JOURNAL OF LIAONING TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY

KINSHIP: THE ROLE OF STUDENT SERVICES PERSONNEL IN CHRISTIAN HIGHER INSTITUTIONS OF LEARNING IN NIGERIA

ABOLARIN Isaiah Ola

Abstract

Christian higher institutions of learning is not just for building the intellectual capacity of students; rather it is for holistic development that prepare students for service to God and humanity. Students develop and perform better in an environment of positive relationship with significant others like student services personnel who mingle with students within and beyond residential halls. Students usually leave behind relationships with loved ones and acquaintances when they gain admission into higher institutions of learning where they meet with different people they might have not met before. This transition and experience make kinship relationship by student services personnel a significant phenomenon. Through this relationship, students are provided with a replica of home in which they can develop mentally, socially, physically and spiritually; and be equipped to be agents of positive change to the society. Using desk research, this study considered how this is done in Nigeria and concluded that kinship needs to be focused on and practiced in Christian higher institutions of learning to bring about holistic development of students. The study found that is important personnel in Christian higher institution of learning fill the void of significant persons that students have when they come to the institution.

Keywords: Kinship relationship, holistic development, Christian higher institutions, student services, residential halls