University Don Advocates Effective Monitoring, Supervision of Educational Institutions

Gbenga Sodeinde in Ado Ekiti

A professor of Educational Management in the Faculty of Education, Ekiti State University, Ado-Ekiti, (EKSU), Babatope Arogundade, has called on stakeholders in the education sector across the country to put in place proper monitoring and supervision of educational institutions to enhance sustainable development.

Delivering the 73rd inaugural lecture of the institution titled ‘Repositioning work environment towards sustainable educational development in Nigeria’, Babatope decried the absence of effective monitoring and supervision mechanism in most educational institutions in Nigeria.

The university don noted that Nigeria’s institutions lack the required conducive work environment that could ensure sustainable educational development in terms of the provision of physical facilities and participation in the decision-making process, among others.

“There had been a common belief among scholars, researchers, educational planners and administrators that a conducive work environment deserves priority attention. No sufficient efforts have been made to actualise this in Nigeria’s educational institutions.”

“Nigeria’s educational institutions are not enjoying the required conducive work environment that could ensure sustainable educational development in terms of provision of physical facilities, motivation, participation in the decision-making process, authority/staff/student relationship, information services, effective supervision, adequate financing and others,” he added.

While calling on the federal government to honour the recommendation of a minimum of 26 per cent expenditure on education recommended by UNESCO, he also advocated more provision of facilities like good lecture rooms, equipped laboratories and libraries, good offices space, lecture theatres and recreational facilities.

The importance of school facilities cannot be overemphasised,” he explained. “Hence, there should be more provision of such facilities like good lecture rooms, equipped laboratories and libraries, good offices space, lecture theatres and recreational facilities in order to enhance the effectiveness of both the lecturers and students alike for the objectives which are within the orbit of the goal for sustainable development.”

Babatope equally called on the government of Governor Biodun Oyebanji to adequately fund the Institutions in the state to enhance the effectiveness of both the lecturers and students alike, noting “Special training programmes such as seminars, induction courses, conferences and workshops that are capable of improving the school work environment and academic programmes should be provided to facilitate sustainable development.”

“Proper monitoring and supervision of educational institutions should be done to enhance sustainable development. No organization can function effectively without supervision. It is a formative, supportive and developmental tool which has to be provided to improve and promote growth and development,” added Babatope. “Participation in the decision-making process in the school system should be effectively utilized since it was discovered that it helps in achieving sustainable development goals.”

He stated that the “flow of information is a central element that needs to be ‘present in all organisations and lack of it could lead to unattainable organisational goals.” 

On his part, the institution’s Vice-Chancellor, Prof Edward Olanipekun, hailed the laudable efforts of the professor, adding that adequate funding is the factor responsible for the sustainable development of educational institutions.