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The aim of this study was to analyze academic staff perception of politics of managing university education with emerging technologies in the Covid-19 pandemic era in Cross River State, Nigeria. Descriptive survey research design was adopted in this study. The population of the study was made up of all the 2867 academic staff academic staff cutting across the University of Calabar and Cross River University of Technology, all in Cross River State, Nigeria. To collect data for the study, the sample of the study was 1432 academic staff randomly selected from the entire population of academic staff of the two universities. Questionnaire was the major instrument for data collection. Data collected were coded and analyzed using mean, standard deviation and frequency counts. It was found among others that; appointment, funding, employment, award of contract and payment of EAA are all areas with political interference in the university system; YouTube, Edmodo, Facebook WhatsApp, Blogging, Telegramm, Digital White Board, Wechat, EasyBib, Notability, Projector and Zoom are among the emerging technologies in the university for teaching and learning in the covid-19 pandemic era. Among the recommendations was that university management and the government should ensure that emerging technologies are made available and optimally utilized by both academic staff and students for effective teaching, learning, assessment of students, research result dissemination and for the general management of the public universities.

The contemporary trend of global competitiveness has brought great concern for provision of quality education. Hence universities are called upon to respond through efforts in ensuring quality assurance in its programmes offerings. This study on the pursuit of quality assurance in Nigerian Universities: Issues and challenges was carried out to sample the perspective of 640 academic staff from four Federal Universities in South-South Nigeria. Survey research design was used for the study. Four research questions guided the study. A 40-item researchers’ developed instrument called “Quality Assurance Practices Questionnaire (QAPQ)” was used for data collection. The instrument was validated and reliability estimate established through Cronbach Alpha with an index of 0.86. Mean and standard deviation were used to answer the research questions. Findings indicated that various strategies exist to ensure quality assurance. Also the extent of quality assurance implementation is moderate. Findings also showed that many challenges impede the implementation of quality assurance in universities. Suggested remedies by the respondents to improve the implementation of quality assurance include; total commitment of university management to quality assurance, admission of students based on merit, adequate funding and sufficient infrastructural facilities among others.

Accreditation is carried out to ensure that universities meet acceptable standards of quality in its programme offerings. This paper, which examined politics of National Universities Commission programme accreditation practices used descriptive survey design. The research covered universities in Akwa Ibom and Cross River States, Nigeria. Three research questions were raised to enhance the study. Purposive sampling technique was utilized to raise a sample of 85 current and former Heads of Departments for the study. A 21 - item instrument titled “Politics of Accreditation Practices Questionnaire (PAPQ)” was drawn, validated and tested for reliability using Cronbach Alpha. The index of reliability was 0.84 which indicated the fitness of the instrument for use. Data derived from the instrument were analyzed using means and standard deviation. Findings indicated that politics has been part of programme accreditation practices. Aspects of politics of accreditation identified were: politics of funding, borrowed books to boost library stock, borrowed facilities, window dressing of facilities, among others. The major challenges to programme accreditation as identified by the respondents were inadequate funding, inadequate and obsolete facilities and too much paper documentation. Suggestions to remedy the challenges to accreditation included that adequate funds should be made available to universities and internal mechanism for quality assurance should be strengthened within the universities.

This study examined the Administrative Challenges of Academic Heads of Department in Universities in Cross River State, Nigeria. The study also sought to identify the strategies adopted by Heads of Departments to overcome the challenges. A descriptive survey design was utilized for the study. Four research questions guided the study. Data were collected from a sample of 129 HODs from University of Calabar (102) and Cross River University of Technology (27) using a questionnaire developed by the researchers and titled “Administrative Challenges of Academic Heads of Department Questionnaires (ACAHDQ). Data collected were analyzed with the aid of descriptive statistics (frequency and simple percentages). The findings revealed that the major challenges faced by HODs by ranking were funding 129 (100%), meeting of deadlines 126 (98%), delayed examination result 120 (93%), excess workload 118 (91.4%). Strategies used by them to combat these challenges as identified in the study included alternative sources of funding, setting deadlines early for submission of result by lecturers, working extra hours to cope with work load (schedule), extra incentives, improvisation etc. Based on the findings of the study, it was recommended that letters of appointment should be given to HODs with detailed specification of roles and responsibilities. Training retreat on professional management skills should be organized for them immediately they are appointed.

