EFFECT OF ACADEMIC STAFF PICKETING ON THE INCIDENCE OF STUDENT DROPOUT IN ENUGU STATE

The study evaluated the effect of academic staff picketing on the incidence of student dropout in Enugu State. The specific objectives of the study were to; examine the effect of recognitional picketing on staff retention and evaluate the effect of organizational picketing on staff attendance of tertiary institutions in Enugu State. The descriptive survey design was used. The study adopted simple random sampling technique in selecting the sample unit and the sample size for the study which was, 271 academic staff out of a total population of 873 of the selected Tertiary Universities in Enugu state, Nigeria derived with the use of Taro Yamane’s statistics formula. A total of 245 staff returned the questionnaire accurately filled, which gave 91percent response rate. Data were presented and analyzed using mean score and standard deviation using Sprint Likert Scale. The hypotheses were analyzed using the Z-test. The findings indicated that Recognitional picketing had significant positive effect on staff retention Z (95, n = 245), 5.622 < 8.880 = p. < 0.05 and Organizational picketing had significant positive effect on staff attendance of tertiary institutions in Enugu State Z (95, n = 245), 6.453 < 9.120 = p. < 0.05. The study concluded that recognitional and organizational picketing had significant positive effect on staff retention and staff attendance of tertiary institutions in Enugu State. The study recommended among others that to increase support for industrial action and where workers involved in industrial action attend a workplace to increase support for their cause, there is need for Recognitional picketing.