ABSTRACT
The study was on Mode of Universities Students’ Hostel
Accommodation And Students’ Academic Performance in Selected Federal Universities in Nigeria. Accommodation which is also referred
to as shelter has been described as the second basic necessities of man after
food. The need for housing cannot be over emphasized. According to habitat.com,
urban populations have increased rapidly across the globe, often outstripping
available housing. In case of students in the universities, housing refers to
the provision of ‘on campus’ hostel accommodation. In recent times, as a result
of expansion in student population, hostel accommodation for university
students in Nigeria has become a major concern for both students, parents and
even to the school authorities as almost all the universities fail to provide
adequate accommodation for students. In
cases where it is provided, such accommodation is known to be terribly bad,
dirty, congested and overcrowded thereby impeding their capability of learning
effectively. The objectives of this research work however is to determine if
there are any effect of students’ hostel accommodation on academic performance.
The research instrument used for this study are the results of both the
accommodated and not accommodated 400 levels students for the last three
sessions (i.e. 100L – 300L) and an interview guide. The interview guide was
administered on 600 students from the universities of Lagos and Ibadan of which
only 400 responses were collected, relevant and therefore useful for the study.
The data gathered were used to compute a descriptive statistics tables and for
the presentation, the research hypotheses one was tested using Paired sample
T-test statistical techniques as an inferential analysis and hypothesis two was
tested with the aid of the Pearson
Product Moment Correlation Co-efficient (PMCC) to derive the conclusion for the
study. The major findings of the research showed that there is a significant
difference in the academic performance of students that are ‘on-campus’ to those staying ‘off-campus’ . On-campus students performed
better academically than off-campus
students. It was revealed that the sex and age of the students do not determine
or influence the mode of allocation of
hostels in Federal Universities. It was
recommended that federal universities in Nigeria must
look for a way of increasing the number of bed space available in the halls of
residence by directly building additional blocks to the existing ones and
involving private sector partnership. Secondly, the
universities, being citadel of higher learning should be involved in research,
development and demonstration of local building materials for student housing
construction. This will involve the concerted efforts of the lecturers,
researchers, students and the backing of the university authorities and, thus
saving cost on construction.
TABLE
OF CONTENT
Title Page i
Certification ii
Dedication iii
Acknowledgement iv
Abstract v
Table of Content vi
CHAPTER
ONE: INTRODUCTION
Introduction 1
Background of the
Study 1
Statement of the
Problem 3
Purpose of the
Study 4
Research Questions 4
Statement of
Research Hypothesis 5
Scope of the Study 5
Significance of
the Research 5
Limitation of the
Research 6
Definitions of Key
Terms 6
CHAPTER
TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW & THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK
Introduction 9
Literature Review 9
Conceptual Framework 20
Theoretical Review 21
Empirical review of previous Studies 23
CHAPTER
THREE: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY AND PROCEDURES
Research Design 30
Population 30
Sample and Sampling Technique(s) 30
Research Instrument 30
Reliability of the Research Instrument 31
Method of Data Collection 31
CHAPTER
FOUR: DATA ANALYSIS, FINDINGS AND DISCUSSIONS
Introduction 32
Data Presentation for University of Lagos 32
Data Presentation for University of Ibadan 40
Test of Hypothesis 48
CHAPTER
FIVE: CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Introduction 52
Discussions on Findings 52
Conclusions 56
Recommendation 56
Areas for further research 57
References 58
Appendix 61
CHAPTER
ONE
INTRODUCTION
Background
to the Study
Housing generally refers to the social
problem of ensuring that members of society have a home in which to live,
whether this is a house,
or some other kind of dwelling, lodging, or shelter. Many governments have an
administrative section that deals with housing. The significance
of housing as a major determinant of man's welfare, life sustenance and
survival is very critical and will always be of prime concern to individual,
family, community and the nation at large.
