East African Journal of Interdisciplinary Studies Organisational Effectiveness: A Necessary Tool for Achieving Quality University Education in Nigeria

The role of higher education in producing graduates who can transform the nation cannot be overemphasised. As such, one must look for ways to ensure that the higher education received is of good quality and of an enviable standard. One of the means to ensure this is to look within the university administration for organisational effectiveness. The onus then lies on those at the centre of making important decisions for the university to do so using good techniques with the aim of creating the best environment for imparting knowledge and skills to students. To this end, it becomes a necessity to search out means to achieve organisational effectiveness in Nigerian universities. This paper will thus provide an introduction that gives a better understanding of the subject matter in detail of its components. A suitable literature review of the various opinions of scholars on this topic will be examined. The series of challenges militating against the subject matter such as lack of funding, corruption, lack of qualified personnel etc.,


INTRODUCTION
Education is a tool for societal change which has greatly been exploited by many developing countries. As opined by Odukunle (2001) as cited in Ekundayo and Ajayi (2009), education is a vastly recognised means of ensuring development in Nigeria in terms of socio-economic, political, and cultural aspects. He also stated that universities train future leaders and develop in them the skills required to promote economic development. In today's constantly evolving society, it is essential to equip people with education to enable them to tackle emerging issues in society. What then can the tertiary institutions that exist today do to ensure the youths are equipped with the knowledge, skills and attributes that will enable them to tackle issues in society? The solution is to ensure organisational effectiveness in Nigerian universities. Tajomariwo (2009) as cited in Adegun and Arogundade (2014), opines that an effective organisation is one that can make goals and is successful in meeting its promises to its stakeholders currently and in the future. With organisational effectiveness included as a priority of Nigerian universities, there will be a massive change in the quality of graduates and as such a more productive workforce of which they will eventually be part. One must thus think of how organisational effectiveness can be used to achieve quality university education in Nigeria. Much work has been done in this context by other researchers, but the information is scarce on organisational effectiveness and its role in achieving quality university education in Nigeria. The missing gap is the absence of leadership roles in the running of the organisation, which deters its effectiveness.
As opined by Smith (2019), the aims of organisational effectiveness are: • Employee engagement and performance: Ensuring each employee of an organisation is working at their best and is in a good state of health and mental wellbeing will ensure that they can put in their best to work efficiently. This is so because it is the collection of employees' productivity that leads to the outcome of the organisation's performance.
• Better management: This means that the organisation is operated more efficiently to bring out the best outcomes. It can include better policies, ease of communication between superiors and subordinates, training of employees etc.
• Decreased costs: This means an organisation can realise and actualise various means to produce higher output with minimal funding by discarding obsolete processes, ancient technology, snail pace work processes and much more.
• Greater use of technology: It should be the goal of an effective organisation to make the most of the technology that exists today to profit from their environment. An effective organisation should thus be capable of adopting digital technology in the necessary areas be it teaching, promoting the business, or training the employees.
• Greater Organisational outcomes: The aim of an organisation should be to produce the best outcome for its customers. This can be achieved by being of one mind with the employees to focus on one goal, which is to maximise efficiency and effectiveness in the business.

Quality in the University
The essence of quality university education is to improve resourcefulness as well as provide a working and learning for lecturers and students. Quality is a continuous process of building and managing customer expectations by analysing, foreseeing, and executing obvious and inferred needs. (Quality digest, 2001). Similarly, Asiyai and Oghuvbu (2009) view quality as a measure of the suitability or inefficiency of products that make up higher institutions in Nigeria in their scholastic fulfilment and meeting set standards. This means that quality in a university can be seen by how much the expectations and standards of its customers are being met. Acworth cited in Oguildinikpa (2015) maintained that quality is a standard of excellence. He also stated that quality could be explained in terms of teaching, learning, and research environment, the quality of students, quality staff, and quality of curricula. Quality covers all components of a university environment and it should be prioritised for effectiveness. This implies that quality should be found in any university that class to have good standards because quality is a hallmark of a good university. Asele (2010) opines that the large extent of inadequate workshops for educational activities, unsteady power supply, and failure to provide materials to facilitate learning have contributed to low-quality education. This implies that the lack of materials, resources, and facilities to boost education will reduce the level of quality in a university. Furthermore, in the view of Ekong (2006), quality constructs viewpoints, conduct and values. This means that quality is what will ensure one attending a university will leave transformed and capable of contributing to society easily. Interestingly, Ekundayo (2010) affirmed the success with which an institution provides an educational environment which enables students to effectively achieve worthwhile learning goals, including appropriate academic standards.

