Improving Lecturers Work Engagement in State Owned-Tertiary Institutions in Kebbi State, Through Sustainable Management Practices

Improving Lecturers Work Engagement in State Owned-Tertiary Institutions in Kebbi State, Through Sustainable Management Practices

Aminu, Ibrahim (PhD)., Mathew, Isaac Rikoto (PhD)

School of Education, Department of Educational Foundations Adamu Augie College of Education, Argungu

DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.47772/IJRISS.2025.903SEDU0514

Received: 10 August 2025; Accepted: 16 August 2025; Published: 27 September 2025

ABSTRACT

This paper examined the improvement of work engagement among lecturers in the state-owned tertiary institutions in Kebbi State Nigeria, through sustainable management practices. The study utilized one objective of the study, one research question and one null hypothesis. A descriptive survey design was employed targeting 2,419 academic staff at the Kebbi State-owned tertiary institutions. A stratified sampling technique was used to select a sample of 255 lecturers (152 males and 103 females). Data collection was conducted using a 10 item self-designed questionnaire titled State-owned Lecturer Sustainable Management Practices Questionnaire (SOLSMPQ), in which two experts in the field of Test and Measurement of the faculty of education Validated it. Cronbach’s Alpha statistics was used to test the reliability of the instrument, and it yielded coefficient of 0.81. Standard deviation was used to test the only research question using mean while the null hypothesis was tested at 0.05 level of significance. The study showed that lecturers agreed on the necessity of sustainable management practices to enhance lecturer work engagement in State-owned tertiary institutions in Kebbi State. These sustainable management practices include compensation and benefits, workload management and collaboration programmes. Based on the study’s findings, recommendations were made that State-owned authorities should implement comprehensive compensation and benefits packages, among others, in Kebbi State to enhance lecturers’ work engagement, and productivity.

Keywords: Lecturers, Sustainable Management Practices, Work Engagement, Tertiary Institutions,

INTRODUCTION

Teacher work engagement is a critical aspect of academic performance and organizational success within educational institutions. In the dynamic landscape of higher education, the work engagement of university lecturers stands as a critical factor influencing both academic quality and institutional effectiveness. Employee engagement has emerged as a critical phenomenon in both academic research and business practice, recognized as a key driver of organizational performance and success (Shahid, 2019; Kaur, 2023).  The concept has gained significant attention due to its positive impact on various organizational outcomes, including quality, customer satisfaction, and financial results (Shahid, 2019). In the context of State-owned tertiary institutions in Kebbi State to be precise, ensuring the engagement and motivation of tertiary institutions lecturers is paramount to achieving educational excellence and fostering a conducive learning environment.

Work engagement is a fulfilling, work-related state of mind characterized by vigor, dedication, and absorption (Schaufeli, 2013. It refers to employees’ emotional commitment, loyalty, and involvement in their work and organisation (Sinha, 2021; Kaur, 2023). Engaged employees are emotionally attached to their organisation, highly involved in their jobs, and willing to go beyond contractual obligations (Kaur, 2023). Hence, enhancing lecturer work engagement is increasingly seen as a strategy to address many challenges faced by public education and promote better performance in tertiary institution Kebbi State.

Researchers have identified numerous antecedents and consequences of employee engagement at both individual and organizational levels (Gupta & Sharma, 2019). Understanding the drivers of engagement is crucial for organizations to develop effective management practices and achieve their goals (Gupta & Sharma, 2019; Shahid, 2019). As a result, companies are investing substantial resources in promoting employee engagement to enhance their competitive advantage in today’s dynamic business environment (Shahid, 2019; Sinha, 2021)

Recent researches support the use of sustainable management strategies to enhance lecturer work engagement. Compensation and benefits improvement, workload management, and collaborative programmes, which are the focus of this study are among the key drivers identified. Compensation and benefits were found to be the most significant factors influencing faculty engagement (Tumbali et al., 2021). Job resources, including workplace conditions and administrative support, play a crucial role in fostering teacher engagement (Zhao & Wu, 2024). Additionally, self-leadership strategies have been shown to interact with job resources to positively impact engagement levels (Zhao & Wu, 2024). Organizational commitment is closely associated with work engagement among tertiary institution Lecturer (Sabir & Kayani, 2021). A systematic review revealed that work engagement in teachers is influenced by individual, leadership, and organizational factors, with consequences affecting their involvement in the workplace (Halawa et al., 2023). These findings highlight the importance of implementing comprehensive strategies to enhance teacher engagement across various educational levels. To improve lecturer engagement, universities should focus on enhancing salary, team building, assessment management, and humanistic care (Wang & Dapat, 2023).

