Educational Wastage in Colleges of Education in Nigeria: Situational Report

Abstract

The research examined the situation of educational wastage in Colleges of Education. This study adopted descriptive research design of survey type. The population for this study comprised all the 70 Colleges of Education in existence between 2013/2014 and 20117/2018 in Nigeria. These Colleges of Education were owned by both the federal and state governments in Nigeria. There were 26 federal and 50 states owned Colleges of Education located in all the six geo-political zones of the country. The sample for this study comprised of twelve (12) Colleges of Education. The respondents were all the 191 heads of departments drawn from these twelve (12) Colleges of Education in three geo-political Zones. The sample technique involved multi-stage, stratified random and purposive samplings. The instrument used was a self-developed inventory titled ‘Inventory on wastages in Colleges of Education in Nigeria’ (IWCOEN). The instrument was subjected to screening by experts in Educational Management and Test and Measurement. Data collected were analysed using descriptive statistics such as cohort and percentages. The findings of the study revealed 3.01% stagnation rate in year one and 2.37% in year two, the dropout rate was 2.08% in year one while year two had 1.54%. It was concluded that there was high wastage rate in The Colleges of Education in Nigeria. Based on the conclusion, it was therefore recommended that management of Colleges of Education should provide enabling environment for the students to learn and that the policy of five maximum years for students should be reduced to allow those that could no graduate within the approve years to privilege of spending more years.