APPLICATION OF OPTIMIZATION PRINCIPLES IN CLASSROOM ALLOCATION USING LINEAR PROGRAMMING

This paper deal with the application of optimization principle in solving the problem of over-allocation and under-allocation of the classroom space using linear programming in Landmark University, Nigeria. A linear programming model was formulated based on the data obtained from the examination and lecture timetable committee on the classroom facilities, capacities and the number of students per programme in all the three (3) Colleges to maximize the usage of the available classroom space and minimizes the congestion and overcrowding in a particular lecture room using AMPL software which revealed that 16 out of 32 classrooms available with a seating capacity of 2066 has always been used to accommodate the current student population of 2522 which always causes overflow and congestion in those concentrated classroom because the remaining 16 classroom of the seating capacity of 805 were underutilized. Meanwhile if the projected seating capacity of 3544 as revealed by the AMPL software in all these 32 classroom were fully utilized, this indicated that an additional 1022 i.e.(3544-2522) students can be fully absorbed comfortably with the existing 32 classrooms in both of the three (3) colleges if the seating capacities are fully managed and maximized. This will helps the school management to generate additional income of N 585,606,000.00 i.e. (1022 × 573,000) as school fees using the same classroom facility and as well as the existing seating capacity.