Controlling Students’ Disciplinary Problems in Universities

Abstract

The study examined the management strategies for controlling students’ disciplinary problems in the universities south east geopolitical zone of Nigeria. Descriptive survey design was used for the study. The population of the study comprises of about 5037 administrators and student union executives; the sample of study was 1712 (980 males and 732 females) made up of 1,536 university administrators and student union executives in the ten public (five federal and five state-owned) universities in South East Geopolitical Zone. Five percent of 3,501 lecturers were selected using proportionate random sampling technique. Structured questionnaire, oral interview and focus group discussion guide were developed and used for data collection after validation by two experts in educational administration and educational evaluation. The instruments were trial-tested for reliability using Cronbach Alpha reliability coefficient to a random sample of 30 university administrators outside the study area. The overall internal consistency yielded 0.97. Four research questions and one hypothesis guided the study. Mean and standard deviation were used to answer the four research questions, while oral interview and focus group discussion guide were analyzed qualitatively; t- test statistic was used to test the null hypothesis at 0.05 level of probability. There were no significant differences in the mean ratings of males and females, experienced and less experienced and institutional ownership on university administrators on the management strategies for controlling students’ disciplinary problems in universities. The result also revealed that there are students’ disciplinary problems that constrain the acts of teaching and learning in universities and management strategies like Administrative strategies, which include banning of the sale of alcohol and drugs in the school premises; Security strategies which include searching and ceasing all dangerous weapons from students from time to time; Education/Enlightenment strategies, which will create forum for university administrators and students dialogue in Universities in South East Nigeria.