EFFECTS OF MISMANAGEMENT OF SERVICE DELIVERY ON THE WELFARE OF STUDENTS IN BOARDING SECONDARY SCHOOLS

ABSTRACT

The study is on the effects of mismanagement of service delivery on the welfare of students in boarding secondary schools in Jigawa state. The objective of the study is to ascertain the effects of mismanagement on students’ feeding, water supply, health, accommodation, power supply and safety/security in boarding secondary schools in Jigawa state. The study is descriptive by design in which structured questionnaire was used to collect the relevant data from respondents. The population of the study comprised of 30 boarding secondary schools in Jigawa state, the teachers, students, and the principals of the schools.

A stratified random sampling technique was used in drawing the samples from the population. Thus, 10 out of 30 boarding secondary schools in the state were used as the sample of the study. The respondents sample comprised of the 10 principals and 3 academic staff each of the sampled schools. Results from the study showed that mismanagement has negative implications as far students’ welfare is concerned. It indicated that mismanagement as an indisciplinary problem affects students feeding, water supply, health, accommodation, power supply and safety in their school life in unpleasant manner that makes school life uncomfortable. The 6 hypotheses tested also indicated no significant difference in the opinions of the respondents i.e. principals and teachers on the questionnaire items on effects of mismanagement on the above mentioned students welfare aspects. Some major findings of the research showed that mismanagement practices such as students’ lack of orderliness at food collection points, inconsistency in keeping to food timings, students’ poor food practices and abuse impact negatively on students’ feeding services; in addition, students’ mishandling/misuse of water facilities and power failure were identified as impediments to effective water supply to students in boarding schools in Jigawa state. Based on the findings the researcher recommends the following; Feeding as part of both staff and students welfare services are of paramount importance in the management of schools thus; government and school managers should maintain the adequate and qualitative food supply and distribution to students, guarding against any form of mismanagement from any quarter; adequate provision of water supply aids in effective management of an organization. Therefore, government and school managers should ensure adequate supply of portable drinking water through improving power supply and alternative sources of water facilities in schools. In addition, school managers should guard against students misuse of water facilities among others.

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background to the study

Education is widely believed to be a tool of development. It is seen as a means of
developing an individual, the society and nations. Education is a veritable tool for social change, national integration and development (National Teachers Institute, 2011). It is considered as one of the most essential basic services to be provided by government and even concerned well-to-do individuals. For this undisputable reason, nations are investing a lot of resources in educating their citizens. Nigeria, like other countries of the world, acknowledges that education is a vital tool for achieving national development. Consequently, she has joined other nations in their match towards worthwhile educational investments and reforms (Ebelechukwu in NTI, 2011).

For this reason Nigeria like other comity of nations, believes in functional education as a means of achieving its national goals and hence invests heavily on the sector with a view to reap the benefits therein. But it is believed that the achievement of this objective can only be possible if all efforts are put in place properly. By this; it is meant all stakeholders discharge their assigned responsibilities with all seriousness; among which include purposeful and competent school management. The school managers provide leadership in coordinating and directing human and material resources to ensure achievement of learning objectives. It is necessary for school heads to know how to manage school effectively and efficiently in order to improve the quality of teaching and learning (NTI, 2011).