FAMILY–SCHOOL PARTNERSHIP IN VALUE EDUCATION: A COLLABORATIVE APPROACH TO BUILDING SUSTAINABLE MORAL COMMUNITIES IN ENUGU STATE.

Abstract

This study investigates family–school partnership in value education as a collaborative approach to building sustainable moral communities in Enugu State, Nigeria. Motivated by the rising moral decline among Nigerian youth and the fragmented nature of value transmission in schools and homes, the study aims to examine how structured collaboration between families and schools can foster cohesive moral development. Specifically, it assesses the influence of family involvement on students’ moral development, evaluates the role of schools in promoting partnerships, and identifies barriers to effective collaboration in value education. Adopting a survey research design, the study targeted 180 stakeholders—comprising teachers and parents—from 45 government secondary schools in the Agbani Education Zone. Using the Yaro Yamane formula, a representative sample of 124 participants was selected. Data were collected through structured questionnaires and analyzed using descriptive statistics and chi-square tests to address research questions and test hypotheses.The findings revealed that family involvement significantly enhances students’ moral development (χ² = 43.65), while school efforts moderately support partnership frameworks (χ² = 27.95). Major barriers identified include time constraints, communication gaps, and limited resources (χ² = 32.02). These findings affirm the interdependence between home and school environments in moral instruction and highlight the systemic nature of existing challenges. The study recommendedthat educational authorities should institutionalize structured family engagement initiatives—such as regular value education-focused parent-teacher conferences and communication platforms—to enhance co-responsibility in character development. Ultimately, the study underscores the necessity of integrated, context-sensitive strategies to strengthen moral education and build ethically resilient communities through cooperative educational frameworks.