Digitally Signed by: Content manager’s Name

DN : CN = Weabmaster’s name

O= University of Nigeria, Nsukka

OU = Innovation Centre

ORJI ANN N.

Faculty of Education

Department of Educational Foundations

IMPLEMENTATION OF STUDENT PERSONNEL SERVICES IN

FEDERAL AND STATE COLLEGES OF EDUCATION

IN SOUTH-EAST NIGERIA.

OZIOKO, AGATHA NKECHI

PG/Ph.D/06/41161

ii

IMPLEMENTATION OF STUDENT PERSONNEL SERVICES IN

FEDERAL AND STATE COLLEGES OF EDUCATION

IN SOUTH-EAST NIGERIA.

BY

OZIOKO, AGATHA NKECHI

PG/Ph.D/06/41161

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATIONAL FOUNDATIONS

UNIVERSITY OF NIGERIA, NSUKKA

MARCH, 2014

i

IMPLEMENTATION OF STUDENT PERSONNEL SERVICES IN

FEDERAL AND STATE COLLEGES OF EDUCATION

IN SOUTH-EAST NIGERIA.

BY

OZIOKO, AGATHA NKECHI

PG/Ph.D/06/41161

A Ph.D SEMINAR PRESENTED TO THE DEPARTMENT OF

EDUCATIONAL FOUNDATIONS

UNIVERSITY OF NIGERIA, NSUKKA

IN FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF

DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY IN EDUCATIONAL ADMINISTRATION

AND PLANNING.

MARCH, 2014

ii

APPROVAL PAGE

This thesis has been approved for the Department of Educational

Foundations, University of Nigeria, Nsukka.

By

………………………… ……………………….

Prof. N. O. Ogbonnaya

Supervisor Internal Examiner

………………………… ……………………….

Dr. D. U. Ngwoke

External Examiner Head of Department

……………………………..

Prof. I. C. S Ifelunni,

Dean, Faculty of Education

iii

CERTIFICATION

Ozioko, Agatha Nkechi, a postgraduate student with Registration Number

PG/Ph.D/06/41161, has satisfactorily completed the research requirements for the

award of the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D) in Educational Administration

and Planning.

The work embedded in this thesis has to the best of my knowledge not been

submitted in part or full for any other degree or diploma of this or any other

University.

………………………………. ……………………………..

Ozioko, Agatha Nkechi Prof. N.O Ogbonnaya

(Student) (Supervisor)

iv

DEDICATION

This work is dedicated to the Almighty God, my Creator, and my family.

v

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

The researcher is thankful to her thesis supervisor, Prof. Nelson Ogbonnaya,

for his patience, cooperation and encouragement in painstakingly guiding this

study at various stages. She is highly indebted to Prof. Okwor, Prof. U.N Ezeh,

Prof. D.N. Ezeh, Dr. D. U. Ngwoke and Prof. C. U. Onwura for their efforts

towards directing this work from the beginning to its completion.

The researcher wishes to acknowledge the contributions of Dr. F.M Onu and

Dr. C. I. Diovu who, in spite of their tight schedule, read the work in between

lines and made useful contributions, in shaping the work. May God continue to

double their wisdom. Some other persons whose contributions helped in the

successful completion of the work by gathering data and arranging scores include;

Dr. Christopher Ibenegbu and my able typist Omeje Martina O. The researcher is

grateful to them all.

She is also indebted to her husband, Chief. Ozor B.C. Ozioko, for his

encouragement, strong support and understanding, and to her children for their

assistance throughout the period of the academic struggle. Finally, the researcher is

grateful to God Almighty, whose special grace made the successful completion of

this work possible.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Title page i

Approval page- ii

Certification iii

Dedication iv

Acknowledgments v

Table of Contents vi

List of tables vii

List of appendices viii

Abstract ix

CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION

Background to the Study 1

Statement of the Problem 11

Purpose of the Study 13

Significance of the Study 13

Scope of the Study 15

Research Questions 15

Hypotheses 16

CHAPTER TWO: REVIEW OF LITERATURE

A. Conceptual framework 18

Concept and meaning of student personnel services 18

Other Related concepts:

Objectives of student personnel services 21

Importance of student personnel services 22

Student personnel services in colleges of education 24

Student personnel services 42

Constraints to effective provision of student personnel services 47

Strategies for improving on the status quo 50

vii

B. Theoretical framework 56

The Scientific Management theory 57

The Systems theory 57

C. Review of Empirical Studies 60

Summary of the Literature Review 66

CHAPTER THREE: RESEARCH METHOD

Design of the Study 69

Area of the Study 69

Population of the Study 70

Sample and Sampling Techniques 71

Instruments for Data Collection 71

Validation of the Instrument 73

Reliability of the Instrument 73

Method of Data Collection 74

Method of Data Analysis 74

CHAPTER FOUR: RESULTS

Summary of the Major Findings 90

CHAPTER FIVE: DISCUSSION OF FINDINGS, IMPLICATIONS,

RECOMMENDATIONS, CONCLUSION AND

SUMMARY Discussion of Results 92

Conclusion 101

Implications of the study 103

Recommendations 105

Limitations to the Study 105

Suggestions for Further Studies 106

Summary of the Study 106

References 109

Appendices 117

viii

LIST OF TABLES

Table 1: Mean ratings of staff of student affairs and students on the

extent of student personnel services that are available in

federal and state colleges of education 75

Table 2: Mean ratings of staff of student affairs and students on the

adequacy of these services in these college of education 76

Table 3: Mean ratings of staff of student affairs and students on the

constraints to the effective implementation of student

personnel services in federal and state colleges of education 78

Table 4: Mean ratings of staff of student affairs and students on the

strategies for improving on the implementation of student

personnel services in federal and state colleges of education in

south-east Nigeria 80

Table 5: Summary of t-test for hypothesis one 82

Table 6: Summary of t-test for hypothesis two 84

Table 7: Summary of t-test for hypothesis three 86

Table 8: Summary of t-test for hypothesis four 88

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LIST OF APPENDICES

Appendix A: Questionnaire for data collection 117

Appendix B: Student personnel services observation schedule 123

Appendix C: National commission for colleges of education

manual on student personal management 124

Appendix D Suggestion during validation 128

Appendix E: Distribution of staff and students of federal and state

colleges of education in south- east Nigeira 130

Appendix F: Sample and Sampling Techniques 131

Appendix G: Colleges of education used for the study 132

x

ABSTRACT

The primary aim of this research was to investigate the implementation of student

personnel services in federal and state colleges of education in south –eastern

Nigeria. Student personnel services are regarded very important as they aid in the

all round development of the students, thus, enabling them to achieve their

objectives and those of their institutions. Student personnel services embrace all

those services to students that supplement regular instruction. As part and parcel of

school administration, it is seen as a critical function to the effective operation of

any school. This informed the present study on implementation of student

personnel services in federal and state colleges of education in south-east Nigeria.

The purpose was to ascertain the extent of implementation of these student services

in federal and state colleges of education in south-east Nigeria. Four research

questions and four null hypotheses were formulated for the study. A 51 – items

questionnaire was developed and administered to 770 respondents, comprising of

330 staff and students of federal and 440 staff and students of state colleges of

education. A non-proportionate stratified random sampling technique was used to

sample 10 senior staff of student affairs department and 100 final year students

from each of the seven federal and state colleges of education in the geopolitical

zone. Mean score was used to answer the research questions, while t-test statistics

was employed in testing the null hypotheses at 0.05 level of significance. The

study revealed that the student personnel services studied was available, but

inadequate and are of poor quality. Constraints to the effective implementation

include: poor funding of education sector, poor maintenance culture, inadequate

attention to communication between students and management, careless use of

facilities by students, mismanagement of funds by college authorities, poorly

executed projects, among others. There are measures to be adopted for

improvement, they include: the government giving special grants to colleges for

hostels, involving the private sector in the provision of student personnel services,

school authority completing all abandoned projects, students admission being

guided by existing student personnel services, financial assistance to students,

supervision of students affairs personnel more effectively etc. Based on the

findings, the educational implications were drawn and the following

recommendations, among others, were made. School authority should organize

seminars, orientations and talks on how to manage the student personnel services.

Funds should be judiciously used by the college administration. Private sector

should be encouraged to assist in the provision of these services. The education

sector should be adequately funded and admission exercises should be guided by

the available student personnel service.

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CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

Background to the Study

The teaching and research functions of higher educational institutions play a

very important role in national development, especially in the development of

high-level manpower. However, in most cases, the societal expectations in terms of

goals are hardly met and part of the explanation is linked to the absence of

adequate and conducive environment for effective learning. To achieve this

objective, adequate provision of certain services to students should be fostered for

effective teaching and learning process. Among these are the student-personnel

services. Student personnel services in this context, refers to all the non-academic

services rendered to the students at the schools setting outside the formal

classroom instruction, for the purpose of healthy, physical, emotional, social and

moral development as part of their preparation for a responsible and productive

adult life. These services are complementary to the academic programme in

making a holistic and balanced education of the students. While the task of

intellectual and skill development can be accomplished through curriculum

planning and implementation, the task of developing responsible attitudes and

morals can only be achieved through the provision and administration of student

personnel services.

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Although student personnel services has received very little attention in

professional literature and social administration, Duffy in Ejionume (2010),

Swartz, Russel Hunt and Reilly in Ogbuji (2009), observe that it is an

administrative task areas that is critical to the effective operation of any school

system. This assertion is also affirmed by Ndu, Ocho and Okeke (1997) when they

stress that in addition to curriculum implementation, school administrators have a

duty to provide adequate student personnel services in their respective schools as

both services are complementary to each other. Consequently, a major concern of

any educational institution, colleges of education inclusive, should be the

commitment to implement specified student personnel services. These services

enhance the achievement of institutional objectives. The absence of these creates

situations that constitute obstacles to the achievement of goals and objectives of

educational institutions, the level not-withstanding. Some goals of education as

spelt out by Federal Republic of Nigeria (2004) in the National Policy on

Education demand services that are beyond classroom instruction for their

actualization. An example of such goal is the inculcation of national values (P.8).

The values include respect for the worth and dignity of the individual, faith in

man’s ability to make national decisions, moral and spiritual principle in

interpersonal and human relations and promotion of the physical, emotional and

psychological development of all children.

It is in realization of the symbiotic role of the curricular and co-curricular

services in the realization of educational objectives in tertiary institutions, that the

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Federal Republic of Nigeria (2002) in the National Minimum Standard prescribes

mandatory student personnel services that school administration should make

available to students that which goes along with the curricular offerings. Service

that come under student personnel services are many and varied. They include

admission exercises, orientation, accommodation, medical services, library

services, student academic records, guidance and counselling, financial aid,

municipal services, security services, co-curricular activities. Also, included are

adequate classroom blocks, information materials, sports facilities, maintenance of

roads and teaching facilities.

Colleges of education contribute a lot to educational system, but students

constitute not only the largest input, but, also the reason and the main focus for all

the other inputs. All outputs are judged by the quality of graduates from these

institutions and all processing activities are centred on the students. For effective

teaching and learning, there should be adequate provision, proper implementation

of student personnel services and supervision of certain services for the students in

order to achieve the objectives of these institutions.

Mgbodile (2003) has identified the objectives of student personnel services

to include the making of students think effectively, helping them to communicate

their thoughts clearly, enabling the students develop relevant skills in judgement

and decision making. Others are to help them play their part as useful members of

their homes and families, making the pupils understand basic facts about health

and sanitation, helping students to appreciate their roles as citizens of Nigeria and

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the development of good moral principles as well as the appreciation of their

cultural heritage and dignity of labour.

Student personnel services, according to Ozigi in Kalu (2000), are those

non-academic duties concerned with pupil’s welfare in a school setting. These

services include all the activities of the headmaster/principal and teachers and other

staff members geared towards making the students better citizens of the society in

which they live (Mgbodile, 1986). Student personnel services according to

Ezeocha (1992), is seen as involving all the activities and services that are rendered

to the students for the achievement of the educational objectives which are not the

normal classroom instruction. Student personnel services have also been defined as

those special classroom supporting services outside the curricular offerings that

impinge upon the maturation of the self of the students (Okeke, 2002). Student

personnel services refer to those school services that supplement and support the

instructional programme of a school (Ejionueme 2010).

Akilaiya (2001:28) defines student personnel administration as an attempt to

cater for the welfare of pupils with a view of helping them to build a solid future

while maximizing their educational pursuit and at the time promoting personal and

institutional prestige within and without the educational sphere. According to Ajayi

(1992), child personnel services is that total educational programmes of an

institution which aid in proving personnel services, is that total educational

programmes of an institution which aid in proving personal opportunities and

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specialized services through each pupil within the school system can develop to the

fullest of his potentials and capacities in terms of the democratic ideals.

Uwazuruike (2001):95) classified personnel functions into two mutually

interrelating parts, namely; the managerial and operative functions, while the

former is concerned with planning, organizing, directing and controlling of

personnel generally, the later is specifically concerned with the processes of

selection, admission, regulation, enrolment, classification, pedagogical instruction,

evaluation, examination, certification and graduation as well as the provision of

recreational services and maintenance of discipline.

Also, Njoku (2000) reiterating the rational behind child-education, maintains

that pupils must come first because they are the ones to be educated and without

them, the teachers will not be employed, neither would communities and various

levels of government established institutions of higher learning. This implies that

the ultimate goal of any educational system is the fullest growth and development

of pupils’ cognitive, affective and psychomotor domain.

Student Personnel Services improve the intellectual, social, emotional,

cultural and physical development of the individual. Such personnel services as

orientation, information, communication, student records, accommodation, co-

curricular activities are effective tools in guiding and directing students to improve

their personal sustenance in the pursuit of their careers. The provision of these

services is therefore meant to meet the different aspects of human development and

adjustment (Francis, 2002). Student personnel services are typically designed to

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respond to students’ welfare needs and social interest. Student personnel services

also buffer faculty members and academic administrators from demands

considered peripheral to the institutions’ academic mission. The provision of

student personnel services encourages students to take advantage of learning and

personal development opportunities outside the classroom, laboratory and library.

The essence of student personnel services is to help students realize their potential

and become responsible, and self-directed citizens. Student personnel services aim

at training the entire person to enable him or her read, write and calculate, and to

enable him/her fit into the society. It also aims at developing and training the total

man to enable the individual, on graduation, take his place in the society and

contribute to its survival.

The general objectives of student personnel services are to assist students to

become effective in their social environment, attain maximum self-realization and

to complement the academic programme of the institution. To be specific, student

personnel services provide orientation for fresh students to facilitate adjustment to

college life; perform individual and group counselling; provide assistance to

students on finance, food and housing; provide variety of co-curricular activities;

perform testing and inventory to help towards self-knowledge and self-realization;

provide placement and follow-up services; approve and monitor activities of

student organizations; implement student rules and regulations and recommend

appropriate disciplinary action to the school authorities (Francis, 2002). Student

personnel services enable students to develop love for school, participate in school

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activities and stimulate regularity and punctuality in school attendance (Anukam,

2001).

Adequate provision of student personnel services is very vital in any

educational institution. Adesina and Ogunsaju in Onochie (2003), in their

recognition of the need for student personnel services, observed that for effective

teaching and learning, provision of physical facilities and educational goals should

be viewed as being closely interwoven and interdependent. No matter the strength

of manpower resources in the system, the educational process must require

conducive physical environment and other facilities and equipment. Apart from

protection from the sun, rain, heat and cold, school buildings and halls of residence

represent a learning environment which has tremendous impact on the comfort,

safety, and performance of the student. Also, staff work better in well-equipped

schools with accommodation and facilities than they do where these facilities are

lacking (Omu, 2006).

Societies all over the world, according to Mgbodile (1986), have established

schools for achieving a wide variety of educational goals. They commit a great

deal of resources towards the achievement of these goals. Unfortunately, in most

cases, social expectation in terms of goal achievement is hardly ever met due to the

absence of student personnel services. Over the years, institutions of higher

learning, including colleges of education have been grappling with problems of

students’ unrests, or riots, or demonstrations. Some students are known to protest

on issues that encroach upon their welfare from both within and outside of their

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institutions (Ejionueme, 2010). Such protests have ranged from those against wide

communication gap between students and school authority, delay in meeting

student’s demand, failure on the part of the school authority to guarantee security

of lives and property, inadequate facilities such as lecture room, laboratories and

equipment, drastic obnoxious rules and regulations and students’ reaction to harsh

government policies. Others are known to be due to frustration and uncertainty

from the larger society, academic stress, students non-involvement in decision that

concern their welfare and students being forced to pay a special fee.

Personal observations from tertiary institutions of higher learning appears

that these personnel services are inadequate. For instance, in “The Guardian

Newspaper” of 24th January, 2010, there was a reported case of rioting of

undergraduates of University of Nigeria, Nsukka, where the students revolted

against the school authority because of an alleged increment in school fees

(Okonta, 2010). On February 24, 2011 “This Day Newspaper” reported that there

was a massive demonstration at Obafemi Awolowo University Ile-Ife, as a result of

increment of fees and health insurance scheme, which led to the closure of the

school. Thus, there have been cases of protests by these students against issues

such as lack of accommodation, lack of water, lack of seats in the lecture rooms,

lack of laboratory equipment and poor quality food. Nkwocha (1990) observed that

students are often alienated when certain decisions concerning students’ behaviour,

academic activities, social life and press activities are being taken. He also stressed

that participation in school administration means getting the students involved in

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discussions and seeking their views on the solution of problems affecting their

welfare. The occurrence of such demonstrations, perhaps, have very unfavourable

effects on the school system as they may hinder the attainment of their objectives.