Organisational Effectiveness
Organisational effectiveness is the efficiency and effectiveness a business possesses when carrying out its tasks and achieving its goals (Smith, 2019). This implies that organisational effectiveness is an institution's ability to carry out its goals successfully and to its customer's satisfaction. The success and longevity of an organisation in this evolving and technological era are dependent on how it makes use of its resources and utilises its human resource to achieve organisational goals (Ibiyeome & David, 2019). Organisational effectiveness is thus the utilisation of an organisation's resources to achieve its goals. Organisational effectiveness is the extent to which firms/bodies reach set goals that have been pondered on, which is heavily influenced by leadership, performance, accountability, and quality. Similarly, Uloma (2011) posits that the success or failure of an organisation in either the public or private sector is reliant on effective management and application of its resources. This implies that an organisation must use its resources wisely and efficiently to maximise its results.
Organisational effectiveness can be seen as the extent to which an organisation achieves the goals it plans to accomplish. Vulpen (2022). Organisational effectiveness is defined as the degree to which an organisation achieves its set objectives with the available resources and means without placing unnecessary strain on its members.

EDUCATION
Education is teaching, receiving, and passing knowledge through the four corners of an institution. It can be formal or informal education. Ogundele (2008) cited in Ijove and Adamu (2021), maintains that for any nation to be given high respect at national and international levels, such a nation need not make light of providing education for its citizens. It is thus important to put education at the forefront of national planning because it is the turning point for all other sectors of the nation. Similarly, Nwagwu cited in Adiele (2010) views education as the process by which society aims to collect and accumulate the aggregate of its knowledge for implementing and ensuring the wellbeing of its people and their survival against unforeseen occurrences. Therefore, it is said that education is the future as the extent to which it is shared and applied to society will determine society's growth and future. Ogwo (2010) opines that education is a necessary tool in combating various challenges that plague the future in others to attain peace, freedom, and justice in society. The lack of education usually brings forth ignorance and allows injustice to reign in society. As such, society needs to arm itself with education to combat corruption, underdevelopment, and crime. Consequently, Okojie (2013) cited in Ofor-Douglas (2020a) maintain that education is the process that leads to manpower development which is cultural and socio-economic development because it builds the necessary skills and knowledge for manpower development. Education is the process of obtaining common knowledge, skills, values, and attitudes that support an individual's means to effectively contribute to society (Ogundele et al., 2015). As such, Onyeson and Umoeshiet (2013) cited in Ofor-Douglas (2021d) posit that education presently should have the means to produce a constant supply of citizens who can develop their nation and contribute to eradicating issues that plague the society such as poverty. Moreover, education empowers and builds the future of a nation through developing its human resources (Okenwa & Elechi, 2015).

University Education
University education can be viewed as postsecondary education, including those offered by public and private universities, colleges, technical training facilities, and vocational schools. Ofor-Douglas (2021b). The promotion of growth, the alleviation of poverty, and the enhancement of shared wealth all benefit from tertiary education (World Bank, 2021). University education can thus be a post-secondary or high school which offers practical means of resolving personal and national issues. Abdulkareem and Oyeniran (2011) opine that universities are set up to serve as institutes of technological advancement, skill acquisition, production of quality graduates and strategic research and development schemes. This implies that universities are gateways to new opportunities that lead to national development. Similarly, (FRN, 2014) posits that the purpose of university education is to enable contribution to national development by creating a means of developing programmes that increase capable manpower to contribute to national development.

