Educational Planning and Local Community Development in Nigeria

The paper examines some of the peculiar problems militating against effective implementation of educational programmes in local communities in Nigeria which have almost rendered educational planning impotent. This serves as an eye opener to stakeholders in education especially the government on some of the challenges facing successful educational planning in Nigeria particularly as they relate to local communities in the country. Taking education to the doorsteps of every child in the villages has been a herculean task due to certain problems which must be addressed in order to increase literacy level in local communities in the country. Some of the thorny problems identified are: crude data/unreliable information produced at that level (which have made educational planning difficult), political influence, funding, cultural and social rigidities, low level of income among others. The paper suggests raising of funds to implement educational programmes, proper orientation to break the barriers posed by cultural and social rigidities, paying more attention to local communities and calling on all and sundry to revive education at this level, all these being the way out for a well-articulated educational planning. __________________________________________________________________________________________