Availability, Use and Contribution of Support Services to Students Academic and Social Development in Nigerian University System

Abstract

The aim of the university’s support services is to support, enable and promote worldclass learning, discovery and enterprise and so make vital contribution to students’ success and well-being. This work examined the availability, use and contribution of these support services to students’ academic activities and social life. Five research questions guided the study. Multi-stage cluster sampling was used to draw a sample of 3225 students from University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN) and Anambra State
University, Uli (ANSU. Simple percentages were the method used in analyzing data obtained through questionnaire. Results show that the students endorsed that most of the support services were not available in their institutions. It was also found that most of the students do not use support services available in their universities. Further, the study revealed that of the few that use the services, most were of the view that the
support services contribute meaningfully to the academic activities and social life. It was therefore recommended, among others things, that orientation programme should be ongoing programme for all students, students’ evaluation of support services should be initiated by the university management to help direct actions on provision of support services to the students.

Key words: Educating, Nigerian Youth, dynamic world, university, support services.