USERS’ ASSESSMENT OF CONDUCIVENESS OF CAMPUS INFRASTRUCTURE AT FEDERAL UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY, MINNA

ABSTRACT

Higher educational institutions, particularly government owned institutions, in developing countries  are described as  unconducive, unhealthy and unattractive. They are being constantly challenged to improve on the state of their campus infrastructural facilities which is necessitated by the need to ensure quality teaching and learning. This study, therefore, examines the conduciveness of infrastructural facilities in Gidan-Kwano campus of Federal University of Technology Minna, Niger State, Nigeria. This study uses a descriptive research design. Three hundred and eighty questionnaires were distributed while three hundred and fifteen were returned and valid for further processing. Descriptive analyses with the overall mean  score  of  2.72  reveals  that  the  condition  of  infrastructural  facilities  and services in Gidan-Kwano campus of Federal University of Technology Minna is classified as fair. Findings reveal that health, with Relative Importance Index of 4.91 is the most considered factor for conduciveness of campus infrastructure. Findings reveal that quality internet network with Relative Importance Index 4.879 is the highest rated element for conduciveness of campus infrastructure on this campus. Exploratory factor analysis and Swisco classification of factors revealed that the Laboratory & library and recreational facilities are moderately conducive but internet facility is not conducive. The need to improve on the quality of internet and its coverage and also provision of power socket at corridors and recreational space are some of the ways to improve the conduciveness of the campus infrastructure. This study concludes that the infrastructural facilities and services provided at Gidan-Kwano campus of Federal University of Technology, Minna is less conducive for teaching and learning. Based on the findings of the study, the improvement of all campus infrastructural facilities and services to a level that is conducive is urgently required. The study recommends that the university management should pay attention to the improvement of the condition of the infrastructural   facilities   and   services.   Also,   the   effects   of   unconducive infrastructural facilities and services on quality teaching and learning is recommended for further study.

CHAPTER ONE

1.0 INTRODUUCTION

1.1 Background to the Study

The standard of learning, the learners, the teachers, and culture as a whole are all influenced by the learning environment, both directly and indirectly (Ojogwu and Alutu, 2009). To achieve complete growth in the areas of cognition, emotion, and movement of students, as indicated by Ayeni and Adelabu (2012), an educational institution must have a conducive learning environment. As a result, effective management of school physical facilities is essential in order to make the school a pleasant, safe, and comfortable environment. This will increase students’ enthusiasm to attend classes and their willingness to participate fully in both academic and extracurricular activities (Adeboyeje, 2000).

That a learning environment is conducive means an atmosphere free of both physical and mental constraint that allows for an uninhibited sharing of opinions (Ekeh & Venketsamy, 2020). In Khalid (2008), a conducive learning environment is described as one that meets the needs of its participants not just in terms of numeracy and literacy acquisition, but also in terms of linking the group’s economic and occupational demands to  literacy  learning  activities.  The  creation  of  a  conducive  learning  environment enhances student‟s abilities to learn to their potential (Banditvilai, 2016). According to McLaughlin and Talbert (2006), school environment has a great impact in the wellbeing of students and communities. An atmosphere that is conducive for learning consists of suitable  amenities  that  facilitate  and  increase  quality learning  outcomes  while  also preventing dropouts. (Ogedi & Obiano, 2017). University as a place to provide services to fulfil the needs of student‟s is measured not only by the quality of teaching but also to the state of facilities (Muhamad-shah et al., 2016).

The role of higher education is primarily aimed at human and social development realized by identifying, training and providing the skilled and innovative students wherever required, based on continuously changing demand environments (Umar et al., 2019). Consequently, quality of academic delivery serves as a prime significant factor in realizing effective roles of higher education necessitating continuous monitoring and enhancement of academic delivery. One of the goals of a university’s mission is to maintain a learning society capable of understanding and dealing responsibly with itself and the entire world (McGowen, 2007). In attaining the goal, being efficient and effective in the provision of the services is required from the University is of utmost importance.  Most Universities make efforts to achieve the efficiency and effectiveness in their educational services by prudently investing in things like facilities, human resources, education system and student according to Vidalakis et al. (2013). Infrastructural facilities have for long been thought of as a crucial element of university campuses (Mbazor et al., 2018).

