A SURVEY OF SCHOOL LIBRARIES’ FACILITIES AND RESOURCES IN
OFFA LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA OF KWARA STATE
Rasaq Bello
Department of Mathematics and Statistics,
Federal Polytechnic, Offa.
Issa, Abdulwahab Olanrewaju
Department of Library and Information Science,
Federal Polytechnic, Offa.
Jimoh, Rafiu Ango
Department of Library and Information Science,
Federal Polytechnic, Offa.
ABSTRACT
This study is an investigation of the state of school libraries’ facilities and resources in
Offa Local Government Area of Kwara State. It establishes the state-of-the-art of this
subject matter by the use of questionnaire to collect relevant data from all the primary
and post- primary institutions in the Local Government Area. In the end, the study
revealed that although the state of school libraries’ facilities and resources is generally
precarious, the situation in the primary schools, compared to those in secondary schools,
is even worse. By and large, the paper concludes that the situation, as revealed by the
study, leaves much to be desired; hence the need for appropriate recommendations
toward ameliorating the condition the condition as contained in the paper.
INTRODUCTION
The important position of libraries in modern Nigerian society cannot be overemphasized. The populace in urban, as well as rural areas daily realizing more and more,
the importance of libraries as agents for educational, social, economic and political
changes. It is evident that in recent past, a lot of interests had been generated on the issue
of school libraries in Nigeria and Kwara State in particular. Indeed, 80.43% of schools in
Kwara State are said to be without libraries as contained in a survey conducted by
AbdulKareem and Umar (1997). This is due to the fact that educationists, and
particularly, librarians, believe that the best point for the preparation of Nigerians for
readership is through the school library. This is not unconnected with the fact that
children are generally in their habit-forming stage at this point and would thus be exposed
to a profitable use of the school library.
Further more, local conditions place great premium on good school libraries as
studies abound whose findings point to the fact that Nigerian adults rarely read; resulting
from early habits generated by lack of reading materials and other socio-economic
factors. It is consequent upon this general awareness that there arose the explosion of
school library consciousness among the citizenry. The great awareness of the importance
of the school library in Nigeria also led to the series of writings and studies on the
subject-matter, with nearly all of them agreeing on the importance of school libraries in
the educational, intellectual and cultural growth of students.
LITERATURE REVIEW
Although a great amount of studies and writings have been done on this subject,
only a bird’s-eye view will be presented here due to factors bordering on limited scope,
research time and resource constraints. A good starting point in doing this is the
conceptualization of the importance of the school libraries by Onadiran (1980) who
submits that both librarians and educationists regard the school library as “the heart” of
the school and indeed the apex upon which the entire sphere of the school’s intellectual
life rest.
In what seems a corroboration of the above view, Fayose (1971) remarks that in
the same sense that the university library has come to be regarded as its intellectual
center, the school library, by all intents and purposes, should be so seen and understood.
Thus, the school library has been conceived as the centre of all school’s planning and
development. This is in the realization that knowledge, and indeed, information provided
in libraries are basic to the successful execution of the school curriculum and should
therefore be central to the learning efforts of both school children and as well as their
teachers. In other words, school library services are as fundamental as they are
indispensable to learning and attainment of educational goals and objectives.
On her own part, Ike (1983) examines the role of school libraries in the successful
implementation of the then new National Policy on Education when she listed the
following as the aims of school libraries:
(a)
To introduce the school children to expanding world of knowledge
(b)
To develop in school children, a life-long reading-habit, including the use of
library materials for pleasure, relaxation, self-development and reference purpose.
(c)
To teach school children to learn on their own, without the aid of teachers.
(d)
To support the curriculum of schools.
(e)
To support the creative activities of the pupils and their teachers.
But then, critics have often asked: “why do we need libraries in schools?” since to
them, the teachers are there to teach the students and the text-books are also there, from
which the students can learn. What then is the place of the library in the school system?
Of course, there is great need for library services in our schools. This has prompted many
writers to write on the need for good libraries in our primary and post-primary
institutions, and how they can be out into effective use.
