EFFECT OF TRAINING FACILITIES ON THE STUDENTS’ ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE IN FIVE POLYTECHNICS IN SOUTH WEST NIGERIA

Abstract This study examines the effects of instructional facilities on the teaching of skills in the Office Technology and Management (OTM) departments of polytechnics in Kwara State, Nigeria. The background highlights the evolution of the secretarial profession and the critical need for modern instructional materials to equip students for contemporary office automation, a challenge exacerbated by inadequate funding in tertiary institutions. The research adopted a descriptive survey design, administering questionnaires to 100 secretaries selected through simple random sampling from four polytechnics. Findings revealed that instructional facilities are available only to a low extent, severely hampering effective skill acquisition. Key factors militating against availability include inadequate funding, poor maintenance culture, and increasing student enrolment. The study concluded that the poor provision of these essential facilities negatively impacts the quality of OTM graduates, rendering them unprepared for the demands of the modern workplace. Consequently, it is recommended that government and school management should prioritize the adequate provision of instructional materials, enforce policies on facility maintenance, and that the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) should strictly enforce accreditation standards related to instructional resources.