Perceived Influence of Community Education on Voter Education in Rivers State, Nigeria

Abstract

This study examined the Perceived Influence of Community Education on Voter Education in Rivers State. Three research questions and one null hypothesis were developed to elicit information sought in the study. The descriptive survey research design was adopted in the study 338 respondents were purposively drawn from the population of 1,127 respondents made up of married and youths in three selected local government areas as the sample size for the study. Data collecting instrument for the study was titled, Perceived Influence of Community Education and Voter Education Questionnaire (PICEVE1Q). The validation of the instrument was done by three validates in the Department of adult and Non-Formal Education using face validity. The reliability coefficient value of .85 was obtained in a trial test using the Cronbach Alpha. Data were analysed using the mean for the research questions and the Pearsons’ Product Moment Correlation and t-test statistics for the null hypothesis tested at .05 level of significance. Findings revealed there was a positive perception of community education by the people in Rivers State. The findings further indicated that to a high extent community education has positively influenced voter education. Some of the ways community education has contributed to the promotion of voter education included the sensitisation of community members on the need to exercise their franchise and involvement of facilitators with good knowledge of electoral process in voter education programme. Significant relationship was found between peoples’ perception on community education and the extent it has influenced voter education in Rivers State. Some recommendations were recommended; among them was sensitisation to re-awaken the consciousness of community members on the importance of community education in the improvement of their living standard.