Quality In University Education
Quality in education can be viewed as the ability of the educational system to meet up with the constant demands and expectations of its educational customers which include students, parents, lecturers, staff, benefactors etc. (OECD, 2012). Therefore, Kufi (2013) maintains that for quality to be fixed in a university, the mental, emotional, and physical wellbeing of the students should be prioritised as well as a supportive community around the education and development of the students. This implies that quality thrives in places where the health and welfare of a community's members are prioritised. This means that universities seeking to add a brand of quality to themselves should be ready and able to deliver good services based on their customers' demands. Obadara and Alaka (2013) opined that quality is the extent to which a good or service or phenomenon conforms to the established standard that makes it superior to other establishments with similar goals. The search for quality in universities is also competitive as customers set the standard and the universities act based on that to be the best among all universities. Moreover, Acworth cited in Oguildinikpa (2015) views quality as a sign of excellence which should conform to a given standard. He also noted that quality could be seen in the areas of teaching, learning, research and quality of students, staff, and curricula. Likon et al. (2011) asserted that the cooperation of various stakeholders such as NGOs, the government, universities, institutions etc., are required to create an environment for quality education that leads to sustainable development. As such, the search for quality in the university is not a one-person effort but a collaboration of all parties responsible for the university's creation and management. Quality of education is education that enables learners to be exposed to different skills which make them productive members of society. Consequently, quality education ensures that participants build up various skills and attributes that will enable them to achieve their potential as members of society due to their contribution to their individual as well as social needs (Abubakar, 2013). As such, quality education is that which is important and suited to the needs of society. (Ndiomu, 1989) as cited in Asiyai (2013). Thus, quality education should be a priority for any nation that aims to go above standards of success.

Strategies/Criteria for Archiving Quality University Education
The following are some salient strategies for achieving quality university Education in Nigeria.

Institutional Budget Preparation
A budget is a certain amount of money or resources set aside for a specified period of time. (Mohd et al., 2019. An institution's budget should be prepared in accordance with all expenditures which are to be financed within a year. To make the functionality of the university system, members of the institutions should be allowed to participate in the preparation of a substantial part of the budget (Mohd et al., 2019). Budgeting is important as it puts into action the institution's goals by implementing them on a yearly basis. A university's annual budget prevents over expenditure, careful planning, and consideration of the institution's needs.

Training and Retraining of Staff
Training is a process in which an individual develops oneself. Training is essential for employees in any organisation. Ofor-Douglas, 2021c). With a decline in the training and retraining, the employee's level of productivity will be very low because the world is a global village and there is a level of technology the staff employed must be acquainted with in the light of these employees that is not regularly trained to tend to perform poorly to standard. (Ofor-Douglas, 2021c). It is important to invest in staff for productivity to soar high, to avoid poor quality performance and unsatisfied customers. Training and retraining should be done year in and year out (Ofor-Douglas, 2021c). In addition to that, Eleje et al. (2013) are of the submission that for teachers (lecturers) to deliver effective service he or they must keep track of new ideas, knowledge, and development in the world through continuous training and retraining programs.

Good Staff Relationship
A relationship is an association between two or more people, in this case, within an organisation. The researcher is of the view that the relationship between workers is essential as there is a civil and friendly atmosphere among workers. Communication is vital among staff as a way to bring to light the university goals. Their ability to communicate effectively, have a sense of leadership and work together as a team to achieve educational goals. Akpa (2011) as cited in Ofor-Douglas, (2021c). Staff relations are the ability of the manager/ administrators to understand, communicate work, and integrate the workers. (Akpa, 2011) as cited in Ofor-Douglas, (2021c). It enables the manager to understand himself and his subordinates. It helps the manager in the communication process and to be skill full in using it in all his work relationships. It is these skills that help the manager to establish a healthy managersubordinate relationship. Failure to use this can derail the plans for the attainment of the school goals (Akpa, 2011), as cited in Ofor-Douglas (2021c). If there is a case of good workplace relationship amongst staff, there will be high school performance.

