A Socio-Criminological Analysis of Off-Campus Accommodation in Public Tertiary Institutions in Nasarawa State, Nigeria.

A Socio-Criminological Analysis of Off-Campus Accommodation in Public Tertiary Institutions in Nasarawa State, Nigeria.

*¹AKWAYI Ishaku, ²AGWADU, Damian Kunza and ³TIAMIYU, Tesleem Ajibola

¹Department of General Studies, Federal Polytechnic, Ile-Oluji, Ondo State-Nigeria.

²Directorate of General Studies, Federal University of Technology, Owerri, Imo State-Nigeria.

³Directorate of Academic Planning and Research, Development and Innovation, Federal Polytechnic, Ile-Oluji, Ondo State-Nigeria.

*Corresponding Author

DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.47772/IJRISS.2024.802054

Received: 08 February 2024; Accepted: 19 February 2024; Published: 07 March 2024

ABSTRACT

Off-campus which is an alternative for on-campus due to limited space on-campus is faced with various degrees of problems. These problems directly have negative impact on students living off-campus. A careful observation shows most off-campus areas are faced with problems, hence it is not peculiar to one institution but it cuts across different tertiary institutions of learning. This study examined students’ off-campus accommodation with specific focus on public tertiary institutions in Nasarawa State. The objectives of the study include to: find out the forms of disorderly conducts that are associated with off-campus accommodation system in public tertiary institutions in Nasarawa State, ascertain the reasons for the persistence of disorderly conducts in off campus accommodation system in public tertiary institutions in Nasarawa State, determine how the disorderly conducts associated with off-campus accommodation system affect students, explore ways that could curb the disorderly conducts common in  off-campus accommodation system in public tertiary institutions in Nasarawa State. The social control theory of Travis Hirschi was adopted for theoretical framework. Survey research design was used. Sample size of 385 respondents were sampled using Cochran formula for sample size determination and given copies of questionnaire to fill and submit, however only 376 were retrieved for analysis. Data were collected from both primary and secondary sources. The method of data analysis was through the use of percentages, mean and standard deviation. This is for easy comprehension by readers. Findings revealed that the forms of disorderly conducts that are associated with off-campus accommodation system in public tertiary institutions in Nasarawa State include drinking in public, playing loud music or causing excessive noise late at night, illegal sales of drugs and exposing one’s naked body. Findings also revealed that the ways disorderly conducts associated with off-campus affect students include poor academic performance, interpersonal problem, safety concerns and distortion of student’s morals. The study recommended that Parents and guidance should constantly check their wards living off-campus in order to maintain strong bond with them so as to discourage them from engaging in disorderly conducts. The study also recommended that Government and management of institutions should revisit the Build, Operate and Transfer Policy (BOT) and adhere to its philosophy to boost provision of on-campus accommodation

INTRODUCTION

Background to the study

The desire of every institution of learning is to have its students live within the campus (on-campus). However, the reality is that keeping students on-campus in Nigerian universities and other tertiary institutions has become a difficult task. Many parents and guardians become worry over where their wards will live after securing admission. The students as well become nervous because of security challenges around off-campus. If students continue to live off-campus, the tendency is that they are exposed to different forms of challenges ranging from insecurity around off-campus and other forms of disorderly conducts.

Students and teachers require a convenient environment for learning and scholarship. Descent accommodation has a nexus with positive educational output. In a situation of good accommodation, students understand better whatever they are taught. It is believed that ab initio, the policy of institutions providing accommodation on-campus was not in existence. As an alternative therefore, students get themselves accommodation within the host communities (Caldenby, 1994). The idea of students’ on-campus accommodation from the Nigerian perspective can be traced to Oxford and Cambridge (Oxbridge) universities’ collegiate system (Agbola, 2001). According to Amole (1997), most teachers and stakeholders consent to the philosophy which advocates that there should be closeness between where students live and the learning environment.

In line with Amole’s submission, most tertiary institutions accommodate students on-campus. It is however, a known fact that the number of candidates seeking tertiary education keep increasing. Due to the growing number of students being admitted, the situation ushered in difficulty in providing on-campus accommodation for all by school management. Due to this therefore, most students opt for off-campus accommodation as an option for on-campus accommodation.

Off-campus which is an alternative for on-campus due to limited space in on-campus is faced with various degrees of problems. These problems directly have negative impact on students living off-campus. A careful observation shows most off-campus areas are faced with problems, hence it is not peculiar to one institution but it cuts across different tertiary institutions of learning.

