Professional Documents
Culture Documents
x
S.D Decision
1 Mathematics teachers do not explain how to solve
mathematics clearly to the students
2.65 .79 Accepted
2 Mathematics teachers use abusive language on the students
for being slow learners
2.40 .66 Rejected
3 Mathematics teachers do not ask students questions during
and after teaching
2.47 .77 Rejected
4 Mathematics teachers do not often give students home
work because of marking difficulties
2.32 .87 Rejected
5 Mathematics teachers are not usually happy when they are
teaching the subject
2.45 .83 Rejected
6 Mathematics teachers lack proper method
of teaching
2.85 .47 Accepted
7 Mathematics teachers are too fast when teaching students 2.95 .44 Accepted
8 Mathematics teachers are not dedicated to their job 2.70 .78 Accepted
9 Mathematics teachers do not often cover WAEC or
NECO syllabus
2.95 .49 Accepted
GRAND MEAN 2.63
Source: Researchers Field Work 2011.
Table 2 above shows that teachers in Port Harcourt L.G.A rejected items 2, 3, 4, 5 as factors militating
against the teaching of mathematics in secondary schools. This is because the mean scores for the items
of 2.40, 2.47, 2.32 and 2.45 with standard deviations of .66, .77, .87 & .83 respectively were below the
criterion means of 2.50 while items 1,5,7,8 and 9 with mean of 2.65, 2.85, 2.70 and 2.95 and SD of .79,
.47, .44, .78 & .49 respectively were accepted because they are above the criterion mean of 2.50. The
calculated grand mean of 2.63 is higher than the criterion mean of 2.50. This result shows that poor
teaching method and teachers attitude are among the factors militating against the teaching of
mathematics in secondary schools in Port Harcourt Local Government Area of Rivers State.
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Research Question 2
To what extent does inadequate qualified teacher militate against the teaching of mathematics in the
secondary schools?
Table 3: Mean and Standard Deviation of Inadequate Qualified Teachers as a Constraint of
Teaching Mathematics.
S/No Items
x
S.D Decision
10 Experienced mathematics teachers are inadequate in schools 2.97 .79 Accepted
11 Mathematics teachers are not qualified 2.40 .70 Rejected
12 Not many first degree holders in mathematics are available to
teach students in some schools
3.17
.54
Accepted
13 Mathematics teachers were not well trained before employment
as teachers
3.07 .52 Accepted
14 Mathematics teachers are not sent for in-service training 3.32 .56 Accepted
15 Some mathematics teachers do not have
adequate knowledge of the subject
2.87 .71 Accepted
16 Non-mathematics teachers like physics and chemistry teachers
are used to teach mathematics in some schools
3.42
.49
Accepted
17 Less mathematics teachers are being produced 3.05 .86 Accepted
Grand Mean 3.03
Source: Researchers Field Work 2011.
Table 3 above shows that item 2 with
x
S.D Decision
18 Mathematics books available are sub-standard 2.77 .96 Accepted
19 Mathematics teachers do not have adequate mathematics
text books due to financial constraint
3.10 .76 Accepted
20 Students do not have mathematics text books 2.97 .96 Accepted
21 Frequent change of textbooks affect the students 2.95 1.00 Accepted
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22 Mathematics textbooks are not written in such a way that
students can read them and understand by themselves
3.32 .93 Accepted
23 Mathematics lessons are not usually enriched
with teaching aids like concrete materials,
pictures and demonstration etc.
3.55 .70 Accepted
24 Desks are not enough in some schools for students to sit
when learning mathematics
2.97 .96 Accepted
25 Teachers do not have chalk and good chalk board with
which to write when teaching mathematics
2.95 1.00 Accepted
Grand Mean 3.07
Source: Researchers Field Work 2011.
Table 4 above shows that items 18,19,20,21,22, 23, 24 & 25 with means of 2.77, 3,10, 2.27, 2.95, 3.32,
3.55, 2.97 and 2.95 respectively, are all above the criterion mean of 2.50. Also, the calculated grand
mean of 3.07 is as well higher than the criterion mean of 2.50. Therefore teachers in Port Harcourt
Local Government perceive inadequate instructional materials as one of the factors militating against
the teaching of mathematics in Port Harcourt L.G.A. of Rivers State.
Hypothesis 1 (Ho
1
): There is no significant difference between male and female teachers
perceptions of poor teaching methods and teachers attitude as constraints of teaching
mathematics in secondary schools in Port Harcourt Local Government Area of Rivers State.
Table 5: A t-test Analysis of Male and Female Teachers Perception of Poor Teaching Method
and Teachers attitude as Constraints of Teaching Mathematics in Secondary Schools.
Gender N
x
SD Df t-cal t-crit Result
Male 160 24.12 4.52 Not
significant 398 1.78 1.96
Female 240 23.50 2.45
Source: Researchers Field Work 2011.
Table 5 above shows that the calculated t-value (1.78) is less than the t-critical (1.96) at 398 degree of
freedom and .05 level of significance. Therefore the null hypothesis is accepted. This means that there
is no significant difference between male and female teachers perceptions of poor teaching method as
a factor militating against the teaching of mathematics in secondary schools.
Hypothesis 2 (Ho
2
): There is no significant difference between male and female teachers perception
of inadequate qualified teachers militating against the teaching of mathematics in secondary schools.
