(+234)07060722008 
sales@graciousnaija.com
ABSTRACT
Lagos is documented as a centre of
spontaneous development of private schooling targeting families from the
ultra-rich, to the relatively poor. There is much debate in the literature on
the potential of private secondary education as part of a solution for
achieving Education for All, in terms of equity in access to these schools, and
also their quality and other aspects. This research work
examined Private ownership and educational management: issues and
challenges with special reference to Alimosho Local Government Area of Lagos
State. In doing this, the research discussed the structure of ownership of
schools (Public and Private) in Nigeria and examined the reasons that could
have brought private practitioners on board of the educational ladder of the
country. The research further examined the common features that characterize
Nigerian public schools such as low carrying capacity, dearth of
infrastructures among others.
The research adopted descriptive
research design method and simple random sampling technique was used in the
selection of samples. Fifty (50) samples were drawn from twelve thousand
and ninety-eight (12,098) private schools in Lagos. Data were garnered
with the use of questionnaire and interviews administered to the schools and
Ministry of Education, Lagos state, also to Education District 1 which covers
Alimosho Local Government. Data gathered were presented on tables and analysed
with the use of percentage, graph and charts.
As commendable as the efforts of
private secondary schools in Lagos are in promoting learning, some challenges
such as funding, unqualified teachers as well as aiding and abetting
examination fraud were identified and discussed.
Recommendations as to funding and
managing private secondary schools to standard were proffered.
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
BACKGROUND TO THE
STUDY
The Management and administration of
the Nigeria Educational system is by law vested concurrently in the hands of
the Federal, State and Local Government. Whereas the Federal and State
Governments carry out their responsibility and duties on education through the
respective ministries of Education which according to Ajayi and Oni (1992)
essentially render administrative and professional services, the Local
Government administers elementary education under its jurisdiction through
Local Governments Education Authority. The contribution of the three tiers of
governments is equally complemented by the efforts of the private entrepreneurs
and professional associations such as the Parents Teachers Association (PTA),
Nigerian Union of Teachers (NUT) and corporate agencies, among others. In
addition, there have been commendable efforts of philanthropists and community
members who are committed to reviving education service delivery in Nigeria.
The great public benefits of
education have historically prompted governments to assume the primary role in
managing and funding schools. Recently, a growing interest in improving school
quality and student outcomes, and a quest for greater school choice for parents
and students, and for more creativity and innovation in the schools,
themselves, have challenged the notion of government’s primacy in education
((Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)), 2006; Brewer
and Hentschke, 2009). This trend, emerging in a number of countries, is based
on the belief that the public interest in education can be better served by
also involving private entities, including parents, non-governmental
organisations and enterprises, in addition to government agencies, in managing
and funding schools.
Advocates of private schools argue
that private involvement in school management leads to more efficiency and
responsiveness to parents’ demands. Principals in these schools have more
autonomy to manage than public school principals do, although the extent of
school autonomy varies across countries. Privately managed schools may have the
authority to hire and compensate teachers and staff, and thus can select
better-prepared teachers and introduce incentives for performance. Privately
managed schools may also have more discretion on curricula and instructional
methods, and so can adapt them to the interests and abilities of their
students. In addition, privately managed school shave greater incentives to
reduce costs and may be subject to more flexible regulations. The need to attract
students means that privately managed schools must be more sensitive to
parents’ demands concerning curricula, teaching methods, facilities and
discipline, and more responsive to students’ needs.
Advocates also argue that the
existence of private schools creates a useful competition that can improve the
productive efficiency of public schools, as well, and benefit the entire
system. The families, non-profit organisations or enterprises that fund private
schools are more likely to demand better student outcomes and hold the school
accountable. Parents of children in public schools – and staff in these schools
– may then begin comparing the quality of education available in other schools
and start demanding higher standards too. Advocates also point out that more
funding from families and private institutions would ease governments’
obligation to invest in education.
This research project tends to
examine the Issues and Challenges of Private Ownership and educational
management with special reference to Lagos State.
STATEMENT OF PROBLEM
Over the years, public schools in
Nigeria have not been given concern, this is ascribed to the population
increase or the inability of government to provide more schools and facilities
to meet its population needs or due to high level of corruption in the country.
This neglect in the educational system, has left Nigeria with poor quality
public education, weak management of education, inadequate implementation of policies,
and poor tracking and monitoring of education budgets.
The failure of public schools to
provide basic opportunities for learning, low teaching standards and inadequate
training for teachers has provide a window for private entrepreneurship at all
levels of education. While tertiary education is largely owned by government,
private ownership is almost taking over the primary education.
Ownerships has seen themselves as a
partner in the provision of quality education to the teeming population of
Lagos State, which cannot be undertaken alone by the state. Thus, private
individuals and groups establish their own schools, albeit on competitive basis
and manage them within the framework of the National Policy on Education (NPE).
Private schools charge their own fees, formulate their own admission policy,
recruit their own teachers and of course have their own career guidelines.
Thus, the satisfaction derived by
the rich and poor in terms of quality education in the state constitute a
problem between the public and private schools on quality control albeit, on
ensuring quality inputs and quality output.
