THE CHALLENGES PERTAINING TO ACCOMMODATION AND THE ADMINISTRATION OF HOSTELS IN NIGERIA'S TERTIARY EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION: Prior to the creation of the Institute of Management and Technology (IMT) in Enugu, there was a College of Technology that operated until 1967. Additionally, the Institute of Administration and the Cooperative College were also in operation at that time. Regrettably, none of these institutions were able to match the criteria of an average higher education school. Furthermore, the majority of their courses were restricted to civil personnel. In addition, they are unable to grant certificates beyond the ordinary level diploma (OND).

In an effort to address this issue and improve the quality of the course provided by the stated school, the Ukpani Asika administration merged the previous college of technology with the college of administration on April 1, 1972.

However, the merger of the two sister schools failed to fulfil the requirements of both the state and the nation. In October 1972, the administration of the East central state established a temporary council to define the government's structure and establish an independent institution that would train skilled technologists, technicians, and professional managers in specific fields aligned with the state and national requirements.

Therefore, on May 31st, 1973, the decree number 1973, entitled "The Establishment of Management Technology Decree," was officially announced. The Edit was established on July 1st, 1973, leading to the establishment of the Institute of Management and Technology (IMT) in Enugu.

1.1    BACKGROUD OF THE STDUY

A hostel by definition is a building in which cheap food and lodging is provided for students, but unfortunately in tertiary institution in Nigeria. The never seems to be the case. This is what prompted as to research on this issue. This research, though on higher institutions, has a special reference on the institute of management and technology (IMT) Enugu.

It has been established that the inadequacy of hostel accommodation has an adverse effect on then actualization of qualitative and standard education in Nigeria, universities and polytechnics, that is why we have  taken it upon our selves to find out the lapses and problems that has heralded to this problem of inadequate accommodation.

More so, there are other problems which prompted us to research on this topic this include:

• Students involvement in armed robbery
• Student’s involvement in prostitution
• High rate of disobedience by student as a result of not living in an academic environment.

1.2 PURPOSE OF THE STUDY

The problems associated with this subject matter includes that students in higher institution are being deprived of their sociological and psychological needs as a result of poor hostel accommodation. Include the student can stay in a room impacts some psychological pains on the students, as privacy is to a large extent

Further more, the academic pursuit of the students has being hindered, the students now pay less attention to studies. In I.M.T for instance, that institution has two campus and some of the students who        stay in campus two now have to risk their lives in transporting themselves to the other campus. Not only that, the students spend a lot of money in transportation and education and the under standing which the students are supposed to gain on the part of the school it self, some of the rooms which were made to accommodate students are being used as offices for the stay in the institutes. Some of the rooms are vacancy and this being wasted because of poor management all this adversely affects the student academic pursuit.

1.3 STATEMENT OF PROBLEM

This study will be concerned with the problems posed by poor hostel accommodation, as it affects the quality of education in higher institute with particular reference to the institute of management and technology, ( IMT) Enugu and these are as follows:

The students lack concentration on studies as a result of deprivation of privacy. Students pay less attention to studies and spend much of their time trying to make money, as the money they have, have been spent on transportation.

Cultism is about to take our the academic activities that are supposed be going on in the school, as most of students who stay off campus now mix with undesirable elements and they get involved in corrupt practices

The dual campus system makes the students to be worn out before reaching their lecture halls. Administrative lapse has hindered the implementation of policies that could enhance the quality of life of the students in the hostels.

The fact that apart from the hostel fees, student who stay in the hostels spend a lot of money on feeding and acquisition of other recreational facilities.Student says they bribe officials before rooms could be allocated to them.  Why school authorities fail to provide accommodation for students eg in ESUT for instance, their is no accommodation for students, lest alone saying that it is inadequate.The last but not least is for us to find out what the management is doing about the in suffivier rooms of accommodation in IMT for instance as some of the rooms that were meant to accommodation students are now being used as offices.

1.4 OBJECTIVE OF STUDY

By and large, accommodation, irrespective of it s nature or shape lost ensure reasonable comfort and relaxation. To ensure thus, it must not be in capable of providing adequate rooms of accommodation and certain basic recreation facilities such as pipe borne water, library centers, etc. but unfortunately, most, if not all the higher institution of learning in Nigeria are devoid of some of these basic facilities and infrastructure.

The school, having been more advance and nationally known, created more rooms for the creation of more departments, which paved way for admission of student and recruitment of more personal.

1.5 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

The project will be of immense importance to the strident and authorities of tertiary institutions, especially IMT as it would not only help them trace the cause and effect of accommodation problem but also suggest how best to tackle them. Above all the way the researcher squarely traced and uprooted the root causes and effect before dashing out her recommendation will alert the government too quickly and precisely intervene, thus bringing the problems of poor student’s academic performance in adequate accommodation.

1.6 RESEARCH QUESTIONS:

• Does IMT have enough accommodation space for his student?
• Does inadequate hostel accommodation affect the student study habit?
• Does lack of hostel accommodation contributes to the unnecessary exposure of IMT female student to sugar daddy and landlord?
• Are students happy to be accommodation outside the two campuses?
• Does accommodation problem make student of IMT spend most of their money on security accommodation else where?

1.7  LIMITATION OF THE STUDY

 Financial constraint: Insufficient fund tends to impede the efficiency of the researcher in sourcing for the relevant materials, literature or information and in the process of data collection (internet, questionnaire and interview)

Time constraint: The researcher will simultaneously engage in this study with other academic work. This consequently will cut down on the time devoted for the research work.

1.8 SCOPE OF THE STUDY

Students of Institute of Management Technology (IMT), Enugu, are enrolled as participants for this study.