The tertiary institutions in Nasarawa State just like other institutions also have students living off-campus as an alternative for on-campus. The increase in the number of applications for university education in Nigeria majorly accounts for the challenges of accommodation (Ademola, Ogundipe & Babatunde, 2014). The ultimate result is seeking alternative accommodations in the neighborhoods, which beside been scarce, are usually rented for outrageous amounts (Abayomi & Youdeowei, 2017). (Ogeah & Ajalaye, 2011) argued that when such accommodations are available, the cost and security implication pose a great deal of problems that occasionally lead to undesirable consequences.

Similar to the aforementioned argument, the difficulties in providing accommodation for students mandated most tertiary institutions to adopt the off-campus accommodation policy. In the same manner as Ademola, Ogundipe, Babatunde earlier argument, this policy became necessary in view of the growing number of those seeking tertiary education (Ogeah & Ajalaye, 2011).

Off-campus accommodation policy appears to have been adopted by the majority of tertiary institutions’ administrators. This is largely due to Ubong’s (2007) assertion as argued in Ekejiuba (2015) that insufficiencies in university students’ accommodation is one of the key things that necessitated the National Universities Commission to strongly suggest that university authorities consider the students’ village idea . The NUC however, advised that the proximity of such a village to the university must be considered. Osewa (2017) and  Abayomi and Youdeowei (2017) unanimously contended that it is in way customary that in the majority of  public higher institutions of learning in Nigeria, only the first year students are given automatic option of living on campus. They note that this is to help the new students to get acquainted with the academic environment and system of the university. Despite that fact, Ekejiuba (2015) argued that in many a case, medical and postgraduate students and sports men and women appear to be given higher the preference in allocation of accommodation. Against this backdrop, this study examines student’s off-campus accommodation in public tertiary institutions in Nasarawa State.

Statement of the problem

Nigerian public tertiary institutions were established through Acts passed by the National Assembly for federal institutions and State Houses of Assembly for state institutions. The institutions were established as tertiary institutions with different logo and mottos to train and develop human resources needs of the states and the country at large. The institutions are located at different parts of the country.

To the students, securing admission is not an end to the problem of tertiary education but also to secure descents, affordable and secured place of residence. Students in most Nigerian institutions face the challenges of securing accommodation (Agwadu, 2010). Most of them if not accommodated on-campus resort to off-campus. In the case of some tertiary institutions in Nasarawa State, the conditions have been associated with the saying; “come first, come serve and whom you know”. Because of the limited accommodation on-campus, students of public tertiary institutions in the State resort to off-campus in host communities. It is worthy of note that some girls in this off-campus areas expose their body seductively to attract men around the off-campus. Also, they lure their admirers into sex for monetary gains.

The government as well as institution’s authority if it is to live up to its expectations is supposed to ensure students are well accommodated in suitable places within the institution. However, this is far from reality in Nigerian public institutions. Inyang, Ejue and Agwadu( 2018) had earlier established that on-campus accommodation in Nigeria universities are overwhelmingly overcrowded  . As it were the practice in the late 60s and 70s was that institutions find alternative houses in the town and rent them for occupation by their students. This practice is long abandoned as students are now left to find alternative on their own off-campus. Most parents are even now aware of the difficulties their wards have to face finding living accommodation every session. The idea of the tertiary education communities should ideally suggest a scenario where all members (in this case, students and teachers) dwell together in an area. With this therefore, one can safely say the earlier intention of a tertiary education set up is for both faculty and students to live together. Agbola (2001) is of the opinion that descent accommodation plays a significant role in healthy living and leads to improve productivity. He further emphasized that students of tertiary institutions require good accommodation for proper assimilation of what they are to be taught. Hence gap exists in terms of places of residence of students, private property developers through Build Operate and Transfer policy have to take the chances open to them to invest heavily in providing accommodation.

Generally, there is a dearth of literature on the issue of student’s off-campus accommodation. However, Prusok and Walsh (1964), and Heilwel (1973) in separate studies have discovered that students who stay off-campus appear to think of themselves as marginal members of their schools, with insignificant participation in social and recreational activities. They tend to be socially isolated. Smah (2001) discovered that secret cult or cultism has permuted deeply into both off and on campus students in most Nigerian universities. The studies conducted by Agbola (2001) shows that 6.3% of the respondents indicated that they would prefer on-campus accommodation to off-campus because of security and right of the students. The current study will investigate off-campus accommodation in public tertiary institutions in Nasarawa State to find out disorderly conduct common among off-campus students thereby closing the gap in literature on disorderly conduct. Various challenges are linked to off-campus accommodation. Scholars have, among others, argued that problems, such as cost, distance, transportation and social isolation of students from recreational facilities provided by the institutions are linked to off-campus accommodation. The aforementioned problems, are however, considered as peripheral. The major problems of off-campus accommodation, according to Abayomi and Youdeowei (2017), are the ones that tend to threaten the lives and their academic pursuit of students. In a similar light, Aluede and Oniyama (2009) concluded that off-campus students often appear to be associated with social vices, such as stealing, armed robbery, drugabuse, cultism, prostitution and formation of gang groups.

