INVESTIGATING THE ROLES OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE (AI) IN SCHOOL PLANT MANAGEMENT IN GOVERNMENT OWNED UNIVERSITIES IN RIVERS STATE

Abstract

The study investigated the roles of artificial intelligence (AI) in school plant management in government owned universities in Rivers State. A descriptive survey design was adopted in the study. Three specific objectives and three research questions guided the study. The population of the study consisted of 160 respondents made up of Heads of Departments (HoDs) and Deans of Faculties in the three public universities in Rivers State. All 160 were sampled without the use of any sampling technique as the number is manageable. A structured questionnaire titled Investigating the roles of artificial intelligence in school plant management questionnaire was used as instrument for data collection. 160 copies of the questionnaire were administered to the respondents, and all were retrieved and used for the study. Based on the result of the research questions, the study identified some of the roles of AI in school plant management to include optimizing energy usage by analyzing patterns of energy consumption and identifying areas where energy is being wasted, monitor air quality, temperature, humidity, and other environmental factors in real-time, predicts when maintenance is needed thereby preventing unexpected breakdowns, and prolonging the lifespan of equipment, enhances security by detecting unusual activities and potential threats in real-time and alerting school authorities immediately, The study also identified some of the AI powered tool utilized in school as; Smart Space, Energy CAP and Maintenance Connection. Amongst the sternest problems confronting the school plant management are high implementations cost, data privacy and security concerns and technical infrastructure limitations. It was concluded that the role of artificial intelligence in school plant management is transformative, offering schools opportunity to enhance efficiency in managing their facilities. Although AI applications like predictive maintenance, energy management, and security monitoring, schools can significantly reduce operational costs, improve resource allocation, and create safer, more conducive learning environments. AI-driven systems allow school administrators to make data-informed decisions, streamline maintenance schedules, and address infrastructure needs in real time, contributing to a well-maintained and optimized learning environment. Based on these findings it was recommended among others that, school administrators should adopt AI-Powered Integrated Management Systems (IFMS) to optimize school plant management, integrating functions such as: facility maintenance scheduling, energy management and efficiency, space utilization and optimization, security and surveillance and data analytics for informed decision-making, school administrators should implement AI-powered facility management software to optimize school plant management, leveraging features such as: predictive maintenance, energy efficiency analytics, automated work order management, space utilization optimization and real-time data analytics and reporting.