ETHICS AND VALUES IN THE MANAGEMENT OF HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS FOR SUSTAINABLE NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT IN RIVERS STATE, NIGERIA

Abstract

This study investigates the role of ethics and values in the management of higher education institutions in Rivers State, Nigeria, and their contribution to sustainable national development. Specifically, it aims to examine how ethics influence management practices, assess the impact of institutional values on administrative effectiveness, and evaluate the contribution of ethical and valuebased management to sustainable development in tertiary institutions within the state. The study population comprised staff from three major tertiary institutions: University of Port Harcourt, Rivers State University, and Ignatius Ajuru University of Education, totaling 10,700 staff members. Using Taro Yamane’s formula, a sample size of 386 was determined, with questionnaires purposively administered to academic and non-academic staff in administrative roles. Data collection employed a structured questionnaire with a 4-point Likert scale, yielding a reliability coefficient (Cronbach’s alpha) of 0.84. Data analysis was conducted with the aid of IBM SPSS Statistics version 27, using descriptive statistics and Pearson Product Moment Correlation to test three null hypotheses at the 0.05 significance level. Findings reveal significant positive relationships between ethics and management effectiveness, institutional values and administrative performance, and ethical management with sustainable national development. The study concludes that ethics and values are crucial to the effective management of higher education and are vital drivers for sustainable national development in Rivers State. Despite these positive influences, challenges persist in uniformly applying ethical standards across all administrative levels. Consequently, the study recommends strengthening ethical training, institutionalizing value-based management practices, and integrating ethics into governance frameworks to enhance administrative accountability and promote sustainable development in higher education.