Problems and Prospects of Managing Student Hostels in Nigeria
Chapter One
OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY
The following are the objectives of this study:
- To examine the problems in the management of student hostel in Nigerian universities.
- To examine the prospects in the management of student hostel in Nigerian universities.
- To find out ways by which management challenges in Nigerian universities hostel are curtailed.
CHAPTER TWO
REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE
CONCEPT OF MANAGEMENT
The concept of management is as old as human race itself. Management is not only an essential element of organized society, but also an integral part of life. The role of management in our society is critical in human progress. It serves to identify a great need of our time, to improve standards of living for all people through effective utilization of human and material resources. Similarly, management is the guidance or direction of people towards organizational goals or objective Nwachukwu, (1990). Also management can be defined as the organizational use of men and materials to accomplish a purpose Daniel, (1987). The word management means getting things done through others. According to Mgbodile (2003), management is leadership which is aimed at influencing group activity towards goal achievement. It is the behaviour of the man in leadership position when he is carrying out the vital functions of administration – planning, organizing, directing or controlling, coordination and evaluating activities aimed at achieving the goals of the establishment. Management is equally referred to as group of people. This school of thought perceives management as a process demanding the performance of a specific function, that is, management as profession Ogbonnaya,( 2003), in the same vein, Peretomode (1991) see management as the social or interactional process involving sequences of coordinated events – planning, organizing, coordination and leading in order to use available resources to achieve a desired outcome in the fastest and most efficient way. From the above definitions one can deduce that management is a social process which has goals to achieve. It involves planning, organizing, starting, leadership, directing, controlling and coordination of people towards the achievement of goals. It is also the guidance or direction of people towards organization goals or objectives. Management describe is the coordination of all the resources of an organization through the process of planning, organizing, directing and controlling in order attain organizational objective. Nwachukwu(1998). Sherleker (2004) see it as efforts of people towards some common objectives. From the above definitions of management, one can deduce that: management is a social process which has goals to achieve. Relating this to the problem under study, it then means management of students hostel accommodation towards achieving the envisaged goals of educational institutions such as provision of needed facilities in the hall of residence, provision of security of life and property, maintenance of sanitary regulations. Management involves planning, organizing, staffing, leadership, directing, controlling and coordinating of the efforts of the educational institutions towards the achievement of the envisaged goals.
CONCEPT OF ACCOMMODATION
Accommodation has to do with privacy, personal space, and territoriality. Accommodation concerns an individual’s freedom of choice in a given physical setting with regard to what happens in it from one movement to another. For instance, the presence of particular activities at a particular time. Ozioko (1997). Adequate accommodation is one of the students personnel services that enhance the achievement of educational objectives or instruction in an educational institution. In the context of this study, hostel accommodation entails a place where students live; it is usually situated within school compound. The reason could be to enable students to feel the impact of school environment on the learning activities.
CONCEPT OF HOSTEL ACCOMMODATION
Hostel could be seen as a place where students retire after daily activities. It is also a place of abode for students. It is usually located within the school premises, it is owned and managed by the school authority sometimes however, it is run by private entrepreneur. Clark, and Meave (1992) see hostel as somewhere people, especially (students) live away from home, can stay and eat fairly cheap. In the same vein, Hornby (2000) see hostel as building in which board and lodging are provided (with the support of the authorities concerned) for students, workmen in training.
CHAPTER THREE
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
Research design
The researcher used descriptive research survey design in building up this project work the choice of this research design was considered appropriate because of its advantages of identifying attributes of a large population from a group of individuals. The design was suitable for the study as the study sought problems and prospect of managing student hostels in Nigeria
Sources of data collection
Data were collected from two main sources namely:
(i)Primary source and
(ii)Secondary source
Primary source:
These are materials of statistical investigation which were collected by the research for a particular purpose. They can be obtained through a survey, observation questionnaire or as experiment; the researcher has adopted the questionnaire method for this study.
Secondary source:
These are data from textbook Journal handset etc. they arise as byproducts of the same other purposes. Example administration, various other unpublished works and write ups were also used.