In respect of the four (4) major sources of acquiring knowledge namely through
teaching, observation, reading and intuitive thinking, the library occupies a unique and an
enviable position as the ‘citadel’ where the accumulated knowledge of man is preserved
for teaching and learning purposes. Thus, in the opinion of Ajumobi (1983) the provision
of a functional library in every school is a necessity to enhance effective intellectual
imagination and creative thinking to supplement class-room teaching. There is, of course,
no doubt that through the services provided by the school libraries, accumulated
knowledge in diverse area of human endeavour become not only readily but also cheaply
available. Certainly, with the rising costs of books and other information materials, no
one doubts the fact that it is increasingly difficult for an individual to buy all that he/she
should or would want to read. It is in this connection that the benefits derivable from
well-stocked and organized school libraries remain largely unquantifiable.
The experience of teachers, inspectors of education, librarians, and others
concerned with both primary and secondary school education has shown that a good
library in one form or the other is simply indispensable to the healthy life of a school. It is
in recognition of this fact that Worthham (1962) writes that a modern functional library
can do much to “vitalize, reinforce and implement the classroom curriculum. The
teachers who fail to take advantage of its resources and employ its services to the fullest
degree is denying himself valuable assistance and depriving his children of many
effective learning experiences”.
At this juncture, it must be emphasized here that a good library adds a new
breadth and depth to learning. It can enlarge the teacher’s teaching and give to students,
the means of following up their queries actively and so, of learning to select, appraise and
criticize what they (students) have read. In other words, it provides opportunities of
developing personal reading and of discovering the pleasure and enhancement of life that
reading can bring. Agreeing with this view-point is Dolapo (1988) in the expression of
the view that “if there are adequate libraries in our schools and they are profitably used,
the number of hooligans and law-breakers in our schools will reduce drastically, because
the tender minds of the students will have to be usefully engaged in reading in libraries”.
This formed the basis of his advice that books must be used to develop individual
capabilities so as to give the best, and get the best from the society.
Both Fayose (1996) and Ajumobi (1983) share views quite similar to the above as
they express the strong belief that the school library is not just the intellectual provision
of a functional library in every school but also affords such a school the opportunity to
improve the intellectual capabilities of students and by so doing, complements the
classroom teaching. More than ever before, the 6-3-3-4 system of education has a unique
place for school library development. This is not just because it is indispensable but more
importantly, because, this time around, students are given wider chances of specialization
and for the fact that other forms of libraries are usually far away from them and therefore
not readily accessible. To further compound this unwholesome situation is the condition
of most homes whereby little or nothing that can be described as reading materials and
encouragement hardly exist.
Of course, we do know that learning can be one of the most exciting experiences
in life, as children are known to possess a natural tendency for curiosity. For instance,
questions as to ‘how’ are only common feature of these children and it is good enough
that answers to all these questions can be readily found in any good functional school
library. Aje (1988) gives an apt summary of the scenario in the expression that the school
library is “an inexhaustible store-house of knowledge where he (the child) goes at will to
help himself as vivaciously as possible”.
Similarly, Njoku (1999) believes that by reading, students can verify statements
and facts and see how authoritative and current their teachers are. As such, students stand
a good chance of being able to support themselves academically through the effective use
of their school libraries. Quite recently, many newspaper editorials, news commentaries
on radio and television, as well as articles in dailies have underscored the great essence of
functional libraries in the over-all success of the much-talked about Universal Basic
Education, so dear to the present government. A few examples include those of Mahmud
(February, 2001), Alex (May, 2001) and Abdul (June, 2001).
METHODOLOGY
In carrying out this research, two (2) main types of instruments have been used,
namely: the questionnaire and personal observation. The choice of these instruments was
hinged on the fact that the research is a survey method as explicitly implied in its title.
For survey research method, the instruments have always been in the category above. In
this particular instance, series of questions with optional answers were provided in a
structured form. The questions border on the availability of required library facilities and
resources in all the primary and post-primary schools in Offa Local Government Area of
Kwara State. At the end of data collection and consequent upon the nature of instruments
used, tables of frequency counts, followed by descriptive presentation and interpretation
of data were employed for data analysis.
