TABLE OF CONTENTS
Title Page i
Approval page ii
Certification iii
Dedication iv
Acknowledgements v
Table of Contents vi
List of Table viii
Abstract ix
CHAPTER ONE:
INTRODUCTIONS
Background of the Study 1
Statement of the Problem 10
Purpose of the Study 11
Research Questions 12
Significance of the Study 12
Scope of the Study 15
CHAPTER TWO: REVIEW OF LITERATURE
Conceptual Framework 16
Concept of Universal Basic Education 16
Concept of School library 20
Concept of management 23
Management of school libraries 25
School library resources for achievement of UBE goals 34
Roles of School Library for achievement of UBE goals 39
Problems of School Library for achievement of UBE goals 41
Strategies for enhancing effective school library management 42
Theoretical Framework 44
Review of Related Empirical Studies 45
Summary of Literature Review 52
CHAPTER THREE: RESEARCH METHOD
Design of the Study 54
Area of the Study 54
Population of the Study 54
Sample and Sampling Techniques 55
Instrument for Data Collection 55
Validation of Instrument 55
Method of Data Collection 56
Method of Data Analysis 56
CHAPTER FOUR: RESULTS
Summary of findings 67
CHAPTER FIVE: DISCUSSION, RECOMMENDATIONS
AND CONCLUSION Discussion of findings 69
Implications of the study 73
Conclusion 74
Recommendations 74
Limitations of the study 75
Suggestions for further Research 76
REFERENCES
APPENDIX
Appendix 1: Questionnaire 88
Appendix 2: Population 88
Appendix 3: Sample Size 89
Appendix 4: Observation Checklist 90
Appendix 5: Interview 92
LIST OF TABLES
Table 1: Response on checklist on school library materials for achieving UBE goal 58
Table 2: Response on planning of school library facilities for achieving UBE
goal 59
Table 3: Response on organization of school library material resources for achieving UBE goals 60
Table 4: Response on controlling
method on school library for achieving UBE goal 62
Table 5: Response on staffing process on school library for achieving UBE
goals 63
Table6: Response on the constraints to management of school library for
achieving UBE goal 65
Table 7: Response on strategies use on school library for achieving
UBE goal 66
Abstract
This study
concentrated on management of school libraries for the achievement of universal
basic education goals in south east Nigeria. . The population consist of 1824
teachers, librarians and UBE Officials from three local government area each,
in three selected state in south east Nigeria. 337 respondents were sampled
using purposive and random sampling techniques. The purpose of the study was to
determine types of resources available in school libraries, appropriate methods
used in planning school library, method used in organizing school library;
control measure adopted to ensure effective control of school library, staffing
process used in school library, problems and strategies used to enhance school
library management for achievement of UBE goals. The study adopted a
descriptive survey design. The
questionnaire, interview and checklist were used as instrument for data
collection. The data collected were analyzed using frequency, percentage and
mean score count presented in table. Two experts from library and information
sciences and one from Department of measurement and Evaluation validated the
instrument. The findings of the study revealed that 50% of library resources
out of sixty nine items listed are available, competent Liberian should be
employed for actualization of UBE goals in south east Nigeria. The study
recommended that concerted effort should made by school library management and
school authority for actualizing UBE goal.
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
Background of the Study
Basic
education is fundamental to human and national development. It is the
foundation upon which other levels of education are built and a necessary
requirement for human and national progress (Tahir, 2006). The provision of
basic education for all citizens, according to Ochoyi and Danladi (2008) has
been a global objective which Nigeria like some other nations sets out to
achieve through the Universal Basic Education (UBE) programme. The need for
such intervention scheme in the nation’s educational system is borne out of the
realization of the role of education in an individual’s life and in the
promotion of social, political and economic development in every nation. It is
said that no nation can rise above its educational level.
Before
the introduction of the UBE programme, the existing policy and programme of
government for education was found to give rise to distortions, high rate of
dropouts, narrow curriculum content and half baked graduates that did not meet
the needs of the society. The UBE scheme was therefore launched to address
these problems by providing free, universal and compulsory basic education to
all children regardless of sex, age, ethnic or religious inclinations, language
or status. It is also to accommodate comprehensive adult literacy programme.
The scheme is therefore designed to ensure adequate and qualitative education
that is directed towards the achievement of the nation’s objectives.
The Universal Basic Education (UBE) programme was launched on
30th September 1999 by the then President of Nigeria, President Olusegun
Obasanjo. The programme is designed to provide free and compulsory education
for children in the primary and junior secondary schools in the country.
President Obasanjo on launching the scheme assured that the many problems that
bedevilled the 1976 Universal Primary Education (UPE) programme would not be
allowed to hamper the 9-year basic education programme. He further pointed out
that the scheme is aimed at arresting the decline and decay as well as
expanding and improving on the UPE scheme.
