Database Management and Mapping of Secondary Education Infrastructure in Sabon-Gari and Zaria Local Governments, Kaduna State, NigERIA

The learning conditions in schools are alarming with lack of teaching materials, overcrowded classrooms and generally run-down condition of many of the school buildings. In spite of the relative availability of data, educational data in Nigeria still suffers from the following issues relating to the quality and completeness: erroneously recorded and reported data, inconsistent coding systems for information on schools and teachers, prolonged periods between data collection and data release, poor school record keeping. The aim of this research was to develop a GIS database for private and public secondary schools in the study area so as to enable effective and efficient planning and management of these schools. The aim of the research was achieved through identification of private and public secondary schools in the study area, mapping the secondary schools in the study area, with some basic facilities, generating the attribute data of the public and private secondary schools and finally, creation of GIS database for schools. The attribute data was obtained through the administration of questionnaires to the schools. A satellite image of the study area was obtained using Google earth to derive the base map through the digitizing process. The coordinates of each school were obtained using a hand-held GPS receiver to geo code the schools on the base map. Finally, a GIS database was therefore created and the spatial and attribute data encoded and analysis carried out using Arc GIS 9.2 software. The result of the database provides the users with a working environment for data management and also allows efficiency query of information needed for school management.