Housing is paramount to human existence as
it ranks among the top three needs of man. Its provision has always been of
great necessity to man. As a unit of the environment, housing has profound
influence on the health, efficiency and social welfare of the community (Omole,
2001).
In
case of students in the universities, housing refers to the provision of hostel
accommodation. In recent times, as a result of expansion in student population,
hostel accommodations for university students in Nigeria has become a major
concern for both students, parents and even to the school authorities as almost
all the universities fail to provide adequate accommodation facility for
students. In cases where it is provided, such accommodation is known to be
terribly bad, dirty, congested and overcrowded thereby impeding their
capability of learning effectively.
The importance of the social environment
in students' life cannot be overemphasized. Availability, adequacy, and
functionality of hostel facilities are the key factors in the determination of
students’ choice of university, staying focused and satisfaction. This
therefore makes it imperative for schools to give students housing a top
priority while enhancing the reputation of the school among other
contemporaries. The students' housing is
said to include facilities such as bedrooms which can serve the dual purpose of
study and sleeping, bathrooms and toilets, kitchen, laundry, recreational areas
and access to internet services as this further enhance the study-learning
experience.
Abramson (2009) on his part, stated that
the student housing can be further made exciting by providing further
facilities such as ATM machines, car park, mini markets, bookshops and
cafeterias within the precinct of the students' housing.
Federal universities in Nigeria face a
momentous challenge every year to accommodate and maintain the hostel
facilities in the universities. Within the higher education sector, there is a
large increase in the student intake every year. Therefore, the importance of hostels
facilities for university undergraduates has substantially increased. Since, it
is believed that the facilities provided in the hostels for the students has
some impact on their academic performance. The lack of satisfaction in the
hostels has motivated many generations of students to take action against the
unsatisfactory conditions and many unfortunate incidents of student militancy
were originated in the hostels (Weeramunda, 2008). Furthermore, lack of general
knowledge, experience, maturity, lack of practical skills and analytical
ability as well as ill-equipped teaching, classroom environment, financial
difficulties, poor residential facilities and lack of communication between
students and teachers have been identified as main factors handicapping
students from fully enjoying the benefits of university education (Ariyawansa
& Perera, 2005 as in Perera, 2013).
As competitive as hostel accommodation in
federal universities in Nigeria may be, the mode and procedures for allocating
hostels/bed space poses yet another migraine. While some universities make
reservations for the first and final year students in order to ease their
worries and quickly settle down to the business of learning, others provide
equal opportunity to all students to vie for
available space. The latter most times is either carried out by first
come, first serve basis, the purchase of scratch card and/or balloting means.
However the approach, if it does not provide hostel accommodation for all
desirous students especially the new students (who are struggling to settle
down in a new environment) and the final years students (who at the time, would
have a lot of commitment within the school environment), then, such
arrangement/system is not adequate and effective.
In most cases, facilities provided at
campus in federal universities are so obsolete and poorly maintained. Some of
the facilities sparking protest included the lack of adequate power supply,
water supply, good convenience (toilets and bathroom), maintenance of
electrical gadgets, entertainment gadgets (such as television, decoders at the
common rooms), etc. despite paying exorbitant fees. In fact, one of the
universities was recently shut down when a 300level student was electrocuted
and killed by a naked wire in the hostel staircase (Daily Times 30th
April, 2016). Students vent their anger on school management for not
maintaining the facilities despite several complaints.
The variables we chose to measure the living and study
environments are listed below. In these variables, a hostel is a place where
student housing and catering needs are provided. Data were obtained on two
types of variables thought to be related to GPA by conducting a survey of a
random sample of resident students: variables measuring the living environment,
and variables measuring the study environment:
The Variables measuring the living environments are:
Time spent in hostel; Type of room; Number of times student changes blocks;
Ability to study in room during the day; Ability to study in room at night;
Sources from where students obtains their meals; Satisfaction with the level of
services provided by the catering departments; Sufficiency of water supply in
the hostels; Safety in rooms; Effectiveness of security personnel.