The UBE programme is also designed to
remove distortions and inconsistencies in basic education delivery and to
reinforce the implementation of the National Policy on Education. It is also to
provide greater access to basic education and ensure its quality throughout the
country. . Universal Basic Universal Basic Education in the context of this
study is that type of education in quality and quantity given at the base level
of education. The Universal Basic Education Act (2004) defines Universal Basic
Education as early childhood care and education, the nine years of formal
schooling, adult literacy and non-formal education, skills acquisition
programmes and the education of special groups such as nomads and migrants,
girl-child and women, almajiri, street children and disabled groups. Universal in this context means the whole
people without exception. Basic means, the base on which anything rest, the
root or the springboard, the bottom or the foundation from which other parts
get support. It means the type of education given at the base level Education for
other subsequent level of educational attainment in life which access is not
restricted to anybody.
Universal Basic Education Scheme recognizes
the Importance of providing universal access to education to all by improving
educational quality and expanding facilities for development from early
childhood to the age for children. The following according to Universal Basic
Education Act (Nigeria, Federal Government of, 2000) are the aims/objects as
specified in the Universal Basic Education guidelines for implementation.
i). Developing the
entire citizenry a strong consciousness for education commitment to its
vigorous promotion
ii). The provision of
free Basic Education for every Nigerian child of school age
iii). Reducing
drastically the incidence of drop out from formal school system.
iv). Catering for the
learning needs of young persons who for one reason or the other have had to interrupt
their schooling through appropriate forms of complementary approaches to the
provision and promotion of Basic Education.
v). Ensuring the
acquisition of literacy numeracy, manipulative, communication, life skills as
well as ethical, moral and civil values needed for effective implementation of
Universal Basic Education.
It is based on the above
educational philosophy education should be learner centred, self directed,
active, resource based, functional and skill oriented. The broad aim according to
(FGN, 2003) is to give a solid foundation for lifelong learning through the
inculcation of appropriate learning-to-learn, self-awareness, citizenship and
life skills. Based on the above it can be concluded that beyond increasing
access improved quality is considered as a key goal of basic education in
Nigeria. Improved quality is hinged on the fact that education now is
child-centered, resource-based and active. The philosophy according to National
Policy on Education, stressed that education should be learner cantered,
resource-based, encouraging methods, developing skills conducive for life-long
learning as well as learning as an active process.
In
order to achieve the objective of universal basic education programme. The
Federal Government outlined nine guidelines to facilitate the successful
achievement of stated objectives of the programme. These include: public
enlightenment and social mobilization for community involvement, data
collection and analysis of human and material resources, planning, monitoring
and evaluation; teacher recruitment, education, training, re-training,
motivation, provision of infrastructural facilities, provision of enriched
curricula, provision of textbooks, and instructional materials, improving
funding and school libraries management (FRN, 2004).
School
library can be defined as a place mapped out in the school where one can
access; store and read up information and as well retrieve information for the
achievement of Universal Basic Education goal. School libraries are established
to support the educational curriculum of schools, which could only be achieved
through various means such as the provision of relevant library resources,
which are relevant with the school curricula, provision of various information
services ranging from technical to readers services (Markless and Streatifield
2004). School library is an organized
collection of books placed in school for teachers and pupils. It may comprise
of reference books and books for home reading under the care of a professional
librarian. It is an indispensable unit in any school, regardless of its
educational philosophy (Onwubiko and Uzoigwe 2004). It is also the type of
libraries that operated in primary, secondary or high schools and teacher
training colleges such libraries and media resource centres are widely
acknowledge to being critical to effective teaching and learning in these
schools. They are not only provide the learning resource for the total
educational programme of the school but help pupils and students acquire skills
in reading, observing, listening, thinking and communication ideas (Opeke
1994).
School
library is therefore committed to the development of the basic education
sector, which is the foundation of any educational set-up. The need for
adequate provision of information materials, staff, infrastructural facilities,
accommodation is essential for school for school library to perform its role
effectively. The school library functions by providing books and non-book
materials/media that are collected to support the teaching and educational
activities of the school from early childhood (Kolade, 2001). School library is
seen as laboratory for learning and teaching. It has a very good role to play
in the achievement of the Universal Basic Education goal. This is because
school library’s role is to foster reading habit and skills, as well as
developing learning in an independent way. It is pertinent and obvious therefore that the
school library is very essential and critical to any sound educational programme
and as such the need for proper, effective and efficient organization of its
library resources. That perhaps supplements Dike’s (1993) proposition that the
school library can play a crucial role in encouraging reading and the
development of reading habits and skills. She outlined six major roles played
by the school library in fulfilling the objectives of modern education.
According to her, the school library encourages reading, expands learning
resources, develops learning skills, develops critical thoughts, develops
values, attitudes and appreciations, and then assists with developmental tasks.
These objectives align invariably with the promises of the universal basic
education scheme.