Several factors affect the academic performance of students, especially undergraduate in Nigerian institutions. Notable among them is inadequacy of accommodation (Akingbohugbe & Akinluyi, 2012). Records from government owned universities indicates that there is overcrowding of students’ accommodation. In 2006, NUC bemoaned the poor quality of academic facilities as well as the physical ones. This was a result of the presidential visitation panel that investigated the operations of every federal university between 1999 to 2003 (Babatope, 2010). The situation is not unexpected, as according to Dober (1963) cited in Owolabi (2015), notes that on-campus accommodation is an aspect of the educational system, and not a housing need of students that ought to be solved by the government, for this reason, universities were tasked with covering wider catchment areas. What this implies is that at establishment of the universities, negligible attention was paid to the connection between learning and decent or serene accommodation. Ijaiya (2001) supports this argument by establishing the interconnectedness of the quality of education and the available infrastructure available to Nigerian students. This could probably be what Adeyemi and Igbinewaka (2000) in Babatope (2010) had in mind when they argued that overcrowding results from the imbalance between the increase in enrolment and the provision of facilities. This unfortunate scenario appears to have reached its zenith at Nasarawa State public tertiary institutions where most students live off-campus. The absence of affordable and safe alternative

Housing in the neighborhoods of the tertiary institutions has further worsened the situation. The institutions’ response to this problem has hitherto been largely inadequate. This is so due to the neglect of the Built-Operate and Transfer (henceforth, BOT) Policy of the (NUC) (Abdulhafeez, 2014). Abdulhafeez’s findings indicate that inconsistencies in government policies contributes tothe failure of the BOT policy of the NUC. Arising from these challenges, the study investigated the off-campus accommodation problem, particularly disorderly conducts at public tertiary institutions in Nasarawa State.

Objectives of the study

1. To find out the forms of disorderly conducts that are associated with off-campus accommodation system in public tertiary institutions in Nasarawa State.
2. To ascertain the reasons for the persistence of disorderly conducts in off campus accommodation system in public tertiary institutions in Nasarawa State.
3. To determine how the disorderly conducts associated with off-campus accommodation system affect students.
4. To explore ways that could curb the disorderly conducts common in off-campus

 Accommodation system in public tertiary institutions in Nasarawa State.

LITERATURE REVIEW

An overview of off-campus accommodation/The Decline in student’s campus life

To properly assimilate lecturer/instructor-student interactions in the classroom and laboratory cross continents, students, and by extension, learners need good accommodation (Jabar, Yahya, Isnani& Abu, 2012). The origin of the university, which is arguably the major centre of learning in the world, can be traced to the medieval cities of Bologna, Paris and Oxford around the year 1200 (Bender, 1988 in Owolabi, 2015). Owolabi maintained that over time, a significant number of students from diverse nationalities and backgrounds are drawn to the university system. Interestingly, institutionally provided student accommodation was non-existent from the infancy stage of the university system and other tertiary institutions. Hence, hiring a room or a house off-campus became necessary (Caldenby, 1994; Adelman, 1969, Owolabi, 2015). This, resulted in many towns, especially in Europe having a significant population of students. How and where to accommodate the students became the ultimate challenge. On-campus accommodation, therefore, became imperative. It, however, did not, and has not solved the problem of accommodation among students. Notably, this problem is not restricted to the university system alone; it cuts across tertiary institutions. In Nigeria, for instance, most tertiary institutions, especially the Universities, accommodation of students is severely overcrowded at on-campus systems (Ekejiuba, 2015).

Ideal institutions like what was obtainable in the 60s and 70s provide accommodation for students. This accommodation has places to eat and also to socialize with other students, and academic supervisors. There were also recreational facilities. A survey in most of Nigerian institutions would most likely reveal a sharp decline in the level of facilities provided to students. During this period, students and lecturers were provided accommodation within the campus (on-campus).

It is disheartening and regrettable that the eating in a common hall no longer exist, dinning etiquette of the use of spoons, forks and knives has gone. The palatable dishes with chicken, eggs, plantains, beef meat, rice and other variety of food at different days no longer exist. What is obtainable now even if a student is accommodated within the campus is the popular 1-0-1, 0-1-0, 0-0-1 where student had to define their eating periods, that is, one should eat in the morning and evening or no food in the morning and night but only launch and no breakfast, no launch but only dinner.

The off-campus student does not usually enjoy the benefit associated with on-campus students. Students who live in off-campus, because of distance from the school, often do not partake in social activities such as understanding social behaviours and cultural norms of other ethnic groups when they share university halls. According to Wilcox and Holaham (2001)physical form of the student’s accommodation significantly affected the emerging degree of commitment towards each other, the pattern of interaction, emotional support and the level of involvement in organizational functioning.

