Implementing functional university-based policies in Nigerian University System: Administrative challenges and strategies for effective implementation

Abstract

The study examined administrative challenges to and the strategies for implementing policies that are university-based in Nigerian university system. Descriptive survey design was adopted for the study. The population of the study was all the 255 management officials in 15 public and 36 Government approved private universities in southwest, Nigeria. Simple random sampling technique was used to select 3 states (Ondo, Osun and Ekiti states) from the 6 states in the zone. All the management officials (five each) in 20 public and government approved private universities in the selected states were sampled for the study. Three research questions and two null hypotheses were used to gather information. Mean scores and t-test were used as statistical tools for this study, and findings revealed inadequate physical facilities, funding, employment of unqualified teaching and non-teaching staff, lack of motivation etc to be major administrative challenges to policies implementation in Nigerian universities. The study recommended adequate funding, provision of adequate physical facilities, employment of qualified teaching and non-teaching staff among others, as strategies for implementing university-based policies in Nigerian universities.