Campus  Infrastructure  is  a  set  of  fundamental  facilities,  services  and  systems  that support the academic activities. This include buildings, landscaping, campus lighting, electrical and data distribution, vehicular and pedestrian circulation, potable water, sewage and so on. Universities invest in facilities not only to improve the quality of the academic services provided, but also to suit the academic expectations of the students and make their experience in the University meaningful (Mirahmi et al., 2011). Facilities, like people, technology, finance, and time, are an organizational  resource  (Isa  &Yusoff,  2015).  Facilities  support  the  organization’s

success by providing all of the essential assistance so that it may run its operations smoothly. Improving the quality of work life is one of these strategic tasks and contributions. Facilities are productivity instruments; as a result, this greater integration of facilities opens up significant prospects for gaining a competitive edge (Hallosten, 2016).

Mbazor et al. (2018) stated that infrastructural facilities are important to the overall organisational performance of universities. Besides the fact that such facilities provide a healthy learning environment for students, they are also expected to engender a safe and conducive working environment for the employees of the Universities. One of the most key elements that must be present in order to ensure that the students, who are the main reason of these higher education institutions, are satisfied and get excellent academic assistance for a nice time on campus, is facilities (Gruber et al., 2010). Thus, academic facilities and student satisfaction are strongly intertwined and cannot be easily separated or ignored.

Ilias et al. (2008), maintained that students’ perceptions of teaching and learning, teaching and learning support facilities like library, computer and lab facilities, and also the learning environment (lecture rooms, laboratories, social space and University buildings) are the major factors that could affect satisfaction level. Others are external factors of being a student, such as transportation, as well as support facilities (health facilities, student housing, and student services). The ability an institution has to provide and manage these would enable it to meet student expectations and gain competitive advantage. to provide students with high-quality services, the university must handle all aspects of the student’s interaction with all of the services available (Banwet and Datta, 2003). Thus, a strategy of continuous improvement with regard to service quality is very important (Muhamad-shah et al., 2016).

1.2 Statement of the Research Problem

In Nigeria, universities campuses have been regarded as uninviting, unproductive, unappealing, and unhygienic, with deteriorated and decaying infrastructure (Mbazor et al., 2018). The decayed and dilapidated infrastructural facilities will have significant impact on teaching and learning quality. As a result, the goals and objectives outlined in the National Policy on Education are significantly jeopardized (Ojogwu and Alutu, 2009).

Sabiu (2018) reported that the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) Kaduna Polytechnic chapter declared the school as no longer conducive for learning due to the rate of dilapidation of the school hostels. Also, another report of students‟ protests at Yaba College of Technology by Sahara reporters (2019), where the students declared the school facilities no longer conducive for learning and demanding improved learning environment. By implication, these reports of students‟ protests, whereby they engage the school management on the state of campus facilities and their request on the need of facilities conducive to learning, show the students are more aware of their right to quality education.

An anecdotal report that students and staff at the Federal University of Technology Minna, Gidan-Kwano campus are seen around stair case areas, around Information Technology Services (ITS) building and along walk ways with smart phone and laptops searching for internet access. Also, students at the University complain of inadequacy and inefficiency of sanitary provisions, some students and staffs request for free lift instead  of  using  the  bus  park.  These  observations  raised  concerns  about  the effectiveness and efficiency of the infrastructural facilities in supporting the activities of its users. Hence, this study focuses on assessing campus infrastructure performance

using conduciveness as a tool. To guide the study, the following research questions were posed:

1.         What is the condition of infrastructural facilities and services available on campus?

2.         What makes campus infrastructural facilities and services conducive?

3.         How conducive are the available infrastructure for the users?

4.         How can the infrastructural facilities and services be improved?

1.3 Aim and Objective

This study aims at assessing the conduciveness of campus infrastructure using user‟s perception at Gidan-Kwano campus of the Federal University of Technology, Minna with a view to improve on the quality of teaching and learning. The study is set to achieve this by using the objectives to:

1.         Investigate the condition of infrastructural facilities and services provided at Federal University of Technology, Minna Gidan Kwano campus

2.         Identify the measures for conduciveness of campus infrastructural facilities

3.         Investigate the extent of conduciveness of campus infrastructural facilities and services at the Federal University of Technology, Minna Gidan-Kwano.

