Geospatial Distribution of Public Secondary Schools in Gombe Local Government Area, Gombe State

Abstract

The paper examined the spatial distribution and accessibility levels of the public secondary schools in Gombe metropolis, Gombe State. Primary and secondary data were used in the study. Primary data was collected using a questionnaire and a hand-held GPS receiver was employed to capture the coordinate the coordinates of the public secondary schools and other relevant data. Secondary data included an administrative map, population figures of students and teachers, names and addresses of public secondary schools in the study area. The data obtained were analyzed using Geographic Information Techniques. From a survey carried out in the study area a Total of seventeen public secondary schools with nineteen thousand and eleven students were identified. Nearest Neighbour Analysis was carried out based on each of the ten words of the study area. The pattern of distribution of public secondary schools in the study area revealed dispersed pattern as in the of Bolari Eastward with NNA of 3.385087, and Shamaki ward with NNA of 1.60014; while the clustered pattern occurred, for instance, in Pantami ward with NNA of 0.226863 and HerwaGana ward with NNA of 0.185239. It is recommended that the sitting of public secondary schools by the Government in the study area should include accessibility factors in relation to the population size of the wards.