In all, a total of seventeen (17) post primary and forty-nine (49) primary schools
constitute the target of this study. In terms of students’ size, enrolment figure for
secondary schools stands at eleven thousand and sixty-nine (11,069) made up of four
thousand nine hundred and forty-six (4,946) male and six thousand one hundred and
twenty-three (6,123) female students. As for the primary schools, there are forty-nine
(49) with a total enrolment figure of nine thousand, seven hundred and fifty-five (9,755)
comprising four thousand, eight hundred and fifty-seven (4,857) female pupils. A total of
five hundred and thirty-five (535) teachers comprising three hundred and seven (307)
male and two hundred and twenty-eight (228) female students are in the post-primary
schools. On the other hand, of the total of nine hundred and fifty three (953) teachers in
the primary schools concerned, only two hundred and sixty-one (261) are male while the
rest of six hundred and ninety two (692) are female.
DISCUSSION OF RESULTS
From the results of the completed questionnaire, it is obvious that nearly all the
primary schools in Offa Local Government Area do not have any form of library, as only
five (5) out of forty-nine (49) schools surveyed were found to have; which is a
confirmation of AbdulKareem and Umar’s (1997) findings contained in Durosaro (1999).
Of these, it may be interesting to remark that one of the five (5) happens to be the oldest
primary school in the Local Government, which is St. Marks I LGEA, Offa, having been
established since 1912. The other, Ogidiri I LGEA, also has a long history as it was
established in 1924 and St. Cyprian I LGEA, 1921. These are aside Bishop Smith and
Federal Polytechnic, Offa Nursery/Primary School, both of recent pasts of 1992 and 1997
respectively.
These contrast the situation found in the post-primary schools as the entire
seventeen (17) of them boast of one form of library or the other. And it is on this account
that the rest of this discussion shall focus mainly on the post primary institutions and the
only five (5) primary schools which indicated that they have libraries.
TABLE 1-
DISTRIBUTION
OF
SECONDARY
SCHOOLS’
LIBRARY
CAPACITY RELATIVE TO POPULATION
S/No
Name of School
Population
Library Capacity
%
1.
Adesoye College, Offa
433
100
4.3
2.
Offa Grammar School, Offa
1800
100
5.5
3.
Govt. Sec. School, Offa
960
100
10
4.
St. Claire’s Grammar Sch., Offa
750
100
13
5.
Govt. Day Sec. Sch., Offa
402
100
24.8
6.
Oyeleke Memorial Girls’ College
38
100
2.6
7.
Olalomi Comprehensive College
773
100
12.9
8.
Offa Community Sec. School
620
100
16
9.
Anglican College of Commerce
950
100
10.5
10.
Iyeru Grammar School
227
100
44
11.
Ansar-Ud-Deen College, Offa
1201
100
8
12.
Okin High School
525
100
19
13.
Tawakalitu Grammar School
620
100
16
14.
Nawaru-deen College
353
200
56.6
15.
Moremi High School
235
100
42.5
16.
Taoheed College
422
100
23.6
17.
Fedpoffa Staff Sec. School
320
100
31.3
The table above reveals that apart from Nawaru-deen college which claimed to
have library capacity for 200 users, all the remaining schools operate at a capacity below
100. It tops the list in respect of having adequate provision of library capacity mainly
because in spite of its larger and thus better library capacity, its total enrolment figure of
three hundred and fifty-three is comparatively small, hence, its highest score of 56.6%;
while Moremi High School which trailed behind Adesoye College, a reputable private
school, with 43% score, coming next after Iyeru Grammar School (44%), recorded 42.5%
to come fifth due to its relatively small enrolment figure of just two hundred and thirtyfive (235). Meanwhile, Offa Grammar School which has the highest enrolment figure of
one thousand, eight hundred had the least score of 5.5% followed by Ansar-Ud-Deen
College with one thousand, two hundred and one (1201) population which earned it just
8%. Thus generally, private schools, probably due to their nature, which does not
encourage large students population, tend to have bigger library capacity relative to their
enrolment figure. Conversely, the other public schools stood for the reverse-much
population without a commensurate library capacity to cater for the teeming number.
TABLE 11-
DISTRIBUTION OF PRIMARY SCHOOLS’ LIBRARY CAPACITY
RELATIVE TO POPULATION
S/No.
Names of School
Population
Library Capacity
%
1.
St. Marks I LGEA
487
100
20.5
2.
Bishop Smith LGEA
372
100
26.5
3.
Ogidiri I LGEA
210
100
47.6
4.
St. Cyprian’s I LGEA
557
100
17.9
5.