There may be loss of lives and wanton destruction of property during these

demonstrations. It was observed that in most cases, students’ violent assaults are

on their fellow students, lecturers and administrative staff of the institutions. In

general, most strike actions are as a result of failed promises or distrust between

the authorities or administrators and students.

In our colleges of education today, students face various problems; students

attend various lectures, write term papers, do written and oral examinations,

projects and other academic matters. Far from academic matters, students face

various social, psychological and financial problems. In this bad state of economy

of the nation, the students are the most affected. Meal subsidies have been

withdrawn. There are no more scholarships, no bursary award, and even parents of

the students are indebted to their salaries and wages as and when due.

Today, the student personnel services appear not only to be inadequate, but

appear to be neglected and in effective. For instance, the hostel accommodation are

deplorable and unconducive and this affects the students’ academic performance

and their all-round development (Ejionueme, 2010). School buildings are seen with

cracked/decaying walls, sagging roofs, blown-off roofs and bushy surroundings

(Mboto, 2000).

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Generally faced with these problems, the students may loose confidence in

themselves and others, have little or no sense of personal value, become tense,

introverted and emotional, mostly expressed through hostility and aggression or

involvement in clandestine activities like secret cults, robbery, riots and

demonstrations. Anolue (2000) observed on a survey of the factors that influence

student crises in higher institutions of learning in Nigeria, that lack of regular water

supply, poor accommodation facilities ,poor classroom facilities, inadequate

medicare, poor literacy facilities forced students to protest against their authorities.

Colleges of education in Nigeria, like any other institution, face the challenge not

only to survive, but also to attain the level of sustainable development necessary

for them to achieve the objectives for which they were established. The attainment

of these goals depends not only on the right type of personnel but, also, on the

availability of adequate student personnel services and financial resources. Hence,

the need for adequate funding of our colleges of education. Eze (2006) also

observed that the financial problems of the colleges of education are increasing

because of financial mismanagement, embezzlement and fraud. Although, the

provision and administration of student personnel services are supposed to rank

paripasu (go along) with the curricular services (teaching and learning), it appears

that the personnel services have been relegated in school administration. The

apparent relegation of student personnel services in school administration is the

fact that the entire school system is examination - centered. The premium placed

on implementation of academic curriculum at all levels of education, with

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emphasis on academic performance as determined by examination results, explain

why majority of school administrators seem to pay less attention to the provision of

student personnel services in their respective schools. It should be noted that

student personnel services are basic needs which must be satisfied to a reasonable

extent before students can be expected to make any meaningful achievements in

their academic pursuit.

The problem of poor funding of education sector, poor maintenance culture,

careless use of facilities by students, non-participation of private sector in the

provision of student personnel services and others, are among the constraints for

effective implementation. Funds management simply refers to management of cash

flows, in and out of the organisation, within the organisation, and the balances held

by the organisation (Ogbonnaya 2005). The commission disburses funds to the

colleges in the form of capital grants and special grants. Funds should be properly

disbursed and internal control on the use of such funds should also be meticulously

discharged. From the foregoing, the researcher wanted to empirically determine the

proper implementation of student personnel services. This necessitated the study.

Statement of the Problem

Adequate provision and administration of student personnel services in

tertiary institution is not only important but necessary for the achievement of the

desired educational goals of inculcating the right type of values, attitude, skills and

the development of mental and physical abilities as equipment for producing good

quality citizens of Nigeria (FRN,2004). Over the years, colleges of education have

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been experiencing student disturbances linked to non-availability, inadequacy, and

poor quality of some vital student personnel services. Students trek long distances

to lecture rooms and this brings about lateness to class, fatigue and sleeping in the

class. The libraries in these colleges appear not to have current books/materials,

and they appear not to have enough reading tables and chairs for the students.

Students either cook inside their rooms or depend on food vendors for their

feeding. Students have been reported to repeat a semester or even an academic year

due to the fact that the records of results of examinations they wrote and passed got

lost. Students stand outside to listen to lectures because the lecture rooms are

insufficient.

In most of the colleges, for instance, Federal College of Education, Ehamufu

and Nwafor-Orizu College of Education, Nsugbe, students go to streams to fetch

water because these institutions depend on water tankers for supply of water.

Security is porous, hence, there are cases of rape, murder, phone-snatching,

robbery and of course cult activities. Medical Centres/clinics are there without

adequate drugs except routine drugs. Guidance and counselling services are non-

existent in most colleges of education, and student records are haphazardly kept.

Hostels in some colleges are built in form of dormitory (without rooms), and even

rooms ear marked for three students now harbour up to six students officially,

excluding those that are “squatting”.

This state of affairs suggests that something is wrong with regard to the

implementation of student personnel services in colleges of education. Based on

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this, the problem of this study is, what is the extent of implementation of student-

personnel services in federal and state colleges of education in south-east Nigeria?

Purpose of the Study

The main purpose of this study was to investigate the extent of

implementation of student personnel services in federal and state colleges of

education in South-East Nigeria. Specifically, the study intended to:

i. Ascertain the extent of availability of student personnel services in

federal and state colleges of education in south-east Nigeria.

ii. Determine the adequacy of student personnel services in colleges of

education in south-eastern Nigeria.

iii. Identify the constraints to the effective implementation of these services.

iv. Evolve strategies for improving the implementation of student personnel

services in federal and state colleges of education in south-east Nigeria.

Significance of the Study

This study hinged on the systems theory. This is because, student personnel

services is a very important aspect of administration as a social system.

Theoretically, the findings of this study will provide an empirical data with

respect to the purpose of the study that will permit a clear understanding and

testing of these findings. It will also be a resource centre for all stakeholders of

education, source of information and a reference point, especially in the colleges of

education. The findings of the study will be of help to the entire Nigerian society,

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and agencies and individuals that have stake in education like the NCCE, policy-

makers, education administrators and planners, ministries of education and their

boards and agencies and students in colleges of education.

It will provide useful information to the authorities of federal and state

colleges of education on certain unfavourable attitudes exhibited by students that

are caused by the poor state of student personnel services. These authorities will

then be geared towards making proper provision for these services. The findings

of this study will enable the education planners at the ministries of education and

their board and agencies to gain better understanding of the state of student

personnel services in these colleges.

The study will also be beneficial to the chief executives and the governing

councils of these colleges of education who will have their knowledge enriched

and utilize them in improving student personnel services in the institutions. The

student affairs department will use the data from the study to improve on the

provision, administration and management of student personnel services. The

deans of student affairs will also benefit from the study because the findings will

enable them appreciate students’ problems relating to inadequate student personnel

services. The findings of this study will be of great benefit to the students who

stand to gain if problems raised by the present state of student personnel services

are handled and especially if adequate and qualitative student personnel services

are provided. This will rekindle the interest of students in school attendance and

learning. The society at large will benefit from the study because, when there is

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conducive atmosphere in these institutions, the objectives of education, which

include the production of higher level manpower, will be greatly achieved

Scope of the Study

The scope of this study comprised of all the federal and state colleges of

education in south-east Nigeria. South-east Nigeria is made up of Abia, Anambra,

Ebonyi, Enugu and Imo states. There are three federal and four state colleges of

education in the geo-political zone. The study will investigate the extent of

availability of student personnel services in these colleges of education, determine

the adequacy of student personal services in these colleges of education, identify

the constraints to the effective implementation of student personal services, and

evolve strategies for improvement on the implementation of student personnel

services in these Colleges of Education.

Research Questions

The following research questions were formulated to guide the study:

1. To what extent are student personnel services available in federal and state

colleges of education in south-east Nigeria?

2. How adequate are the available student personnel services in federal and

state colleges of education in south-east Nigeria?

3. What are the constraints to the effective implementation of student personnel

services in these colleges?

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4. What are the strategies for improving the implementation of student

personnel services in federal and state colleges of education in south east

Nigeria?

Hypotheses

The following null hypotheses were formulated to guide the study and were tested

at 0.05 probability level.

H01: There is no significant difference between the mean ratings of staff and

students of both federal and state colleges of education on the extent of student

personnel services available in federal and state colleges of education.

H02: There is no significant difference between the mean ratings of staff and

students of both federal and state colleges of education on the adequacy of these

services in these colleges of education.

H03: There is no significant difference between the mean ratings of staff and

students of both federal and state colleges of education on the constraints to the

effective implementation of student personnel services in federal and state colleges

of education in south-east Nigeria.

H04 There is no significant difference between the mean ratings of staff and

students of both federal and state colleges of education on the strategies for

improving the implementation of student personnel services in federal and state

colleges of education in south-east Nigeria.

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CHAPTER TWO

REVIEW OF LITERATURE

This chapter reviews literature related to this study. The review of literature

for this study has been organized under the following sub-headings:

Conceptual framework

� Concept of student personnel services

Other Related concepts:

� Objectives of student personnel services

� Importance of student personnel services

� Student personnel services in colleges of education

� Student personnel services

� Constraints to effective provision of student personnel services.

� Strategies for improving on the status quo.

Theoretical Framework

The Scientific Management theory

The Systems theory

Review of Empirical Studies

• Study on implementation of student personnel services in state-owned

secondary schools of Abia State.

• Study on evaluation of student personnel services in secondary schools in

Cross River State.

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• Study on evaluation of student personnel services in Nigerian federal,

and State universities.

• Study on management of student personnel services in Federal and state

universities.

• Study on management of students hostel accommodation problems in

Polytechnics in Anambra and Enugu state

• Study on management of physical facilities and equipment in secondary

schools in Cross River State.

• Study on strategies for improving student personnel services in secondary

schools in Onitsha Education Zone.

Summary of the Literature Review

Conceptual Framework

Concept of Student Personnel Services

Student personnel services refer to those school services that supplement and

support the instructional programme of a school. Duffy in Ejionueme (2010) stated

that although student personnel services have received very little attention in

professional literature and school administration, it remains an administrative

function that is critical to the effective operation of any school system. It is seen as

part and parcel of school administrative function. In many places, it is submerged

under the guidance services.

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The common factor in establishing a school is the students; without the

students every other activity is useless. Thus, an educational institution is

established primarily for teaching and learning with human and material resources.

These materials are the resources and services which enhance academic activity.

The provision of such materials and services for the welfare of students is known

as student personnel services.

According to Ezeocha (1992), student personnel services in the schools,

involve all the activities and services that are rendered to the students for the

achievement of the educational objectives which are not the normal classroom

instruction. Student personnel services involve supervision of students in whatever

they do so that the objectives of the school will be achieved. It therefore means the

activities of directing, organizing and teaching the students in such away as to

ensure the attainment of the desired objectives of education. It involves decision-

making and implementation of polices of a school with regard to students’

education. Student personnel administration is responsible for decision-making,

organising and execution of policies relating to the teaching and learning situations

and the general welfare and discipline of the students. The main purpose of student

personnel services, as Mgbodile (2003) observed, is the integration of the

personnel functions with instruction, and co-ordination of the personnel services.

According to Oboegbulem (2003:165), “pupil personnel services involve all

the activities and services, apart from the normal classroom instruction, rendered to

students by the principals/headmasters, staff (tutorial and non-tutorial), the students

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themselves and even the community that are geared towards making an individual

in the school an all-round educated, law-abiding citizen of his community”. To

Campbell, Bridges and Nystrand (2000), the main role of the administrator in pupil

personnel services is one of integrating these services with instruction and

coordinating the various kinds of personnel services provided. The type of pupil-

personnel services provided at the school level and their functions depend on: the

level of the school, whether primary or secondary, the size and complexity of the

school, that is, the number of students with cases requiring special attention, and

the allocation of services within the district or zone, that is, whether there are

specialists personnel and facilities within the area to provide the needed services.

Mgbodile (1986) described pupil personnel services as all the activities of the

headmaster/principal, and or teachers and other staff members geared towards

making the pupils better citizens of the society in which they live. Okeke (2002)

defined student personnel services to be all those special classroom supporting

services, outside the curricular offerings, that impinge upon the maturation of the

students.

Student personnel services, from the foregoing, could therefore be defined as

the application of managerial process in student administration vis-à-vis the

provision of physical facilities, social services and amenities that enhance and

complement the curricular programme of the school. Variations of what services

constitute the pupil personnel function have existed in the past and still exist today

but a typical list of services to be classified under student personnel programme,

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according to Duffy in Ejionueme (2010), include: guidance and counselling, health

services, special education services, school psychology, speech and hearing, and

school social work. Other authors have included pupil accounting or attendance,

medical services, pupil discipline, admission and school census (Campbell,

Bridges and Nystrand, 2000).

OTHER RELATED CONCEPTS:

Objectives of Student Personnel Services

The objectives of student personnel services, according to Mgbodile (2003),

and Ukeje (2002) include making the students think effectively and communicate

their thoughts clearly. These qualities are developed through participation in co-

curricular programmes like debate and school governance. Other objectives of the

services are to enable students develop relevant skills in judgment and decision

making. When student leaders are given authority to maintain discipline and

control over their colleagues, they are by this opportunity made to develop their

skills in leadership and decision-making.

The administration of student personnel services also helps students to play

their part as useful members of their homes, families and society. Participation in

voluntary activities like Boys Scout, Girls Guide, Red Cross Societies and

participation in religious and social activities develop the above mentioned skills in

students. Other objectives of student personnel services are: helping students to

understand basic facts about health and sanitation, the development of good moral

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principle, appreciation of their cultural heritage, the appreciation of the dignity of

labour and healthy physical development.

It is for the achievement of the above stated objectives that the National

Minimum Standard in Omu (2006), prescribed some mandatory services, outside

teaching and learning, that secondary schools are to administer to their students.

The inspectorate units of the Ministries of Education are charged with the routine

inspection of schools and ensuring that the mandatory personnel services are

administered in all federal, state and private secondary schools across Nigeria.

Services like guidance and counselling and school health programme promote the

psychological and physical well-being of students. These services also enable

students make right career choices bearing in mind their strength and weakness.

Accommodation and catering services help to train the youngsters in tolerance,

peaceful co-habitation, sanitation, good health and eating habits. The exposure of

students to the different components of the personnel services will enable them to

derive the benefits specified under each service.

Provision of student personnel services in educational institutions is very

crucial in the achievement of the desired educational objectives of producing good

quality students. Ukeje (2002) identified increase in the happiness of school life of

student, as component part of student personnel services.

Importance of student personnel services

Udoh (2001) highlighted the importance of student personnel services to

include the following: Student personnel services enable government, proprietors

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and school administrators take inventory of pupils for purposes of providing staff

and facilities. It makes for proper record-keeping, administration, placement and

progress of pupils. The administration of student personnel services provides

students with health services which makes for healthy living and active citizenship,

while the guidance and counselling services that is provided shape students’ study

habits, emotional and psychological outlook and choice of career.

Ezeocha (1992) identified the following as some of the functions of student

personnel services:

to make the students think effectively, to make the students

communicate their thoughts clearly, to make the students

develop the skill of making relevant judgment, to make the

students play their roles as useful members of their homes

and families, to make the students understand basic facts

about health and sanitation, to help students understand and

appreciate their roles as citizens of their country, to help

students develop good moral principles, to help students

understand and appreciate their cultural heritage, and to

make the students live and act as well-integrated

individuals. (p.165).

The importance of student personnel services therefore lies in the fact that it

involves the development of the whole person as the basis of education. It

enhances the quality of educational experience for students and encourages

students to take advantage of learning and personal development opportunities.

The services make it possible to identify the different categories of students such as

the handicapped, the gifted, the average and slow learners so that adequate care

could be taken of each class. The services also help to mould the character, habits

and instil discipline in the students, which makes for a calm and achievement

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oriented school environment and acts as a foundation for a future crime – free and

dedicated life. It enables students to develop talents and qualities such as

leadership, skills, cooperation, sportsmanship, in clubs, societies and student

unionism. Student personnel services in the area of games and sports help develop

participants’ skills and prepare them for sporting career and meaningful utilization

of leisure time in later life.

The provision of basic student personnel services in federal and state

colleges of education across the country must form the foundation on which basic

education is built. Basic education is holistic, it requires the development of the

whole personality-the physical, social, emotional, spiritual and the cognitive

components. This development cannot be achieved through the implementation of

the academic curriculum alone, hence, the imperative of student personnel

services.

Student Personnel Services in Colleges of Education

Adequacy means state of being sufficient. According to Oxford English

Dictionary, adequacy is being sufficient or satisfying a requirement. Various

student personnel services are found on several campuses such as counselling,

financial assistance, health services, library services, students’ hostels, co-

curricular activities, cafeteria, orientation, rules and regulations. Student personnel

services that are provided in educational institutions include: provision of physical

facilities in the form of library, lecture rooms, equipment, teaching aids, hostel

accommodation, health services, transportation, municipal services such as water,

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electricity, roads among others. These services are supposed to be rendered

adequately and qualitatively in all educational institutions.

Akuchie (2000) observed that student personnel services serve different

essential purposes, and they are grouped into internal co-ordinating services,

orienting services, supportive services, and educational services.

A. Internal Co-ordinating services:

The internal co-ordinating services, for this study, will cover students’

records, information and communication. The school system succeeds with the use

of adequate and well kept records (Ezeocha, 2000). According to him, the need for

appropriate records to be used and kept in schools cannot be over-emphasized

especially concerning the increasing complexity of the nature of the school

administration. Ogbolu (1990) emphasized that students’ records of tests for

analyzing students specific achievements and weaknesses should be kept in every

school as this is used to predict a student’s vocation on the completion of his

course.

Adequate students’ records are necessary for students guidance, transfer of

students, promotion, classification, health services, provision of school facilities

and recruitment of staff (Ezeocha 2000). These records, he further stressed, are

essential for the purpose of supplying certain statistical information that may be

required by the government for the allocation of funds and other purposes. Proper

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documentation of students’ records is vital in aiding the institution to have detailed

knowledge about each student.

