BUILDING MAINTENANCE PRACTICES IN GOVERNMENT TECHNICAL COLLEGES IN ADAMAWA STATE

ABSTRACT This study assessed the building maintenance practices, with a specific focus on routine maintenance, in Government Science Technical Colleges (GSTCs) in Adamawa State, Nigeria. The research was motivated by the pervasive problem of infrastructural decay in technical educational institutions, which undermines their core mandate of producing a skilled technical workforce. Employing a mixed-methods research design, data was collected through structured questionnaires administered to 318 respondents (administrators, teachers, maintenance staff, and students), complemented by physical observations and interviews. The data was analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics (Pearson’s Correlation and Multiple Regression). The findings revealed that while routine and preventive maintenance practices are acknowledged, their implementation is highly inconsistent and predominantly reactive. A significant reliance on breakdown maintenance was identified, exacerbated by bureaucratic delays, inadequate funding, and insufficient staff training. Statistical analysis established a strong positive correlation between funding levels and maintenance effectiveness (r = 0.752), with regression analysis confirming funding, staff training, and policy implementation as significant predictors of maintenance outcomes. The study concludes that the current maintenance culture in GSTCs is unsustainable, leading to accelerated infrastructure deterioration and compromised safety and learning environments. Based on these findings, the study recommends the institutionalization of a proactive maintenance culture through the development of a standardized maintenance manual, dedicated and timely budgetary allocations, regular training for maintenance personnel, and the establishment of maintenance oversight committees. This research provides a framework for policymakers and school administrators to improve infrastructure sustainability in technical education institutions. Further studies were suggested to explore the impact of digital maintenance management systems and public-private partnerships in this context.