The Build Operate and Transfer (BOT) Policy as a Response to Accommodation Problem in Nigeria Tertiary Institutions.

The concept of build, operate and transfer (BOT) policy can be traced to 1977. The National University Commission (NUC) set up Ogundeko Commission to look for ways of reducing the cost of general services provided by the universities. The commission then noted a great disparity between student’s population and available student’s accommodation (Adesina, 1988). The Commission decided against building any more students hostels in any university where one third or more of the students were already accommodated. The Commission favoured the development of off-campus accommodation.

During the second republic the government then further favoured building housing units as means of improving the living standard of the people and reducing the high rent paid by tenants. This culminated in the low cost housing policy of Alhaji Shehu Shagari. The federal government in collaboration with state government evolves a scheme to provide off-campus accommodation for students by establishing satellite villages near existing universities where low cost houses would be build and rented to students at very low rates.

In fulfillment of this policy all universities were directed to acquire 200 hectares of land on which they were expected to construct 200 low-cost housing units. The dream was never realized because the Shagari regime was overthrown by Muhammadu Buhari.

The build, operate and transfer policy was received by the university of Lagos in 2003. Olugbole (2009) reports that a public private sector scheme to address shortage of hostels accommodation at the university was made but such scheme was bogged down by intrigues. The Lagos university entered into agreement with some property developers including Lagos State Property Development Company, to build houses but only Gideon Titles Limited one of the property developers was able to build two blocks of hostel housing about 320 students.

Empirical study by Agbola (2001) shows that facilities in off-campus accommodation are better than those in halls of residence. However, the reports further reveal that the most serious problem faced by the students living in such houses is toilet facilities which as many as 40.8% of students rated as very poor or poor. On the whole if the BOT scheme had been undertaken by all the institutions in this country the issue of students’ accommodation would have been reduced if not completely eradicated.

Effects of off-campus accommodation on students

Numerous social vices have been linked to off-campus housing, according to studies, and as is always the case, these have a detrimental impact on students’ academic pursuits. These repercussions include damage to their income, increased risk to the community’s safety, and negative effects on learning, social behavior, cultism, drug addiction, and prostitution. Learning is the acquisition of knowledge through reading and research. According to Inyang (2017), learning to be, learning to learn, and learning to do are among the characteristics of education for the student. It seems that living off campus makes it more difficult for students to meet these learning objectives. This led Akindele (1996) to note that students living off campus face a variety of disruptions, such as unwarranted interference with their co-tenant talk. He emphasizes once more how frequently they are bothered by intolerably loud noises and loud music from nonstop street parties hosted by neighbors, beer shops, music stores, and co-tenants. This is consistent with the theory put forth by Agbola et al. (2001) that the majority of off-campus housing is unsuitable for housing students, which has the impact of delaying off-campus students’ learning.

Accommodations for higher education are typically constructed with the dual goals of fostering an academic community spirit and boosting student productivity by placing them in close proximity to all areas of activity (Adelaide, Anyobodeh & Abban, 2016). This occurs when study groups are held in a single location rather than off-campus. The time it takes for students to trek or commute from the off-campus village and neighborhood may impact their learning period and cause additional stress.

Off-campus housing is plagued by numerous social difficulties. Off-campus students perceive themselves as peripheral members of their institutions, participating in social and recreational activities only partially or not at all, according to Prusok and Walsh (1964) and Heilwel (1973). They also observe that these students frequently experience social isolation. When placed in the same physical setting and allowed to interact, students from different backgrounds have a big impact on resident students’ social lives and organizations. According to the study, this is typically not apparent to students who are not  living within the university. Additionally, off-campus students are unlikely to benefit from the shared social, academic, and recreational resources as well as the formation of unique social structures and organizations that are typical of on-campus life.

These social activities are replaced by anti-social behaviors including prostitution, armed robbery, gang membership, cultism, and theft, which are typically connected to off-campus students. According to Cohen (1955), Carrabine, Cox, Lee, Plummer & South (2008), and Iwerimie-Jaja (2012), slum neighborhoods also have these characteristics. In Nigeria, both on- and off-campus students suffer greatly from covert cultism, which has been a significant problem for the educational system. But as Smah (2001) pointed out, off-campus housing seems to be a safe sanctuary for the horrible deeds that cults commit since they  leave in constant fear.

Theoretical Framework

This paper adopted the Social Control Theory. The proponent of this theory is Travis Hirschi. The Social Control Theory was espoused in 1969. Hirschi’s inspiration came from the works of Toby and Briar as well as Piliavin. The tenet of the theory begins with the basic concept of control theory which is that people conform to societal rules and laws because of the bond of the individual to society. The theory postulate that people are bonded to society through attachment to conventional individuals like parents, teachers and as well peers.