The most important of the students personal records is the individual’s file

kept for each student, which should contain a cumulative card, and information on

student’s scores/grades in courses, health information records for guidance and

counselling and of course, records of disciplinary behaviours exhibited by students.

Commenting on the poor state of student academic records, Ojo (2002) observed

that some of the internal crises in tertiary institutions is as a result of mistakes in

the academic records of some students. Nosiri and Nwagbo, in Ejionueme (2010)

observed that students’ cumulative records in our institutions of higher learning are

not properly kept and where they are kept they do not contain all the details such as

personal and home records, test scores, summary of academic records and student

activities

They still submitted the fact that these records are not kept, that students are

neither known by their academic advisers nor the institutions’ authorities. The

consequences is that the students catch in on this and exhibit anti-social behaviours

including cultism, rape, stealing, robbery, examination malpractices, absenteeism

from lectures and other heinous crimes. They do this because they are not known

and therefore cannot be suspected and apprehended

Another aspect of students internal coordinating services in federal and state

Colleges of Education are information and communication. According to Ezeocha

(2000), any organization that hopes to work smoothly must ensure that there is

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some feedback and also a forum for the expression of opinion by all levels within

the organization. He said that there should be a means of communication which

will occur through the hierarchy of the school from the head to the students and

also among staff and students. Communication he then defined as a process by

which information, directives, questions and ideas are transmitted among members

of an organization. The school bulletin, handouts, journals and periodicals may be

seen as means of communication, and this communication may be downward or

upward. Downward communication refers to when information flows from the

authority to the subjects and upward when information flows from the subjects to

the top. Information flow in our federal and state colleges of education may not be

described as being adequate. Nkwocha (1990) observed that students are often

alienated when certain decisions concerning students’ behaviour, academic

activities, social life and press activities are being taken. In his view, participation

in school administration means getting the students involved in discussions and

seeking their views on the solution of problems affecting their welfare, discipline

and co-curricular activities. Planning in higher education is directly concerned with

students but these students are only treated in a superficial manner (Palola in

Akuchie 2002). They are thought of in planning just in numerical or statistical

sense without relating vital information to them and seeking their opinion on such

issues. This, he regards as an ugly, faceless and impersonal way of thinking about

students. He therefore, suggested that institutions’ plans should consider students

as people who have their values and interests, who have opinion and perspectives

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and who care about the types of education they receive. The school administration

do not appreciate the fact that these students are also concerned about how their

institutions attempt to shape and mould them according to pre-defined notion of

what is good, appropriate, expected and necessary.

The school administration finds it difficult to welcome criticisms and

reactions from students, as a result, information flows one way - from the school

authority to the students in the form of instructions and commands. This lack of the

right channels through which students’ grievances or problems can be presented

and tackled is one of the sources of students’ frustration. Poor communication

between the school administration and students causes suspicion and mistrust

against the school authority (Nkwocha, 1990).

Ojo (2002) observed that various student demonstration in Nigerian tertiary

institutions are caused by communication gap between the school administration

and students. Among such demonstrations are: the nationwide demonstration by

National Union of Nigerian Students (NUNS) in 1978 over federal government’s

decision to increase fees, the incident of 1986 at Ahmadu Bello University Zaria,

when the male students matched through a female hall of residence during a

procession. This act breached the university regulations, a regulation passed

without the students’ consent. Again, at the University of Ibadan in 1992, students

demonstrated over the increase of cab and bus fares, medical and examinations

fees by the school administration without discussing with the students. Also, the

case of students’ demonstration at Federal college of education, Eha-Amufu in

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1992 was caused by such issues as high handedness of the school authority, lack of

water supply, spread of unknown venereal diseases especially experienced by

female students due to poor sanitation, delay of students’ results, installing a

stooge as student leader, and lack of guidance counsellor.

There are conflicting views as to the provision of internal co-ordinating

services in federal and state colleges of education. While some reports show that

these services are adequately and qualitatively rendered, other evidences show that

these services are poorly rendered. The poor provision of these services are likely

to be responsible for some of the problems experienced in these institutions.

Bearing in mind the importance of these services for students’ all-round

development, this study intends to find out the true position as regards the extent of

the implementation of these services, and then evolve options for improving on

them.

B. Orienting Services

The orienting services include: admission, orientation, financial aid and

discipline. Recruitment of a student body of a quality that will attract and retain

productive faculty is one of the functions of a tertiary institution as a social system

(Akuchie, 2002). Nigerian colleges of education admit students through entrance

examinations normally conducted for them by a central body, the Joint Admissions

and Matriculation Board. To qualify to write the entrance examinations and seek

admission, the applicant must have an entry requirement of five subjects at credit

level, including English language, at not more than two sittings of either West

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African School Certificate (WAEC) or National Examination Council (NECO)

examinations. The two sittings must be in two examination conducted by the same

body, that is, WAEC or NECO. In other words, an applicant cannot combine one

result from WAEC and one from NECO.

However, recently the colleges are now allowed to further conduct screening

examinations for candidates seeking admission in them. Even at that, there are still

complaints of foul play such as that some people buy scores from JAMB officials,

manipulation of screening examinations in favour of candidates who pay those in

charge of the computer. Others complain that the officers in charge of admission

sell admission places to those who can pay.

Another vital aspect of student personnel services is the orientation

programme. This is the process of familiarizing students with their new

environment and introducing them to the workings of the school as a social system.

It is a programme that involves a wide range of activities that intend to acquaint the

students with the new education environment and help them adjust to the

institution irrespective of their backgrounds.

Many students encounter some problems in the transition from one school

level to another (Kalu 2000). This agrees with Tawari in Akuchie (2002) that each

tertiary institution has a unique climate which contributes to making the first few

weeks at the place a somewhat traumatic experience for many new students. Clarke

and Meave (2005) noted that such orientation programme includes such activities

as visits to important places and offices, programmes that address study skills,

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academic advice and activities designated to establish social affinity groups. This

orientation helps to provide the psycho-social anchors that equip students to adjust

and live effectively in a new setting as well as adopting new intellectual values and

interests.

On financial aid, institutions of higher learning, including colleges of

education, in the past used to offer financial assistance to students directly in the

form of scholarships and loans. Due to the fact that the institutions no longer get

enough to carry on effectively and efficiently, such services are no longer given to

students. However, the institutions attract sponsorship from outside and advise

interested students to apply. There are of course, federal and state scholarships

which some students enjoy through the support of their schools. There are also

bursary awards granted to students by their state governments, and at times by the

federal government. Corporate bodies and individuals equally award scholarship

and prizes to some students.

Another aspect of the orienting services that colleges of education render to

their students is discipline. According to Ezeocha (2000), discipline is a systematic

training through education or a mode of life in accordance with rules of the society.

The word ‘discipline’ is crucial in every human society. It is responsible for peace,

order and good governance of society. Discipline may mean different things to

different people, depending on how it is used.

Ezeocha (2000) and Akubue (1991) broadly characterize discipline as a

functional product of orderliness, self-control, self-restraints, respect for self and

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others, perseverance, tolerance and recognition of human dignity. In the school

context, discipline is the quality of character which produces peace, order, self-

conduct and respect for self and others. The objective of school discipline,

according to Ukeje (2002), is to build up a level of self-control in the students so

that proper habits will be followed without the use of authority, self-control that

will provide a serene and conducive atmosphere for work in the various school

programmes and activities. Thus in a disciplined school, calm and decency do

prevail in classrooms and library, none encroaches on the rights of others in the

school environment, students are responsible for their own action and conduct, and

proper rules of behaviour are followed.

To encourage students to be disciplined and well-behaved, school authorities

develop school ideals and spirit, develop favourable relations with staff and

students, remove temptations and possibility of misbehaviour and reward good

behaviour promptly. However, Enyi (2001), observed that act of indiscipline

appear to have become recurrent incidents in our tertiary institutions. This can be

seen in truancy, membership of secret cult, sex offences such as rape, improper

dressing, robbery, drug and alcohol abuse, examination malpractices, assault and

insult, telling lies, and cheating, stealing, stubbornness and gross disobedience,

impatience, disorderliness, violent protests and demonstrations and electoral

offences such as rigging. Apart from the orienting services, there are also the

student support services

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C. Supportive Services

Among student personnel services referred to as supportive services are:

health services, counseling services, municipal services, security, co-curricular,

cafeteria, transportation, and accommodation.

The concept of health is more than not being physically sick. It goes beyond

the prevention of it and even extends to one’s social or community relationship.

Students’ health services at any level of learning is an aspect of school health

services programme. Ezeocha (2002) noted that teaching and learning cannot be

achieved in the absence of good health. Grout in Amaizu (2000:36) defined school

health service programme as “all the measures designed to appraise, protect and

promote optimum health of students and school personnel”.

The objectives of the school health services, according to Achalu (2001), are

to understand each child’s health needs and develop high level health for each

student, to prevent defects, disorders and continuously appraise a student’s health,

to develop in each student positive health awareness and reduction in the incidence

of diseases, to develop healthful personal practices and attitude and to provide

emergency measures, health school environment and maintenance of good sanitary

practices and surrounding. The services expected to be provided under school

health services include the appraisal of the health status of students and school

personnel, counselling students, parents and others concerning health appraisal,

encouraging the correction of remedial defects and the proper adjustment of those

identified as not remedial. In addition, the programme assists in the identification

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and education of the handicapped, helps to prevent and control diseases and

provides emergency services for injury and sudden illness. Good school health

service programme offers a thorough medical examination of students who have

defects and chronic disorder, offers opportunity for adjustment of students’

academic loads to their health status.

Guidance and counselling is another services that are handled under the

administration of student personnel. The educative process is meant to help

learners develop skills and competences that will enable them live effective lives

and at the same time contribute viably to the national economic growth. The

purpose of guidance services for students imply that each student has certain

abilities, interests, personality traits, and other characteristics which if he knows

them and their potential values will make him a happier man, more effective

worker and more useful citizen.

Denga (2004:2) defined guidance as “… a cluster of formalized educational

services designed by the school to assist students to achieve self understanding

which is necessary for them to attain the fullest self development and self

realization of their potentials”. Without guidance, the stress resulting from

academic programme can be disastrous. Guidance helps students to make the most

use of themselves by helping them to identify difficulties and potentials. Ezeocha

(2002) opined that guidance and counselling services serve a very positive function

by increasing the amount of learning derived from a given experience. Some

institutions of higher learning, including Colleges of Education, claim that these

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services are being rendered adequately but observations appear to indicate that the

counsellors do little or no counselling per se, rather they concentrate on lecturing.

It appears that little counselling is done on vocational and educational choice and

no attention is paid to personal and social issues like self adjustment.

D. Municipal Services

The municipal services considered in this work include; water, electricity

and conveniences and toilet facilities. Water is the essence of life and clean

drinking and consumable water supply is essential to stem the tide of water-born

diseases like typhoid fever, cholera, bilharzias and guinea worm infestation.

Students are not expected to drink water from open wells, public streams or rivers

because of obvious health hazards associated with drinking from uncertified source

of water. Federal Ministry of Education in Omu (2006), for this reason, made it

mandatory for all primary and secondary schools to provide potable water supply

for use by staff and students.

Provision of toilet facilities is another important aspect of municipal

services. The danger of indiscriminate defecation on the school premises are

obvious hence, the necessity of toilet facilities. Use of toilets also provides training

for students in decency and observation of health rules.

In a technological era, the use of electricity cannot be over emphasized.

Schools need electricity or generating plant to operate the different machines that

perform essential services in the schools. The computer units, studios and

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workshop machines, refrigerators, fans and air-conditioners need electricity to

operate for the services of the school and the comfort of staff and students. It is for

this reason that the Federal Ministry of Education in the national minimum

standards makes access to electricity or possession of a generating plant an ideal

mandatory requirement for the operation of a secondary school.

It was observed that the purpose served by co-curricular activities are not

separate and apart from the general purpose of education Ukeje, Akabugo and Ndu

(2002). Their values and merit lie in the broad contributions they make to the

general ends such as self-realization, human relationship, civic responsibilities,

exploration of potential talents, reduction of tension and development of skills,

attitudes and understandings accepted as the legitimate goal of education. By their

very nature, these activities are especially fitted to provide invaluable experiences

particularly in areas related to citizenship and personal and psychological need of

the students.

According to Mgbodile (2003), co-curricular activities offer students the

satisfaction and assurance which membership of social groups of their age

demands, just as they offer students opportunities for free association which

creates avenue for series of understanding ranging from accepted manners and

courtesies to comprehending the behaviours of others. It is equally in this setting

that the rather elusive traits of leadership are developed.

Recreational clubs, faculty and departmental associations, town and local

government associations, religious and philanthropic clubs offer students

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opportunities to develop worthwhile habits and skills like honesty, industry, and

ambition for success just as they introduce and habituate students to dignified

enjoyment of leisure. They improve the ability of students to associate comfortably

with others either in their homes or in societies outside the homes. Through such

activities, students develop worthwhile ideals and habits about culture, fair play,

courtesy and co-operative work (Nwachukwu, 2003).

The school administration encourage students to relate in groups depending

on their tastes through academic, social and cultural organizations. The school

authority thus permit the official registration of different clubs and societies for

students membership, but they do not tolerate riotous clubs and societies and those

that violate the liberty of other members of the school community (University of

Calabar, 1982). However, observations appear to indicate that the authorities of

Colleges of Education do not supervise students’ co-curricular activities very

effectively hence some of them do commit heinous crimes both within and outside

the campuses, for example secret cult groups.

Food services are provided for millions of students in schools the world

over. Daniel in Kalu, (2000) said that as a living being, a student needs power to do

work and function. This power and energy is supplied to him by the food he takes.

Students must have food to keep alive and also live well in health. Without food, it

would be impossible for the essential life process to continue because food

provides requirements necessary for growth, repair and reproduction. A well-

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nourished student is more resistant to disease and in a better position to work than

one who is malnourished (Kalu, 2000).

There are abundant evidences from psychological studies regarding the

inefficiency in learning which can result from inadequate or improper feeding of

youths with the calories required for daily physical functioning (Nwachukwu

2003). He noted that lack of protein impairs the proper development of the human

brains and acts as a restraints to its functioning while insufficient iron intake results

in loss of energy and lowers an individual’s resistance to illness.

Despite these obvious roles and contributions of food and good feeding to

the proper functioning of the human machine, the unfortunate truth is that cafeteria

services in Nigerian Colleges of Education leaves much to be desired. Gone are the

days when Nigerian higher institutions of learning directly operate cafeteria

services for the students. Most of what used to be refectories in the past are now

used as halls for occasions and religious activities.

Ezeocha (2000) observed that the operation of transport in the campuses

involves business, educational, disciplinary, safety and other responsibilities as

such transport system in the campuses are monitored and regulated by the school

authority. All the operators of the different transport in these colleges usually

register with the school, and are given identification before they can operate. In

most of the schools, buses, cars and motorcycles (motorbike) shuttle between the

school and the city centre and between the school and the halls of residence, while

in some schools, especially with multi-campus system, staff and students are

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provided shuttle service between the campuses. Nwabueze (2004) found out that

tertiary institutions are suffering from inadequate provision of public facilities like

electricity, water, roads and transportation. He noted that the schools had to

provide these services either from their own resources or supplement heavily

whatever government provides. These institutions of higher learning therefore,

complain that the provision of these facilities constitutes a great strain on their

finances while the inability to provide them adequately and of good quality affects

academic functions. Intra-campus transportation is needed as some colleges ban

commercial vehicles from entering their campuses (Ojo, 2002).

Security is a universal need whether as an individual or as a group. Security

has to do with safety and protection. It concerns precautions taken to guard against

danger, theft and risk. In other words, security ensures freedom from danger, risk,

violence, assault and molestation.

In a social system like institutions of higher learning, the individual finds

security in a climate in which the authority protects the interests of the staff and

students. It is expected that the college authorities would defend and protect the

staff and students as they discharge their duties. Dimensions of security within

which the staff and students can be protected include security of life, the family,

property, future, mental and physical health. The universal craving for security and

its many dimensions underscore the need for every administrator to provide the

security which both the members and the institution badly require (Ejionueme,

2010).

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Regardless of whatever philosophy that may prevail in a school, the need for

security must be provided for, Ukeje, Akabogu and Ndu (2002). Each student in a

college should have a feeling of security. While the needs of individual students

may vary, the need for security is universal. The Colleges of Education operate

within the framework of democratic living hence its basic objectives in the area of

security and discipline is to guide the students towards self-control. The feeling of

security, coupled with constructive learning activities represents a major

achievement in area of disciplinary practice in the Colleges of Education. The

school administration in a school system has the responsibility to operate an

effective and efficient security force for safety of people’s lives and property

(Ezeocha, 2002). The security situation in our tertiary institutions appears to be

leaving much to be desired. Scenes of bodiless human heads and headless bodies

are no longer unusual on the campuses just as fatal clashes of cult groups are

becoming continual incidents on the campuses. Cases of rape, robbery, stealing,

harassment, phone-snatching, and assault are no longer news on the campuses. The

situation of security on the campuses cannot be described as satisfactory. The

Security Departments are in place in all the tertiary institutions but the security of

lives and property is continually being threatened.

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 moment to another (Ozioko,

1997). For instance, the presence of other people may reduce freedom of choice of

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the individuals to carryout or not to carryout particular activities at a particular

time. Adequate accommodation is one of the student personnel services that

enhance the achievement of educational objectives or instruction in an educational

institution. Omeje (2002) observed that human behaviour is fundamentally related

to attributes of physical environment, that is, an environment determines the range

of behaviour or activities that can occur in it and most of the time determines in a

more positive sense particular aspect or pattern of an individual’s behaviour.

Therefore, the physical environment of the school, including the conditions of the

lecture rooms, the library, the hostels, and the transport system, affect student’s

behaviours either negatively or positively.

