Project – An evaluation of problems of insufficient students accommodation in college of agriculture, science and technology

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1   Background of the Study

Hornby (2019) defined hostel as a building in which boarding and lodging are provided (with the support of the authorities concerned) for students, staff or workmen in training. The British English dictionary also refers to it as a lodging place with dormitory accommodation and shared facilities. It includes shared room (dormitory) accommodation that accepts individuals or group for short term stays and provide common areas and communal facilities.

Accommodation has to do with privacy, personal space and territoriality. Student accommodation can be seen as a place of abode for students; it is also a place where students live and it is usually situated within the College where students are accommodated in hostels or halls of residence (Ezeukwu, 2017). This hall of residence, apart from protecting students from sun, rain, heat and cold, represent a learning environment which has tremendous impact on the comfort, safety and performance of students. The essence is to enable students settle down and have a place of rest.

Alluding to this, Ozioko (2017) affirmed that adequate accommodation is one of the student’s personnel services that enhance the achievement of educational objectives or instruction in an educational institution. Furthermore, Onyegiri (2014), stated that the essence of hostels is to accommodate students and to encourage effective teaching and learning.

The problem of students’ accommodation started in 1973 when the Federal Government took over the existing tertiary institutions and even established new ones without giving serious consideration to the implications of such policy decision including the large student’s population it inherited from the take-over schools.

Lack of or inadequate living space among students is one of the causes of psychological difficulty, and the likely hood of disposition to aggression is high among students when they are not properly accommodated or when they are crowded. This is because when an environment is not conducive, it leads or results in aggressive behaviors emanating from such environment. (Ozioko, 2017).

This development force many students to live off-campus where they are exposed to all kinds of danger and threats. For those who are lucky to secure private accommodation within the campus, they are charged exorbitant rents and even at that, safe drinking water and access to affordable means of transportation are not assured. All of these constraints affect student’s academic achievement negatively. (Alumanah, 2011).

The problems arising from the above situation are enormous. For example, a room which is meant and structurally designed for two persons now accommodates four to six students. The implication is that other household facilities like water supply, electricity and toilets are over used because they are now serving more people than it was originally meant.

The present situation is apparently affecting the student’s in many ways, and no strategies have been adopted so far to arrest the situation. This situation informs the researcher’s interest to investigate how best to handle the situation, that is management of student hostel accommodation challenges in College of Agriculture, Science and Technology, Lafia, as a case study.

1.2     Statement of the Problem

Shelter is considered to be the next most important basic needs for human after food. A reconnaissance survey reveals most hostels of the institution are crowded, poorly built and not adequately provided with amenities. This poses a serious danger to the health of the students. Furthermore, there has been no improvement in the hostel facilities and building of new hostel despite increase in the intake of students every year.

If hostels are too crowded, poorly built and not adequately supplied with water, it can lead to epidemic or increased incidence of sickness and even death. Conversely good housing leads to good health and higher rate of academic participation. The consequence of this hostel accommodation problem in the campuses is that many students who are not accommodated in the hostel are now being charged exorbitant fees for accommodations outside the campuses. The most sympathetic thing is that many of these houses are in a very poor state of disrepair. Hardly does one find good water in such houses, let alone decent toilet system.

Therefore, the focus of this study is on the need to investigate students’ accommodation challenges in College of Agriculture, Science and Technology, Lafia and identify problems associated in managing the available hostel facilities as well as various management strategies used to curb the problems.

1.3     Aim and Objectives

The aim of this study is to evaluate the problems of insufficient students’ accommodation in College of Agriculture, Science and Technology, Lafia. Other objectives are To:

1. Examine the types of accommodation in College of Agriculture, Science and Technology, Lafia.
2. Identify facilities available for accommodation in College of Agriculture, Science and Technology, Lafia.
3. Examine condition of hostel accommodation in College of Agriculture, Science and Technology, Lafia.
4. Examine the factors responsible for hostel accommodation problems in the study area.
5. Identify challenges faced in managing the hostel accommodation at the College of Agriculture, Science and Technology, Lafia.

1.4     Research Questions

To guide this study, the following research questions were posed;

1. What types of hostel accommodation is present in the study area?
2. What facilities for hostel accommodation is available in the study area?
3. What is the condition of hostel accommodation and facilities in the study area?
4. What factors are responsible for hostel accommodation problems in the study area?
5. What challenges are faced in managing hostel accommodation in the study area?

1.5     Scope of the Study

This study is carried evaluate the problems of Insufficient Students’ Accommodation with particular reference to College of Agriculture, Science and Technology, Lafia. It focuses on the nature of student hostel accommodation problems, factors responsible for these problems, implications of these problems in academic performance of students, factor(s) responsible for poor maintenance of available hostel accommodation and finally, the management strategies on how to solve these problems, its impact on health, actions being taken by Students Affairs Department and Management Strategies that could be adopted by the College of Agriculture, Science and Technology, Lafia.

1.6     Limitation of the Study

In terms of limitations, geographical limitation is encountered by limiting the study to College of Agriculture, Science and Technology, Lafia, alone without taking into cognizance other institutions of learning in the Nasarawa State.

1.7     Significance of the Study

It is expected that the finding of this study will be useful to the following: students, Students Affairs Department and the General Public. It is likely therefore that without the adequate provision of hostel accommodation in the College of Agriculture, Science and Technology, Lafia, higher education objectives will not be achieved and student’s overall development will not be attained.

Students will benefit from this work because it is the students who will enjoy improved services which will emanate from the result of this study. Since the findings of the study will help in developing strategies that would assist in designing administrative techniques that would go a long way in improving students accommodation in these colleges.

Also, this study would be of greater benefit and importance to the student Affairs department as it will help them identify what they have to provide in their various hostels.

Finally, this study will be of immense benefit to the general public in that they have the right to be informed on the problems of students’ hostel accommodation of which the government is soliciting their participation in addressing the situation. This is because when there is conducive atmosphere in the Polytechnic; the objectives of higher education, which is the production of higher level manpower, will be greatly achieved.

Project – An evaluation of problems of insufficient students accommodation in college of agriculture, science and technology