Challenges of Achieving Organisational Effectiveness in Nigerian Universities
There are several challenges that affect how organisational effectiveness is successful. If not tackled adequately, these issues will affect other spheres of the university environment and lead to a substandard educational system. In the view of Asiyai (2013), these challenges include: Chijioke et al. (2017) assert that funding is a vital item that contributes to the success of university education globally. Inadequate funding has been an issue facing Nigerian public universities as funds are allegedly unavailable or misused. Funding is essential to a university's development and maintenance. As such, it lacks causes an inefficient learning environment for students. Furthermore, Ofor-Douglas (2020c) emphatically acknowledged that this is one of the major problems faced by university education when attempting to manage resources efficiently. Managing resources efficiently in university education requires a lot of money. Unfortunately, the funds provided to the institutions to manage their resources are not enough. Sometimes, the funds are enough, but greedy administrators' pocket most of the funds and leave little or no funds for the management of resources.

Poor Infrastructure
The lack of infrastructure that should be available to assist students' education and development in other life skills causes those in public schools to be second to those in private schools who know the practical and theoretical aspects of their courses. This serves as a limitation to a student who will need to develop himself/ herself on their own, which is not easy (DBSA, 2022). Nevertheless, Ofor-Douglas (2020d) opines that most courses in universities require the presence of some infrastructure to carry out a practical lesson. However, these infrastructural facilities are absent. Such infrastructural facilities may include internet services, power supply, water supply etc. Furthermore, in accordance with Ogusanu (2015), the quality of education that children receive bears direct relevance to the availability or lack of physical resources such as classrooms, buildings, libraries, laboratories, instructional facilities, and the overall atmosphere in which learning takes place. Many institutions have inadequate and obsolete equipment in laboratories, classrooms, and offices (Megbo & Danjuma 2015). In agreement with Megbo and Danjuma's (2015) view. Oyedele (2012) submits that there exist structures that support a system, such as roads, water supply, energy, and information and communication Technology (ICT).

Brain-drain
This describes the phenomenon of brilliant minds leaving their country and going abroad to study and contribute their knowledge to other countries' development on a large scale. This means those who could have contributed new ideas and innovations to the development of the nation are doing so for other countries leaving their own country at the same level. This issue is prevalent in Nigeria due to how education is not prioritised (Young, 2021). Brain drain is the situation of academic loss through the movement of professional services to a more favourable environment.

Lack of University Autonomy
When university administrations lack the power to decide how to run the institution, it is most likely that outside parties with more control will implement policies that may not favour the members of the university community because they do not understand the workings or take note of the feelings of those in the university (Ayeleso, 2019).

Graduate Unemployment
Graduate unemployment is educated people with an academic degree that lack jobs or in Nigeria's case too many graduates fighting as well as scrabbling for too few jobs. IGI Global (2022). The high rate at which graduates, especially from public universities, struggle to obtain employment is alarming. This issue can even deter people from seeking a university education because at the end of their learning period, they have nothing to show for it. Furthermore, Oleabhiele et al. (2014) assert that graduates are the worst hit by the spate of unemployment in our society today due to the fact most of them lack the specific entrepreneurship skills that will enable them to be self-employed instead of waiting for the government to provide paid employment.