4.         Suggest ways to improve the infrastructural facilities and services for quality teaching and learning.

1.4 Justification for the Study

The provision of a conducive environment for teaching and learning is part of the educational sector‟s long-term development strategy for high-quality sustainable practices (Zen et al., 2014). It is mentioned in the work of Mirahmi et al. (2011) that to improve the quality of learning outcome, the environment in which the students are educated must be conducive to the organization and correctly operating. The importance of core competences for the facilities manager in maintaining and assist the learning process was stressed to support that outcome.

More local study on user experiences with facilities is needed due to a deficiency of knowledge of the state of the physical surroundings that have an indirect impact on student performance (Zen et al., 2014). In Nigeria, the growing number of students, may have negative consequences on the condition of facilities, which may influence students’ patronage if they are dissatisfied with the facilities and services. (Oluwunmi et al., 2017). Furthermore, there is need to assess how the facilities perform in order to assess their condition and increase their effectiveness and efficacy (Yusoff et al., 2017). The need for learning environment evaluation stems from a desire to collect evidence that can influence future decisions.

Research works on infrastructural facilities and services and quality of teaching and learning have gathered attention (Schneider, 2002; Price, 2003; Riley et al. 2010; Akhihiero, 2011; Khurshid and Arshad, 2012; Vidalakis et al., 2013; Afework and Asfaw, 2014; Chonjo, 2018). The attention tends toward users‟ satisfaction with the facilities  but  conduciveness  of  the  facilities  is  rarely  measured.  Therefore,  the assessment  of  the  learning  environment’s  conduciveness  based  on  user  perceptions would aid in determining the entire performance of the campus society, which would include not only the institution’s functions but also the students’ quality of life and leisure activities, as well as the whole campus environment (Zen et al., 2014).

This study shall help improve infrastructural facilities and services, and its management. This research, if implemented, shall also aid University facilities managers to plan ahead of time and set goals to improve the standard of the infrastructural facilities and services available and encourage the top management on the translation of sustainable efforts into the operational activities of the University’s facilities, services, and infrastructures, which indirectly contribute to the quality of teaching provided by lecturers and learning to students.

1.5       Scope and Limitation of the Study

The scope of this research covers user‟s perspective in assessing the performance of campus infrastructural facilities and services by using conduciveness as a tool. The research covers the infrastructural facilities and services such as educational buildings, building connectivity, library, laboratory, accommodation, health care facilities, lavatories, recreational facilities, campus transportation and internet facilities provided at Gidan Kwano campus of Federal University ofTechnology Minna.

This  study is  limited to  Gidan  Kwano,  the main  campus  of  Federal  University of Technology Minna, because it is the main campus of the university and it currently comprises six out of Ten schools. Construction is ongoing for the other four schools on the same campus. This indicates the intention of the university management to site all ten schools on Gidan kwano campus. The ongoing construction is been sponsored by Tetfund.

1.6       Definition of Terms

Campus: It is a term for a building that is used for college students’ education and living quarters (Isiaka and Siong, 2008).

Infrastructure: Any physical structure or support service that is designed to develop and  support  the  learning  environment’s  correct  functioning  (Anand  et  al.,  2020).

Conduciveness: The state, quality, or condition of being conducive. (Reinink, 2004)

Assessment: the process of thinking about or inspecting anything in order to measure its value, quality, significance, scope, or condition (Atkin and Brookes, 2003).

User Perspective: This represents the opinion or observation of a client or a customer (Staff and Students) to whom the facility is delivering its services (Tucker and Smith, 2008).

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