ABSTRACT

 This project examined the impact of participation of NTI Nigeria Certificate in Education (NCE) alumni in rural development in communities in the South East geopolitical zone of Nigeria. Specifically the study assessed the impact of the NTI graduate teachers' involvement in literacy development, political activities, community development projects, cooperative activities and agricultural technology transfer in rural communities. The study utilized both primary and secondary data, with structured questionnaire and oral interview as instruments for data collection. The sample size comprised of 270 respondents residing and working in rural communities of Abia, Ebonyi and Enugu States of the South Eastern zone. Data analyses involved descriptive statistics such as cross tabulations, frequency counts, percentages, means and ratios and inferential statistics (regression analysis).The results showed amongst others, that the respondents impacted positively on rural development in the study area. There was a significant and positive relationship between socio-economic and cultural characteristics of the respondents and their participation in rural development activities in the area of literacy development. The mean of 3.61 and 3.08 respectively indicated that respondents strongly agreed that they highly participated, in political participation. The mean of 3.67 and 3.01 respectively, showed that they strongly agreed and participated, in community development projects. The result also showed that they strongly agreed and highly participated in cooperative activities (3.71 and 3.41); in transfer of • agricultural technologies (3.75 and 3.30); in rural development activities (3.82 and 3.74). The study also revealed that NTI alumni, who were predominantly married females, with large household members, participated fully in rural development activities except in the area of political government of the communities as showed by mean of 2.47 (moderately participating) and 1.79 (not participating) in sponsoring adult literacy classes. It was concluded that the NTI distance learning graduates in South East geopolitical zone impacted positively in the communities they resided and worked by participating and contributing positively to rural development activities. The recommendations from the study indicated; Communities' sponsorship for adult literacy programmes through provision of infrastructure and payment of reasonable honoraria to ameliorate difficulties encountered by teacher participation in adult literacy class; NTI's curriculum review and update by incorporating courses in rural development education, cooperatives and family planning education to further enhance alumni's participation in rural development initiatives and emphasize the importance of reasonable, manageable household size; and Social actions aimed at eliminating unreasonable cultural practices that discriminate against women, to enable their full participation in the political government of their communities.