Lecturer–Student Relations and Working Hours as Predictors of Lecturer’s Commitment in State-Owned Colleges of Education in the North-West Geopolitical Zone, Nigeria

The quality of lecturer–student relations and the demands of working hours represent two dimensions of the academic work experience whose implications for lecturer commitment have received limited specific empirical attention in the Nigerian Colleges of Education context. This study examined: (i) the nature of lecturer–student relations; (ii) the level of working hours of lecturers; (iii) the level of lecturer commitment to work; and the relationships between each variable and lecturer commitment in state-owned Colleges of Education in North-West Nigeria. A correlational survey design was employed with 302 lecturers from four institutions. The Personnel Relations Lecturers Questionnaire (PRLQ, reliability = 0.85), the Condition of Service of Lecturers Questionnaire (CSLQ, reliability = 0.82), and the Lecturers Commitment Questionnaire (LCQ, reliability = 0.84) were used. Mean, standard deviation, and Pearson Product Moment Correlation (PPMC) were applied at alpha = 0.05. Lecturer–student relations were at a high level (mean = 3.35) with universal commitment to academic discussion and mentorship. Working hours were at a high level (mean = 3.58) but with a critical absence of reward for extra hours (mean = 2.06). Lecturer commitment was at a high level (mean = 3.38). Lecturer–student relations significantly predicted commitment (r = 0.130, p = 0.048), while working hours did not (r = 0.050, p = 0.376). Lecturer-student relations are a significant predictor of commitment; working hours though extensive and stressful are not, particularly in the absence of institutional recognition. The student-focused professional identity of lecturers is a resilient commitment source that institutions must actively sustain rather than merely assume.

lecturer–student relations; working hours; lecturer commitment; level of commitment; personnel relations; condition of service; Colleges of Education; North-West Nigeria

1. Abari, M. T., & Adejor, O. J. (2021). Impact of lecturer-student relationship on academic performance of students in Joseph Sarwuan Tarka University, Makurdi. International Journal of Research Publication and Reviews, 2(12), 6–9. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

2. Akinfolarin, A. V., & Ehinola, G. B. (2014). Motivation and effective performance of academic staff in higher education. International Journal of Innovation and Research in Education, 1(2), 157–163. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

3. Ayodele, K., Oluwakemi, A., & Temidayo, A. (2014). Personality factors, academic emphasis, and students-lecturers' relationship as determinants of undergraduates' academic achievement goal orientation. IOSR Journal of Humanities and Social Science, 19(1), 4–11. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

4. Blau, P. M. (1964). Exchange and power in social life. Wiley. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

5. Creswell, J. W. (2014). Research design: Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches (4th ed.). SAGE Publications. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

6. Halidu, S. G. (2015). The impact of training and development on workers' productivity in selected Nigerian universities. International Journal of Public Administration and Management Research, 3(1), 10–16. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

7. Krstić, K. (2015). Attachment in the student–teacher relationship as a factor of school achievement. Inovacije u Nastavi, 28(3), 167–188. https://doi.org/10.5937/inovacije1503167 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

8. LSBU Agreement. (2016). Guidelines for the determination of lecturers' duties: Handbook of academic administration. Brown University. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

9. Meyer, J. P., & Allen, N. J. (1990). The three-component model of commitment. Journal of Organizational Behaviour, 11(4), 372–374. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

10. National Commission for Colleges of Education. (2022). Revised terms and conditions of service for federal colleges of education in Nigeria. NCCE Publications. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

11. O'Reilly, C. A., Chatman, J., & Caldwell, D. F. (1991). People and organizational culture: A profile comparison approach. Academy of Management Journal, 34(3), 487–516. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

12. Saidu, M. (2026). Relationship among condition of service, personnel relation and lecturers' commitment in Colleges of Education in North West Zone, Nigeria (Doctoral thesis). Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

13. Shashi, S. (2015). Teaching competency, professional commitment and job satisfaction. IOSR Journal of Research & Method in Education, 4(3), 44–64. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

• Assessment of the Role of Artificial Intelligence in Repositioning TVET for Economic Development in Nigeria
• Teachers’ Use of Assure Model Instructional Design on Learners’ Problem Solving Efficacy in Secondary Schools in Bungoma County, Kenya
• “E-Booksan Ang Kaalaman”: Development, Validation, and Utilization of Electronic Book in Academic Performance of Grade 9 Students in Social Studies
• Analyzing EFL University Students’ Academic Speaking Skills Through Self-Recorded Video Presentation
• Major Findings of The Study on Total Quality Management in Teachers’ Education Institutions (TEIs) In Assam – An Evaluative Study