‘Low student-teacher ratio improves academic achievement’

Provost of the College of Education Zuba, Abuja, Dr. Mohammed Gambo Hamza, in this interview says selling of handouts to students by lecturers has been prohibited. He also explains the merits of lower student-lecturer ratios.   There are constant complaints of overcrowding in classrooms in many higher institutions, what is the effect of student-lecturer ratio […]

Provost of the College of Education Zuba, Abuja, Dr. Mohammed Gambo Hamza, in this interview says selling of handouts to students by lecturers has been prohibited. He also explains the merits of lower student-lecturer ratios.
 
There are constant complaints of overcrowding in classrooms in many higher institutions, what is the effect of student-lecturer ratio on academic achievement?
The methods of teaching in tertiary institutions are different from those of secondary and primary schools. We have more than a few lecture methods that are applicable in all the tertiary institutions and the number of students per lecturer isn’t restricted. In other countries, each lecturer has a limited number of students to teach in order for the students to see the lecturer and ask questions during lessons. The lecturer therefore has the ability to manage the class.
Definitely, there is the need for lecturers to have limited number of students to teach in our system for them to be able to identify each student and his needs. Lower student-lecturer ratios increase the level of attention to the students and improve academic achievement.
The number of students to a lecturer should not be too much; the tutor should be able to give students exercise and mark them without stress. In our situation, you find a lecturer handling almost 500 students at a time; this is uncalled for. We are not saying that a lecturer should teach a particular number but the lecture facility is overstretched. In some lecture halls, lecturers use loud speakers to teach due to overcrowding and that is not allowed.
So, a lecturer should be able handle his students without constant worry.
 How do you detect and prevent plagiarism in projects and ensure that supervisors do proper work?
We have no evidence of plagiarism or students copying from other projects yet, we cannot deny it because our system of articulating projects and putting them in a proper shape in this country is poor due to lack of infrastructure and modern equipment. For instance, in western countries, the projects for 10 years could be found in a particular database. So, if student choose a project topic, the supervisor can search the system to see if it has been done in the past. And if it has been done, then the student will be advised to look for another topic. But in this country everything is done manually and a student can go to another school and copy previous thesis. There isn’t a proper method of documentation of past dissertations. The only solution to this is for the colleges to work together and share information. We should have e-libraries where all documents could be stored so as to minimize plagiarism. Government has to come in here because the enabling infrastructure must be provided.
How have you been able to handle alleged cases of extortion by class reps and even lecturers?
Extortion and harassment either by students or lecturers are serious offences and as chief executive of the institution, I will not condone them. Again, I will not act on rumours and unless we have sufficient evidence we cannot sanction anybody. However, if anyone is caught in these acts, we shall send them to face the disciplinary committee.
For instance, in my college, there is a suggestion box and I am the only one that has access to them. We encourage students to write their complaints in an anonymous way and drop them there. I will make sure the complaint gets the attention of the management but in a situation where no one is willing to write, how do you expect us to know their grievances. We have channel of communication thus, in any department lecturers are answerable to the head of department while the heads are answerable to dean of school, up to the management. So, if a student has any complain, he should take it to the lecturer and if the lecturer is the person involved, then the student could lodge his complaint to the head of department. The case will definitely be investigated and it will attract the attention of the management.
 
One typical case of extortion is the selling of handouts by lectures at high cost and students are reportedly forced to buy them because names of buyers are taken…
I abolished the selling of handouts immediately I was appointed as provost. And I made it clear in all my speeches that selling of handouts is prohibited and any lecturer found selling those documents will be sanctioned appropriately. If they are selling the handouts secretly, that is a different thing but if they are caught, they will be punished. We mentioned it at the academic and different forums.
 
What are your challenges and achievements?
We have so many challenges including lack of infrastructure but we hope the new administration of FCT will handle the challenges. There are no road networks in our permanent site in addition to many uncompleted projects. But the FCT Minister Muhammad Musa Bello had requested to know all our demands to be able to address them. The number of students is increasing and too large for the temporary site to accommodate, so, we want the permanent site to be completed. TETfund had actually assisted us.
One of our achievements is that we secured the enabling law of the college signed by the president on September 16, 2014, three months after taking appointment as provost. The law was out on December 23, same year it was signed. It has been forwarded to the FCT Administration for a governing council to be put in place to enhance bureaucracy.