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As captured in the National Policy of Education that private investors are needed to contribute to the growth of the country, the current study finds out the contribution of private universities to the advancement of Kwara State with evidence from Al-Hikmah University. The research design adopted was a qualitative type. Both purposive and convenience sampling techniques were employed to select four participants for the study. An interview protocol titled "Interview Protocol on Contribution of Private Universities (IPCPU)" was employed to elicit relevant information. Findings indicate that the university contributes immensely to the growth of Kwara State. The contribution includes enrolment of students into the university, employment generation, and manpower development. Similarly, results indicate that the challenges connected to the university include non-access to external funds and inconsistent government policy among others. It was suggested that government should provide enabling environment to remove the policy threat by giving constitutional recognition to the efforts of the private sector in the creation and operation of private universities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Quality assurance practices are input, process and output systems that are put in place by school administrators in order to ensure academic standards. It is on this premise that this study examined quality assurance practices as determinants of academic staff effectiveness. The study population consists of 6,577 academic staff in South-west Nigerian Polytechnics. Stratified and random sampling techniques were used to select 327 academic staff. An adapted instrument titled "Quality Assurance Practices Questionnaire" (QAPQ) and "Academic Staff Effectiveness Questionnaire" (ASEQ) were used to collect relevant data. Data collected were analysed using percentage and correlation methods. Findings indicate several quality assurance practices, which include quality assurance in recruitment of lecturers, staff supervision, capacity building, and library services. Also, the study revealed a significant relationship between quality assurance practices and academic staff effectiveness. Specifically, it was found that ensuring quality assurance in recruitment of lecturers is a determinant of academic staff effectiveness. Similarly, quality assurance in library services is a key determinant of academic staff effectiveness. Based on the findings of the study, it can be said that quality assurance practices had great influence on academic staff effectiveness as revealed in the study and that the predominantly used quality assurance practice among Polytechnics management in South-west Nigerian Polytechnics was library services. The study recommends that management of polytechnics should sustain the optimal utilization of quality assurance practices, to boost institutional effectiveness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Enrolment and graduation rates are regarded as important indices that can be used to measure the growth and development of higher institutions, be it private or public. It is on this premise that this study assessed the students’ enrolment and graduation rates in Al-Hikmah University and its implication for the management. Two research questions were raised to guide the study. In order to provide answers to the research questions, secondary data were collected that consists of number of students’ enrolment from 2006–2019. Also, number of students that graduated were obtained from 2009–2019. Data collected were analysed using descriptive method. Findings of the study revealed high students’ enrolment from 2006 to 2020. Specifically, the highest enrolment in the university was in 2019 where it had 2793 at undergraduate level while 288 students were admitted in the year 2020 at postgraduate level. On graduation rate, findings showed that in the 2015/2016, 874 students graduated from the university, been the highest number of graduands ever recorded at undergraduate level while 64 postgraduate students were graduated in the year 2017/2018 session, been the highest number since the inception of the university. Based on the foregoing, the study concludes that enrolment and graduation rates are key determinants of school success. The study recommends that there is need for recruitment of agents to assist the university in sourcing for students that are yearning for admission. The agents to be recruited must be remunerated based on number of students they bring to the university; this will increase their recruitment drive. Lastly, there is need for downward review of the school fees so as to increase the enrolment of students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The sudden disruption of academic activities by Covid-19 in the year 2020, compelled government to introduce total lockdown in Nigeria. It is on this premise that this study examined private schools' management strategies amidst lockdown. Four questions were generated to guide the study. The research resign of descriptive and correlation type were used for the study. The study population comprises of proprietors of nursery, primary and secondary schools across the six geo-political zones in Nigeria. An instrument tagged "Private School Management Strategies Questionnaire (PSMSQ)" was employed to collect comprehensive information from the respondents. Findings revealed different strategies employed for managing schools during the lockdown differs. While some perceived no significant difference on income and teaching strategies on the basis of gender, some perceived differences on the basis of population and communication. In the same vein, a significant difference exists on income generation and teaching strategies based on school type and geo-political zones. The study concluded that different strategies employed by proprietors for managing schools during lockdown helped to ensure seamless teaching and learning despite the lockdown. The study recommends that private schools should have uniform strategies that can be used to ensure continuous teaching if there is any pandemic in the future. Lastly, online teaching and learning should be integrated into the school curriculum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is no doubt about the fact that information and communication technology utilisation (ICT) is a life wire of any school organisation. However, planners and administrators are aware of the contributions that ICT utilisation could make to the enhancement of academic activities of the institutions. The attainment of the goals and objectives of higher institutions of learning required the availability and optimal utilisation of ICT. Based on the foregoing premise, this study examined ICT utilisation as a veritable tool for academic staff effectiveness in Nigerian Polytechnics. The concept and importance of ICT utilisation were critically examined. Challenges associated with ICT utilisation were highlighted, which include unsteady power supply, inadequate funding, poor quality of telecommunication connections, and lack of qualified ICT operators. The study concluded that the contribution of ICT utilisation to the development of entire level of education today make it necessary for the adoption of ICT utilisation by the school authorities, administrators as well as the lecturers in such a way that it easier for the utilisation of application packages (like power point presentation, Microsoft word process, spread sheet and so on), internet application (video conferencing, e-mail, data base, e-learning) and computer hardware facilities (photo copier machine, printing machine, scanners, laptops to mention but a few). This helps to improve the quality of teaching-learning process, academic and administrative effectiveness in institutions. Also, the technological devices of an institution are a major determinant factor in the actualisation of its objectives. The study recommends that proper funding should be provided for the procurement of ICT devices and equipment which are capital intensive. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]