Secondly, the theory stipulate that people are bonded to the society through commitment to conventional ways of doing things. The third is involvement to conventional activities and finally belief in society’s value system. These four social bonds, according to Hirschi promote socialization and tie the individual to conformity. It is therefore worthy of note that when one of the above mentioned social bonds is absent or in a state of comatose delinquency and disorderly conducts ismade possible.

Hirschi sees attachment to mean having close relationship of affection with conventional individuals like parents and teachers and as well peers. On the basis of this, disorderly conducts are common among off-campus students because upon getting admission to school the attachment students have with parents is temporarily weakened during their stay in school. More so, students who do not have strong attachment with their parents are likely those who engage in disorderly conducts. This point is corroborated by Igbo (2008) who feels the most influential in deterring a youth from  delinquency is his attachment to parents. Igbo (2008) further contend that youths who are attached to their parents will not engage in activities that will bring hurt, embarrassment or shame to their parents. He further feels such youths will refrain from acts that will cause a breakdown in the relationship they have with their parents. Those who are attached to school and teachers are mostly those who accept to stay on campus. Off-campus students are largely those who have weak attachment to school and their teachers even though sometimes those within this category are forced to stay off campus because of limited space on-campus.

Analyzing the second bond which is commitment in relation to off-campus accommodation, commitment according to Igbo (2008) refers to the commitment one makes or the investment a person makes or has made in conventional lines of activity. On the basis of this, a student who has made some commitment of time, dedication, money into his his/her education might not want such commitment jeopardized by involving in disorderly conducts. Off-campus students who are involved in disorderly conducts are hence likely to be those with weak or no commitment to the afore mentioned conventional activities.

The involvement means involvement in conventional activities. Students who are involved in school related activities that keep them occupied are less likely to be engaged in disorderly conduct in off-campus whereas those who are not involved in school related activities that keep them busy are more likely to engage in disorderly conducts common among off-campus students.

The last among Hirschi’s social bond is belief. Igbo (2008) contend that by belief Hirschi meant the acknowledgement or acceptance by a person of society’s rules and laws as something that is fair and ought to be respected and obeyed. This means in relation to the issue of disorderly conducts in off-campus, those who belief the rules and laws in the society are fair and ought to be obeyed are those who act descent in off-campus, whereas those perpetrating disorderly conducts are those who do not belief in rules and laws as something fair and ought to be obeyed, It is on the basis of the above framework that the social control theory of Travis Hirschi was adopted for theoretical justification.

METHODOLOGY

Research Design:  The design for this study is survey design. Survey design is that type of research design in which information is collected from only a fraction of the population selected in such a way as to represent the whole. The researcher adopted this design because first and foremost, the area covered by this study is large and so, this method enabled the researcher to use sample to draw inference to represent the various elements of the population

Study Area: The study area for this study is Nasarawa state. Nasarawa state came into existence on the 1^st of October, 1996.  It was created out of Plateau state.  At its creation, Nasarawa state had ten local government areas, with the state’s capital in Lafia.  By November 1996, three more local government areas were created thus giving a total of thirteen (13) local government areas in the state, which include Akwanga, Awe, Doma, Karu, Keffi, Keana, Kokona, Lafia, Nasarawa, Nasarawa Eggon, Obi, Toto and Wamba Local Government Areas.  The state occupies a total land area of 27,137.8sq km, sharing boundary with the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, in the West, Plateau state in the East, Benue state, in the South, and Kaduna state, in the North.  The state in terms of education has a Federal Polytechnic in Nasarawa Local Government Area, College of Education in Akwanga, College of Agriculture in Lafia, Nasarawa state Polytechnic in Lafia, Nasarawa state University in Keffi, School of Nursing in Lafia, School of Health Technology in Keffi, and the Federal University of Lafia.

The state is characterized by a tropical sub-humid climate with two distinct seasons, the wet and dry seasons. The major ethnic groups include Eggon, Alago, Migili, Koro, Mada, Rindre, Tiv, Gwandara, Gbagyi, Ebira, Agatu, Bassa, Afo, Ake, Mama, Kantana, Yashi etc.  Historically, Nasarawa state constitutes part of the Middle Belt zone of Nigeria and majority of the rural people are engaged in agriculture.

Agriculture is the main economic activity in Nasarawa state and the major crops produces include maize, rice, millet, cowpea, sorghum, groundnut, yam, cassava, soyabeans, benniseed, melon, Bambara nuts, etc.  The state also has many mineral deposits, which include Barytes, Sharp sand, Tin, Marble, salt, coal, semi-precious stones, and that is why the state is seen as the home of solid minerals.  Nasarawa state is also home of the popular FarinRuwa Falls in Wamba Local Government Area of the state.

