Class-Size and Internal Efficiency of Colleges of Education in Nigeria: The Need for Counselling

Abstract

This research examined relationship between class-size and internal efficiency of Colleges of Education in Nigeria and the need for counselling. This study adopted the ex-post facto research design of descriptive survey type. The population comprised all the 70 Colleges of Education in existence between 2013/2014 and 2017/18. The sample for this study comprised of the six Colleges of Education. One Colleges of Education from each geo-political zone. The respondents were all the 142 heads of departments drawn from these six (6) Colleges of Education in six geo- political zones. Two sets of instruments were used; an inventory titled "School Based Variables and Internal Efficiency Inventory” (SBVIEI) and Questionnaire on Class-size and Internal Efficiency of Colleges of Education and the need for Counselling (QCIECOEC). The results showed that the Co-efficient of internal efficiency for the colleges of Education was low

(33.78%), There was significant relationship between internal efficiency and class-size in the Colleges. The result shows that there was relationship between the variables and class-size.

Most of the factors of behavioural problems like class-size and students' tardiness (0.595), class- size and students' dominance (0.624), class-size and boredom (0.619), class-size and distraction

(0.71) and class-size and students' truancy (0.312) have positive relationship. Based on the findings, it was concluded that there was low internal efficiency of Colleges of Education in Nigeria. There was relationship between class size and internal efficiency of Colleges of Education in Nigeria. Class size can also predispose students to behavioural problems like truancy and study habit problems. Based on the findings, it was recommended that efforts should be made to reduce class size in Colleges of Education. Stakeholder should make sure that adequate funds are allocated to Colleges of Education to reduce over dependence on internally generated revenue that always forced school management to admit students that are more than the carrying capacity of the institutions. School counsellors should act as intermediary between the lecturers and students towards curtailing behavioural issues that may arise due to class size