Stakeholders’ Perceptions On The Management Of Academic Staff In Tertiary Institutions In Yobe State, Nigeria

STAKEHOLDERS’ PERCEPTIONS ON THEMANAGEMENT OF ACADEMIC STAFF IN TERTIARYINSTITUTIONS IN YOBE STATE, NIGERIA

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1     Background to the study

Education is used all over the world as an instrument for the achievement of national interest and objectives. Education is an instrument par excellence for effecting national development (National Policy on Education, 2004). It was reported in Mu’azu (2008) that teachers’ motivation and morale have continued to be important features of teaching and learning and we cannot ignore the importance of teachers to the success of educational organization. This was elaborated by Oriahi (2009) when he noted that because of poor motivation due to inadequate remuneration, poor teaching environment as a result of inadequate basic teaching materials, and unmotivated learners in the classroom, among others, therefore, the teachers have become the obstacles in their profession. As a result of this, teachers no longer teach effectively and the students in turn no longer learn properly.

Yobe state is among the educationally disadvantaged states in Nigeria. Therefore, the problems of educational sector in the state are enormous The researcher observed that the state tertiary institutions do not have enough manpower, inadequate remuneration, poor teaching environments, lack of staff development, inadequate teaching and learning facilities, are among the problems militating against the state tertiary institutions in Yobe state.

However, the inability of the government to provide good salary packages to staff, provision of loans such as housing loan, furniture loan, car loan, etc. made the lecturers to feel demoralized.

When lecturers are motivated not only in terms of psychological rewards, but also in the provision of teaching and learning facilities, salary and fringe benefits, good medical care, maintenance of discipline of staff and students, staff development, involvement of lecturers in decision-making process, etc., productivity will be enhanced.

According to the researcher’s investigation, it was observed that there were serious problems of lecturers’ turnover as a result of lack of motivation. Therefore, tertiary institutions in Yobe state are seriously suffering from the problems of lecturers’ turnover, stress, frustration and workload. This means that lecturers working conditions are not favourable, which resulted in a high turnover rate, absenteeism and frustration. And this is equally a mark of poor motivation.

The exodus of lecturers from tertiary institutions in Yobe state seems to be in conformity with what Professor Babatunde Fafunwa said in weekend Vanguard, June 29, 1996, that the brain drain in our tertiary institutions has reached an alarming proportion.

In addition, the study seeks to discover that poor conditions of service could be one of the several reasons why lecturers often used teaching as stepping stone to advance for better jobs at the slightest opportunity.

From the researcher’s point of view, lecturers are generally not happy with their job due to low status attached to teaching job by the society and government which has direct influence on teaching and learning in tertiary institutions in Yobe state. Even the present salary structure earned by lecturers in state tertiary institutions that is Consolidated Tertiary Institutions Salary Structure (CONTISS) is not adequate enough compared with other counterparts in Federal tertiary institutions earned.

Therefore, it is against this background that the study seeks to examine Stakeholders’ Perceptions on the Management of Academic Staff in Tertiary Institutions in Yobe state.

1.2    Statement of the Problem

The success of any organization is heavily dependent on the inputs of its work force and that such inputs are determined to a large extent by personal characteristics and by people’s work environment that motivate them to invest more physical and mental energy on their work. This research work examined the perceptions on the management of academic staff in tertiary institutions in Yobe state. Motivation is seen as the driving force to pursue and satisfy one’s needs.

It has been observed that lecturers in Yobe state tertiary institutions are not motivated with their job due to various factors. Some of these factors are poor salary, insufficient instructional materials, staff development and training, non-involvement in decision-making process, insufficient Information and Communication Technology (ICT), poor reward and incentives, etc. Lecturers have also said that they are not getting commensurate reward for their job compared with other lecturers in federal institutions. Qualified lecturers, students and material resources are the bedrock for effective institutional administration.

However, investigation has revealed that the tertiary institutions in the state are performing sub-optimally and their poor performance indeed threatens the development of tertiary education in the state as a result of exodus of lecturers from the state to more lucrative organizations both at the federal and organized private sectors. This is due to poor salaries and other quality services that have eluded this sector in the state. Another problem is inadequate staff motivation such as housing loan, office accommodation, car loan, in-service training and ICT facilities. As noted by Nwabueze (1995), the issues and problems in tertiary sector border on instructional autonomy, payment of salaries, academic allowances and general fringe benefits, government funding of tertiary institutions, students discipline, provision of quality and sufficient teaching staff and the adequacy of teaching and experimental facilities. Obviously, this must raise a lot of questions in the minds of analysts as to what extent could the lecturers’ motivation enhance teaching and learning?