Lack of or inadequate living space among students is one the causes of

psychological difficulty, and the likelihood of disposition to aggression is high

among students when they are not properly accommodated and when they are

crowded. This is because aggressive behaviour is related to how we live and where

we live (Ozioko, 1997). Therefore, crowded and poorly equipped lecture rooms,

and hostels make teaching and learning difficult as they are rowdy, inaccessible

and can affect student’s behaviours negatively.

The educational services of student personnel services include the library,

physical facilities, laboratory equipment, and instructional materials. According to

Ukeje (2002), school library are meant to provide books for leisure reading as well

as reference and information books, so that, students can consult them as need

arises, to develop in the students a lasting love for books and encourage personal

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collection of books, and to encourage responsibility and cooperation in taking care

of borrowed books and returning them promptly as at and when due.

The library is the repository of knowledge and this makes it indispensable if

the acquisition of knowledge, and interest of students must be developed (Ezeocha,

2000). For any library services to be effective, its organization and administration

are expected to be very adequate. The library building is expected to be spacious,

and suitable, equipment and facilities are expected to be provided to promote

reading with comfort. It is expected to contain books relevant to the courses, and

needs of students. There should be books for general information, references and

other educational materials that should cover every shade of interest.

The physical facilities and equipment include buildings, instructional

materials, laboratory, sports equipment. They represent the totality of the school

environment for the realization of the school business. They are therefore

important vehicle with which educational objectives are achieved effectively and

efficiently (Omu, 2006).

Student personnel services

Student personnel services embrace all the activities that provide a good

atmosphere for teaching and learning. It is defined as those provisions of human

and material resources which provide good conditions for learning. The goals of

student personnel work have been in harmony with and complementary to the

goals of education, namely they are to contribute to the education of the whole

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man. The student personnel worker is a synthesizer of compartmented learning,

and a person who presents the students needs to the college, the go-between,

between students and anybody in the school (Ejionueme, 2010).

Ezeocha (2000) sees student welfare services as those activities and services

that are rendered to the students for the achievement of the educational objectives

which are not the normal classroom instructions. Such services include: admission,

orientation of fresh students, accommodation, medical care, library services,

appraisal and record services, counselling and psychological services, financial aid,

transportation, security services, placement, student-body activities.

He also shares the view that student personnel services can be classified

into: guidance and counselling services, health/sanitation services, student welfare

services. Nwachukwu (2002) considered guidance and counselling services as a

cluster of services all aimed at helping a person to understand self and to take

appropriate steps in educational, vocational, and life planning generally. The

educative process is meant to help learners develop skills and competencies that

will enable them live effective lives and at the same time contribute viably to the

national economic growth. Ejionueme opined that prospective employers expect

prospective employees to possess appropriate skills and some relevant personality

characteristics required for a job. These situations inform the need for guidance of

students so as to assist them in making career decisions and adjustments.

Educational guidance and counselling can be regarded as a programme which is

designed to assist the individual in making intelligent choices and adjustments.

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Effion and Ejue in Akuchie (2000) described guidance as a process of helping

individuals to understand themselves and their world.

The purpose of guidance services imply that each individual has certain

abilities, interest, personality traits and other characteristics which if he knows

them and their potential values will make him a happier man, more effective

worker and more useful citizen. Guidance services makes the learner as far as

possible to be totally and rightly aware of what the world of work looks like and

equip him adequately to fit into the world of work with minimum problems.

Guidance services as part of an individual’s education consists of helping him to

get better understanding of his aptitudes for various skills, his adaptability to

differing types of situations and his interest in numerous actions in which he might

engage (Nwachukwu, 2002)

The different classes of students with their individual differences and traits

makes guidance services vital in school so that the gifted as well as the retarded

benefit maximally throughout their careers in the school. Guidance services help

students to guide themselves in the choice of career, study habit, academic

aspiration and to maintain good health. Ejionueme also submitted that it helps

students to make the most use of themselves by helping them to identify

difficulties and potentials. Students who understand themselves, their abilities and

their world are always more effective, more productive and happier than those who

do not understand themselves. These students who are availed guidance and

counselling services achieve their ambitions in life better and more quickly.

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School health services refer to those services that take care of the health

needs of members of the school community, particularly the pupils or students.

The services are diagnostic, curative, referral, preventive, and educative.

According to Achalu (2001), the objectives of health services are to understand

each child’s health needs and develop high level health for each child, to prevent

defects, disorders and continuously appraise a child’s health, to develop in each

child positive health awareness and reduction in the incidence of diseases, to

develop healthful personnel practices and attitudes and to provide emergency

measures, healthy school environment and maintenance of good sanitary practices

and surroundings. The services expected to be provided under school health

services include the appraisal of the health status of students.

Health has to do with the state of the mind, body, and soul so that anything

that the school does to keep mind, body and soul healthy constitute school health

services programme. The concept of health is therefore more than not just being

physically ill, it goes beyond the prevention of it too and even extends to ones

social or community relationship. Ohuche in Kalu (2000) observed that health is a

condition of well-being, which embraces physical, mental and emotional health.

The World Health Organization described health as a state of complete physical,

mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity

(Odeh and Udoh, 2001). Health, to a large extent, controls the personal and social

life of individuals within a system.

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Ewles and Simnetter in Ugwoke (2000) observed that health is the

mechanistic functioning of the body for meaningful living. According to them,

health is the basis upon which individuals are able to play their roles in the society.

This is appreciated by educational institutions hence the school health service

programme for students, which are activities that contribute to make up the well-

being of students in body, mind and soul.

Grout in Amaizu (2003:36) defined school health services as “all the measures

designed to appraise, protect, promote optimum health of students and school

personnel”. Students’ health services at any level of learning is an aspect of school

health service programme. Similarly, Ohuchi in Amaizu (2003) observed that

health personnel work in three areas of health education, namely, physical

examination and correction of physical defects, dispensary services, and infirmary

and hospital care. Good health service offers a thorough medical examination of

students upon their entering schools, pays attention to students who have defects

and chronic disorders, and offers opportunity for adjustment of students’ academic

loads to their health status.

Student welfare services in school system, according Ezeocha (2002), refers

to those services which aim at understanding and helping in solving student

personal and social problems and carter for their well-being and happiness. These

are services that are highly personal and which relate to the students’ proper

functioning and maintenance. The area being addressed by student welfare services

include catering, transportation and accommodation.

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Constraints to effective provision of student personnel services.

The administration of every human endeavour is filled with problems and

the implementation of personnel services in colleges of education cannot be an

exception. Most constraints to effective implementation of student personnel

services arise as a result of some factors. In addition, there is the problem of poor

maintenance culture exhibited in higher institutions of learning especially colleges

of education. Nwuzor (2001) noted that the physical conditions under which a very

large number of our children are taught are very dehumanizing. Functional student

personnel services in school are particularly acute in the areas which were

severally affected by the Nigerian Civil War. Most of the buildings in such areas

were destroyed by air raids and Mortar Shellings. Up to this day, school buildings

and other physical facilities still wear the civil war scars and the ugliness of neglect

and ruin. More and more children of school age enter our primary and secondary

schools while little expansion of improvement in physical facilities has taken place

(Mgbodile, 1986). Omu (2006) observed that schools are in state of disrepair,

buildings are poorly ventilated while equipment are obsolete.

One of the most serious constraints facing our educational institutions is,

increases in enrolment without proportionate increase in student personnel

services. There have been changes in the programme and enrolment for higher

institutions of learning like colleges of education in the past few years without

proportionate addition of infrastructural facilities, especially hostel

accommodation, (Chukwu, 2001). Osagie (2005) observed that the increase in

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enrolment in recent times has led to more than twenty students sharing bed spaces

and other facilities meant for eight students.

Another impediment to effective implementation is the poor funding of the

education sector. Education is an expensive social service and requires adequate

financial provision from all tiers of government for a successful implementation of

the educational programme. The success of any educational programme is highly

contingent upon the extent the programme is adequately financed (FRN,2004).

Thus Croobs (2002:45) said that “money provides the essential purchasing and

maintenance power with which education acquires its human and physical inputs”.

Ogunu (2000:74) wrote “adequate financial input is crucial to the success of any

system of education because provision of facilities and equipment, payment of

teaching and non-teaching personnel, procurement of materials, and other needs is

dependent upon availability of fund”. This therefore, indicates that funds have to

be properly planned and sourced, for since their availability and adequacy is key to

effective achievement of educational goals in the colleges of education.

Financial planning involves effective forecasting of possible sources of fund

and projection of the areas where the sourced fund should be expended. Financial

planning also involves the oragnisation of human and material resources through

which the financial plan is to be implemented. Fund is the life wire of any

organisation. No school can survive without it. So, a good school administration

must therefore ensure that sufficient funds are available and properly utilized in

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line with school objectives. Okunamiri in Anikwe (2007) pointed out that the bulk

of the school revenue comes from taxation.

Inadequacy of funds has always been at the centre of management problems

among educational administrators. This is because of the realization that no

educational programme can be effectively implemented without adequate funds.

These problems of funding of higher educational institutions are caused by

numerous factors like inadequate allocation of funds to the educational sector,

irregular method of releasing funds to the educational institutions, indiscipline,

corrupt and unstable political leadership, population, explosion in our educational

institutions and inaccurate budgetary and statistical data (Ogbonnaya, 2005).

Another vital constraint is mismanagement of funds by college

administrators. This can be attributed to poor knowledge of financial management

skills by these college administrators which always resulted in inadequate keeping

of financial records (Eze, 2007).

Another constraint is the non-participation of private sector in the provision

of student personnel services. Then, poor supervision of student personnel services

administrators. That is why these administrators should be given professional

training or exposed to refresher courses on the use and how to maintain these

services (Garland, 2001). Ogbolu (1990) indicated that the remote and immediate

cause of conflict are concerned with rules and regulations especially those ones

that are implemented without the consent of the students. Nkwocha (1990)

observed that students are often alienated when certain rules and regulations

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concerning student’s behaviour, academic activities, social life and press activities

are being formulated. In his view, participation in school administration means

getting the students involved in discussions and seeking their views on the solution

of problems affecting their welfare, discipline and co-curricular activities. On the

issue of careless use of facilities by students, Atagher and Adung (2002) equally

observed that students do not make effective use of the library because the library

is inadequate. Okeke (2002) also noted that student personnel services are not

adequately catered for by school administrators.

The picture painted above is not peculiar to any particular type of tertiary

institution, so it affects the colleges of education just as it affects the polytechnics

and universities. This state of affairs informed the researcher’s interest to assess the

situation in colleges of education, especially those in the south-east geopolitical

zone. The evaluation will not only present the true picture but will also proffer

solutions to the improvement of the status quo.

Strategies for Improving on the Status Quo.

No school can perform its job of teaching and learning effectively with

inadequate student personnel services. These personnel services are therefore

indispensable in the school, because they are part of the teachers’ trade tools. One

of such services is communication. Effective communication solves a lot of

probem.

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Adequate flow of communication in all human interaction is essential in the

resolution of problems in educational institutions, including colleges of education.

Ezeomah in Amaizu (2003) defined communication as a process of passing

information, ideas, attitudes and understanding from one person to another.

Effective communication helps to modify opinion and attitudes held by people

within an organization. For any organization to achieve its objective, there is the

need for transmission of information, ideas, attitudes and understanding among

individuals. Thus, everyone connected with communication in a school system

must play his part in seeing that the channels of communication are designed to

achieve its purpose, that they are kept free and open and that they are subject to

continuous review through adequate feedback mechanism.

Eresimadu in Amaizu (2003) observed that many school administrators do

not respond to students’ problems appropriately. He found out that failure to

address students’ problems appropriately often resulted in crises. He therefore,

advised administrators never to over-react during crisis situation in schools but

rather that they should consider the relevance of students’ demands by negotiating

directly with the students, and keeping all channel of communication open at all

times. Ezeocha (2002) is of the view that school administrators should establish an

effective channel of communication within and if possible outside the school. He

argues that one of the functions of an institution is to be able to diagnose when

students have problems and as such there should be some equilibrium in the

communication system.

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If there is free flow of communication between school authority and

students, and between staff and students, such problems that the students cannot

contain, which are affecting their educational career will be voiced out for the

school authorities to know and try to solve (Amaizu, 2003). Moreover, the

language used in communication should be clear and understandable and should

not be harsh as to provoke the target audience.

Students’ participation in decision-making and problem solving is one of the

strategies for improving student personnel services. Decision making ranks second

in every administrative process after communication where management is

enhanced by knowledge of behavioural considerations. Decision making has a

natural place in problem solving in any organization. The need for students to

participate in taking decisions in matters that affect them cannot be over-

emphasized. Lack of students’ participation in decision-making can create

problems for the students and between the students and the school authority

(Amaizu, 2003).

Participation of students in school administration means involving students

in discussing and seeking for solutions to the problems affecting their welfare,

discipline and co-curricular activities. Such decisions and suggestions are better

carried out in a council or any assembly made up of staff representatives and

school functionaries. He also noted that most administrators alienate students when

they are formulating certain rules and regulations that will guide students’

behaviour in the hostels, school premises, social life and in games and sporting

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activities. Such administrative behaviour can make the identification of students’

problems difficult. This is because students feel very uncooperative whenever they

are neglected in the institutional decision-making process. Rigid rules and

regulations may prevent any administration from having a quiet, smooth and

problem-free school.

Democratic relationship between the administrators, among students, and

school discipline is another strategy. The task of the administrator concerning

student personnel services is one of planning, organizing and co-ordinating the

efforts of all in order to place appropriate emphasis on the total student personnel.

The responsibility for overall discipline of the school remains the continuing

function of the school administration. Activities which are included within the

operational areas of student personnel administration embrace those services to

students that supplement activities that integrate the staff functions with instruction

and co-ordinate the various kinds of staff services as a means of ensuring quality

education.

According to Ezeocha (2000), how the school organizes the students,

teachers, and available resources to provide the individuals with the fullest and

most effective measure of guidance possible to achieve the desired educational

objectives is the function of student personnel administration. Students always

prefer to participate actively in the government of their school through the school

functionaries. They prefer that decisions affecting their welfare and discipline

should be made by school authorities after due consultation with the student

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functionaries thus, making room for students’ participation will help in the

resolution of problems in our schools, including colleges of education, Nkwocha

(1990) .

Proper guidance of students in their choice of subject career is one of the

strategies for improving student personnel services. Prior to the introduction of

guidance and counseling in tertiary institutions, students and their parents groped

in the dark in matters concerning choice of careers. Most students selected subjects

for their final examinations for certification purely on the grounds of their parents’

wish. No consideration was given to the career such children had in mind. In other

words, such students and their parents did not realize the need for counselling

services. According to Amaizu , he observed that individuals had to be assisted to

acquire the technique of analyzing occupational information and making final

choice. He added that the individual must have information about himself, his

abilities, his interests and his power, in order to be able to make a wise choice.

Many students are known to have stayed in tertiary institutions longer as a

result of change of courses. This is because they find themselves unable to cope

with the requirements of certain courses they enrolled for out of youthful

exuberance. They never sought for the services of vocational guidance counsellors

before making such choices. It is for this reason that Okorie and Ezeji in Amaizu

(2003) tried to educate us on the purpose of career counselling services. According

to them, the aim is to make the students aware of the existing vocations after

school and help him to develop autonomy in the world of work. Vocational

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counselling services make the learner, as far as possible to be totally and rightly

aware of what the world of work looks like and equip him adequately to fit into the

world of work with minimum problems.

Establishment of students’ loans board is another strategy. Various

governments both at the federal and state levels pay bursaries and offer scholarship

opportunities to students offering certain courses in our tertiary institutions. Yet,

many students have dropped as a result of problems of finance. The researcher is of

the view that if government can establish a students’ Loan Board, it will help to

solve financial problems of student personnel services. (Amaizu, 2003).

Conceptual Framework

Objectives of Student

personnel services

Importance of student

personnel services

Student personnel services

in colleges of education

Constraints to the effective

implementation

Student personnel services

Concept and meaning of

student personnel services

Strategies for improvement of

student personnel services

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Theoretical Framework

The following are the theories relevant to this study:

Theories in educational administration

The utility of theory in administration makes it imperative for administration to be

able to relate every practice to theory. Administrative decisions are expected to be

guided by one or more theories, because practice and theory are inter-related and

cannot do without each other. Theory is described as a set of observed and tested

rules or principles which assist administrators in understanding, interpreting or

predicting events (Enyi, 2003). According to Mgbodile (2003), theory is a set of

interrelated concepts, ideas and propositions that present a systematic view of

phenomena by specifying relations among variables, with the purpose of

explaining and predicting the phenomena.

Nwankwo in Mgbodile (2003) saw theory as a systematic and deductive way

of thinking about reality in order to describe and understanding such reality. It is

not for nothing that the importance of theory in educational administration is being

advocated for. The reasons are: provides a general guide to administrators’ actions,

it have predictive validity which helps administrators to know in advance what to

expect if a particular action is chosen or not chosen, help administrators utilize the

knowledge gotten from other discipline to deal with educational matters, provides

administrator the opportunity of benefitting from administrator’s experience.

Administrative theories are usually classified according to their historical

development. Based on this, there are four main classes of theories. But two

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theories are discussed in this study, they include: scientific management theory and

the system theory, (Ndu, Ocho and Okeke, 1997).

The Scientific Management Theory:

This was the earliest administrative theory. The propounders of this theory

are Fredrick Taylor (1856 – 1917), Henry R. Townie (1844 – 1924), Henry L.

