INFLUENCE OF ECONOMIC RECESSION ON THE PAYMENT OF SCHOOL FEES IN PUBLIC SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN PLATEAU-NORTH SENATORIAL ZONE OF- PLATEAU STATE, NIGERIA

Abstract

This research examined the influence of economic recession on the payment of school fees in public secondary schools in Plateau-North Senatorial zone of Plateau State, Nigeria. The research adopted descriptive survey design. The research had a total population of 30,144 comprising of 14,829 senior secondary students, 1,679 teachers, 104 principals and 13,532 parents. A sample size of 1,185 comprising of 83 principals, 390 senior secondary school students, 323 teachers and 389 parents was determined using Taro Yamane for the research. The study had one research question and one hypothesis. A questionnaire was designed for the research with a five Likert scale to obtain data and information; the questionnaire was for Principals, Parents, teachers and students. The questionnaire responses were analyzed using SPSS version 23.0. The instrument had a reliability coefficient of 0.84 using the Cronbach alpha reliability test which implies that the instrument was 84 percent reliable. The research question was answered using mean and standard deviation, while the hypothesis was tested using ANOVA statistics at 0.05 level of significance. The result of the findings showed that economic recession negatively influences the payment of school fees in public secondary schools in the study area. Based on these findings, the study recommended that the Nigerian Government, through the Federal Ministry of Education and various state Governments should make it a policy by ensuring that education is totally free to public secondary school students and the Federal Government of Nigeria should formulate a policy of Medium and long term National Investment plans to promote productive activities in all sectors of the economy which will favour economic growth and development. This is because an increase in productivity will improve the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of the country and hence eliminate economic recession, which will force down the prices of goods and services in the country.