On the other hand, the Variables measuring the study
environments are field of study; Current year of study; Financial assistance;
Time spent on study; Sufficiency of study rooms; Library facilities; Safety
studying at classes at night; Availability of study desk in room; Availability
of study chair in room and Availability of study lamp in room.
Against this backdrop, this study become
necessary in order to beam a critical search light on the mode of allocation of
student hostels and the conditions of hostels facilities in the Nigerian
universities to ascertain if there is an impact versa-vice academic
performance.
Statement
of Problems
As
a result of expansion in student population, accommodations for university
students in Nigeria has become a huge problem for both students, parents and
university authorities as almost all the universities have failed to provide
accommodation facility for students. The very few accommodations that are being
provided are not well maintained and also below standard, thereby exposing
students to frustrated life on campus. Nigerian university students presently
live under a horrible condition on school campus. Their accommodation is known
to be terribly bad, insanity, congested and overcrowded thereby impeding their
capability of learning effectively. Some of the very few universities that
provide accommodation do not make enough provision. Rooms that are meant to
serve just two students now accommodate up to seven students. Yet such
arrangement can only provide for just 40 percent of the total students
population.
Despite concerted efforts by government
and university authorities, solution to student hostel accommodation problems
has remained a mirage. It is against this backdrop that a critical search is
beamed on this research which leads to the objectives of the study.
Purpose/
Objectives of the Study
Given the statement of problems above, the
objectives of this study amongst others are:
1. To
ascertain if there are special preference to sex and age of students in the
allocation of hostels in the Nigerian federal universities.
2. To
ascertain if there are special preference to faculties and course of study in
the allocation of hostels in the Nigerian federal universities.
3. To
obtain student perceptions on living and study variables that affect the living and study environments
of student at the identified Universities
4. To
identify those variables from 3, which are significantly related to student
GPA.
5.
To ascertain whether or not there is any
impact on student academic performance as result of adequate and efficient
student hostel accommodation.
Research
Question
The study addressed the following questions.
1. Are
hostels in the Nigerian federal universities allocated based on sex and age of
the students?
2. Are
there any special preference in the allocation of hostels in the Nigerian
federal universities based on faculties, departments and course of study?
3. Do
students feel that the campus amenities such as room fittings (TV, Bedspace,
dining room, Toilet, Bathroom, etc), Hospital/Clinic availability and library
which provides sufficient study materials, helps in reducing distractions and
thereafter enables students concentrate wholly on their studies?
4. Do
students feel that the campus residence is safe enough in terms of studying in
classes at night, safety in their rooms and the performance of the security
personnel?
5. Is
there any correlation between the living, study variables and student GPA?
6. What
factors are responsible for the preference of federal universities and the
attendant shortage of hostel accommodation in Nigeria’s federal universities?
Research
Hypothesis
Hypothesis One
H0: There is no significant relationship
between adequate hostel accommodation and improved academic performance amongst
students in Nigeria’s federal universities.
Hypothesis Two
H0: There are no significant relationship
between sex, age, faculties, departments
and/or even course of study and allocation of hostels in Federal Universities .
Scope
of the Study
The scope of this study is to establish
the correlation between appropriate hostel accommodation and improved academic
performance. This study is however limited to the evaluation of hostel
facilities in only the four identified federal universities in Nigeria. Only
information obtained as regards the implication of the modes used for
allocation of hostels and the satisfactorily extent of hostel facilities are
considered.
Significance
of the Study
The study which is aimed at ascertaining
if there is any relationship between appropriate hostel accommodation and
improved performance in a student academic career will no doubt be relevant to
the student and their parent for decision making purposes. Since shelter is one
of human’s top necessities, everyone is in dire need of one, especially if new
in an environment. Hence, both parents and their wards would consider the
likelihood of getting accommodation within and around the campus before making
a choice of university to attend or send their wards to as the case may be.