Gault (1861 – 1919), Frank B. Gilbert (1868 – 1924), Lilian M. Gilbert (1874-

1927), Emerson (1836 – 1931) and Henry Fayol (1841-1925). The main thrust of

the theory is productivity. The theory emphasized productivity at the expense of

the human worker. All actions were intended to increase the productivity of the

worker. For example, encouraging over-time and pressurizing people to work

harder. The worker’s interests and aspirations were completely suppressed, and left

outside organizational programmes (Mgbodile, 2003).

The scientific management theory is very much convincing, but, all point out

that all actions should be geared towards productivity at the expense of the worker,

which is not a perfect postulation. The theory is related to the present study,

because, these institutions of higher learning including colleges of education, focus

attention on other aspects of administration at the expense of student personnel

administration, thus suppressing students’ interest/welfare.

The Systems Theory:

The basic concept of the systems theory was derived by Parsons, (1951) as

cited by Peretomode (2001). He pointed out that the basic application of the

systems theory to school administration was delineated by Getzels and Guba in

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1957. The systems theory holds that an organization is a social system made up of

integrated parts. A system is a unit with series of interrelated and interdependent

parts, such that the interplay of any part affects the whole. A system is, therefore, a

structure with interdependent parts (Nwankwo in Mgbodile 2003). According to

Okwor and Ike in Ukeje, Akabougu and Ndu (2002), a system refers to the

integration of different components, and relationships between them and their

attributes, such that they form a functionally related whole. The hierarchical and

related structure in any system, and their associated interactions and

transformations are geared towards achieving the goal or purpose.

Colleges of education are social systems that have structures and process.

The administration of a school as a system involves management of such areas as

curriculum, staff personnel, student personnel, funds, school plant, school records

and school community relations. Implementation of student personnel services is a

very important aspect of student personnel management and therefore a vital area

of school administration.

This theory is related to this study because, students of colleges of education

form part and parcel of the institutions as a system. It is known that any aching part

of a system will jeopardize the efficient working of the whole system. When the

provision, allocation, supervision and maintenance of student personnel services

are not given due attention and when they are inadequate and of low quality, it will

dampen the morale of students and generate tension. This will, of course, affect

their input in their studies and equally affect what they acquire in terms of

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knowledge, skills and values. Thus, student personnel services is an integral part of

the school as a system, and any area of school administration that handles student

personnel services is considered a very important aspect of school administration.

This theory is related to this study because, the achievement of the

objectives of any educational institution, colleges of education inclusive, depends

on the effective management and administration of the different areas that

constitute the school as a social system, especially the provision of services that

will make the students achieve all round development.

This study is anchored on the systems theory. This is because, the

achievement of the goals for which a school is established depends on the effective

administration of the different areas that constitute the school as a social system,

especially the provision of services that will make the students achieve all round

development. If the administration of student personnel services is not given due

attention, this will form a constraint to the effective achievement of the objectives

of the school. The systems theory is therefore applicable in this study because

student personnel services of which its implementation is a vital part, is a very

important aspect of administration as a social system.

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Review of Empirical Studies

This section review some researchers that have been conducted in areas related to

this study.

Kalu (2000) studied “the implementation of student personnel services in

state-owned secondary schools of Abia state”. The objective of the study was to

determine the extent of implementation of student personnel services in secondary

schools in Abia state. The researcher formulated three-research questions, and two

null hypotheses to guide the study. A sample of 386 teachers were used for the

study. A 26-item structured questionnaire was the major instrument used to elicit

information from the respondents. Mean scores were used in analyzing the data,

while the t-test statistics was used to test the null hypotheses.

The researcher found, among others, that such personnel services as

admission, orientation, evaluation, guidance and counselling are available in

secondary schools in Abia state. Student personnel services like hostel

accommodation, organized feeding and catering services are to very little extent

available in public secondary schools in Abia state.

Kalu’s work is related to this study in that, both of them are dealing with

implementation of student personnel services. The difference lies in the former

dealing with secondary schools while the later deals with colleges of education.

Ogbuji (2009) carried out a study on evaluation of student personnel services

in secondary schools in Cross River state. The main purpose of the study was to

evaluate the administration of student personnel services in secondary schools in

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Cross River state. Nine research questions and four null hypotheses were

formulated to guide the study. The design adopted for the study is evaluative

survey. A sample of 327 principals and 692 teachers were used for the study. Two

instruments were used to elicit information, a structured 52-item questionnaire and

a 30-item check list. The data collected were analysed using mean scores while the

t-test statistics and analysis of variance (ANOVA) were used to test the null

hypotheses. The findings include; orientation programmer is carried out in

secondary schools in Cross River state, effective health care services are lacking

and municipal services are lacking too, students participate actively in co-

curricular activities and in school administration, there is significant difference

among public, mission, and private schools in the provision of student personnel

services in secondary school in the state, there is no significant difference among

the three groups of schools on the constraints to the provision of student personnel

services in secondary schools in Cross River state.

His study is of interest to the present study in that they are all centred on

student personnel services, except that it was talking about secondary schools

while this study is dealing with colleges of education. Also, this study is a

descriptive survey while the other is an evaluative survey design. They all made

use of questionnaire, with observation schedule in the present study.

Akuchie (2000) undertook an evaluation of student personnel services in

Nigerian federal, and state universities. The purpose of the study was to determine

the availability, adequacy, and quality of student personnel services in public

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universities in Nigeria. The researcher formulated nine research questions to guide

the study. A sample of one thousand, two hundred final year undergraduate

students drawn from six universities across the country were used for the study.

The students were drawn from two universities from the north and four from the

south. Three of the universities are federal, while three are state universities. A 20-

item questionnaire was the major instrument used in eliciting information from the

respondents. The instrument was structured on a four-point likert-type rating scale.

The researcher used mean scores to analyze the data collected.

The highlights of the findings include, only three student personnel services:

student records, admission exercise, and students disciplinary measures, are

adequate and of quality in Nigerian universities, adequacy, and quality of student

personnel services are higher in federal than in state universities; student personnel

services are more available, more adequate and of better quality in older

universities than the later ones; student personnel services are more adequate and

of higher quality in the northern universities than in the southern universities.

Ejionueme (2010) carried out a research on the management of student

personnel services in federal and state universities. The purpose of the study was to

investigate the management of student personnel services in federal and state

universities. The researcher formulated five research questions and four null

hypotheses to guide the study. Descriptive survey design was adopted for the

study. A sample of 1320 subjects were used for the study. A 76 item questionnaire

was the major instrument for data collection. Mean scores and standard deviation

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was used in answering the research questions, while the z-test was used to test the

null hypotheses.

The researcher, among other things, found that all the 20 student personnel

services looked at were available with exception of financial assistance to students;

admission was rated highest by the respondents, and that student personnel

services are available but of poor quality. There are problems that hinder the

effective implementation of these services such as non-participation of private

sector in the provision of student personnel services. Some measures to be adopted

to improve the management of student personnel services include adequate funding

of the education sector and engaging in activities that will enable them internally

generate reasonable funds for the provision of student personnel services.

The work is related to the present study in its focus on student personnel

services and a descriptive survey design. The study dwelt much on management of

student personnel services in federal and state universities, with a z-test statistics

and generally these personnel services are better obtained in universities than

colleges of education, as the difference.

Ezeukwu (2006) did a research work on management of students hostel

accommodation problems in polytechnics in Anambra and Enugu states. The

researcher formulated five research questions to guide the study. The sample for

the study comprised forty-six staff and three hundred and fifty-four students drawn

from the two polytechnics in the two states. A 32 – item questionnaire was used by

the researcher to gather information from the respondents. The questionnaire was

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structured on a four-point rating scale of Strongly Agree (SA); Agree (A);

Disagree (D); and Strongly Disagree (SD). The researcher used mean scores to

analyse the data collected from the respondents.

The researcher, among other things, found that, accommodation problems

exist in these institutions, and that students live up to four officially in a room

meant for two students, students in halls of residence in these institutions

frequently struggle over bed spaces and room accessories like pillows, wardrobe,

tables and chairs. Some of the causes of accommodation problems include:

increase in enrolment of students yearly; insufficient allocation of funds by the

government; lack of proper management skills on the part of the hall supervisors,

hall wardens and porters. The researcher also found that students without adequate

accommodations are not protected, are exposed to hazards, and poor living

condition; and they do not concentrate. Hostel rooms in these institutions are

allocated on the principle of first come, first-served basis and the first week of

resumption is used for allocation of rooms. Ezeukwu’s study is closely related to

the present study in that both is concerned with student personnel services in

higher institutions of learning.

Omu (2006) carried out a study on the management of physical facilities and

equipment in secondary schools in Cross River state. The objective of the study is

to investigate the management of physical facilities and equipment in secondary

schools in Cross River state. The researcher formulated five research questions to

guide the study. The sample comprised 150 principals and 450 senior

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administrative staff of the State Secondary Education Bard (SASSEB). A 40-item

questionnaire and a 33-item observation schedule were the instruments used to

elicit information from the respondents, and to do on-the-spot assessment of the

adequacy of the facilities and the equipment respectively. The questionnaire was

structured on a four-point rating scale of Strongly Agree (SA); Agree (A), Disagree

(D), and Strongly Disagree (SD), while the observation schedule was structured on

a three-point rating scale of Very Adequate (VA), Adequate (A), and Not

Adequate (NA). The data were analysed using mean scores and standard deviation,

while the null hypotheses were tested using the t-test statistics. The findings

include: physical facilities are in state of disrepair, buildings are poorly ventilated

while equipment are obsolete, and school equipment are occasionally repaired.

Major problems encountered by the principals include: ill-equipped libraries,

shortage of funds, and government’s inability to provide facilities and equipments

in the schools.

Omu’s work is related to the present study in its focus on the management of

these student personnel services in secondary schools. However, he dwelt more on

the management instead of the actual implementation. They are related in the use

of an observation schedule and questionnaire.

Amaizu (2003) carried out a research study on the strategies for improving

student personnel services in secondary schools in Onitsha Education zone. The

purpose of the study was to evolve strategies to be adopted to improve student

personnel services in secondary schools in Onitsha Education zone. The researcher

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formulated four research questions and two null hypotheses to guide the study. The

sample comprised all the 28 principals on the one hand, and 605 teachers selected

from the schools on the other hand. A 28-item questionnaire was the major

instrument for data collection. Mean scores was used in answering the research

questions, while the t-test statistics was used to test the null hypotheses.

The researcher found that strategies to be adopted to improve student

personnel services include: establishment of guidance and counselling services in

all schools in the zone, restoration of boarding system in secondary schools,

adequate funding of schools, posting of medical personnel to all the schools to

cater for their health needs, and active participation of the PTA in the funding of

schools, active involvement of the communities in the administration of schools

located in their communities.

This work is related to this study in the sense that they are all talking about

student personnel services, with difference in the former studying strategies for

improvement while this one is investigating the extent of implementation.

Summary of the Literature Review

The literature reviewed centred on the extent of implementation of student

personnel services. The review was done under three broad areas; conceptual

framework, theoretical framework and review of related empirical studies. Student

personnel administration are deliberate processes/actions which aim at

supplementing the normal classroom activities in an effort to effect all-round

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development of the students. The literature discussed student personnel services

provided in colleges of education in South-East Nigeria, they include; student

academic records, health services, accommodation, library services, classroom

blocks, information materials, sports facilities, guidance and counselling, security

services, municipal services, orientation, admission exercises etc. The literature

discussed the concept of student personnel services, student personnel services

provided in federal and state colleges of education in south-east geopolitical zone.

These services include guidance and counselling, health services, transport,

security, orientation, catering services, records, accommodation and municipal

services. The extent of availability and adequacy of these services in these colleges

of education were reviewed and some pertinent observations were made. Some of

these personnel services appear to be of poor quality and inadequate. The review

indicated that guidance and counselling services and financial aid appear to be

non-existents. Students experience accommodation problems, inadequate water

supply, epileptic power supply and there is nothing like central catering services in

colleges of education. The constraints to effective implementation of these

personnel services and the strategies to improve on these problems were also

examined and presented in the literature review.

Five empirical studies related to the topic were reviewed. It was observed

that some works have been done on student personnel services such as its

evaluation, strategies for improvement and its contribution to student’s crisis in

secondary schools and universities. It was observed that no known work has been

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done on the implementation of student personnel services in federal and state

colleges of education in south-east Nigeria. This study was intended to fill this gap.

Bearing in mind that the reports of the various works reviewed differ from one

another on the provision of these services, it therefore, becomes pertinent that a

study on the implementation of student personnel services in colleges of education

in south-east Nigeria be carried out to find their true status. This is the purpose of

this study.

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CHAPTER THREE

RESEARCH METHOD

This chapter presents the method adopted in this study. This is done under:

design of the study, area of the study, population of the study, sample and sampling

technique, instruments for data collection, validation of the instruments, reliability

of the instruments, method of data collection, and method of data analysis.

Design of the Study

The study adopted descriptive survey design to ascertain the extent of

implementation of student personnel services in federal and state colleges of

education in the south-east geopolitical zone of Nigeria. Ali (1996) described

descriptive survey research design as one in which a group of people or items is

studied by collecting and analyzing data from a few people or items that are

representative of the entire group. The choice of this design was considered

appropriate to this study because it is a study which is aimed at collecting data on,

and describing in a systematic manner, the characteristic features and facts about a

given population.

Area of the Study

The study was carried out in South-East Nigeria. South-East Nigeria is

bounded by South-South, South-West and North – North of Nigeria. These states

that comprises the South-east geopolitical zone are: Anambra, Abia, Enugu,

Ebonyi and Imo states. They are the Igbo speaking part of Nigeria.

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The study covered all the seven (7) colleges of education (both federal and

state) in south-eastern Nigeria. There are three federal and four state colleges of

education in the geopolitical zone. They are: Federal College of Education

(Technical), Umunze; Federal College of Education, Eha-Amufu; Alvan Ikoku

Federal College of Education, Owerri.

The state colleges of education are: Nwafor Orizu College of Education,

Nsugbe; Abia State College of Education (Technical), Arochukwu; Enugu State

College of Education (Technical) Enugu and Ebonyi State College of Education,

Ikwo. The use of South-east is as a result of constant protest and demonstration by

the students on the quality of student personnel services.

Population of the Study

The population of the study consisted of the seven (7) colleges of education

in the geopolitical zone of Nigeria. The population of the study comprised of all

the senior administrative staff of student affairs department of federal and state

with Grade level 8 (eight) and above, and all final year students of both federal and

state colleges of education in South East Nigeria. The breakdown of the figure

shows that the senior administrative staff of federal and state was 6,184 while that

of final year students of both colleges are 8,569. (source: Academic planning unit

and student affairs department of the colleges, August, 2010) (See Appendix E)

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Sample and Sampling Techniques

The sample of the study was 770 respondents. Proportionate stratified

random sampling technique was used to select the sample. 10% percentage of the

total population of each was used. This is made up of; federal 330 (30 staff and 300

students), while that of state is 440 (40 staff and 400 students). That is a total of

330 staff and students from federal, 440 staff and students from state colleges of

education.

Five hall supervisors and five hall wardens were randomly selected from

each of the federal and state colleges of education. This gave a total of 35 hall

supervisors and 35 hall wardens, making it a total of 70. On the whole, a total of

770 were used for the study. Hall wardens, hall supervisors, and final year students

were used for the study, because these people handle students’ complaints relating

to student personnel services and final year students who have stayed long in the

school. Both groups were therefore in the best position to give reliable information

on student personnel services in these colleges of education. (See Appendix F)

Instruments for Data Collection

The instruments that were used for collecting data for this study were

“Questionnaire on Implementation of Student Personnel Services” (QISPS) and an

observation schedule known as Student Personnel Services Observation Schedule”

(SPSOS). The items were developed by the researcher based on literature review

on student personnel services in federal and state colleges of education. The

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instrument was designed for the students and staff of student affairs department of

the seven colleges of Education in south east Nigeria (both federal and state). The

questionnaire had two sections, A and B. Section A dealt with the demographic

data of the respondents such as the name of the institutions, department, years of

experience and year of study. Section B contained 52 items divided into four

clusters addressing the four research questions formulated for the study for both

staff and students of the colleges.

Cluster ‘A’ have 16 items (1 – 16) which addressed research question 1; the

extent student personnel services are available in federal and state colleges of

education in south-east Nigeira, Cluster B consist of 10 items which answered

questions on the adequacy of the available student personnel services in the federal

and state colleges of education in south-east Nigeira, cluster C consist of 10 items

which addressed the constraints to the effective implementation of student

personnel services in federal and state colleges of education in south-east Nigeira,

while cluster D consist of 15 items which answered questions on the strategies for

improving the implementation of student personnel services in federal and state

colleges of education in south-east Nigeira.

The instrument has four response modes of very great extent ( VGE), great

extent (GE), little extent (LE) and very little extent (VLE) for cluster A & B.

Clusters C and D have responses modes of strongly agree (SA), agree (A), disagree

(D) and strongly disagree (SD) (see appendix I)

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The researcher used the student personnel services observation schedule for

on – the spot abasement of the student personnel services that are observable. It

was made up to 10 items on which the availability, adequacy and quality of these

services were rated (see Appendix B).

Validation of the Instrument

In order to ensure the validity of the two instruments, the initial drafts of the

instruments were face-validated by five experts: three in educational

administration and planning and two others in measurement and evaluation.

Specifically, these experts were requested to examine the instruments with respect

to the extent of implementation and adequacy of student personnel services in

colleges of education. Their corrections, comments and suggestions was used to

modify the instrument to arrive at the final draft.

Reliability of the Instrument

The SPSIQ was trial-tested on 3 hall supervisors, 3 hall wardens and 30 final year

students of federal college of education (Technical), Asaba. This college was not

under study but was considered to have similar characteristics.

