SPATIAL ANALYSIS OF SCHOOL DISTRIBUTION IN POLITICAL WARDS OF IFE CENTRAL LGA OSUN STATE NIGERIA

Abstract

Education is a fundamental driver for socio-economic development and growth of individuals. Educational system has witness challenges because of inadequate planning and facilities distribution in schools. Thus there is need to establish schools in various political wards of the country for the growth of the individuals. This research was conducted to assess how Public Primary schools were distributed in all political wards in Ife Central LGA in OSun State Nigeria.

Spatial and non-Spatial data used for this research were acquired through field work. The field work involved the visitation of all Government public primary schools in Ife Central LGA and oral interview were conducted for the head teachers from each school visited to form the database of the primary schools in the study area. The global positioning system was used in collection of coordinate points of the schools. Spatial and non-Spatial data was used to developed data base for educational authority. The result obtained were analyzed using Geographic information system (GIS) technology to visualize the distribution of the public primary schools in their various political Wards.

The result showed that public primary schools were not evenly distributed among the political wards. Some wards had more schools than others while some had none. Teachers were not randomly distributed based on school’s enrolment and some schools established in some wards failed the standard for establishment.

Based, on the findings, it was recommended that more schools should be establish in those wards that have no public primary schools for equity and fairness and provide teachers where they are needed based on school enrolment. More so, many decision makers in Education management and planning can utilize the technology of GIS for making and implementing educational programs with cost effective in school administration.