The issue of excellence and quality
assurance in education should be of primary concern to any Society, governments
and parents alike. Private schools and education are almost entirely exclusive;
those who pursue education in these institutions must pay for the services they
enjoy. Considering the fact that public schools do not enjoy a lot of public
confidence at the moment, owing to decaying infrastructure and years of
neglect, it seems parents are favouring privately run schools as viable
alternative to the crumbling public school structure.
At the same time, there are some
major challenges associated with a move to private schools. Some private
schools need to be so profit oriented that they will be tempted to cut corners
and deprive students of extra-curricular activities, services and enrichment
In view of the above, the study is
aimed at proffering lasting solutions to those identified problems. The
study further tends to find out the problems encountered by both the government
and the private entrepreneurs in the delivery of secondary education in Lagos
State.
PURPOSE OF THE STUDY
The aim of this research study is
to examine the issues and challenges of private ownership and educational
management in Lagos State. The objectives includes:
i. To
identify management issues facing private owners in developing and improving
the school.
ii. To
investigate if fees paid in private schools is commensurate to the performance
of students
iii. To
examine whether private schools in Lagos are of standard as required by the
guideline of the state ministry of education.
iv. To
investigate and compare the performance of private secondary school students in
WAEC and NECO 2012 – 2014.
v. To
identify the percentage of enrolment in private secondary schools as compared
with that of public secondary schools in Lagos State
vi. To
examine the role of Education Districts and Ministry of Education in quality
assurance of private secondary schools
RESEARCH QUESTIONS
Research questions are those
interrogative statements that arise often from the course of study or
alternatively they can be defined as research objectives stated in
interrogative form. Research questions are meant to generate possible answers
to different aspects of the research problem and they should be clearly stated
such that they act as guides in identification, collection and analysis of
relevant data. In order to achieve the purpose of this research study, the
study will attempt to provide answers to the following research questions in
order to arrive at a logical conclusion
i. What
are the management issues facing private owners in developing and improving the
school?
ii. Are
the fees paid in private schools commensurate to the performance of students?
iii. Do
private schools in Lagos meet the standard as required by the guideline of the
state Ministry of Education?
iv. What
are the performance of private secondary school students in WAEC and NECO 2012
– 2014?
v. What
are enrolment figures in the management of private secondary schools as
compared with that of public secondary schools in Lagos State?
vi. What
are the role of Education Districts and Ministry of Education in
quality assurance of private secondary schools?
SIGNIFICANCE OF THE RESEARCH
The significance of the research
project is to provide both theoretical and practical lasting solution to issues
and encountered by private owners of secondary schools in Lagos State. Hence,
the research will provide relevant information for individuals who want to invest
in secondary education in Lagos State.
Additionally, it could be used by
private schools owners to provide some of the likely solutions to the
challenges that could affect the efficiency and effectiveness of their
investment.
The study will also be of benefits
to the state government and most especially, the state Ministry of Education
(MOE) in identifying the various issues challenges faced by private secondary
school owners with relevant solutions
SCOPE OF STUDY
The premise on which this study is
based is, issues and challenges faced by private ownership and educational
management in Lagos State. The study covers the history of Private
ownership in educational administration in Nigeria, issues and challenges of
private secondary schools administration and solutions to address the
respective issues.
The population scope covers all
secondary school administrators of private schools in Lagos State, Nigeria.
The instruments the research adopts
are interviews and a well designed questionnaire. It leaned towards close ended
but opportunity was provided for respondents to express personal opinions or
comments on what they felt concerning some question.
The questionnaire was
administered to proprietors and proprietress of fifty (50) selected private
secondary schools in Lagos. To gather more facts interviews were granted to
respective private secondary schools.
To justify the private school
standards, interviews were granted to Education District and Ministry of
Education to identify if private secondary schools met requirements as provided
by the government bodies.
Statistically, data garnered were
presented and analysed using descriptive statistics such as tables with
percentage distribution, bar chart and pie charts.
DEFINITION OF TERMS
Words that are frequently used in
this research work are short listed here and briefly discussed to enable the
reader get equipped with their meaning. Some which are:
FUND:
This is an amount set aside for the purpose, which is some special. It is a
financial resource, a stock, a supply provided with money.
PRIVATE SCHOOLS:
These are schools own, control, directed and operated solely by individual with
exception of government hands.
MOTIVATION: It
means to cause or make a person to wish to work or act in a certain way.
EXAMINE: To
look into and consider carefully the identified issues and challenges in
private secondary schools of Lagos state.
PROPRIETORS:
The owners of the private secondary school owners in Lagos State.
Infrastructure: The
basic structural part of something, e.g roads, sewage bridges, etc regarded as
facilities
TOPIC: PRIVATE OWNERSHIP AND EDUCATIONAL MANAGEMENT: ISSUES AND CHALLENGES (A STUDY OF SELECTED PRIVATE SECONDARY SCHOOLS
Format: MS Word
Chapters: 1 - 5
Delivery: Email
Delivery: Email
Number of Pages: 65
Price: 3000 NGN
In Stock
No comments:
Post a Comment
Add Comment