Federal Poly. N/P School
576
100
17.4
Table II above represents the population figure of each of the primary schools
being studied relative to their individual library’s capacity. As shown above, Ogidiri (I)
LGEA tops the list with the highest percentage of 47.6%, followed by Bishop Smith
LGEA with 26.8 % and then St. Marks (I) LGEA recording 20.5%. When viewed against
the backdrop of the fact the remaining two (2) schools; namely St. Cyprian’s (I) LGEA
(17.9%) and Federal Polytechnic, offa Nursery primary School (17.4%) belong to both
the old and new respectively, a common trend among the other three (3) is that they
belong to the category of the oldest primary schools in the Local Government. By and
large, that only five (5) primary schools have any one form of library or the other speaks
volume of the in-adequate provision of primary schools’ libraries in the area.
TABLE III- REQUIREMENTS FOR LIBRARY REGISTRATION
Requirement
No. of Resp.
%
a. Registration
6
35.3
b. Reading Card
4
23.5
c. Library I.D. Card
5
29.4
d. Cannot Say
2
11.8
17
100
Total
Table III above indicates that the majority of the secondary school libraries
studied consider Registration Form as the requirement for their library registration
represented in six (6) school libraries constituting some 35.3%. Then, of course, five (5)
others, representing 29.4% opted for library I.D. Card while another four (4) or 23.5%
had preference for the use of Reading Card for same purpose. The remaining two (2)
schools, constituting 11.8% failed to respond to the question in any way.
TABLE IV- METHODS OF LIBRARY BOOKS ARRANGEMENT
Arrangement Methods
No. of Resp.
%
1. Subject Basis
13
76.5
2. Departmental Basis
4
23.5
3. Alphabetical Order
-
-
4. Numerical Order
-
-
17
100%
Total
Table IV above indicates that majority of the school libraries take after the subject
arrangement of their collection as represented by thirteen respondents, amounting to
76.5%. This is indeed, a positive indication as only four (4) or 23.5% remainder adopt the
departmental methods. Books and other collections in a library are expected to be
arranged on subject basis having been classified using a standard Classification Scheme.
Only this way can the primary aim of quick and easy information retrieval from the
library collection be highly ensured.
Similarly, it was found that a majority of fourteen (14) or 82.4% of these school
libraries indicated that they operate “throughout the day” which can be interpreted to
mean normal school hours. The remaining three (3) that indicated other ranges of
opening hours are in the boarding system category which explains the reason for their
choice of opening hours.
As for their sources of finance, both the Government as well as the ParentTeachers’ Association (PTA) featured more prominently in the responses made. These
are aside donations from certain individuals and philanthropic organizations in the area.
On the personnel manning the school libraries, and their highest qualifications, it is
remarkable that 3 schools, namely Adesoye College, Offa Grammar School and Anglican
College of Commerce indicated having BLS/MLS implying either of Bachelor or Master
Degree holders as their Librarians. Another (3) among which is the Federal Polytechnic,
Offa Staff Secondary School have ND Library Science holders in charge of their
libraries, while six (6) others can only boast of Secondary School Certificate holders.
On some of the problems considered as major hindrance to more effective library
use by the students, responses range from noise making, poor library condition to
inadequate seating provision, even as they all indicated one (1) library each when asked
about the number of libraries in their respective schools.
CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS
From the fore-going discussion or results, it is apparent that the situation of school
library facilities and resources in Offa Local Government Area of Kwara State still leaves
much to be desired. To a great extent, it is not in doubt that there exist a considerable
space of room for improvements in this direction, if only for our educational aims and
aspirations to be attained. This becomes even more relevant now than ever in view of the
present government’s posture on the desire to provide basic education to all and sundry
without exception as manifested in its Universal Basic Education Programme.
At any rate, the so-much talked about falling standard in education is a direct
factor of both the primary and secondary education which are lacking in good and strong
foundational strength which the school library stands to provide for. With this worrisome
trend of fall in education standard, one should make bold to state here, that this can
largely be redressed through a purposeful policy aimed at strengthening our primary and
post-primary institutions in all ramifications. One of the most essential ingredients
needed to achieve this is ensuring the provision and operation of standard, functional and
indeed, functioning school libraries in both our private and public schools.
