Private Ownership and Educational Management: Issues and Challenges
CHAPTER ONE
OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY
The aim of this research study is to examine the issues and challenges of private ownership and educational management in Lagos State. The objectives includes:
- To identify management issues facing private owners in developing and improving the school.
- To investigate if fees paid in private schools is commensurate to the performance of students.
- To examine whether private schools in Lagos are of standard as required by the guideline of the state ministry of education.
- To investigate and compare the performance of private secondary school students in WAEC and NECO 2012 – 2014
- To identify the percentage of enrolment in private secondary schools as compared with that of public secondary schools in Lagos State
- To examine the role of Education Districts and Ministry of Education in quality assurance of private secondary schools
CHAPTER TWO
REVIEW OF LITERATURE
INTRODUCTION
Our focus in this chapter is to critically examine relevant literature that would assist in explaining the research problem and furthermore recognize the efforts of scholars who had previously contributed immensely to similar research. The chapter intends to deepen the understanding of the study and close the perceived gaps.
Precisely, the chapter will be considered in three sub-headings:
- Conceptual Framework and
- Theoretical Framework
CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK
Concept of Management
Management has been described in a variety of ways. Management is the effective organization and utilization of human and material resources in a particular system for the achievement of identified objectives (Ogunu, 2001). It has also been defined as a social process which is designed to ensure the cooperation, participation, intervention and involvement of others in the effective achievement of a given or predetermined objective (UNESCO, 1979). Management according to Mgbodile (1986) simply means the process or method whereby a group of people at the top level of the government plan, organize, communicate, co-ordinate, control and directs the actions and activities of those who work in an organization in order to achieved the stated objectives of the organization. In addition, Management in the view of Peretomode (1996) is a social or interaction process involving a sequence of coordinated events – planning, organizing, coordinating and controlling or leading in order to use available resources to achieve a desired outcome in the fastest and most efficient way. Again, Nwachukwu (1988) defined management as the coordination of all the resources of an organization through the process of planning, organizing, directing and controlling in order to attain organizational objectives. For Obi (2003) management involves the strategy of innovation, initiating change, creative problem solving, and decision making. It also involves actively seeking out alternatives and opportunities, reformulating goals, and priorities, redeploying resources, negotiating and resolving conflicts. It involves dynamic or active leadership diplomacy, statesmanship and a high degree of risk taking and entrepreneurship. The above definitions imply that management is a social process which is dynamic in nature and has goals to achieve. It does not consist of formula of fixed pattern; hence, management involves planning, organizing, staffing, directing, controlling and coordinating all the efforts of people towards the achievement of goals. In summary, management can be looked at as the process through which human and non-human resources are effectively and efficiently used to achieve the stated goals of an organization or institution like schools and hospitals. There are such types as education management, business management and hospital management. For this reason, Obi (2003) sees school management as the process of achieving educational objectives through efficient utilization of available human and material resources. This definition also implies that educational management involves planning, organizing, controlling, coordinating and evaluation of human and material resources.
The importance of management in schools cannot be over- emphasized. It is with an efficient management that an institution like secondary school can plan, organize, staff, control, direct and coordinate its activities to achieve predetermined goals. The task of the administrator is to establish the environment for group efforts in a way that individuals will contribute to group objectives with the least amount of input as money, time, effort, comfort and materials.
CHAPTER THREE
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
INTRODUCTION
In this chapter, we described the research procedure for this study. A research methodology is a research process adopted or employed to systematically and scientifically present the results of a study to the research audience viz. a vis, the study beneficiaries.
RESEARCH DESIGN
Research designs are perceived to be an overall strategy adopted by the researcher whereby different components of the study are integrated in a logical manner to effectively address a research problem. In this study, the researcher employed the survey research design. This is due to the nature of the study whereby the opinion and views of people are sampled. According to Singleton & Straits, (2009), Survey research can use quantitative research strategies (e.g., using questionnaires with numerically rated items), qualitative research strategies (e.g., using open-ended questions), or both strategies (i.e., mixed methods). As it is often used to describe and explore human behaviour, surveys are therefore frequently used in social and psychological research.
POPULATION OF THE STUDY
According to Udoyen (2019), a study population is a group of elements or individuals as the case may be, who share similar characteristics. These similar features can include location, gender, age, sex or specific interest. The emphasis on study population is that it constitute of individuals or elements that are homogeneous in description.
This study was carried out to examine private ownership and educational management: issues and challenges. Selected proprietors of private schools in Alimosho Local Government Area of Lagos State form the population of the study.
CHAPTER FOUR
DATA PRESENTATION AND ANALYSIS
INTRODUCTION
This chapter presents the analysis of data derived through the questionnaire and key informant interview administered on the respondents in the study area. The analysis and interpretation were derived from the findings of the study. The data analysis depicts the simple frequency and percentage of the respondents as well as interpretation of the information gathered. A total of fifty (50) questionnaires were administered to respondents of which all were returned and validated. For this study a total of 50 was validated for the analysis.
DATA PRESENTATION
The table below shows the summary of the survey. A total of 50 responses were received and validated. For this study a total of 50 was used for the analysis.
CHAPTER FIVE
SUMMARY CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION
SUMMARY
This chapter of the study is set aside to determine summarized the descriptive analysis done in the precious chapters. It also gives the conclusion and makes some recommendation.
In summary, the purpose of this study was to assess private ownership and educational management: issues and challenges. Specifically the study focused on identifying management issues facing private owners in developing and improving the school, investigate if fees paid in private schools is commensurate to the performance of students, examining whether private schools in Lagos are of standard as required by the guideline of the state ministry of education, investigating and comparing the performance of private secondary school students in WAEC and NECO 2012 – 2014, identifying the percentage of enrolment in private secondary schools as compared with that of public secondary schools in Lagos State and, examining the role of Education Districts and Ministry of Education in quality assurance of private secondary schools.
In order to carry out this study research questions formulated to guard the investigation. A total of 50 private proprietors of selected private schools in Alimosho Local Government Area of Lagos State. The study was anchored on the behavioral science theory and the human relation school theory.
CONCLUSION
In conclusion, the study is beyond doubt and abundantly clear that private ownership in education is very important as it has helped improve the standard and level of education.
From results obtained and analyzed, the study reveals that:
- The management issues facing private owners in developing and improving the school include:
- Burned out staff
- Overwhelmed parents
- Budget constraints and
- Leadership skills
- The fees paid in private schools are commensurate to the performance of students
- Private schools in Lagos meet the standard as required by the guideline of the state Ministry of Education
- The performance of private secondary school students in WAEC and NECO 2012 – 2014 was very good
- The enrolment figures in the management of private secondary schools as compared with that of public secondary schools in Lagos State was average
- The role of Education Districts and Ministry of Education in quality assurance of private secondary schools
- Administer legislative and regulatory controls
- Determine and deliver funding and other resources
- Management and operation of education providers and
- Provide services that support the governance
RECOMMENDATION
Recommendation on the basis of findings. The researcher made the following recommendation with the belief that when studied and applied, would help to improve the educational standard in Lagos State. The researcher recommends that:
- Government should effectively monitor private ownership of schools as most of them do not meet up to standard.
- Adequate funding and resources should be given to private schools to ensure their effective running and management
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