become necessary therefore to look for schools where their children will have a quality education and this they feel is available in private schools where control and supervision is tight. This is not only peculiar to that community; it is a common practice in a large chunk of public schools in the rural areas. We recommend therefore that the inspectorate unit of the Ministry of Education should be strengthened and further decentralized into wards for effective close supervision and monitoring. We hope that when these factors are effectively addressed, increase in enrolment which the affected schools have witnessed will be sustained; otherwise there will be a decline in enrolment irrespective of any improvement in infrastructure. REFERENCES 155

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