3.3 Sampling Technique

The researcher adopted Cochran (1977) formula for sample size determination.

Formula:  no= (Z² Pq)/e² ,where

e= desired level of precision i.e margin of error.

P= estimated proportion of the population who are well aware of the disorderly conducts common in off-campus accommodation areas.

q=estimated proportion of the population who are not well aware of the disorderly conducts common among off-campus accommodation areas (q=1-p)

Z=confidence interval (95% CI is adopted here, i.e z=1.96) in z-score language.

Therefore,

The study used the multi stage sampling technique to select the sample population.

3.4 Data Collection Instrument

Data was generated using questionnaire. The questionnaire consists of sections.  The first section of the instruction handled the socio-demographic characteristics of the respondents to include age, sex, and educational background. Other sections of the instrument took care of the objectives based on the research objectives.

Statistical analysis

For the purpose of Data analysis of this study, the researcher first coded the data, and did a data entry using excel 2010 version, which was later transferred into the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 21. Analysis was first guarded by descriptive statistics based on frequency tabulation and percentage to analyze the socio-demographic characteristics of the respondents. Both inferential and non-inferential statistical tools were used in the analysis of data

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

Table 1- Demographic Characteristics of Respondents

 Source: Field Survey,2023.

Table 1 shows the demographic characteristics of respondents, the table indicated that 55.6% of the respondents are between the ages of 18 – 30, followed by those who fall in the age category of 31-40 with a percentage population of 32.7%, those within the age range of 41-50 only constitute 10.4% of the population while those from 51 and above constitute only 1.3% of the study population. This result shows that majority of the students falls within the age range of 18 – 30 and as represented on the table.

The table also indicates the marital status of respondents showing that the lager population that involved in the study 77.4% are still single and not married while about 20.2% of the population are said to be married and only 2.4% of the population study are said to fall in the category of divorced people. This also shows that more of the study population are young.

The table indicates that 53.7% of the study population are female while 46.3% are male.

Table 2: Forms of disorderly conducts that are associated with off-campus accommodation system

Source: Field Survey, 2023.

Table 2 shows respondents assessment on the forms of disorderly conduct associated with off campus accommodation on a Likert scale of 5. Drinking in public was rated above the mean rating (4.27) with a diversion opinion (0.878). In a similar manner, playing loud music or causing excessive noise late at night was rated high with a mean = 4.16 and std = 1.148, also property damage such as destruction and vandalization of property has a high mean score above the average mean = 4.16 std = 1.148, the illegal sales of drugs mean = 4.30 std= 0.969, causing commotion or being aggressive towards others mean = 4.38 std = 0.735 and the exposure of naked body has a mean =4.20 std = .0905. all the variable tested indicated a mean score above the average mean of 2.50

Table 3: Reasons for the persistence of disorderly conducts in off campus accommodation system

Source: Field Survey, 2023.

Table 3 indicate the responses of respondents on the reasons for the persistence of disorderly conducts, the absence of oversight in terms of supervision has a mean = 3.85 std = 1.409, greater peer pressure has a mean = 4.22 std 1.111, limited consequences in area of punishment 4.28 std 0.914, alcohol and substance abuse 3.61 std = 1.285 and the variable insufficient security and counselling services has a mean score = 4.24 std 1.111. All the mean score of the variables tested has shown a high average mean above the average mean of 2.50

Table 4: How the disorderly conducts associated with off-campus accommodation system affect students.

Source: Field Survey, 2023.

Table 4 indicates responses on the variables that show how disorderly conducts associated with off campus accommodation system affect students. Poor academic performance has a mean = 4.05 std 1.25 above the average mean on a likert scale of 5. Interpersonal problem has a mean= 3.52 std = 1.314, safety concerns has a mean 3.97 std 1.343 and distortion of student’s morals has a mean 4.16 std 0.959. All variables tested shows a mean score above the average mean accepting the contribution of the variables as ways in which disorderly conducts associated with off campus accommodation system affect students.

Table 5: Ways that could curb the disorderly conducts common in off-campus accommodation system

Source: Field Survey, 2023.

Table 5 shows respondents view on variables or factors that can be used or rather ways to curb the disorderly conducts common in off-campus accommodation. Increased security meaning more effort should be made in boosting the security level and architecture has a very high mean = 4.36, and std = 0.771, while implementing a code of conduct has a mean = 3.51 std = 1.235, increased oversight by school management has a mean score = 4.05, std = 1.147 while holding students accountable for their actions also indicated a high mean score = 3.48 std = 1.348 all above the average mean. This shows that the variables suggested if put into consideration could make a lot of impact on the subject matter.

