CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
Background to the Study
The continual increase in school enrolment in Nigeria in recent years has led to corresponding needs of more qualified teachers, non teaching staff, material resources and physical facilities. This trend has in turn led to demand and employment of personnel and provision of requisite facilities, thus, increasing the cost of financing education. However, the rate of school enrolment still far outweighs the rate of provision of teaching staff and facilities because of insufficient financial backing. Akilaiya (2001) observed this trend, pointing out that the non-corresponding expansion in facilities, has resulted in gradual but general collapse of the system. The continual increase in school enrolment and the need for more qualified teaching staff led to the establishment of colleges of education.
Colleges of education are tertiary institutions of learning formally established to produce highly dedicated and efficient teachers for the basic education system. Colleges of education, whether public or private award the Nigeria Certificate of Education (NCE). As teacher education institutions, the goals of Colleges of Education according to the Federal Republic of Nigeria (2004) include: encouragement of the spirit of enquiry and creativity in teachers; helping teachers to fit into the social life of the community and society at large and to enhance their commitment to national objectives; providing teachers with the intellectual and professional background adequate for their assignment; and to make them adaptable to any changing situation not only in the life of their country, but in their wider world; enhancing teachers’ commitment to the teaching
profession.
For colleges of education to achieve the above objectives, the physical facilities made available to them must be efficiently and effectively managed. Colleges of education are administered by Provosts and a host of other officers, including the Deputy Provosts, Registrars, Deans of diffe