To determine the reliability of the SPSIQ, the scores from the 6 staff of

student affairs department and 30 final year students from the college in the trial-

testing of the instruments were used to establish the internal consistency reliability

of the instrument using the Crombach Alpha method. The method is considered

appropriate because the items in the instrument were not dichotomously scored

(Borg and Gall, 1989). The internal consistency reliability estimate yielded .769

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for extent of availability of student personnel services, .720 for adequacy of

student personnel services, .950 for constraints to effective implementation, .959

for strategies of improving student personnel services in federal and state colleges

of education in the south-eastern Nigeria. The instrument has an overall reliability

estimate of .961 which indicate that the instrument is reliable.

Method of Data Collection

The researcher personally administered the questionnaire to the students and

staff of the colleges. The completed copies were retrieved immediately from the

respondents. The researcher used five trained research assistants with whom she

administered the questionnaire to the respondents. These research assistants were

given some training on how to distribute the questionnaire and collect the

completed questionnaire. The personal contact ensured a high rate of participation

of the subjects and optimal return of the instrument. The observation schedule was

filled as the observation of physical student personnel services was going on to

confirm the objectivity of the responses to the questionnaire.

Method of Data Analysis

Mean scores and standard deviations were used to answer the research questions.

Real limit of numbers 0.50 – 1.49, 1.50 – 2.49, 2.50 – 3.49, and 3.5 – 4.00 were

used to interpret the results. The null hypotheses were tested using the t-test

statistics.

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CHAPTER FOUR

RESULTS

This chapter presents the results of the data analysis based on the four

research questions, and the four null hypotheses that guided the study. The major

findings of the study were also presented in this chapter.

Research Question One

To what extent are student personnel services available in federal and state

colleges of education in south-east Nigeria?

The data for answering the above research question are contained on Table I.

Table I: Mean ratings and standard deviations of staff and students of federal and

state colleges of education on the extent of student personnel services available in

federal and state colleges of education. (Federal = 330 – State 440)

S/N Questionnaire items Federal n = 330 State n = 440

x SD x SD Total Dec

1. Hall of residence for students 1.77 0.45 1.81 0.44 1.79 LE

2 Information materials to students 1.57 0.51 1.57 0.50 1.57 LE

3 Regular water supply 1.51 0.55 1.58 0.53 1.55 LE

4 Enough classroom block 1.66 0.53 1.58 0.55 1.61 LE

5 Regular supply of electricity 1.59 0.5 1.62 0.53 1.60 LE

6 Adequate security for student 1.50 0.55 1.55 0.53 1.53 VLE

7 Admission Exercise 2.13 1.02 2.23 1.03 2.19 LE

8 Students’ rules and regulation 1.68 0.54 1.64 0.55 1.66 LE

9 Regular meetings with the students 1.41 0.55 1.30 0.55 1.40 VLE

10 Teaching facilities like equipment and

instructional materials

1.46 0.55 1.46 0.56 1.46 VLE

11 Financial assistance 1.27 0.52 1.29 0.55 1.28 VLE

12 Medical services 1.36 0.55 1.40 0.5 1.38 VLE

13 Counselling services 1.35 0.55 1.35 0.56 1.35 VLE

14 Co-curricular activities 1.42 0.58 1.39 0.61 1.41 VLE

15 Library services 1.32 0.54 1.35 0.54 1.34 VLE

16 Registration and monitoring of

students organization/clubs

1.61 0.64 1.53 0.61 1.57 LE

Cluster mean 1.54 0.24 1.55 0.26 1.54 LE

Key: x = mean, SD = Standard deviation, DEC = Decision, VGE = Very great extent, GE

= Great extent, LE = Little Extent, VLE = Very little extent

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Data presented on Table I above show the mean ratings and standard deviations of

both staff and students of federal and state colleges of education with regard to the

extent of availability of student personnel services in colleges of education in

South-East Nigeria. Based on the data, the items have mean scores that range from

1.28 to 2.19. This showed that all the services are available but to a very little

extent. The cluster mean for both students and staff of federal is 1.54 with a

corresponding standard deviation of 0.24, while the cluster mean of both staff and

students of state is 1.55, with a corresponding standard deviation of 0.26.

Research Question Two

How adequate are the available student personnel services in federal and

state colleges of education in south-east Nigeria?

The data for answering the above research question are contained in Table 2.

Table 2: Mean ratings and standard deviations of staff and students of federal and

state colleges of education on the adequacy of student personnel services in these

colleges of education. (Federal 330-State 440) S/N Questionnaire items Federal n = 330 State n = 440

x SD x SD Total Dec

17 Student academic and personal

records

2.18 0.73 2,21 0.75 2.19 LE

18 Medical facilities 1.87 0.79 1.94 0.76 1.91 LE

19 Hostel accommodation for student 2.01 0.8 2.05 0.82 2.03 LE

20 Maintenance of roads on campuses 1.89 0.79 9.95 0.77 1.92 LE

21 Counselling centre for students 1.89 0.85 1.93 0.87 1.92 LE

22 Library services for students 1.64 0.86 1.72 0.92 1.69 LE

23 Classroom blocks 1.77 0.84 1.76 0.80 1.76 LE

24 Information materials 1.72 0.78 1.68 0.81 1.70 LE

25 Sports facilities/equipment 1.82 0.92 1.85 0.87 1.84 LE

26 Transportation services 1.81 0.90 1.81 0.93 1.81 LE

Cluster mean 1.86 0.67 1.81 0.69 1.88 LE

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The data presented on Table 2 above show the mean ratings and standard

deviations of students and staff of both federal and state college of education

regarding the adequacy of student personnel services in colleges of education in

south-east Nigeria. The table showed that the mean ratings of the students and staff

of federal colleges of education for items 17 to 26 are 2.18, 1.87, 2.01, 1.89, 1.64,

1.77, 1.72, 1.82, and 1.81 respectively with corresponding standard deviations of

0.73, 0.79, 0.81, 0.79, 0.85, 0.86, 0.84, 0.78, 0.92 and 0.90. The mean ratings of

both staff and students of state college of education for the same items 17 to 26 are

2.21, 1.94, 2.05, 1.95, 1.93, 1.72, 1.76, 1.68, 1.85 and 1.81 respectively with

corresponding standard deviations of 0.75, 0.76, 0.82, 0.77, 0.87, 0.92, 0.80, 0.81,

0.87 and 0.93.

Based on the response by the students and staff of both federal and state

colleges of education, services like hostel accommodation for students and student

academic and personal records, medical facilities, maintenance of road on campus,

counselling centre for student, library services for students, classroom blocks,

information materials, sports facilities/equipment and transportation services are to

a little extent.

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Research Question Three

What are the constraints to the effective implementation of student personnel

services in these colleges?

The data answering the above research question are contained in Table 3.

Table 3: Mean ratings and standard deviations of staff and students of federal

and state colleges of education on the constraints to the effective implementation

of student personnel services in colleges of education in south- east Nigeria.

(Federal 330 – State 440) S/N Questionnaire items Federal n = 330 State n = 440

x SD x SD Total Dec

27 Poor funding of the education

sector 3.53 0.78 3.59 0.73 3.52 SA

28 Poor maintenance culture 3.69 0.55 3.66 0.61 3.67 SA

29 Inadequate communication 3.68 0.58 3.68 0.64 3.58 SA

30 Careless use of facilities by

students 3.61 0.59 3.66 0.59 3.64 SA

31 Mismanagement of funds by

college administrators 3.43 0.71 3.41 0.75 3.41 SA

32 Poorly executed projects 3.41 0.59 3.39 0.58 3.30 SA

33 Non-participation of the private

sector in the provision of student

personnel services 3.48 0.59 3.46 0.61 3.47 SA

34 Poor housing situation in the

college/urban cities 3.42 0.56 3.40 0.58 3.41 SA

35 Increase in enrolment without

proportionate increase in student

personnel services 3.48 0.59 3.43 0.63 3.45 SA

36 Poor supervision of student

personnel services administrators

3.41 0.60 3.44 0.63 3.43 SA

Cluster mean 3.51 0.37 3.51 0.41 3.51 SA

Key: x = Mean, SD = Standard deviation, SA=Strongly agree, A= Agree

D = Disagree SD = Strongly disagree

The data presented on Table 3 above showed the mean ratings and standard

deviation of staff and students of both federal and state college of education with

regard to constraints to the effective implementation of these services. The data

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showed that the mean ratings of students and staff of federal college of education

are: 3.53, 3.69, 3.68, 3.61, 3.42, 3.41, 3.48, 3.42, 3.48, 3.41 and 3.54, with

corresponding standard deviations of 0.78, 0.55, 0.58, 0.59, 0.71, 0.59, 0.59, 0.56,

0.59, 0.60, and 0.66; while the mean ratings of the staff and students of state

college of education are 3.59, 3.66, 3.68, 3.66, 3.41, 3.39, 3.46, 3.40, 3.43, 3.44

and 3.52, with a corresponding standard deviations of 0.73, 0.61, 0.64, 0.59, 0.75,

0.58, 0.61, 0.58, 0.63, 0.63,and 0.68.

Based on the mean ratings presented above, the students and staff of both

federal and state colleges of education have the same view on the constriants to the

effective implementaion of these services. Therefore, there are some factors that

hinder the effective implementation of these services.

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Research Question Four

What are the strategies for improving the implementation of student

personnel services in federal and state colleges of education in south-east Nigeia?

The data answering the above research question are contained on Table 4.

Table 4: Mean ratings and standard deviations of staff and students of federal and

state college of education on the strategies for improving the implementation of

student personnel servcies . (Federal 330-State 440) S/N Questionnaire items Federal n = 330 State n = 440

x SD x SD Total Dec

37 The government giving special grants to

colleges for hostel 3.61 0.52 3.66 0.63 3.67 SA

38 Involving the private sector in the

provision of student hostels 3.51 0.56 3.43 0.73 3.50 SA

39 The school authorities completing all

abandoned projects. 3.47 0.51 3.42 0.73 3.44 SA

40 Students admission should be

guided by available hostel

accommodation 3.51 0.75 3.45 0.73 3.48 SA

41 The school management

approaching individuals/ philanthropists 3.39 0.61 3.41 0.63 3.40 SA

42 The student affairs department should be

more effectively supervised. 3.46 0.54 3.44 0.67 3.45 SA

43 The school authority raising loans. 3.32 0.63 3.36 0.67 3.35 SA

44 The colleges establishing guidance and

counselling centres in the colleges. 3.42 0.59 3.33 0.68 3.36 SA

45 Effective organization of orientation

programme by the colleges. 3.41 0.51 3.39 0.67 3.40 SA

46 Digitalization of records units. 3.44 0.53 3.45 0.51 3.45 SA

47 Appointment of sanitary inspectors 3.61 0.61 3.56 0.60 3.54 SA

48 Individuals and organizations should be

approached to donate books/materials to

the colleges. 3.51 0.55 3.54 0.62 3.52 SA

49 Attention to maintenance facilities. 3.51 0.64 3.54 0.65 3.53 SA

50 Privatization of facilities. 3.39 0.62 3.40 0.70 3.30 SA

51 Financial assistance to students. 3.36 0.55 3.37 0.67 3.36 SA

Cluster mean 3.47 0.28 3.45 0.31 3.46 SA

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The data presented on Table 4 showed that the staff and students of both

federal and state colleges of education strongly agree that the government should

give special grants to colleges for hostels, involve the private sector in the

provision of student personnel services that the school authorities should complete

all abandoned projects using task forces. These items have mean ratings of 3.44

and above in a four-point rating scale.

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Hypothesis I

There is no significant difference between the mean ratings of both staff and

students of federal and state colleges of education on the extent of student

personnel services available in federal and state colleges of education.

Table 5: Summary of t-test for hypothesis one

[[[[Degree of freedom =768

T=critical p<.05 =1.96

S/No Questionnaire Item Group N x SD t-cal Dec

1 Hall of residence for students Federal

State

330

440

1.77

1.81

0.45

0.44

-1.233

-1.233

Don’t Reject

2 Information materials Federal

State

330

440

1.57

1.57

0.51

0.51

-.082

-.082

”

3 Regular water supply Federal

State

330

440

1.51

1.58

0.55

0.53

-1.801

-1.801

”

4 Enough classroom block Federal

State

330

440

1.66

1.58

0.53

0.55

2.248

2.248

Reject

5 Regular supply of electricity Federal

State

330

440

1.59

1.62

0.53

0.53

-729

-729

Don’t reject

6 Adequate security for student Federal

State

330

440

1.50

1.55

0.55

0.53

-1.260

-1.260

”

7 Admission given based on

merit

Federal

State

330

440

2.13

2.23

1.02

1.03

-1.231

-1.231

”

8 Students’ rules and regulation

are obeyed

Federal

State

330

440

1.68

1.64

0.54

0.55

1.163

1.163

”

9 Channel of communication

like regular meetings with the

students

Federal

State

330

440

1.41

1.30

0.55

0.55

.340

.340

”

10 Teaching facilities

like equipment and instructional

materials

Federal

State

330

440

1.46

1.46

0.55

0.56

-.093

-.093

”

11 Financial assistance Federal

State

330

440

1.27

1.29

0.52

0.55

-.399

-.403

”

12 Medical services Federal

State

330

440

1.36

1.40

0.55

0.57

-.890

-.893

Don’t reject

13 Counselling services Federal

State

330

440

1.35

1.35

0.55

0.56

-.112

-.113

”

14 Extra-curricular activities like

sporting

Federal

State

330

440

1.42

1.39

0.58

0.61

.645

.648

”

15 Library services Federal

State

330

440

1.42

1.39

0.58

0.61

-1.002

-1.003

”

16 Registration and monitoring of

students organization/clubs

Federal

State

330

440

1.61

1.51

0.64

0.61

.1.732

1.718

”

Cluster mean -.421 Don’t reject

Key: R = Reject

DR = Don’t Reject

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Table 5 above presents the independent t-test analysis of the mean difference

in the response opinions of staff and students of both federal and state colleges of

education on the extent of availability of student personnel services in these

colleges of education.

Looking at the table, one can see that all the t-calculated values are each less

than the t-critical table value of 1.96, therefore, this hypothesis is accepted.

However, there is no significant difference between the mean ratings of staff

and students of both federal and state on the extent of availability of student

personnel services in these colleges.

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Hypothesis 2

There is no significant difference between the mean ratings of staff and

students of both federal and state colleges of education on the adequacy of these

services in these colleges of education.

Table 6: Summary of t-test for hypothesis two

Degree of freedom =768

T=critical p<.05 =1.96

S/N Questionnaire Item Group N x SD t-cal Dec

17 Student academic personal records Federal

State

330

440

2.18

2.21

0.73

0.75

-.547

-.549

Don’t reject

18 Medical facilities Federal

State

330

440

1.87

1.94

0.79

0.76

-1.323

-1.315

-

19 Hostel accommodation for student Federal

State

330

440

2.01

2.05

0.81

0.82

-.597

-.598

-

20 Maintenance of roads on campuses Federal

State

330

440

1.89

1.95

0.79

0.77

-.951

-.947

-

Item

21

Counselling centre for students Federal

State

330

440

1.89

1.93

0.85

0.87

-.604

-.606

-

22 Library services for students Federal

State

330

440

1.64

1.72

0.86

0.92

-1.233

-1.245

-

23 Classroom blocks Federal

State

330

440

1.77

1.76

0.84

0.80

-.060

-.060

-

24 Information materials like bulletins Federal

State

330

440

1.72

1.81

0.78

0.81

.639

.643

-

25 Sports facilities/equipment Federal

State

330

440

1.82

1.85

0.91

0.87

-.442

-.439

-

26 Transportation services Federal

State

330

440

1.81

1.81

0.90

0.93

.136

.136

-

Cluster mean -.614 Don’t reject

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Table 6 above presents the t-test analysis of mean differences in the response

opinions of staff and students of both federal and state colleges of education on the

adequacy of these services in these colleges of education.

It was observed from the table that the calculated t-value was -.614 at 768

degree of freedom and 0.05 level of significance. Since the calculated t-value was

-.614 is less than the critical table value of 1.96, the hypothesis is accepted. That is

to say that, there is no significant difference between the opinions of staff and

students of both federal and state on the adequacy of student personnel services in

these colleges.

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Hypothesis 3

There is no significant difference between the mean ratings of staff and

students of both federal and state colleges of education on the constraints to the

effective implementation of student personnel services in federal and state colleges

of education in south-east Nigeira.

Table 7: Summary of t-test for hypothesis 3

Degree of freedom =768

T=critical p<.05 =1.96 S/N Questionnaire Item Group N x SD t-cal Dec

27 Poor funding of the

education sector

Federal

State

330

440

3.53

3.59

0.78

0.73

-1.005

-.995

Don’t reject

“

28 Poor maintenance culture

of college administrators

Federal

State

330

440

3.69

3.66

0.55

0.61

.802

.813

“

“

29 Inadequate attention

of communication between

students and management

Federal

State

330

440

3.68

3.68

0.58

0.64

.169

.72

“

“

30 Careless use of facilities by

students

Federal

State

330

440

3.61

3.66

0.59

0.59

-1.040

-1.-40

“

“

31 Lack of communication

between students and

management

Federal

State

330

440

3.42

3.41

0.71

0.75

.144

.155

“

“

32 Mismanagement of funds by college

administrators

Federal State

330 440

3.41 3.39

0.59 0.58

.481

.480 “ “

33 Poorly executed projects Federal

State

330

440

3.48

3.36

0.59

0.61

.450

.451

“

“

34 Non-participation of

private sector in the

provision of student personnel services

Federal

State

330

440

3.42

3.40

0.56

0.58

.454

.457

“

“

35 Poor housing

situation in the

college/urban centres

Federal

State

330

440

3.48

3.43

0.59

0.63

1.036

1.044

“

“

36 Increase in enrolment

without proportionate

increase in student

personnel services

Federal

State

330

440

3.41

3.44

0.66

0.68

-.824

-.829

“

“

37 Poor supervision of

student personnel services

administrator

Federal

State

330

440

3.54

3.52

0.69

0.57

.508

.508

“

“

Cluster mean .094 Don’t reject

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Data of Table 7 above show that the eleven items have t-test values of -

1.005, .802, .169, -1.040, .114 .481, .450, .454, .1.036, -.824 and .279. The null

hypothesis for the whole cluster is therefore accepted because, all the t-values are

below the table (critical) value of 1.96. This means that the staff and students of

both federal and states colleges of education strongly agree on the constraints to

the effective implementation of these services.

