CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY
The Management and administration of the Nigeria Educational system is by law vested concurrently in the hands of the Federal, State and Local Government. Whereas the Federal and State Governments carry out their responsibility and duties on education through the respective ministries of Education which according to Ajayi and Oni (1992) essentially render administrative and professional services, the Local Government administers elementary education under its jurisdiction through Local Governments Education Authority. The contribution of the three tiers of governments is equally complemented by the efforts of the private entrepreneurs and professional associations such as the Parents Teachers Association (PTA), Nigerian Union of Teachers (NUT) and corporate agencies, among others. In addition, there have been commendable efforts of philanthropists and community members who are committed to reviving education service delivery in Nigeria.
The great public benefits of education have historically prompted governments to assume the primary role in managing and funding schools. Recently, a growing interest in improving school quality and student outcomes, and a quest for greater school choice for parents and students, and for more creativity and innovation in the schools, themselves, have challenged the notion of government’s primacy in education ((Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)), 2006; Brewer and Hentschke, 2009). This trend, emerging in a number of countries, is based on the belief that the public interest in education can be better served by also involving private entities, including parents, non-governmental organisations and enterprises, in addition to government agencies, in managing and funding schools.
Advocates of private schools argue that private involvement in school management leads to more efficiency and responsiveness to parents’ demands. Principals in these schools have more autonomy to manage than public school principals do, although the extent of school autonomy varies across countries. Privately managed schools may have the authority to hire and compensate teachers and staff, and thus can select better-prepared teachers and introduce incentives for performance. Privately managed schools may also have more discretion on curricula and instructional methods, and so can adapt them to the interests and abilities of their students. In addition, privately managed school shave greater incentives to reduce costs and may be subject to more flexible regulations. The need to attract students means that privately managed schools must be more sensitive to parents’ demands concerning curricula, teaching methods, facilities and discipline, and more responsive to students’ needs.
Advocates also argue that the existence of private schools creates a useful competition that can improve the productive efficiency of public schools, as well, and benefit the entire system. The families, non-profit organisations or enterprises that fund private schools are more likely to demand better student outcomes and hold the school accountable. Parents of children in public schools – and staff in these schools – may then begin comparing the quality of education available in other schools and start demanding higher standards too. Advocates also point out that more funding from families and private institutions would ease governments’ obligation to invest in education.
This research project tends to examine the Issues and Challenges of Private Ownership and educational management with special reference to Lagos State.
STATEMENT OF PROBLEM
Over the years, public schools in Nigeria have not been given concern, this is ascribed to the population increase or the inability of government to provide more schools and facilities to meet its population needs or due to high level of corruption in the country. This neglect in the educational system, has left Nigeria with poor quality public education, weak management of education, inadequate implementation of policies, and poor tracking and monitoring of education budgets.
The failure of public schools to provide basic opportunities for learning, low teaching standards and inadequate training for teachers has provide a window for private entrepreneurship at all levels of education. While tertiary education is largely owned by government, private ownership is almost taking over the primary education.
Ownerships has seen themselves as a partner in the provision of quality education to the teeming population of Lagos State, which cannot be undertaken alone by the state. Thus, private individuals and groups establish their own schools, albeit on competitive basis and manage them within the framework of the National Policy on Education (NPE). Private schools charge their own fees, formulate their own admission policy, recruit their own teachers and of course have their own career guidelines.
Thus, the satisfaction derived by the rich and poor in terms of quality education in the state constitute a problem between the public and private schools on quality control albeit, on ensuring quality inputs and quality output.
The issue of excellence and quality assurance in education should be of primary concern to any Society, governments and parents alike. Private schools and education are almost entirely exclusive; those who pursue education in these institutions must pay for the services they enjoy. Considering the fact that public schools do not enjoy a lot of public confidence at the moment, owing to decaying infrastructure and years of neglect, it seems parents are favouring privately run schools as viable alternative to the crumbling public school structure.
At the same time, there are some major challenges associated with a move to private schools. Some private schools need to be so profit oriented that they will be tempted to cut corners and deprive students of extra-curricular activities, services and enrichment
In view of the above, the study is aimed at proffering lasting solutions to those identified problems. The study further tends to find out the problems encountered by both the government and the private entrepreneurs in the delivery of secondary education in Lagos State.