SUMMARY/DISCUSSION OF FINDINGS

One of the key findings of this research is the fact that students of tertiary institutions in Nasarawa State drink in public. The issue of public drinking by tertiary institution students is a very bad situation. Adolescent drinking especially in public has serious effect on the individual and the society. Drinking especially public drinking expose students to risky behaviours like having unprotected sex, engaging in different forms of crime etc.

It was also revealed that students of public tertiary institutions play loud music and cause excessive noise at night. This can have disruptive and negative impact on other students. The most pronounced effect is loss of sleep which possibly could lead to reduced cognitive functioning. Also, it can have effect on the habit of studying by students and disrupt schoolwork of students living off-campus.

Findings also revealed that another form of disorderly conduct associated with off-campus student is property damage such as destruction and vandalization of property. This usually creates a negative image on the institution and the students of the institution. Another form of disorderly conduct found to be associated with off-campus students of public tertiary institutions in Nasarawa State is illegal sales of drugs; this usually have effect on off-campus community because it gives room for insecurity around off-campus making off-campus students live in fear. As a result of the sales of drugs, it was discovered that such students cause commotion and are unnecessarily aggressive towards others. Another key finding of this study is that it was revealed that a disorderly conduct associated with off-campus accommodation is a situation where certain students expose their naked body. This situation makes the students to loss their reputation.

On the reasons for persistence of disorderly conducts around off-campus accommodation it was discovered that absence of oversight in terms of supervision is a reason. It is a fact that if students especially those living off-campus are not checked constantly by parents, guardian and institution authorities, such disorderly conducts will continue as such disorderly conducts around off-campus in public tertiary institutions persist because of this reason. Also, greater peer pressure was also found to be a reason for the persistence. Peers have much influence on themselves and as such this play a key role on why disorderly conduct persist in off-campus accommodation. More so, findings also revealed that limited consequences in the area of punishment is also another reason why disorderly conducts persist. It is clear that students of off-campus are not subjected to punishment like their counterparts living on-campus. Such situation gives students the guts to go on with certain disorderly conducts.

Findings also revealed that alcohol and substance abuse by students also contribute to the persistence of disorderly conducts. Someone who abuses alcohol and substance have high tendency of engaging in disorderly conduct. Lastly, it was discovered that insufficient security and counselling services also I another reason. When students are left on the mercy of themselves without any one to put them on check or counsel them on the dangers of certain actions they continue to revel on certain disorderly conducts.

On how disorderly conducts associated with off-campus accommodation affect students, it was discovered that it affects them in the area of poor academic performance. A student who is busy and committed to any disorderly conduct will definitely have limited time for studies which will have effect on the academic performance resulting in poor academic performance. Also, students who sale drugs, expose one’s body naked and engage in other disorderly conducts have interpersonal problem as revealed by the study. More so, because of illegal sales of drugs, property damage, causing of commotion, drinking in public, there is always safety concerns as revealed by findings of the study and since certain off-campus students engage in the aforementioned disorderly conducts, the study found that its effect on students is the distortion of student’s morals.

Findings from the study revealed that to curb the disorderly conducts common in off-campus there should be increased security, implementation of code of conduct, increased oversight by school management and also that students who engage in such disorderly conducts should be hold accountable for their actions.

CONCLUSION

The issue of student’s off-campus comes with varieties of problems, problems bordering around difficulties faced by students, disorderly conducts associated with off-campus accommodation and the effects on students. The issue of student’s accommodation needs to be checked. In the case where all students can’t be accommodated on-campus because of increase in aspirations for tertiary education, management should not leave students who are staying off-campus on the mercy of them taking care of themselves especially in the area of security.

Findings revealed that the common disorderly conduct common in most off-campus areas in public tertiary institutions include drinking in public, playing loud music or causing excessive noise late at night, property damage such as destruction and vandalization of property, illegal sales of drugs, causing commotion or being aggressive towards others and exposing one’s naked body. This scenario is a complete deviation from the norm of discipline and morality within Africa and Nigeria in particular where the culture of discipline and regard for morality is occupying a center stage.

RECOMMENDATIONS

1. Authorities of various institutions should review the functions of Housekeepers to include checking on wellbeing and conducts of off-campus students.
2. Government and management of tertiary institutions should revisit the Build, Operate and Transfer Policy (BOT) and adhere to its philosophy to boost provision of on-campus accommodation.
3. Parents and guidance should constantly check their wards living off-campus in order to maintain strong bond with them so as to discourage them from engaging in disorderly conducts.
4. Government should beef up security around off-campus areas