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Hypothesis 4

There is no significant difference between the mean ratings of staff and

students of both federal and state colleges of education on the strategies for

improving on the implementation of student personnel services in federal and state

colleges of education in south-east Nigeria.

Table 8: Summary of t-test for hypothesis 4

Degree of freedom =768

T=critical p<.05 =1.96 S/N Questionnaire Item Group N x SD t-cal Dec

38 The government giving special grants to

colleges for hostel

Federal

State

330

440

3.61

3.66

0.52

0.63

1.052

1.079

Dr

“

39 Involving the private sector in the provision

of student personnel services

Federal

State

330

440

3.51

3.43

0.56

0.73

3.320

3.443

Reject

“

40 The school authorities completing all

abandoned projects using task forces

Federal

State

330

440

3.47

3.42

0.51

0.73

.941

.941

Dr

“

41 Students admission should guided by

existing student personnel services

Federal

State

330

440

3.51

3.45

0.75

0.73

1.154

1.154

“

“

42 The school management approaching

individuals/ philanthropists.

Federal

State

330

440

3.39

3.41

0.61

0.63

-.466

-.466

“

“

43 The student affairs department should be

more effectively supervised by chief

executives.

Federal

State

330

440

3.46

3.44

0.54

0.61

.538

.538

“

“

44 The school authority raising loans from

commercial institutions.

Federal

State

330

440

3.32

3.36

0.63

0.67

-.894

-.894

“

“

45 The colleges establishing guidance and

counselling centres in the colleges.

Federal

State

330

440

3.42

3.33

0.59

0.68

1.980

1.980

Reject

“

46 Effective organization of orientation

programme by the colleges.

Federal

State

330

440

3.41

3.39

0.51

0.67

.427

.427

Dr

“

47 The records units in our colleges should be

digitalized and managed by efficient

personnel.

Federal

State

330

440

3.44

3.45

0.53

0.51

-.237

-.237

“

“

48 Sanity inspectors should be appointed in the

colleges.

Federal

State

330

440

3.51

3.56

0.61

0.60

-.1.148

-.1.148

“

“

49 Donations by Individuals /organizations. Federal

State

330

440

3.51

3.54

0.55

0.62

-.702

-.702

“

“

50 Attention to maintenance of facilities like

roads, buildings and toilets.

Federal

State

330

440

3.51

3.54

0.64

0.65

-.739

-.739

“

“

51 Maintenance of facilities should be

privatized by the colleges.

Federal

State

330

440

3.39

3.40

0.62

0.70

-.234

-.234

“

“

52 Financial assistance to students should be

given attention by the colleges,

Federal

State

330

440

3.36

3.37

0.55

0.67

-.050

-.050

“

“

Cluster mean .644 Dr

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Table 8 above presents the t-test analysis of the mean difference in the response

opinions of staff and students of both federal and state colleges of education on the

strategies for improving on the implementation of student personnel services in

these college of education.

Based on the analysis, items 38 have t-test values of 1.052, .941, 1.154, -

.466, .538, -.894, .427, -.237, -.1.148, -.702, -.739, -.234 and -.050. These t-test

values are below the critical (table) value of 1.96. This implies that there is no

significant difference between the opinions of staff and students of both federal

and state colleges of education with regards to strategies for improvement.

Analysis of observation schedule of student personnel services in the colleges

of Education in South- East Nigeria

The observation made by the researcher on the extent of availability,

adequacy and quality of the personnel services in the seven colleges of education

studied indicated that, most of the items were not extensively available. For

instance, 32% of classroom blocks and 28% of teachers facilities were available in

the colleges while 68% and 72% respectively of the items were not available.

The observation also showed inadequacy of all the personnel services in the

colleges. The mean of observation of classroom blocks, teacher facilities, hostel

accommodation, water supply, electricity, medical services, transportation, road

maintenance, books in the library and co-curricular facilities ranges from. 1.28 –

2.00 which implied very little extent or little extent in each case. The observation

also showed that the student personnel services are of poor quality. The mean of

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classroom block to co-curricular facilities ranges from 1.28 – 1.57, which implied

very little extent and little extent, showing poor quality of these services.

Table 9: Observation schedule

Availability Adequacy Quality

S/N A

%

NA

%

VGE

4

GE

3

LE

2

VLE

1

Mean DEC

4

VGE

3

GE

2

LE

1

VLE Mean DEC

1 Classroom

block

32 68 0 0 2 5 1.28 VLE 0 0 2 5 1.28 VLE

2 Teacher

facilities

28 72 0 1 4 2 1.86 LE 0 1 0 6 1.28 VLE

3 Hostel

accommodation

24 76 0 1 1 5 1.42 VLE 0 1 1 5 1.42 VLE

4 Water supply 24 76 0 1 5 1 2.00 LE 0 0 2 5 1.28 VLE

5 Electricity

(power supply)

23 77 0 1 2 4 1.57 LE 0 0 2 5 1.28 VLE

6 Medical

services

25 75 0 1 1 5 1.42 VLE 0 1 2 4 1.57 LE

7 Transportation 30 70 1 1 1 4 1.85 LE 0 1 0 6 1.28 VLE

8 Road

maintenance

26 74 1 1 1 4 1.85 LE 0 0 3 4 1.42 VLE

9 Books in the

library

33 67 0 1 1 5 1.42 VLE 0 0 4 3 1.57 LE

10 Co-curricular

facilities

41 59 0 2 1 4 1.71 LE 0 1 1 5 1.47 VLE

Key: A –Available, NA - Not Available , VGE -Very Great Extent, GE - Great Extent, LE -

Little Extent , VLE -Very Little Extent, DEC - Decision

Summary of the major findings

The following constitute the summary of the major findings of this study.

1. The respondents were of the opinion that most of these student personnel

services in federal and state colleges of education are available but are of poor

quality. There was no significant difference between the opinions of staff and

students of both federal and state colleges of education on the extent of

availability of student personnel services.

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2. In respect to the adequacy of student personnel services, the study revealed that

all the student personnel services investigated are inadequate. There was no

significant difference between the mean ratings of students and staff of federal

and state colleges of education on the adequacy of these services.

3. The respondents equally agreed, that there are problems that hinder the

effective implementation of these services like; poor maintenance culture,

inadequate communication between student and management, careless use of

facilities by students, among others.

4. In respect of strategies for improvement, the study revealed that government

giving special grants to colleges, involving the private sector in the provision of

student personnel services, students admission should be guided by existing

student personnel services etc, should be adopted as part of the improvement.

There was no significant difference between the mean opinions of the two

groups of federal and state colleges of education in all the strategies for

improvement.

5. From the observational schedule, it was observed that these student personnel

services are available, inadequate and of poor quality.

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CHAPTER FIVE

DISCUSSION OF FINDINGS, IMPLICATIONS, RECOMMENDATIONS,

CONCLUSION AND SUMMARY

This chapter presents the discussion of the findings of the study, conclusion,

implications of the research findings, recommendations, limitations of the study

and suggestions for further research. The procedure adopted is that all the four

research findings were discussed with the test of the statistical significance on the

four null hypotheses.

Discussion

Availability of student personnel services

With reference to research question one which dealt with the extent of

availability of student personnel services in federal and state colleges of education

in south-eastern Nigeria, evidence from the study shows that the students and staff

of federal and state colleges of education share the view that most of these students

personnel services are available to a very little extent – like financial assistance to

students, counselling services for students, road maintenance, classroom blocks

and teaching facilities. In other words, they exist in the colleges of education.

They equally share the view that admission exercise in the colleges,

monitoring of students’ activities, supply of water, library services, halls of

residence, security services for students and co-curricular facilities are available to

a little extent.

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These findings are in line with the findings of Ogbuji (2009) who found that

effective health care and municipal services were lacking in schools in Cross River

state. The present finding is in line with the observations of Ossai (2008), who

noted that seven students officially live in a room originally meant for four

students, and that some of the windows did not have anything to protect the

students from insect and harsh weather conditions.

The findings equally agree with Okeke (2002) that student personnel

services are not adequately catered for by school administrators. The findings

equally agree with Chukwu (2010) who found out that more students than were

originally planned live in a room. Omu (2006) observed that physical facilities in

schools are in state of disrepair, buildings are poorly ventilated while equipment

are obsolete.

The findings also agree with Atagher and Adung (2002), that students do not make

effective use of the library because the library facilities are inadequate. Ibrahim

(2002) too observed that hostel rooms designed for three persons now

accommodate six persons officially and that even the windows and mosquito nets

are broken, the taps are not functioning and the toilet ends nauseating, with loss of

students’ vital records missing. Elechi (2008) noted that library services in our

tertiary institutions are poor and that current books and journals are not available,

security is not efficient and so, incidence of rape, robbery, murder, office breaking,

and cult activities.

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The analysis of hypothesis one indicated that, there was no significant

difference between the mean ratings of staff and students of federal and state

colleges of education on the extent of availability of student personnel services in

these colleges of education. That is to say that, even though, the two groups have a

slight different opinion on item 4, the difference is not statistically significant. In

other words, there was no significant difference in their opinions with regard to the

extent of availability of student personnel services.

Adequacy of student personnel services

Regarding the second research question which dealt with adequacy of the

available student personnel services in federal and state colleges of education in

south-eastern Nigeria, it was the opinion of students and staff of federal and state

colleges of education, that all the student personnel services like: student academic

and personal records, medical facilities, maintenance of roads on campus,

counselling centre for students, library services for students, classroom blocks,

information materials, sports facilities/equipment and transportation services are

inadequate. The staff and students of federal and state responded similarly to

adequacy of admission exercise and hostel accommodation for students.

The findings agree with Ezeocha (2000) that adequate students’ records are

necessary for students guidance, transfer of students, promotion, classification,

health services, provision of school facilities and recruitment of staff. This proper

documentation is very vital as it aids the institution to having a detailed knowledge

about each student. This is in line with Ogbolu (1990) who emphasized that

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students’ records of tests for analyzing that students specific achievements and

weaknesses should be kept in every school as this is used to predict a students’

vocation on the completion of his course

Ezeocha (2000) still opined that any organization that hopes to work

smoothly must ensure that there is some feedback and also a forum for the

expression of opinion by all levels within the organization. He said that there

should be a means of communication which will occur through the hierarchy of the

school from the head to the students and also among staff and students. This is in

line with Nkwocha (1990) who observed that students are often alienated when

certain decisions concerning student’s behaviour, academic activities, social life

and press activities are been taken. Palola in Akuchie (2000) also observed that

they are thought in planning just in numerical or statistical sense without relating

vital information to them and seeking their opinion on such issues.

The findings agree with the view of Akuchie (2000) that the unconducive

and deplorable state of accommodation in institutions of higher learning affects the

academic performance of students and their wholistic development. Ogbonnaya

and Ajagbonwu (1997) also observed that the inadequacy of student personnel

services does not augur well for effective teaching and learning. Nwabueze (1995)

had stated that inadequate public facilities affect academic work. In Ukeje 2002,

he noted that school library are meant to provide books for leisure reading as well

as reference and information books, so that students can consult them as need

arises, to develop in the students a lasting love for books and encourage personal

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collection of books, and to encourage responsibility and cooperation in taking care

of borrowed books and returning them promptly as and when due. The findings

agree with the observations of Omu (2006) that physical facilities and equipment

include buildings, instructional materials, laboratory, sports equipment, and that

these represent the totality of the school environment for the realization of the

school business. They are therefore important vehicle with which educational

objectives are achieved effectively and efficiently.

In Ezeocha (1992), he opined that guidance and counselling services serve a

very positive function by increasing the amount of learning derived from a given

experience. He observed that this is inadequately rendered as observations appear

to indicate that the counsellors do little or no counselling perse, rather they

concentrate on lecturing. It appears that little counselling is done on vocational and

educational choice and no attention is paid to personal and social issues like self

adjustment.

The findings agree with the observations of Tabansi (2002) that the most important

causes of student crises in colleges of education are the quality of life on the

campuses. Nkwocha (1990) and Ojo (2002) observed the various student

demonstrations are caused by communication gap between the school

administration and students which generate suspicion and mistrust and feeling of

frustration.

The analysis of hypothesis two indicated that there was no significant

different between the mean opinions scores of staff and students of federal and

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state colleges of education with regard to the adequacy of student personnel

services. This is to say, that even though, the mean scores of the two groups’ are

slightly different, the difference is not statistically significant. In other words, there

was no significant difference in their opinions with regard to the adequacy of

student personnel services.

Constraints to the effective implementation

With reference to the third research question that dealt with the constraints

to the effective implementation of student personnel services in these colleges of

education, the respondents share the view that the constraints to effective

implementation of these services include factors like poor funding of the education

sector, poor maintenance culture of college administrators, inadequate attention to

communication between students and management, mismanagement of funds by

college administrators. They also share the view that careless use of facilities by

students, lack of communication between students and management, poorly

executed project, non-participation of the private sector in the provision of students

personnel services, increase in enrolment and poor supervision of student

personnel services administrators constitute constraints to effective implementation

of student personnel services.

These findings agree with Ezeukwu (2006) that some of the causes of

accommodation problems in tertiary institutions include increase in enrolment of

students yearly, insufficient allocation of funds by the government, and lack of

proper management skills on the part of Student Affairs personnel. The findings

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also agree with the findings of Chukwu (2001) that the inadequacy of these student

personnel services are caused by increase in student enrolment, inadequate funding

of the education sector, and among others.

The findings also agree with Mgbodile (2001) that inadequate funding of

education manifests itself in various aspects and in general college management.

The findings equally agree with Ukeje (2002) that the budgetary allocation to

education is poor and that the consequence has been generally characterized by

over-crowded student hostels, classrooms without adequate seats for students, ill-

equipped departmental offices, hostels and faculty offices without toilet facilities.

The findings agree with the observation of Akpotu (2005) that these

institutions are being starved of funds at the time when the existing facilities are

ageing fast and are operating at adverse conditions of overcrowded classrooms,

pitiable hostels, and deteriorating physical facilities. Garland (2001) also observed

that student affairs personnel are neither given any professional training nor

exposed to refresher courses in the form of seminars, conferences and workshops

on student personnel management. Ogbonnaya (2000) noted that poor management

and leadership problems contribute immensely to the present financial crises facing

higher institutions in Nigeria which affects adversely the provision of adequate

services in the institutions.

The analysis of hypothesis three indicated that there was no significant

differences between the mean opinion scores of staff and students of both federal

and state colleges of education with regard to constraints to the effective

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implementation. In other words, both staff and students of federal and state

colleges of education indicated no significant difference in their opinions with

regard to the problems that hinder the effective implementations of these services.

Strategies for improvement

Regarding the fourth research question which dealt with strategies for

improving the implementation of student personnel services in federal and state

colleges of education in south-eastern Nigeria, the students, and the staff of student

affairs department are of the view that some of the measures to be adopted are

government giving special grants to colleges for hostel, involving the private sector

in the provision of student personnel services, the school authorities completing all

abandoned projects, students’ admission to be guided by existing student personnel

services, the school management approaching individuals / philanthropist to help

provide hostels for students, the students affairs department being more effectively

supervised by the chief executives, the school authority raising loans from

commercial institutions to provide facilities for students, the colleges establishing

guidance and counselling centres in the colleges, financial assistance to students

should be given attention by the colleges. Other measures which the respondents

observed to be adopted include; effective organization of orientation programme

by colleges, digitalizing record-keeping, sanitary inspection to be appointed in the

colleges, individuals and organizations should be approached to donate books,

works departments should pay more attention to maintenance of existing facilities,

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privatization of maintenance of facilities by the colleges, and the colleges

authorities paying attention to financial assistance to students.

The findings agree with the views of Sofoluwe (2002) that the federal

government should use the Petroleum Trust Fund (PTF) to provide some student

personnel services like hostels, libraries, vehicles, water tankers, boreholes drugs

and power generating plants to the colleges. Akuchie (2000) observed that some

measures adopted by colleges of education to arrest these problems include; on-

line allocation of hostel accommodation to students. Tabansi (2002) also observed

that another measure adopted by the college administrators to reduce this problem

of student personnel services is to direct construction of hostels, classrooms and

libraries and continuation of abandoned projects.

The findings also agree with the view of Osagie (2005) that by 2004, some

commercial banks have started investing in the provision of student personnel

services on build-operate and transfer (BOT) agreement.

Okebukola (2003) also stated that the federal government in 2003 organized a

meeting between the private sector and the colleges on how the private sector

entered into partnership with the colleges in provision of student personnel

services. The findings also agree with the views of NUC in Akuchie (2000), and

Chukwu (2001) that more students be allocated to rooms than were originally

planned, and that double bunk beds should be introduced to ease – off

accommodation problems. The findings also agree with the view of Chukwu

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(2001), that tanker should supply water to students’ hostels and that students’

hostels and conveniences are to be reconstructed and renovated.