To these ends, both the Education Ministry and the State Education Management
Board have a great role to play; interpreting the relevant parts of the National Policy on
Education relating to school library provisions with respect to size, building, resources
and personnel. But more importantly is ensuring a strict compliance to these while
mapping out stiff and appropriate sanctions against non-compliance. For instance, while
they should ensure that adequate funding provision are made for this purpose, schools’
managers should be monitored to ensure that all library funds and fees are used only for
library purposes.
Similarly, school pupils need to be encouraged in the use of their school libraries
by both the school administration and teachers. One good way of doing this is for the
school administrators to make provision for Library Period on the school’s time-table
while teachers give library-centered assignment to
pupils. To succeed in this, the
services of qualified library staff remain simply indispensable. Such a crop of
professional staff would be in a good position to initiate appropriate Public Relations
strategies that will involve prominent individuals and organizations in the community to
form “Friends of the Library” bodies as a way of fostering school library development in
the community.
The school authority, in conjunction with the School Librarian, can also organize
a forum where Old Students Association of the school could be rallied, specially, towards
a continued support for the school library development. In the very final analysis,
however, the Federal government has the onerous responsibility for ensuring that the
UBE Programme succeeds at all costs: as a well-educated and well-informed citizenry
has no substitute in any drive towards national growth and development. To state that at
the center of the requirements for the success of this laudable education programme (i.e
UBE) lies the role of good school libraries cannot be an over-statement while the best
starting point remains the local government levels. Hence, the call here for
comprehensive approach to improving the states of secondary school libraries in Offa
Local Government Area of Kwara State.
REFERENCES
Abdul, M.D. (2001) “School Library Development and the Success of UBE
Programme”.
New Nigerian June 20, p. 14
Abdulkareem, A.Y. and Umar, I.O. (1997) “Follow-up study on Primary
Education Cost, Financing and Management in Kogi, Kwara, Niger and FCT, NPEC”.
Ajumobi, A. (1983) “Functional Libraries Enhance Education”. The People
News. Akure, July 25, p.3
Ajumobi, A. (1983) Ibid, p.8.
Alex, D.O (2001) UBE Programme and the Place of School Libraries. The
Vanguard. May 23, p.17
Dolapo, S.M. (1988) a keynote Address presented at a Seminar Organized by The
Irepodun Zonal Education. Board for Primary and Secondary School Teacher-Librarians,
Omu-Aran, Kwara State. June 13, p3.
Durosaro, D.O. (1999) “Optimization
of available Teaching and Learning
Resources and Facilities in Nigeria” A paper presented at the Education Trust Fund
Workshop at Hill-station Hotel, Jos on 30th November-1st December, 1999, p.6.
Fayose, P.O. (1971) Libraries in Nigerian Secondary Schools: Towards Better
Administration and Supervision of Instruction. Ife: Institute of Education, University of
Ife Pres. P. 114.
Fayose, P.O. (1996) School Libraries as Media Resource Centre. Ibadan:
University of Ibadan Press. P.10
Ike, A.O. (1983) “The Role of School Libraries in the Implementation of the New
National Policy on Education”. Presented at the Second Annual Conference of the Borno
State Division of NLA. Maiduguri, June 2, p.9.
Mahmud, S.B. (2001) “The Role of School Library in Educational Development
and Growth in Nigeria “The Guardian. February, 20, p.13
Njoku, A.A. (1999) “School Libraries as Learning Facilitators. The Punch
December, 19, p.9
Onadiran, G.T and Onadiran, W.R. (1980) “Current Problems in School Library
Development in Developing Countries. “The School Librarian 28 (1) p. 14
Wortham, J. (1962) The Librarian-A Must: Better Libraries Make Better Schools
Connecticus - Harden. P. 28.
The Principal Author, BELLO, RAZAQ, is Chief Lecturer in Mathematics and
Statistics Department, and Rector, The Federal Polytechnic, Offa. Had varied
experience at A.B.U., Zaria. He holds B.Sc. (Mathematics) and PhD Statistics (A.B.U.)
Issa A.O., Formerly of the ABU, Zaria, now the Head, Department of Library and
Information Science, The Federal Polytechnic, Offa, Nigeria. He holds DLS, BLS and
MLS from ABU Zaria and currently on his doctoral programme at the University of
Ibadan.
Jimoh R.A. currently a lecturer in the Department of Library and Information Science,
The Federal Polytechnic, Offa, Nigeria, had acquired varied experience. He hold BLS
from ABU, Zaria.