Problems of Overpopulation in College of Education, Ekiadolor-Benin

Problems of Overpopulation in College of Education, Ekiadolor-Benin: A Case Study of Some Selected Department

CHAPTER ONE

1.0 INTRODUCTION

1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

This project work is directed to discover what brought about overpopulation in the College of Education, Ekiadolor, especially the computer/accounting department, situated at Ekiadolor Village Benin City. It is the only college of its kind in the state presently. The college was established in 1979 as an advantage teachers college for training N.C.E teachers and was located temporally at Iyaro, Benin City. The college was formally opened on 15th May 1980 and renamed College of Education Benin City.

An enabling law known as “the college of education, Benin City law 1981” was enacted with effect from 2nd October 1979. The law was revised in 1984. The college moved to its permanent site (132 hectares) at Ekiadolor, about 25 kilometers from Benin, in April 1986. It operates the semester system, and the courses offered align with the national commissioner for Colleges of Education (NCE) guidelines. The college has a governing council appointed by the government to oversee its affairs. The first provost of the college was Rev Fr. Theophilus Ewaen Uwaifo. He was the provost from 1879 to 1989. Dr J.O. Afe took over from him in 1990 and left in 1997. Prof Raymond Osemwegie Elaho took over in 1998 as the sole administrator and later become acting provost in 1998. He was appointed the abstractive provost of the college in 1999 and re-appointed for a second term in 2005. The provost is responsible for the running of the college; other principal officers, deans of schools and the dean of students assist him. The schools are headed by deans, while the programmes are headed by the head of the department, apart from direct admission into pre-NCE programmes and part-time NCE (primary weekend programmes).

Today the school has improved considerably, and the population has risen to about seven thousand or more under the administration of the provost Prof R.O Elaho. The college has excelled in producing students of high intellectual ability compared to other colleges, and even which they gain admission into the university. They perform excellently well.

inspite of the good condition of the college, it is sad to know that the student’s academic performance is not encouraging and many reasons have been advanced to have been responsible for this one is overpopulation it is already an established fact that overpopulation distorts effective learning and good school management.

The population of the college of education Ekiadolor of some selected department, Benin City between 1999 and 2002 academic year.

Department

1999/2000

2000/2001

2001/2002

Computer/Accounting

323

510

520

1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

Seeing the growth rate of computer/accounting departments to be compared to its facilities, one is tempted to as what brought about the overpopulated situation in the computer/accounting department to be compared to another department within the college. Based on this growth rate, within three (3 years), the population has risen to such that can be compared with the level of its growth in the past years; one would be too surprised the finding the problems of poor academic performance, lack of accommodation, indiscipline, poor classroom management e.t.c. That is so pronounced in college today.

1.3 OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY

Therefore, the investigation aims to find the cause and effect of overpopulation in computer/accounting departments at, college of Education Ekiadolor.

a. What can be the cause of overpopulation computer/accounting department

b. Students easily pass the government in West African Secondary Certificate level in order to gain admission to the college

c. The computer/accounting department course looks simple in the early part of the academic session.

d.  Students wanting to offer an easy course in order to get a high grade.

e.  Due to the method used in teaching the students by the lecturers are simple.

f.  Due to the popular name of the departments.

g.  What is the effect of overpopulation?

h.  There is a breakdown of communication in the class.

i.  There is overutilization of facilities.

j.  Communicable disease is transferable.

1.4 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

The significance of this research work is that when the effect of overpopulation is been examines within the college, recommendations will be made to the appropriate authorities. Such recommendations will assist in improving the management of the problem of overpopulation in the college.

1.5 RESEARCH QUESTIONS

For the purpose of this study, the following research questions have been designed.

1. Can communicable diseases be transferable in overpopulated areas?

2. Does effective learning takes place in a large class?

3. Does overpopulation strengthen good communication in the classroom?

4. Does it lead to a shortage of facilities?

5. Can it lead to overutilization of the available facilities and manpower?

6. Can poor academic performance be an effect of overpopulation?

7. Does the unstandardized admission process be seen as the cause of overpopulation?

1.6 SCOPE OF STUDY

this research topic was chosen to examine the concept of overpopulation, a case study of the computer/accounting department and the problem resulting from overpopulation. This study will concentrate on the concept of overpopulation and its causes and effects of overpopulation on the Nigerian economy.

Although there are many components resulting from overpopulation, the analysis of this research work will be limited to the causes of overpopulation.

DEFINITIONS OF TERMS

Population: – Is simply defined as the total number of people, both male and female, living in a given area, region or state per period.

Overpopulation: – This can be defined as a population that has overgrown its optimum size. This can also mean that the population is too large in relation to their land resources, and a capital shortage of resources will make the people’s standard of living fall.

Birth rate: – This is defined as the number of children born per thousand people in a country in a year. An increase in the birth rate is an increase in a country’s population size/growth.

Immigration: – This is the movement of people from other countries into a given country, e.g. People from Nigeria, Ghana, Cameroon, etc. Move into Nigeria.

Optimum population:- The concept of optimum population is that there is a such population which, combined with existing land and capital, produces the highest level of income per head (i.e.) Standard of living for the people.