Furthermore, the research also highlights the importance of sustainable management practices for university lecturer workload. Research indicates that excessive workload can decrease lecturer efficiency and student academic achievement (Kanwal et al., 2023). However, effective workload management can positively influence both lecturer performance and student outcomes (Mahmoodur & Yakub, 2016). To address these issues, proposed solutions include implementing flexible work policies, reducing administrative burdens, and providing resources for professional development (Xiaomei, 2023).

University-industry collaboration and interdepartmental cooperation in university lecturer programmes have been given prominence in research. Industry partnerships provide students with valuable real-world experience and international collaboration opportunities, enhancing their professional skills (Morano-Okuno et al., 2019). Collaborations between different university departments, such as physics and education, have led to improved teacher preparation programmes and increased production of qualified teachers (Stokes et al., 2021). Universities are also exploring collaborative teaching practices with industry experts to achieve course learning outcomes more effectively (Roslim et al., 2022). These collaborations benefit students, teachers and industry partners, fostering innovation and knowledge transfer. All these sustainable management practices can help alleviate lecturers’ challenges while fostering a positive work environment conducive to long-term work engagement, career satisfaction and retention. This study investigated the sustainable management practices that can enhance university teacher work engagement in public universities in Kebbi State, Nigeria.

State-owned tertiary education in Nigeria as a whole are expected to be fully engaged in their work, motivated by manageable workloads, adequate compensation and benefits, and active participation in collaborative programmes. This will foster a conducive academic environment, promote student success, and support institutional growth and development. However, research shows that many lecturers in the State-owned tertiary education system are experiencing dissatisfaction with their work due to heavy workloads and inadequate compensation and benefits (Nagalingam et al., 2019). These factors contribute to low levels of work engagement among lecturers, negatively impacting their overall quality of work, and productivity.

The consequences of low work engagement among lecturers in the state-owned tertiary institutions in are profound. It could lead to decreased morale, increased turnover rates, diminished teaching effectiveness, and ultimately compromise the quality of education and research outputs. Studies have shown a growing trend of absenteeism, intention to leave the profession, and early retirement among disengaged faculty members (Artates, 2023)

Despite numerous studies on employee work engagement in Nigerian universities, there is a significant gap in research on enhancing university lecturer work engagement through sustainable management practices. This study addresses this need by exploring the ways sustainable management practices such as compensation and benefits improvement, workload management, and collaborative programmes can enhance lecturer work engagement in Kebbi State, Nigeria.

Objective of the Study

The objective of the study is to:

1. To find out ways that sustainable management practices be implemented to enhance lecturer work engagement in State-owned tertiary Institutions in Kebbi State

Research Question

The study seeks to provide answers to the research question:

1. what ways can sustainable management practices be implemented to enhance lecturers work engagement in State-owned tertiary Institutions in Kebbi State

Null Hypothesis

Based on the research question and objective this null hypothesis is formulated:

H₀₁:  There is no significant difference by which sustainable management practices can be implemented to enhance lecturer work engagement in State-owned tertiary institution in Kebbi State.

METHODOLOGY

The study used a descriptive survey design to select two universities in Kebbi State through stratified sampling. A sample of 255 participants was randomly chosen from the total populations of 1,637 State-owned tertiary institution representing 10% of their academic staff. The sample comprised 152 males and 103 females’ academic staff. Data was collected using the Lecturer Sustainable Management Practices Questionnaire (SOLSMPQ), rated on a 4-point scale. The questionnaire’s face validity was confirmed by two experts in Test and Measurement, and its internal consistency was established with a Cronbach Alpha coefficient of 0.81. Descriptive statistics (mean and standard deviation) and the z-test were employed for data analysis

RESULTS

Research Question. In what ways can sustainable management practices be implemented to enhance lecturer work engagement in State-owned tertiary Institutions in Kebbi State

Table 1: Mean Sores and Standard Deviation of the perceptions of Male and Female Lecturers on ways Sustainable Management Practices can be implemented to enhance Lecturer Work Engagement in State-owned tertiary Institutions in Kebbi State.

Table 1 shows that both male and female university lecturers agreed on various ways to implement sustainable management practices. The mean scores for all items exceeded the criterion mean of 2.50, indicating strong agreement. These sustainable management practices include providing availability of flexible work options (3.17), having adequate support from teaching assistants (3.09), clear guidelines on workload distribution and task prioritization (3.14), access to comprehensive health and wellness programmes (3.17), opportunities for professional development (3,21), performance-based pay incentives tied to teaching effectiveness and research output (3.31), engaging with alumni and donors to secure funding for lecturer support initiatives (3,43), engaging with industry partners to secure funding for lecturer support (3.14,) collaborating with other departments on joint projects or courses (3.16), and collaborating with other universities on research or academic initiatives (3.27).