REFERENCES

1. Abayomi, A., & Youdeowei, T.(2015,Novembr 3). Students, varsities hostel and shylock Vanguard. Retrieved from https://www.vanguardngr.com.Assessed 3/11/2023.
2. Abduhafeez, A.(2014). An investigation into build operate and transfer in the provision of hostels in Nigerian federal universities: A Thesis submitted to School of Postgraduate studies Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria.
3. Adelaide, S. K., Anyobodeh, R. &Abban, G. (2016). An assessment of the accommodation challenges faced by students of Takorodi Polytechnic. International Journal of Novel Research in Marketing Management and Economics 3(1), 64-72
4. Adelman, H. (1969). The beds of academe. Toronto: James Lewis & Samuel Ltd.
5. Ademola, E.O., Ogundipe, A.T. &Babatunde, W.T.(2014). Students’ enrollment into tertiary institutions in Nigeria: the influence of the founder’s reputation-A case study. Computing, Information Systems, Development Informatics & Allied Research Journal, 4 (3)
6. Adesina, S. (1988).The development of modern education in Nigeria. Nigeria: Heineman Educational Books.
7. Adeyemi, J. K., Igbinewaka, V.O. (2000). Sitting space utilization in Nigeria universities: A case study of the university of Benin. Educ. Teach 4(1), 12-23
8. Agbola, T, Olaturbara, C.O. &Alabi, M. (2001).Students on campus housing at bursting point: A case study of the University of Ibadan. French Institute for Research in Africa. Occasional Publication No 4.
9. Agwadu, D.K. (2010). Students off campus accommodation in Keffi: A sociological analysis of Angwan Lambu area. B.sc projected submitted to the department of Sociology, Nasarawa State University, Keffi.
10. Akindele, U. (1996). Accommodation: Tales, tears and tolls. Ogun Poly Echo 15(1),11-13
11. Akingbohugbe,D.O.&Akinluyi, M.(2012). Resident perception of off-campus students’ housing performance in Ile-Ife, Nigeria. Journal of Environmental and Earth Sciences, 2(7), 2224-3216
12. Aluede, R., Oniyama, O.A. & Hope, O. (2009). Secret cults in tertiary institutions in Nigeria: An Alabama: project innovation: A report 43(1), 0146-3934
13. Amole,O.O. (1977). An evaluation of student’s residential facilities in some Nigerian Ile-Ife. Obafemi Awolowo University
14. Babatope, B.A. (2010). Problems of facilities in South-West Nigerian Universities and the way Journal of Education Administration and Policy Studies, 2(2). 039-043
15. Caldenby, C. (1994). Universitetethochstaen, white coordinator pabygget. Alvesta
16. Ekejiuba, P. (2015). The running of hostels as auxiliary services in university of Benin: Implications for academic studies. African Educational Research Journal, 3(1), 51-54
17. Heiwel, M. (1973).The influence of dormitory architecture on resident behaviuor. Retrieved from https://doi.org. Assessed 21/7/2021.
18. Holahan, C.J., & Wilcox, B.L. (1978). Residential satisfaction and friendship formation in high and low rise student housing: An interaction analysis. Journal of Educational Psychology, 70(2), 237-241.
19. Igbo, E.M. (2008). Aetiology of crime: perspectives in theoretical criminology. Enugu: New Generation Books.
20. Ijaiya, Y. (2001). From quality control to quality assurance: A panacea for quality education in Nigerian schools. Retrieved from http://www.academicjournals.org. Assessed 7/10/2023
21. Inyang, M.N, Ejue, F.U & Agwadu, D.K. (2018). Urban housing problems and learning among off-campus students of Nasarawa State University, Keffi. Advances in Social Sciences Research Journal, 5(5), 110-124.
22. Inyang, M.N. (2017). Education and national development: An appraisal. International Journal of Operational Research in Management, Social Sciences & Education 3(1), 66-70
23. Ogeah, F.N. &Ajaloye, V. (2011). Students’ off-campus residence and impact on localities: The case of the university of Benin and Ekosodin village. Global Journal of Social Sciences,    10(1 & 2)
24. Olugbole, S. (2009). Accommodation: Six years after, Unilag’s BOT remains a dream.
25. Osewa, O. (2017). Hostel or off-campus, which do you prefer? Retrieved from http://www.nairaland.com. Assessed 3/11/2023
26. Owolabi, B.O. (2015). The effects of student’s housing on academic performance of the university of Ibadan in Nigeria. International Journal of Scientific & Engineering Research, 6(3), 2229-5518
27. Prusok, R.E. & Walsh, W.B. (1964).College student’s residence and academic achievement. Journal of College Student Personnel, 5(1), 180-198.
28. Smah, S.O. (2001). Perception and control of secret cult and gang induced difficulties for quality living and learning in Nigerian Universities. A case study of Universities in the middle belt A final research report presented to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Government of Neitherlands and Swedish international development cooperation Agency (SIDA/SAREC).
29. Ubong, B. (2007). Hostel accommodation in tertiary education institution in Nigria: To be or not. Retrieved from bassoyubing.com. Assesed 15/11/2023