Population of the study
Population of a study is a group of persons or aggregate items, things the researcher is interested in getting information problems and prospect of managing student hostels in Nigeria. 200 students of University of Uyo were selected randomly by the researcher as the population of the study.
CHAPTER FOUR
PRESENTATION ANALYSIS INTERPRETATION OF DATA
Introduction
Efforts will be made at this stage to present, analyze and interpret the data collected during the field survey. This presentation will be based on the responses from the completed questionnaires. The result of this exercise will be summarized in tabular forms for easy references and analysis. It will also show answers to questions relating to the research questions for this research study. The researcher employed simple percentage in the analysis.
CHAPTER FIVE
SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION
Introduction
It is important to ascertain that the objective of this study was to ascertain problems and prospects of managing student’s hostel in Nigeria. In the preceding chapter, the relevant data collected for this study were presented, critically analyzed and appropriate interpretation given. In this chapter, certain recommendations made which in the opinion of the researcher will be of benefits in addressing challenges of problems and prospects of managing student’s hostel in Nigeria
Summary:
This study was problems and prospects of managing student’s hostel in Nigeria. Three objectives were raised which included: To examine the problems in the management of student hostel in Nigerian universities, to examine the prospects in the management of student hostel in Nigerian universities, to find out ways by which management challenges in Nigerian universities hostel are curtailed. In line with these objectives, two research hypotheses were formulated and two null hypotheses were posited. The total population for the study is 200 students of University of Uyo, Akwa Ibom state. The researcher used questionnaires as the instrument for the data collection. Descriptive Survey research design was adopted for this study. A total of 133 respondents made final year students, year 4 students, year 3 students and year 2 students were used for the study. The data collected were presented in tables and analyzed using simple percentages and frequencies
Conclusion
Based on the findings of the study, the following conclusions were drawn; Students have accommodation problems on Universities and these range from inadequate hostel accommodation, overcrowding and inadequate supply of social amenities. Many factors are responsible for student’s hostel accommodation problems in colleges of education and these include increase in student’s enrolment, poor funding from government, lack of maintenance culture, inadequate trained personnel, lack of space for construction of new hostels and lack of partnership between government, private individuals and organization in the ownership and management of students hostels.
Recommendation
From the findings of the study, the following recommendations are made: 1. School authority in collaboration with the government should endeavour to build more hostels for students in order to avoid the problem of inadequate of hostel buildings and overcrowding. Also, hostels should be located close to the lecture rooms for easy accessibility by students.
- School management and the government should endeavour to repair dilapidated hostel buildings, toilet facilities, and also ensure the constant supply of water and electricity as well as other necessary facilities, so as to enable the students settle down and undertake their studies.
- Students also have the responsibility of keeping the hostels clean. They would achieve this by cleaning their rooms, toilets and bathrooms, sweeping their corridors and also dumping refuse where appropriate.
REFERENCES
- Adeyemi, P. (2008). Search for an ideal handling-over note in students accommodation. New York: Columbia University Press.
- Akpan, P. (2000). Housing conditions and environment quality in Ikot Ekpene, Nigeria. African Journal of Social and Policy Studies.
- Akuchie, R. (1998). Classroom organization and management: A 5 point strategy. Ibadan: Wise Publishers.
- Ali, A. (2006). Fundamentals of research in education Awka, Nigeria: Meks Publishers.
- Alumanah, U. (2001). Students hostel accommodations problems and prospects. Nsukka: Optimal Computer Solutions.
- Chukwu, J. (2001). Problems of students hostel accommodation in higher educational institutions: A Case study of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka. In Akubue, A U & Enyi D (eds) Crises and challenges in higher education in developing countries. Ibadan: Wisdom Publishers.
- Clark, B. & Meave, G. (eds) (1992). The encyclopedia of higher education, analytical perspectives. Oxford: Pergamon Press.
- Daniel, M. (1987). Management of education at a glance. New York: Harper and Row.