Hypothesis Testing

H0₁: There is no significant difference in the mean ratings of male and female lecturers regarding their perceptions of ways by which sustainable management practices can be implemented to enhance lecturer work engagement in State-owned tertiary Institutions in Kebbi State

Table 2: z- test of Difference between Mean Scores of Male and Female Lecturers on ways Sustainable Management Practices can be implemented to enhance Lecturer Work Engagement in Kebbi State

Table 2 displays the results of a z-test comparing the opinions of male and female lecturers on implementing sustainable management practices to enhance lecturer work engagement in State-owned tertiary Institutions in Kebbi State. The calculated z-value of 0.21 is below the critical value of ±1.96, indicating that, at the 0.05 alpha level, the null hypothesis was not rejected. Therefore, there is no significant difference between the mean ratings of male and female lecturers’ opinions regarding the implementation of sustainable management practices to enhance lecturer work engagement in State-owned tertiary Institutions in Kebbi State. This implies a strong consensus across genders in their perceptions of the implementation of these sustainable management practices.

DISCUSSION OF FINDINGS

The study’s findings revealed a strong consensus among male and female lecturers regarding the importance of implementing sustainable management practices to enhance work engagement among public university lecturers in Lagos State. Both genders agreed on all items in Table 1, with mean scores surpassing the criterion mean of 2.50. The aggregate mean scores of 3.22, and 3.17 respectively indicate that sustainable management practices can effectively enhance work engagement among lecturers in public universities in Lagos State. These sustainable management practices include compensation and benefits, work load management, and collaboration programmes, all of which received positive feedback with an overall agreement in mean scores. Similar findings are supported by other studies. For example, Tumbali et al., (2021). found that compensation and benefits were the most significant factors influencing faculty engagement. Rahman and Avan (2016) demonstrated that effective workload management can positively influence both teacher performance and student outcomes.

Several other studies have also highlighted the importance of university-industry partnerships, and interdepartmental collaborations in university teacher programmes, which have enhanced university teachers’ professional skills, productivity, and work engagement (Morano-Okuno et al., 2019; Stokes et al., 2021; Roslim et al., 2022).

The results from the z-test in Table 2 indicate no significant difference between the mean ratings of male and female lecturers regarding the implementation of sustainable management practices to enhance work engagement in public universities in Kebbi State. This suggests a high level of consensus across genders in their perceptions on the implementation of sustainable management practices, aligning with other studies that also found no significant gender differences in university lecturers’ perceptions of sustainable management practices.

For instance, recent studies have found no significant gender differences in university lecturers’ perceptions of various management practices. Shah et al. (2020) reported no gender disparities in areas like equal pay, job descriptions, recruitment procedures, and staff appraisals at a Pakistani university. Similarly, Muramalla & Alotaibi (2019) observed that academic staff in Saudi Arabian universities, regardless of gender, positively responded to equitable workload distribution practices in teaching, research, and administration. Dilshad et al. (2019) found no significant difference between male and female teachers’ engagement in continuous professional development activities in Pakistani universities. However, Tsymbaliuk et al. (2020) noted some gender differences in Ukrainian academics’ perceptions of professional development, with women expressing a greater need for mentoring and men showing more interest in material incentives. These studies collectively suggest that while some gender-based differences exist, there is generally no significant gender gap in university lecturers’ perceptions of management practices across various contexts.

CONCLUSION

Based on the findings presented, the study underscored the critical role of sustainable management practices in enhancing work engagement State-owned tertiary Institutions in Kebbi State, Nigeria. Both male and female lecturers exhibited strong consensus on the importance of practices such as compensation and benefits, workload management, and collaboration programmes. These results align with existing literature highlighting similar findings in diverse educational contexts. Thus, integrating sustainable management practices can effectively bolster teacher engagement, thereby promoting a conducive work environment and potentially improving overall educational outcomes in State-owned tertiary Institutions in Kebbi State

RECOMMENDATIONS

1. The school authorities should implement comprehensive compensation and benefits packages in State-owned tertiary Institutions in Kebbi State that align with lecturers’ expectations and industry standards.
2. They should develop and implement effective workload management strategies that consider teaching, research, and administrative responsibilities so as to reduce stress, and enhance productivity.
3. They should promote interdepartmental collaborations and university-industry partnerships to enrich lecturers’ professional skills and enhance their engagement

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