The study will also be useful and relevant
to the entire workforce of the school authority for planning purposes. The Dean
of student affairs, Senate and other planning executive within the confines of
the university environment would like to know the percentage of total student
accommodated, revenue stream that is forgone due to inadequate provision of
hostel accommodation and limiting capacity due to inadequate facilities such as
the hostel accommodation.
The Research will also be relevant and
useful to Government in the areas of policy formulation and implementation as
regards infrastructure development in federal government universities.
The Research will be relevant to upcoming
researchers in this field and indeed to the general public and the society at
large as it will help upgrade the standard of education.
Limitation
of the study
This study was limited by some factors
such as:
1. Time
constraints in covering all the federal universities in Nigeria as it will
involve more financial implication.
2. All
questionnaires might not be retrieved from the respondents.
Definition
of Terms
1.
Housing
– Housing generally refers to the social
problem of ensuring that members of society have a home in which to live,
whether this is a house,
or some other kind of dwelling, lodging, or shelter.
2.
Social Environment
- The social environment is simply the
culture the student is educated or lives in, the people and institution which
the student interact with. With the black continent social status, there are
usually class and circle segregation issues.
3.
Student Hostel (SH) – refers
to the housing or accommodation provided by the school authorities for student
residential needs. It is usually within the school premises (Campus). However,
in some seldom cases, some hostels are sited off camp, especially privately
owned hostels.
4.
Students’ Hostel Satisfaction
(SHS) – refers to the students’ residential satisfaction with the hostel
facilities in relation to their needs, requirements and experiences. This has
to do with whether or not the rooms are furnished with mattresses and pillows,
tables and chairs for studying, wardrobes, air-conditioner or ceiling fans,
shoes racks, railings where towels can be hung, mirrors for dressing, waste
bins, effective lighting system and adequate electrical outlets. Others include
study-bedrooms, washrooms (i.e., bathrooms and laundry rooms), pantry, leisure
rooms (i.e., study areas, computer centers, television lounges, meeting rooms,
and a prayer room for Muslims).
5.
Student Hostel Facilities(SHF) - include
the following Student residential amenities such as: study-bedroom, washroom
(toilet, bathroom and laundry), pantry (kitchenette), common and recreation
room, study room computer room, television room meeting room, prayer room
(musallla) lobby, support services
vehicles parking lot, cafeteria, mini market and mini bookshop, ATM machine and
public phone, CCTV surveillance system, security guards, lifts/stairs,
electrical wiring, water supply, garbage disposal and fire safety.
6.
Academic Performance
– refers to rating of a student, especially after taking an examination. There
are various academic status/standings in the university. They include
Distinction (1st Class) for performance rating between 4.5 – 5.0,
Second Class Upper (2.1) for performance between 3.5 – 4.49, Second Class Lower
(2.2) for 2.5 – 3.49. Third Class for performance rating between 2.0 – 2.49 and
pass for performance rating between 1.0 – 1.99.
7.
University
– The University is an institution of higher learning. In Nigeria, there are
Federal Universities (which are owned by the federal government), State
Universities (owned by federating states) and Private Universities (owned by
individuals or private bodies).
8.
Government
– A government is the system by which a state or community is
controlled. Government in this context refers to the Federal Government of
Nigeria.
9.
University Authorities
- According to Nigeria Education Act,
on university administration, the visitor which is usually the president tops
the ivory tower administrative ladder, followed by the minister of education.
However, the highest principal officer of the university is the chancellor, he
presides at convocation ceremonies and other awards giving function. On the
mellow rung of the ladder is the pro-chancellor, who chairs the university
governing council – the apex decision making body. The day to day academic
affairs and other activities of the university is the responsibility of the
senate. The helmsman of the senate is usually the vice-chancellor. He is
the university chief administrator. Next on the ladder rungs is the registrar.
10.
Population
– refers to the summation of all the organisms
of the same group or species,
which live in a particular geographical
area. However, population as used in this study refers to the
total number of students in the university.
11.
Jambite or ‘wanna be’ student – refers to the ‘would be’ students
that have applied to become students of the university.
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