Contributions of private educational institutions in educational development

INTRODUCTION
Background of the Study
In 1998, private educational institutions was rightly predicted to be “emerging as one of the most dynamic segments of post-secondary education at the turn of 21st Century” (Attach 1999) also not too long after that, Altbach (2006) again aptly described it as the fastest growing segment of the entire private educational system. This prediction can be true of many setting including:
Nigeria, no doubt, has one of the oldest, biggest and most comprehensive private educational system in Africa (CODEBRIA 2005). Yet, the reality is that it’s private educational system is still at an infant stage when compared with some other African countries that have had longer periods of democratic rule. Again, according to CODESRIA (2005), Nigeria’s private educational system has undergone a considerable amount of growth and diversification over the years since the first post secondary “modern” centers of learning were established in the country early in the 20th century. However, surprisingly, the history of Nigeria’s private educational institutions is simply that of under development rather than that of considerable amount of growth and diversification, given it’s size, population and material resources as well as it’s highly enormous, skilled and versatile human capital. This underdevelopment, which is rooted in the long periods of military dictatorship (1916-1976 and 1984-1999), is glaringly manifested in the non-establishment of private educational institutions under military rule. It is against this background that this article examines the emergence and rapid growth of private educational institutions in Nigeria since 1999 when military dictatorship gave way to the present civilian democratic government.
The purposes of making this assessment are two-prolonged. The first is to capture the dynamic of this private surge and public dominance in Nigeria’s private educational institutions. This would enable reader to compare development in private provision of educational institutions in Nigeria, with global trend in the last few years secondly, the analysis is aimed at establishing private educational institutions which are actually adding values towards the robust growth and diversification of Nigeria’s private educational system.
For purpose of clarification, it is important to provide a brief background on Nigeria’s system of government and ownership structure of private educational institutions. Nigeria runs a federal system of government made up of three tiers of government namely Federal, state and local government levels. Presently, among these three tiers, only the federal and state government own educational institutions in Nigeria. The first category is made up of those owned by the federal government while the second is made up of those owned by state government. Since the mid-seventies, the federal government has been operating a tuition-free policy in its own educational institutions (and also in its federal polytechnics and colleges of education). But in the state government-owned educational institutions tuition fees are charged. Part of the reason for this discriminating practice is rooted in the inequitable inter-governmental fiscal relations, which largely favours the federal government at the expense of 36 state government. This is one of the legacies of the long period of military dictectorship. Nigeria’s private educational system runs an academic session made up of two semesters and under normal circumstance, the runs from October to June. For educational institutions that charges fees, the word “per session” or “annually” is usually used to describe this period covered by the payment.
In voluntary Agencies or institutions, like catholic diocese of Enugu in the respect of enhancing educational development, through the establishment of private schools cannot be over-emphasized in the course of this work.
Institutions like St. Joseph institute Uwani Enugu is a wholly private educational institution owned by church. It has both vocational training facilities which carters for the educational needs of handicapped and non-handicapped children. Such training includes carpentry, computer services, handcraft etc. It also offers courses in the conventional educational curriculum by teaching courses like chemistry, physics, mathematics for the pure science and arts includes government, literature in English language, English language for general use. The school proprietors aims at meeting the educational needs of the teaming youth by allowing them to be trained in vocational skills that can enhance self reliance, which is a prime goal of the present government to tackle the unemployment challenge.
Lately also, in Enugu South Local Government Area, institutions like God’s Time Secondary School were opened in 1992 by an individual named Mrs Leo Nweke, to facilitate the over increasing demand of the society for modern education. It helps to decongest the public school which are already characterized by over-stretched resources. In addition, this school is highly equipped with good laboratory, in the sciences like physics, chemistry, biology and agricultural sciences. This will help to facilitate the rate of growth of educational development within the neighbourhood.
The College of Immaculate Conception (CIC) Enugu and Holy Rosary College (HRC) Enugu, with the former enrolment for males and later enrolment of females. There has been remarkable improvement in academic performance in the school as registered by the senior school certificate examination conducted by both WAEC and NECO.
This is in addition to the high standard of discipline obtained in the two schools. This is because there is a reputable degree of orderliness in the school evident by non-loitering of their students around the corners of the schools and streets within the local government area. Finally, the deficiencies of voluntary agencies in our private educational institutions are more than complemented by the many achievement which brought into our educational system.

Statement of the Problem
It is universally acknowledged that every nation progress depends on the attitudes and values the people possess. It also agreed that education is the basis on which those attitudes and values are built-on. However, the search for right type of education, the policy that will achieve the desired goal goes on ceaselessly and we have to continue defining and redefining its concepts. Furthermore, innovation is a constant factions because every citizen is a critical consumer of education. Thus the need for private educational institution is to allow the private body to part-take in providing the require quality of education in the society as the government educational body will have a body to compete with, this in the other way round will bring the best in them. The greatest challenge that the Nigerian society lace today is that of channeling and co-ordinating the wealth of knowledge to the complex demand of diverse element in the society. This research intends to examine the contributions of private educational institutions in development of Enugu South Local Government Area.

Purpose of the Study
The purpose of this study is to determine the contribution of private educational institution in educational development of Enugu South Local Government Area. Specifically the purposes include:
(i) To examine the performance of student in private educational institutions in external examination.
(ii) To determine the extent of private educational institutions in Enugu South local government area contributed to improve discipline in our education.
(iii) To examine the factors that militates against effective management of private education institutions.

Scope of the Study
The scope of the study deals with the contributions of private educational institution in educational development of Enugu South Local Government Area of Enugu State.

Significant of the Study
Education in general, is very important for any individual, group or society. This is because in the present generation, one cannot cope without the Western education. Education helps to socialize and refine individuals.
The researchers expected that if the suggestion and personal opinion proposed in this research work are implemented effectively and diligently, then the poor image of our educational sector will be restored and the objectives of education will be achieved. Thus the following groups of persons will also benefits.
The students benefits on the quality of education, which the private schools impact on them, and make them a good citizen of this nation.
The teachers benefits on the sound of education, which the children of Enugu South local government area especially in good character of student and the employment which the private schools provide for them.
The parents also benefits on the sound and high quality of education provided by the private educational institutions which the children of Enugu State most especially those in Enugu South local government area receives without traveling too far from their homes.
The society benefits on the area of development which makes the society a better place, the government on the other hand benefits on the way the private educational institution helps to reduce unemployment in the state and the country at large.
Finally the study will be a stepping stone for any future research on private schools and how to improve on their out put.

Research Questions
The research question should focus mainly on the following:
(i) What are the performances of students in private educational institutions in external examinations?
(ii) What are the factors militating against effective management of private educational institutions?
(iii) To what extent do private educational institutions in Enugu South contributes in improving discipline in our education?