This study researched on security challenges in universities and the implications for safe school environment. Three hundred and twenty five (325) samples, constituting 50% of a population of 650 security personnel in two universities in the study area participated in the study. The study was based on three research questions and one hypothesis. Data for the study was gathered through a 42-item questionnaire. The questionnaire was validated and tested for reliability using Cronbach Alpha with a reliability index of 0.87. Data collected were analyzed using means, standard deviation and independent t-test. Results indicated that cult-related activities, kidnapping, drug abuse/offences, illegal possession of fire arms by students, students’ restiveness/demonstrations, students’ union election crisis, room break-in, stealing and pilfering and sexual assaults were the most prevalent security challenges. Findings also showed that inadequate security personnel, insufficient patrol vehicles, poor lighting of university environments, non-availability of modern security facilities, poor funding of security departments, porous campus environments, lack of security-awareness education, non-availability of electronic gadgets among others were the factors militating against effective security checks in universities. Implications for safe school environment were discussed, and one of the recommendations was that the security unit should be well funded and equipped with modern technology by the university management for a better performance.

The study considered postgraduate studies through an examination of the challenges of research and thesis writing in the University of Calabar, Calabar, Nigeria. A survey research design was adopted for the study and a sample of 200 postgraduate students comprising Master's and Doctoral candidates who wrote their theses during the 2011/2012 academic session, were used. Four research questions guided the study. A questionnaire tagged "Postgraduate Studies Questionnaire" (PGSQ) was developed, validated and used for data collection. The reliability estimate of the instrument using Cronbach Alpha was 0.86. Data collected were analyzed using frequencies and percentages. Findings indicated that postgraduate students at the University of Calabar experienced a variety of challenges in research and thesis writing aspects of their training. The most critical of the challenges revolved around students and institutional-related factors. However, supervisor-related factors did not pose any significant challenges to postgraduate students. Suggestions made by postgraduate students on ways of improving their research and thesis writing were that core research areas should be emphasized and taught in departmental seminars and workshops and internet facilities should be provided for students. Based on the findings of the study, it was recommended that periodic progress report on each postgraduate student should be submitted every semester as a feedback mechanism for monitoring progress. This will enhance proper tracking to ensure students completion on schedule. DOI: 10.5901/jesr.2016.v6n3p67

The study examined principals’ management role effectiveness of secondary schools for youth leadership in CalabarEducation Zone of Cross River State. The study employed survey research design. The target population comprisedall 158 principals in both public and private secondary schools in the study area. The sample selected throughrandom sampling technique consisted of 35 public and 35 private secondary schools principals, bringing it to a totalof 70. Three research hypotheses were formulated to guide the study. Data were collected through questionnairetitled: Principals Management Role Effectiveness Questionnaire (PMREQ). They were tested at 0.05 level ofsignificance using independent t-test and Pearson Product Moment Correlation Coefficient statistical technique.Result obtained indicated that there was no significant difference between the male and female principals as well aspublic and private schools principals in their role effectiveness for youth leadership. Hypothesis three revealed asignificant relationship between principal’s administrative competence and the development of effective leadershiprole among secondary school students in Calabar Education Zone of Cross River State. The study concluded thatprincipals’ management role effectiveness could be a veritable tool for transforming youth leadership capacities. Ittherefore suggested that induction courses for principals on management strategies should be organized regularly.Furthermore, funding of institutions should be practicalized to ease managerial stress from principals.

This study was embarked upon with a view to examining the need for peace in the management of tertiary institutions towards enhancing academic performance in south-south Nigeria. Three hypotheses and one research question guided the study. One thousand, two hundred and nineteen (1219) academic and non-academic staff were selected for the study. A 31 item researcher developed questionnaire was used to collect data from the sampled staff in their respective institutions. Population t-test and mean scores were used to analyze data collected. Findings show that peace was advocated but there were serious inadequacies in the implementation and enforcement process of peace. Proposed peace was scarcely enforced to the detriment of academic performance. The manner and approach to existing peace management does not actually address the issue of peace building. Based on the findings, recommendations were made which included among others, that conflict resolution and peace education courses should be introduced in the school curriculum.

This paper explores the impact of entrepreneurship education on career intentions among 500 students drawn from two universities in Akwa Ibom and Cross River States of Nigeria. The study adopted a survey design. Two research questions and two hypotheses were raised for the study. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire titled Entrepreneurship Education and Career Intentions Questionnaire (EECIQ). The data collected were analyzed using frequency counts, percentages and population t-test. Findings highlight that exposure to entrepreneurship education influences career intentions of tertiary school students.

This study compared the management of indiscipline among teachers by public and private school principals in Akwa Ibom State. The sample comprised four hundred and fifty (450) principals/vice principals randomly selected from a population of one thousand, four hundred and twenty eight (1,428) principals. The null hypothesis that guided the study was tested with a questionnaire titled Management of Teachers' Indiscipline Questionnaire (MTIQ). Independent t-test used to analyse the data yielded the finding that public school principals differed significantly from their private school counterparts in the management of indiscipline among teachers. On the basis of the finding, it was recommended that regular workshops and seminars involving both public and private school principal should be organized so that there will be exchange of ideas on effective management of teachers' indiscipline. Keywords : Indiscipline, Management, School, Teachers and Principals Global Journal for Educational Research Vol. 6 (1&2) 2007: pp. 35-38