Effect of education infrastructure on rural development in Katsina State Nigeria

The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of education infrastructure on rural development by focusing on poverty, employment, agricultural productivity, and healthcare. Additionally, the study also the moderating effect of Non-Governmental
Organization (NGO) on the relationship between education infrastructure and rural development in Katsina State Nigeria. This study adopted a cross-section survey design and the data for the study was mainly from primary source through questionnaire. Human capital theory was adopted as the underpinning theory of the study, and based on a theoretical review, a research model was proposed that examines the relationship between the variables. Eight hypotheses were postulated that tested the effect of education infrastructure and the moderating effect of NGOs on rural development (comprising poverty, employment, agricultural productivity, and healthcare). The total population of this study was 5,801,485 out of which 384 are taken as the sample size, using Saunders (2007) sampling method. A total of 434 questionnaires was administered to the respondents, out of which 410 was returned accounting for 95 percent rate of returned. A combination of descriptive and inferential statistics was used in analyzing the data collected, using the Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) version 23. Multiple regression was used in analyzing the direct relationship between the independent variable and the dependent variable, whereas hierarchical regression was used in analyzing the moderating effect of the moderating variable on the relationship between the independent variable and the dependent variable. The findings of this study revealed that, education
infrastructure have a direct significant relationship on rural development relating to employment, agricultural productivity, and healthcare while there was no significant relationship with poverty. Furthermore, the result of the hierarchical regression (moderation test) establishes that NGOs moderate the relationships between poverty, agricultural productivity, and healthcare, but it did not moderate the relationship with employment. Lastly, based on the findings of this study, the theoretical and practical implication, limitations of the study, conclusions, as well as direction for future research were also provided by this study.