Cultism and Other Vices
The activities of immoral and violent individuals and groups have caused terror, death, and disorder on university campuses. This situation makes it difficult for one to peacefully have a university experience and instead students find themselves ruined by violence or getting lured into immoral acts that damage their future. Also, cultism as one of the causes of students' crises, is described as an assembling of people who share unconventional ideas and beliefs and involves themselves in eccentric conduct and manifestation mostly shrouded in secrecy, carry out secret cult activities and members-ship organisation, rules and mode of operation are supposed to be unknown and unknowable to non-member cult (Umeh, 2001;Igodo;2002) cited in Orakwue (2001). Similarly, Tunde (2010) in his study, discovered that a host of these youths join cults and engage in armed robbery, terrorism gangs, and prostitution because they are frustrated, and they were initiated at home after graduation from secondary school. They engage in some of these undesirable practices to make a living or to stop suppressing their emotional/psychological trauma.

Poor Leadership
Leadership is all about the capacity of someone to lead a group of people. The lack of proper and professional leadership at the helm of affairs in universities can affect how the entire institution is run and as such, contribute to an ineffective and dissatisfactory learning experience. Ofor-Douglas (2021a) opined that most university administrators are not suitable in skill for the positions they occupy and as such cannot effectively contribute to achieving the goals of the institutions set. There is a saying that he who does not plan is planning to fail. Also, in addition and in support of the above assertions. Ofor-Douglas (2021a) upheld that most university management is employed due to nepotism and political compensation. Owing to this phenomenon, there is no effective leadership to manage the affairs and resources available to such institutions. Instead, decisions taken are teleguided by godfathers.

Lack of Skilled/ Apathetic Teaching Staff
The lack of professional lecturers and apathetic teaching staff greatly affects students who must resort to their own devices to pass exams or adapt illegal or immoral means to survive the university system. Ofor-Douglas (2020b) opines that some administrators in Nigerian universities are not placed properly to head various units/ departments; therefore, university educational objectives and goals are not achievable at the appropriate time and period. Nepotism comes into play here; people are not gainfully employed based on their capabilities, but it is a case of man know man and whose brother are you. Therefore, in our higher institutions at positions of authority, we do not have competent leaders in the right positions based on their qualifications.

Examination Malpractice
In lieu of this discussion, Ofor-Douglas (2021d) asserts that examination malpractice refers to a corrupt activity within the university education system whereby students perpetrate acts which are against the conduct of an examination before, during, or after an examination to obtain satisfactory results. This is a very common vice in the university that does not seem to be dying down. Despite policies in place to stop or punish the act, it is still a norm in Nigerian universities. It makes students lazy, unemployable, and a barrier to serious students. In support of the above assertion, Sorbari and Eremie (2018) upheld that examination malpractice is an unlawful behaviour engaged by students or any of their advocates (Parents or guardians) to have an advantage in an examination over others.

Sexual Harassment
The sexual harassment and exploitation of youths of both genders in Nigerian universities especially heard of in public universities has been ongoing for quite a while with the effects being traumatised victims, the spread of STDs etc. This harassment could be done by lecturers to threaten students who will fail their course if they refuse them. It could also be perpetrated by fellow students. Again, Ofor-Douglas (2020a) opines that there is harassment of female students and female lecturers by their male counterparts in the university and vice versa. In most universities in Nigeria, students are often pressured for sexual favours by their lectures. These lecturers pressurise guilt trips, blackmail, or coerce students to have sex with them. This act creates between the two groups.

Corruption
Corruption in education can come in different forms, i.e., examination malpractice, bribery, sexual exploitation, and diversion of funds. Some administrators of institutions are not left out of mismanagement and corrupt attitude as regards funds allocated to their institution. Ofor-Douglas (2022). Olabisi (2020) opines that the problem in Nigeria's educational system goes beyond underfunding, as corruption is the bane of the sector. Corruption can be said to be a major issue that is eating up the very fabrics of development in Nigeria. Most violent activities are because of corruption and nepotism, occasioned by bad leadership and governance. This cut across those in government, from Federal, State, and Local government, down to community leadership. This could be attributed to reason why President Muhammadu Buhari is fighting corruption as if it is an only problem in Nigeria, yet the war against corruption has been frustrated (Ugwu & Mbalisi, 2016). Again, while retreating on corruption, Olaitan (2013) was of submission that the effect of corruption in Nigeria and concluded that the security of a nation could only be attained when 70% -80% of her population is skilled in various sectors of the economy. Corruption has led to a decline in the quality standard of education. When funds are diverted, unqualified teachers are in the system, and admission, as well as grades, are not on merit, there is no way education will develop and grow. Achumba et al. (2013) view insecurity from two perspectives. Firstly, insecurity is the state of being open or subjected to danger or threat of danger, whereas danger is the condition of being susceptible to harm or injury. Secondly, insecurity is the state of being exposed to risk or anxiety, where anxiety is a vague unpleasant emotion that is experienced in anticipation of some misfortune.

