Service Quality in Non-Regular Undergraduate Programmes in Nigerian Universities (A Survey of Students in the South-East)

Abstract

This study investigates the service quality level of non-regular undergraduate programmes in SouthEastern universities in Nigeria from the students‟ perspective using a conceptualized service quality framework; iCEL. The study used a judgment sample of 1500 non-regular students and 50 regular students (control group) drawn from five South-Eastern universities in Nigeria. Two sets of structured questionnaires were used to elicit information from students on their perception of their institutions in terms of quality of infrastructure, course content and instructional material, examination system and lecturers. Using the relative mean score and the paired sample ttest, the study compared the ranking of the institutions from the non-regular and regular students. Findings revealed that there are no significant differences between the non-regular and regular students‟ responses (ratings) of their institutions along these yardsticks, while a significant difference exists between their rating of course content and instructional materials. Using a benchmark of 6.50, the institutions performed below acceptable standard in seven out of the twenty-two variables (attendance/regularity of lecturers, substance of lectures, preparation of lectures, furniture in classrooms, sitting space in library, up-to-date text books and promptness in release of transcripts) and in two out of the four key quality metrics(lecturers and course content/instructional material). The regulators and the government were encouraged to be on the alert to the standard of university education in the nonregular programmes; ensuring that adequate sanctions are fully implemented on institutions found to compromise the set standard.