INFLUENCE OF AESTHETICS OF PHYSICAL FACILITIES AND LEARNING MATERIALS ON ENROLMENT IN NURSERY SCHOOLS IN OSUN STATE, NIGERIA

Abstract

The study determined the aesthetic nature of shapes, colours and sizes of the physical facilities in nursery schools in Osun State, Nigeria. It investigated the aesthetic nature of learning materials available in nursery schools in Osun State; and examined the relationship between aesthetics of physical facilities and learning materials on enrolment in the nursery schools in the study area. This was intended to provide empirical information on the enrolment of pupils through the aesthetics of physical facilities and learning materials in nursery schools in Osun State.

The study adopted the correlational survey research design. The population for the study consisted of all nursery schools in Osun State. The sample for the study consisted of sixty (60) private nursery schools. A multi-stage sampling procedure was used to select the sample for the study. From each senatorial district in the State, two Local Government Areas (LGAs) were selected using a simple random sampling technique.

From each LGA, 10 private nursery schools were selected using a simple random sampling technique making a total of 60 private schools that constituted the sample for the study. Two instruments constructed by the researchers were used to collect data for the study namely: School Enrolment Retrieval Checklist (SERC) and Physical Facilities and Learning Materials Aesthetic Observational Checklist (PFLMAOC).

Data collected were analyzed using frequency counts, simple percentages, mean and regression analysis. Results of the study showed that the indoor and outdoor playgrounds,learning centres and school buildings have rectangular shapes, primary colours and 7201 sq ft - 14400 sq ft sizes at above 50.0% in nursery schools in Osun State. Residts of the study further revealed that the varieties of learning materials in terms of colours sizes and forms of

colours of learning materials are moderately attractive as fine motors (building toys, puzzles, manipulative and art materials) and creative area activities (drawing, painting, three three-dimensional and storage furnishings) are slightly attractive at mean scores below (x=2.00) in nursery schools in Osun State. Results of the study finally indicated that there was no significant relationship between the aesthetics of physical facilities and learning materials on enrolment in nursery schools in the study area according to the researchers (R=0.150, p>0.05).

The study concluded that the aesthetics of physical facilities and learning materials were not the main determinants of enrolment in nursery schools in Osun State.