The findings agree with that of Amaizu (2003) that student personnel

services would improve if guidance and counselling centres are established in

schools, if schools are adequately funded, if adequate medical personnel are

provided to cater for the health needs of students and staff, if private sector is

actively involved in the funding and administration of schools. Nwagwu (2006)

observed that student leaders must develop new attitudes and skills for dealing

with students’ problems in humane, effective and satisfactory manner, that the job

of the Dean of student Affairs is no longer an all comers appointment, and that it

requires tact, diplomacy, experience, training and a certain amount of

professionalism.

The analysis of hypothesis four indicated that, there was no significant

difference between the mean opinion scores of staff and students of both federal

and state colleges of education with regard to measures to be adopted to improve

the implementation of student personnel services in colleges of Education in south

Eastern Nigeria

Conclusion

On the basis of the major findings of the study, the following conclusions

were drawn:

1. Student disciplinary measures, monitoring of student activities and

organizations, supply of water, security services for students co-curricular

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facilities, medical services, financial assistance and other services are of

poor quality in federal and state colleges of education in south eastern

Nigeria.

2. Student records, counselling services, maintenance of roads on campus,

transport services for students, classroom blocks and teaching facilities,

information materials, sports facilities, and transport services are inadequate

except admission exercise and hostel accommodation for students .

3. The problems associated with student personnel services can be attributed to

some factors; poor funding of the education sector, progressive increase in

student enrolment without proportionate increase in facilities, non-

participation of the private sector in the provision of student personnel

services and poor supervision of personnel services administrators etc.

4. The problem associated with student personnel services can be controlled if

some measures are adopted such as: allowing students’ admission to be

guided by existing student personnel services, supervising the Student

Affairs Personnel of the colleges more effectively, establishing guidance and

counselling centres, government giving grants to colleges for hostels,

involving the private sector actively in the provision of student personnel

services and school authority completing all abandoned projects using task

force.

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5. Other measures include: encouraging individuals and corporate bodies to

participate in the provision of student personnel services, digitalizing record-

keeping and establishing counselling centres.

Implications of the study

The findings of this study have some important educational implications.

The implications of each finding as it relates to the colleges, the government (both

federal and state), the students and the society are presented.

The results of this study reveals that student personnel services are poorly

provided in the various colleges of education. With this, the college administration

can appreciate why students indulge in demonstrations about poor provision of

these services. The college administration can then use this information to know

the areas of need and pay special attention to it. This will help to control the

incidences of protest and demonstrations over poor student personnel services.

The findings of this study shows that most of these student personnel

services in federal and state colleges of education are available, inadequate and of

poor quality. The implication of this finding is that the federal and state

government, college administrators should make concerted efforts to ensure that

the school environment of colleges of education provide the needed satisfaction of

students in terms of student personnel services with a view of encouraging their

wholesome development.

Staff and students of both federal and state colleges of education agree that

the constraints to effective provision of student personnel services in the colleges

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are: poor funding of education sector, poor maintenance culture, inadequate

attention to communication between students and management, mismanagement of

funds by college administrators among others. The implication of this finding for

both federal and state government, school administrators is that more fund should

be made available to student services, since the consequences of lack of provision

of these services force students to unruly behaviours.

Another obvious implication is that both federal and state government,

school administrators intensify their supervision, management of funds, involving

private sector in the provision of student personnel services, completing abandoned

projects etc. The situation where provosts of federal and state colleges of education

are sole administrators does not augur well for our colleges. There is need for

councils in colleges of education to keep track to the excesses of some overzealous

provosts.

The manpower produced by these colleges is used by the society to achieve

national goals. With the revelation made by this study on the status of student

personnel services, certain bodies like the private sector, philanthropists and

stakeholders may be attracted by this state of affairs and, thus, give financial

assistance to these colleges for the proper provision of these services. Their reason

could be to enable these colleges of education produce well-trained manpower who

will serve to maintain the nation’s economy.

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Recommendations

The following recommendations have been made in the light of the findings;

1. The school authority should organize seminars, orientations and talks on

how to manage the student personnel services for students and staff of

federal and state colleges of education.

2. The funds allocated to these colleges of education and internally generated

funds should be judiciously used by the college administrators for the

provision of facilities and services in the colleges.

3. Non-governmental bodies like alumni associations, the private sector, and

philanthropists should be appealed to by these college administrators, to

assist in the provision of these services.

4. The federal and state governments should allocate adequate funds to the

education sector, especially the tertiary institutions to enable them provide

some essential services to students.

5. Special grants should be given to these institutions for the provision of

student personnel services in these colleges of education.

6. College administrators should be guided by available student personnel

services in admitting students for different programmes.

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Limitations of the study

The study was constrained by a number of factors. The following limitations are

inherent:

1. The provision of information for some of these student personnel services

depended much on the honesty of the respondents.

2. The respondents were reluctant in giving the answers due to the fact that

they are not interested in the study which may lead to not reporting the true

position of things in these colleges.

However, despite these limitations, the study was deemed to have achieved its

purpose.

Suggestions for further studies

Based on the findings and limitations of this study, further research in this

area could address:

1. Implementation of student personnel services in private colleges of

education in Nigeria.

2. A study on implementation of student personnel services in colleges of

education using the academic staff and senior administrative staff.

3. An investigation into the funding, disbursement and spending pattern of

administrators of colleges of Education on student personnel services.

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Summary of the study

The purpose of this study was to investigate the extent of implementation of

student personnel services in colleges of education in south -east Nigeria . Four

research questions and four hypotheses were formulated to guide the study.

Descriptive survey design was adopted for the study. The instruments used for data

collection was a 51 item questionnaire and observation schedule.

Sample for the study was 770 respondents made up of staff and students of

federal and state colleges of education. The disproportionate stratified random

sampling method was used to sample 10 staff and 100 final year students from

each of the seven federal and state colleges of education in the zone. The research

questions was answered using mean scores and standard deviations while the null

hypotheses was tested using the t-test statistics.

The results show that:

1. All the student personnel services in federal and state colleges of education

are available but of poor quality. The student personnel services are also

found to be inadequate.

2. Some of the factors that hinder the effective implementation of these

services include increase in students enrolment without proportionate

increase in student personnel services, poor funding of the education sector,

non-participation of the private sector in the provision of student personnel

services, poor maintenance culture, poor execution of projects, and careless

use of facilities.

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3. Some measures that could be adopted to improve the implementation of

student personnel services include: government giving special grants to

colleges for building hostels, involving the private sector in the provision of

student personnel services, the school authorities completing all abandoned

projects using task force, colleges raising loans to provide facilities for their

students, and paying attention to financial assistance to students etc.

Based on the findings, the researcher recommended, among others, that

admission of students should be guided by the available student personnel services

that the private sector should be encouraged to participate actively in the provision

of student personnel services, that seminars and talks on how to use student

personnel services should be organized for teachers and principals from time to

time, and that the education sector should be adequately funded.

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Appendix A

Educational Foundations

University of Nigeria

Nsukka.

20th

March, 2011.

Dear Respondent,

QUESTIONNAIRE ON IMPLEMENTATION OF STUDENT PERSONNEL

SERVICES

I am a postgraduate student of the above-named institution. I am carrying

out a research work on implementation of student personnel services in colleges of

education in south-east Nigeria. I would appreciate it if you help me by responding

accurately to the items on the questionnaire attached.

Your candid responses will be treated confidentially. You are not expected

to indicate your name.

Thanks in anticipation of your assistance.

Ozioko, A.N.

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Section A: PERSONNAL DATA

1) Name of Institution ------------------------------------------------------

2) Faculty/ School-----------------------------------------------------------

3) Status: staff ( ) Student ( )

4) Years of Experience: 1 – 5 yrs ( ) 6-10yrs ( ) above 10yrs ( )

5) Level of study 3/3, ( )

4/3, ( )

4/4, ( )

5/4, ( )

Section B: Cluster A

INSTRUCTION: Please indicate using the response options the extent the

following student personnel services are available.

Key:

Very Great Extent (VGE)

Great Extent (GE)

Little Extent (LE)

Very Low Extent (VLE)

S/N Items VGE GE LE VLE

1 Halls of residence for students

2 Information materials.

3 Water supply

4 Classroom block

5 Supply of electricity

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6 Security

7 Admission exercises

8 Student’s rules and regulation are obeyed

9 Channel of communication.

10 Teaching facilities.

11 Financial assistance.

12 Medical services.

13 Counselling services.

14 Co–curricular activities.

15 Library services

16 Registration and monitoring of students

organization/clubs.

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Clusters B: Adequacy of student personnel services

Tick ( √ ) where necessary.

Key:

Very Great Extent (VGE)

Great Extent (GE)

Little Extent (LE)

Very Low Extent (VLE)

S/N Items VGE GE LE VLE

17 Student academic and personal records

18 Medical facilities

19 Hostel accommodation for students.

20 Maintenance of roads on campus.

21 Counselling centre for students.

22 Library services for students.

23 Classroom blocks

24 Information materials

25 Sports facilities/equipment

26 Transportation services.

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Cluster C: Constraints to the effective implementation

Key:

Strongly Agree SA

Agree A

Disagree D

Strongly Disagree SD

S/N Items SA A D SD

27 Poor funding of the education sector

28 Poor maintenance culture of college

administrators

29 Inadequate attention of communication

between students and management

30 Careless use of facilities by students

31 Mismanagement of funds by college

administrators

32 Poorly executed projects.

33 Non-participation of the private sector in

the provision of students personnel

services

34 Poor housing situation in the

colleges/urban centres.

35 Increase in enrolment without

proportionate increase in student

personnel services.

36 Poor supervision of student personnel

services administrator.

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Cluster D: Strategies for improvement Key:

Strongly Agree SA

Agree A

Disagree D

Strongly disagree SD

S/N Items SA A D SD

37 The government giving special grants to colleges for

hostel.

38 Involving the private sector in the provision of student

personnel services.

39 The school authorities completing all abandoned

projects using task force.

40 Student’s admission should be guided by existing

student personnel services.

41 The school management approaching

individuals/philanthropists to help provide hostels for

students.

42 The student affairs department should be more

effectively supervised by chief executives.

43 The school authority raising loans from commercial

institutions to provide facilities for students

44 The colleges establishing guidance and counselling

centres in the colleges.

45 Effective organization of orientation programme by the

colleges.

46 The record units in out colleges should be digitalized

and managed by efficient personnel.

47 Sanitary inspectors should be appointed in the colleges.

48 Individuals and organizations should be approached to

donate books/ materials to the colleges.

49 The works department in the colleges should pay more

attention to the maintenance of existing facilities like

roads, buildings and toilets

50 Maintenance of facilities should be privatized by the

colleges

51 Financial assistance to students should be given

attention by the colleges.

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Appendix B

STUDENT PERSONNEL SERVICES OBSERVATION SCHEDULE

School ________________________________________________

Time__________________________________________________

Date:__________________________________________________

This observation schedule contains only the student personnel services that

are observable. It has 10 items to be rated on the scale of available, and not

available: and very great extent, great extent, little extent, and very little extent for

adequacy, and quality.

Availability Adequacy Quality Comments

S/N A NA VGE GE LE VLE VGE GE LE VLE

1 Classroom

blocks

2 Teacher

facilities

3 Hostel

accommodation

4 Water supply

5 Electricity

(power supply)

6 Medical

services

7 Transportation

8 Road

maintenance

9 Books in the

library

10 Co-curricula

facilities

Name of observer: _____________________________________

Signature:_____________________________________________

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Appendix C

NATIONAL COMMISSION FOR COLLEGES OF EDUCATION MANUAL

ON STUDENT PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT

Introduction

Colleges of Education are tertiary educational institutions established to give

professional training for the production of highly qualified classroom teachers.

These institutions are of paramount importance in the production of teachers for

the primary and secondary educational systems. They belong to the higher

education system which is constitutionally in the concurrent legislative list. The

implication is that both Federal and State governments have responsibilities in this

sector.

Colleges of Education owe their origin to the three year training programme

for teachers established in 1952, at the Yaba Higher College, Lagos. They were

first established in Nigeria as Advanced Teacher Training Colleges (ATTC’s). The

products of the Yaba Higher College were grade one non-graduate teachers,

trained to teach in the Junior Secondary Schools and Teacher Training Colleges in

Nigeria.

The Federal Republic of Nigeria (2004) in its National Policy on Education,

outlined some general objectives which form the basis for teacher education at his

level in Nigeria. These objectives include: to produce highly motivated,

conscientious and effective classroom teaches for the primary and secondary

school systems; to encourage further the spirit of enquiry and creativity in the

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teachers; to help teachers to fit into the social life of the community and society at

large, to enhance their commitment to National objectives; produce teachers with

the intellectual and professional background adequate for their assignment and to

make them adaptable to any changing situation not only in the life of their country

but in the world at large.

The above shows that colleges of education are specially designed to;

develop, pursue and improve regular and liberal courses to study for the training of

various categories of teachers; and promote the advancement of learning and

educational research, especially as it applies to local conditions (Enugu State of

Nigeria Gazette, 2006). The colleges of education can be categorized into three, on

the basis of the type of teacher they produce:

Regular: for conventional disciplines in Arts, Sciences and Languages;

Technical: for conventional technical education; and special: for producing

Teachers of special needs persons. The National Commission of Colleges of

Education regulates the activities of state colleges of education by way of ensuring

minimum standards for accreditation of their academic departments for the NCE

programme. On their parts, the State owned colleges of education were established

by various edicts or laws of relevant state legislatures. These laws gave the various

state Ministries of Education supervisory functions over the state colleges of

education. The state ministries of education are responsible for the monitoring, and

supervision of the general administration, including the financial management of

these colleges, in accordance with stipulated guidelines. These guidelines are

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126

usually contained in accounting systems manuals or financial regulations produced

by the ministry. The Ministry of Finance with the office of the Accountant General

is responsible for direct disbursement of funds to the State Colleges of Education.

The product of Colleges of Education are awarded the Nigerian Certificate

in Education (NCE) at the successful completion of their training. The Nigerian

Certificate in Education (NCE) has become the minimum qualification for entry

into the teaching profession.

Student Personnel Services will be managed by Student Affairs Department

of each institution. The following services should be available in each institution;

1. Admission for fresh students

2. Accommodation

3. Medical services

4. Library services

5. Appraisal and record services

6. Counselling and psychological services

7. Financial aid

8. Transportation services

9. Security services

10. Placement

11. Co-curricular activities

These services perform four major functions. These include:

1. they integrate and service the orienting, supporting and educational functions

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127

2. they clarify and facilitate the relationship among the individual students, the

institution and the community

3. they provide for the emotional and physical requirement of students so as to

facilitate maximum utilization of the intellectual experience of the institution

4. they embrace the activities that are geared towards achieving learning directly

or improving the functioning of the formal process.

The following student personnel services can be observed in college of

education to determine their adequacy or inadequacy:

1. Student academic records

2. Medical facilities

3. Hostel accommodation for students

4. Library services for staff and students

5. Number and adequacy of classroom blocks

6. Information materials like bulletins

7. Sports facilities and equipment

8. Counselling centre for students

9. Maintenance of roads on campus

10. Appraisal and record services

11. Supply of pipe-borne water

12. Teaching facilities

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Appendix D

SUGGESTIONS DURING VALIDATION

The experts who face-validated the instrument made the following

suggestions.

Professor D.N Ezeh suggested that the purpose of the study, the research

questions, the research hypotheses, and consequently the items of the instrument

should reflect the topic. He equally moderated it by removing the quality of student

personnel services, with the opinion that adequacy and quality refers to one thing.

He further suggested that some items in the cluster should come under a checklist,

then, others in a four-[point modified Likert rating scales. He suggested too that the

staff of student affairs and students should be used as subjects for the study instead

of students alone.

These suggestions were taken into consideration. The purpose, the research

questions and the research hypotheses we revisited to reflect the topic as suggested.

The items were revisited too, and items in cluster A was put in a checklist form

while cluster B in an observational rating scale.

Dr. Enyi suggested that either the quality or adequacy should be removed in

the purpose of the study, research questions and hypotheses. Equally, he suggested

that a standard or manual for student personnel services should be provided for the

observation schedule. He also suggested that some items should belong to senior

administrative staff of student affairs and student should be used. All these were

taken into consideration.

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129

Dr. S.C. Ugwuoke made a lot of suggestions as regards the instrument. He

suggested changes in the purpose of the study, and the research questions to

properly address the topic. He equally suggested changes in the response patterns

of the clusters and moderated some of the items.

These suggestions were taken into consideration. The purpose was revisited,

likewise the research questions, and the research hypotheses to reflect the effected

corrections. The corrections suggested in the items of the instrument were effected

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Appendix E

DISTRIBUTION OF STAFF AND STUDENTS OF FEDERAL AND STATE

COLLEGES OF EDUCATION IN SOUTH EAST NIGERIA

Staff Student

Federal colleges of education (Technical),

Umunze

758 1,278

Federal colleges of education, Eha-Amufu 964 986

Alvan Ikoku college of education, Owerri 1136 1386

Nwajor Orizu colleges, Nsugbe 836 1425

Abia State college, Arochukwu 838 1076

Enugu State college of education (Technical), 766 1572

Ebonyi State college, Ikwo 836 846

Total 6,184 8,569

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Appendix F

Sample:

Staff Student Total

Federal 30 300 330

State 40 400 440

Total 70 700 770

Hall supervisors – 5 5 x 7 = 35

Hall wardens – 5 5 x 7 = 35

70

70 + 700 = 770

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Appendix G

COLLEGES OF EDUCATION USED FOR THE STUDY

FEDERAL COLLEGES STATE COLLEGES

Federal college of education

(Technical) Umunze.

Nwafor-Orizu college of education,

Nsugbe

Federal college of education, Ehamufu Abia state college of education

(Technical) Arochukwu

Alvan Ikoku Federal college of

education, Owerri.

Enugu state college of education

(Technical) Enugu.

Ebonyi state college of education,

Ikwo.