One can therefore quickly deduce from
this backdrop that the assisting roles of the library in the realization of the
educational roles of the young child are immeasurable. It is at this hub and
centre of learning that the young child is prepared with adequate skills for
handling information rather than immediate and abrupt acquisition of
information resources. These goals are obviously not far from the roles of the
school library as a media resource centre, equipped and poised to develop and
improve the young child beyond exclusive teaching where the teacher not the
learner is the focus. But commendable is the role of the school library as a
resource centre with several resource based tools which ultimately break down
all barriers standing on the way of the learner for the attainment of a
purposeful all-inclusive literacy and learning skills. The emphasis of school
library in UBE is the use made of the library. In the libraries,
students/pupils discover the world of knowledge, make use of the resources
personally, acquire information liberally and develop research skills for
life-long learning. It is pertinent from the foregoing that
school librarianship is a very essential component of any sound education
programme and as such, the professional commitments and programmes of
librarians must pay considerable attention to school librarianship.
The school librarian is a person who is professionally trained in
librarianship and in charge of the school library. Elaturoti (2001) described
school librarian as the professionally and qualified staff member responsible
for planning and managing the school library. Stressing further, the author
noted that the designation used for the school librarian varies from one
country to another. In countries like Canada, Sri Lanka, Botswana, and Hong
Kong they are called teacher librarians while in United States of America they
are called school library media specialists and in the Great Britain they are
referred to as school librarians. Moreover, Rubin (2010) posited that librarian
is a person who works professionally in a library, providing access to
information and sometimes social or technical programming. They are usually
required to hold a degree from library school such as master’s degree in
library science or library and information studies. According to the author,
the role or function of the librarian is embedded on the provision and
maintenance of information in many format including books, electronic
resources, magazines, news papers, audio and video recordings, maps,
manuscripts photograph and other graphic materials. Rubin also asserted that
librarians also render such other services like providing information services,
including information literacy instruction, computer provision and training; coordination
with community group to host public programs among others. From the foregoing,
it could be deduced that through the instrumentality of school libraries, with
the roles of the school librarians to ensure effective management for the full
implementation and actualization of the aim and objectives that informed the
Universal Basic Education (UBE). In
addition, for school libraries to promote the goals of Universal Basic
Education (UBE) it has to be well managed. ”
Management is the organizational process that includes strategic
planning, setting objectives, managing resources, deploying the human and
financial assets needed to achieve objectives, and measuring results. Nwachukwu
(2009) perceived management as the co-ordination of all the resources of an
organization through the process of planning, organizing, directly and
controlling in order to attain organizational objectives. The author reiterated
that management is the supervising, controlling, and coordinating of activity
to attain optimum results with organizational resources. From the above view,
two things are evidence in the above definitions: organizational objectives and
organizational resources. The managers are saddled with the task of
accomplishing organizational objectives with organizational resources such as
library resources which will lead to the attainment of Universal Basic
Education objectives in south east Nigeria. , Ogbuonu (2014) stated that
management is referred to as the procedure in which people’s efforts are
directed towards achieving their established objectives in groups. This is an
indication that when proper management is focused on the school libraries, its
objectives will be achieved to enhance the goal of Universal Basic Education
through the managerial function mention above. These managerial function as
distilled from the above definitions are five in number: planning, organizing, staffing, directing and
controlling.
Planning
according to (Ogunu2000) is the process of setting goals and choosing the means
to achieve those goals. A sound planning is imperative for the successful
achievement of the goals in the desired direction. It involves determining the
way library facilities will put in place to achieve a life- long learning
education for effective actualization of Universal Basic Education. Nwachukwu
(2009) argues that overall plan involves broad company objectives while
departmental plan involves the effort to achieve subsidiary goals which
contribute to the achievement of the overall enterprise objective. He notes
that, in a business enterprise, it is the managing director that determines the
kinds of activities to be undertaken, the resources to be employed and the
customers to appeal to. He maintains that planning helps to identify the
policies programmes, procedures practices and problems, arguing it is a
thought-and-deision activity that that important questions such as who, what,
where, why, and how much (resources) are to be used, are answered
intelligently. It is worthy of note the business management is different from
library management. While business enterprises are set up mainly for profit
making, school libraries are social service organization. As service-oriented
organizations, which libraries are, there is need for effective planning by
library managers to achieve Universal Basic Education.
Directing is an important managerial function through which
management initiates actions in the organization. It is a function of
management which is related with instructing, guiding and inspiring human
factor in the organization to achieve organization objectives. It is a function
to be performed at every level of management. Direction is a continuous process
and it continues throughout the life of the organization and school library to
achieve UBE goals. It initiates at the top level in the organization and school
library to the bottom through the hierarchy. It emphasizes that a subordinate
is to be directed by his own superior only. Direction has dual objectives. On
the one hand, it aims in getting things done by subordinates and, on the other,
to provide superiors opportunities for some more important work which their
subordinates cannot do.
Organizing
is also one of managerial function which is the process of delegating and
co-coordinating tasks and resources to achieve objectives. Nwachukwu (2009)
defined organizing as a process of creating an organization structure to
achieve objectives. He opinions that it is the organization that determine the
type of people required and their relationships. He further suggests that the
type of personnel and structure in a hospital required in a weaving enterprise
or school libraries. Thus, the type of
personnel and structure required in a school library setting is different from
other organization and it will attain
Universal Basic Education goals in south east Nigeria.
Staffing,
as the next function of management, consists of a selection of appropriate staff
for the orga