The thrust of this research therefore is to examine the perceptions of the management of academic staff in tertiary institutions in Yobe state.

1.3 Objectives of the Study

The main objectives of this study is to examine the Stakeholders’ perceptions on the management of academic staff in tertiary institutions in Yobe state, therefore the study focuses on the following specific objectives:

1. to find out the opinions of academic staff on the management of available instructional materials in tertiary institutions in Yobe state.
2. to find out the opinions of academic staff on the management democratization of decision-making process in tertiary institutions in Yobe state.
3. to determine the impact of staff development on teaching and learning in tertiary institutions in Yobe state.
4. to identify the influence of students population explosion on teaching and learning in tertiary institutions in Yobe state.
5. to find out the opinions of academic staff on salary and allowances in tertiary institutions in Yobe state.
6. to find out the opinions of academic staff on staff promotion in tertiary institutions in Yobe state.

1.4    Research Questions

The following questions were raised to address the problems of the study.

1. Does insufficient instructional materials affect academic staff in tertiary institutions in Yobe state?
2. How does democratization of decision-making process affect the management of academic staff in the tertiary institutions in Yobe state?

• Does staff development and training affect the management of academic staff in tertiary institutions in Yobe state?

1. How does students’ population explosion affect the management of academic staff in tertiary institutions in Yobe state?
2. Do salaries and allowances of academic staff affect teaching and learning in tertiary institutions in Yobe state?
3. Does staff promotion affect the management of academic staff in tertiary institutions in Yobe state?

1.5     Research Hypotheses

1. There is no significant difference in the opinions of academic staff on the availability of instructional materials in tertiary institutions in Yobe state.
2. There is no significant difference among the average opinions of academic staff in decision-making process in tertiary institutions in Yobe state.

• There is no significant difference between the opinions of the academic staff on staff development and training in tertiary institutions in Yobe state.

1. There is no significant difference in the opinions of academic staff with regards to student population explosion in tertiary institutions in Yobe state.
2. There is no significant difference in the opinions of academic staff on salary and allowances in tertiary institutions in Yobe state.
3. There is no significant difference in the opinions of academic staff on staff promotion in tertiary institutions in Yobe state.

1.6 Basic Assumptions

1. Most academic staff in tertiary institutions in Yobe state are not contented with the decision-making process in their institutions.
2. Academic staff in tertiary institutions in Yobe state are not motivated not only in terms of psychological rewards but in the provision of teaching and learning facilities.

• There are serious problems of lecturers’ attrition as a result of poor salary packages.

1.7 Significance of the study

Education has been viewed as one of the greatest assets any nation could bestow on its citizens. Education being the strongest pillar for the development of any country needs to be taken care of. The teacher is the most important element in the entire education process. It will therefore, not be ideal to leave education in the hands of demotivated lecturers. The benefits of this study, therefore, are that it will provide the educational administrators information on the general level of lecturers’ motivation and effective teaching and learning. It is also significant in that the Yobe state government can correct the bad situation existing in the state tertiary institutions so as to improve the teaching and learning which will consequently have relatively positive effects on students’ academic performance.

The outcome of the study will also pave way for increase in lecturers’ productivity through various theories of motivation. It will make institutions to know their areas of weaknesses which may be poor leadership style and inadequate facilities and adjust in order to provide what is expected of them.

This study is generally important for it will enhance lecturers’ task performance which will subsequently promote effective teaching and learning process and assist the students greatly to benefit from tertiary education.

1.8 Scope of the Study

The study examined the stakeholders’ perceptions on the management of academic staff in tertiary institutions in Yobe state.

For the purpose of this study, the researcher has identified the following factors that may affect academic staff in tertiary institutions in Yobe state. These factors were used as bases to find out their effects on academic staff management. Thus;

Availability of Instructional Materials

Democratization of Decision-Making Process

Staff Development and Training

Promotion

Students’ Population Explosion

Salary and other allowances.

STAKEHOLDERS’ PERCEPTIONS ON THEMANAGEMENT OF ACADEMIC STAFF IN TERTIARYINSTITUTIONS IN YOBE STATE, NIGERIA= PRICE: 3,000

GET MORE EDUCATION  PROJECT TOPICS AND MATERIAL