Upgrading of Assessment Methods in the Departments/ Universities
Collins Dictionary (2019) x-ray that examination is a formal test of a person's knowledge or proficiency in a subject or skill. Also, Akinjide and Olusegun (2018) submitted that most of the assessment carried out on students in university does not seem to develop critical thinking; hence graduates from schools are unable to critically decipher societal problems and issues and as a result unable to proffer solutions or create innovative ideas.
It is thus advised that those in charge of maintaining and funding the universities in Nigeria such as the government, stakeholders, benefactors etc., should address the above issues and take a stand to ensure that the university is a safe and suitable place for one to develop themselves for their future and that of the nation.

CONCLUSION
University education has always been a necessity to aid young minds in developing themselves and helping their nation grow. The university as a result, must be prioritised to ensure it is a suitable and effective place for the growth of the nation's young minds. The challenges identified in the paper must be given special attention to ensure they are curbed and create a safe and fair space for students' development. The participation of the university administration and staff, as well as its sponsors in ensuring organisational effectiveness should be practical and consistent. The youths as the future of the nation will only see fruition if the elders of now try to guide them towards that future and they can start by ensuring the universities available for students are of good standard in every way.

Suggestions
In a bid to address the challenges of organisational effectiveness in Nigerian universities, the following suggestions have been made.
• Prioritisation of university education and its subsequent development by the Nigerian government by way of increased funding, affordable fees for students etc.
• Provision of a motivating environment by the state or federal government, a place which is filled with the best infrastructures and working conditions for staff of Nigerian universities to adequately carry out their duties towards students.
• Provision of quality university education in both public and private universities by the government, shareholders, and university administrators to ensure Nigerian students do not see the need to study abroad or take their knowledge there.
• The government needs to pass laws that allow the full autonomy of universities to direct and manage their affairs.
• The government needs to create new jobs for graduates which fit what they studied and ensure proper pay. This will also contribute to the nation's economic growth.
• Increased security and improved disciplinary actions need to be applied in Nigerian universities by the government and university administrators to stunt cultism and other vices.
• Monitoring of the leadership positions of the university by the government, the university board of directors and university stakeholders to ensure suitability and effectiveness • Screening of university staff both academic and non-academic by university administrators and government personnel suited to the task to ensure they are skilled and that there is quality delivery of services and each person employed for a task is the best for it.
• The laws bordering on examination malpractice should be exercised with full force and seen through till the end to discourage the act. The disadvantage of examination malpractice and its effects on a student and society should also be communicated to students regularly.
• Any perpetrator of sexual harassment be it among the students or staff of the university should be immediately and strictly disciplined. There should also be the provision of adequate reimbursement for trained university counsellors by university administrators for assisting students and staff who have experienced any form of trauma either sexual, emotional, or physical. This is to enable them to perform optimally in their duties and goals in the university environment and remain healthy.
• The state or federal government in collaboration with the university management should organise internal and external panels to monitor the activities in the university and ensure the delivery of quality services to ensure corruption and other depreciating acts are curbed.
• The government, stakeholders and university administrators should prioritise providing and paying adequate security for each department and building of the university to curb insecurity internally and externally.
• An immediate upgrade to the assessment method of students' activities should be affected by university administrators to ensure students are of the best standard and are of good quality to be added to society after graduating.