ASSESSEMENT OF THE PROVISION, UTILISATION AND MAINTENANCE OF FACILITIES IN SECONDARY SCHOOLS

This studyassessed Provision, Utilization and Maintenance of Facilities in Secondary Schools in Bida and Kutigi Educational Zones in Niger State. Objectives of the study were toascertain the provision, utilization and maintenance of infrastructural facilities, teaching facilities, learning facilities, welfare facilities and recreational and games facilities in secondary schools in Bida and Kutigi Educational Zones in Niger state. Related literatures of concepts in relation to the study were reviewed. The research was conducted using the descriptive survey research design. Seventy five itemquestionnaire tagged (PUMOFQ) using likert rating scale of strongly agree (SA), agree (A), Disagree (D), and Strongly Disagree (SD) was used to gather data. The instrument was validated by my supervisors, pilot tested and a reliability co-efficient of 0.82 was obtained.Sample population of 300 Participants (137 Principals and 163 Teachers) were used, the sample was taken using judgmental/purposive sampling technique. Five null hypotheses were formulated and tested using chi-Squareat 0.05 level of significance. The researchfindings revealed that, infrastructural facilities, teaching facilities, learning facilities, welfare facilities and recreational and games facilities in Secondary Schools in Bida and KutigiEducational Zones in Niger State were not adequately provided, the available ones were under-utilized and were poorly maintained. Recommendations were made which included that; Government who is the key player in providing and maintaining such facilities should not by-pass school principals and teachers. Host communities and Parent Teachers Association of the schools should also hold periodical consultation with principals and teachers aiming at complimenting governments’ efforts. Principals and Teachers should be faithful and patriotic when managing the fund meant for provision and maintenance of Educational facilities. Suggestions for further studies were made which include that; Assessment of attitude of stakeholders on the management of facilities for teaching and learning in Secondary schools in other states of the federation and attitude of Teachers /students towards utilization and maintenance of facilities in schools be researched on.

There are growing concerns among Education stakeholders and Practitioners about

the present poor state of Infrastructural facilities available for teaching and learning in Secondary Schools across the Country. There are calls for the need to re-vamp the Educational sector to address the concerns of the citizenry and comply with Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). These calls, gave rise to the current educational reforms of the Federal Government.