Table 6: A t-test Analysis of Male and Female Teachers Perception of Inadequate Qualified
Teachers Militating Against the Teaching of Mathematics in Secondary Schools.
Gender N
x
SD Df t-cal t-crit Result
Male 160 24.75 1.56
Significant 398 3.61 1.96
Female 240 24.00 2.29
Source: Researchers Field Work 2011.
Table 6 above shows that the calculated t-value (3.61) is higher than the t-critical (1.96) at 398 degree of
freedom and .05 level of significance. Therefore the null hypothesis is rejected. Thus there is significant
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difference between male and female teachers perception of inadequate qualified teachers militating
against the teaching of mathematics in secondary schools in Port Harcourt Local Government of
Rivers State.
Hypothesis 3 (Ho
3
): There is no significant, difference between male and female teachers perception
of inadequate teaching materials militating against the teaching of mathematics in secondary schools in
Port Harcourt Local Government of Rivers State.
Table 7: A t-test Analysis of Male and Female Teachers Perception of Inadequate Instructional
Materials Militating Against the Teaching of Mathematics.
Gender N
x
SD Df t-cal t-crit Result
Male 160 26.00 3.75
Significant 398 1.96 1.96
Female 240 25.25 3.74
Source: Researchers Field Work 2011.
A glance at table 7 above shows that the calculated t-value of (1.96) is equal to the t-critical
value (1.96) at 398 degree of freedom and .05 alpha level. Consequently, the null hypothesis is rejected.
This means that there is significant difference between male and female teachers perception of
inadequate instructional materials militating against the teaching of mathematics in the secondary
schools in Port Harcourt Local Government Area of Rivers State.
Discussion
In research question one, teachers in Port Harcourt Local Government Area of Rivers State were of the
view that poor teaching method was militating against the teaching of mathematics. This finding is in
consonance with Oladayo and Oladayo (2010) that the difficulty in teaching and learning of
mathematics has been attributed to a number of factors including teaching methods. The finding is also
in agreement with Amadi (2010) that a teacher may have a good knowledge of the subject matter, but
may lack knowledge of the choice and application of teaching methods for a specific topic and for a
group of learners. Based on the high mean scores, the teachers perceived mathematics teachers inability
to cover WAEC or NECO syllabus as major aspect of poor method of teaching. Based on the t-test
hypothesis analysis, there was no significant difference between male and female teachers perception of
teaching method militating against the teaching of mathematics in secondary schools.
Another finding of this study is that inadequate qualified teachers militate against the teaching
of mathematics in secondary schools. This result of the study is consistent with Nwankwo and Njoku
(2005) who attributed students poor academic achievement on inexperience in subjects by teachers due
to poor training. The finding is also in consonance with national Open University of Nigeria (2006) that
a major problem facing the teaching and learning of mathematics today is lack of enough teachers to
handle the subject particularly at the secondary school level. Based on the items mean score of the
teachers, the major contributors to the problem included usage of non-mathematics teachers like
physics and chemistry teachers to teach mathematics (x =3.42) and mathematics teachers not sent for
in service training (x = 3.32). However, the t-test hypothesis analysis revealed that there was significant
difference in the perception of male and female teachers on inadequate qualified teachers militating
against the teaching of mathematics. Male teachers were more of the view than female teachers.
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This study also found that inadequate instructional materials militate against the teaching of
mathematics in Port-Harcourt Local Government Area of Rivers State. This finding is in agreement
with Oladayo & Oladayo (2010) who found that absence of mathematics laboratory and other teaching
learning materials in schools contributed to the difficulty in teaching and learning of mathematics in
schools. The finding is also in consonance with National Open University of Nigeria (2006) that apart
from text books, mathematics lesson needs to be enriched with teaching aids like concrete materials,
pictures, demonstrations etc to help students comprehension. The issue of mathematics lessons are
not usually enriched with teaching aids was seen by the teachers as one of the greatest problems in the
teaching of mathematics based on their mean score (x=3.55) on the item. The next major contributory
aspect of the problem, based on teachers mean score (x 3.32) was that most mathematics text books are
not written in such a way that students can read them and understand by themselves. Significant
difference was found between male and female teachers on inadequate teaching materials militating
against the teaching of mathematics in secondary schools. The male teachers were more of the view
than female teachers.
Conclusion
Studies on how to improve the teaching of mathematics in secondary schools will not subside until
students academic achievement in the subject has improved substantially. This study has implicated
poor method of teaching, inadequate qualified teachers and lack of adequate instructional materials as
factors militating against the teaching of mathematics in secondary schools.
Recommendations
(1) The Mathematics teachers should teach at a rate that will enable the learners comprehend their
teaching.
(2) The mathematics teachers should endeavour to cover the WAEC / NECO syllabus in
mathematics even if it involves the teachers organizing continuation classes or extra lessons for
the students.
(3) Efforts should be intensified by Federal and State governments to increase the production and
supply of mathematics teachers in secondary schools to prevent physics and chemistry teachers
being used as mathematics teachers.
(4) It is hereby recommended that mathematics teachers be sent for in service training periodically,
especially during holidays.
(5) Efforts should be made by the government to provide more class-rooms and desks in schools
to ensure that mathematics classes are not crowded and students sit comfortably while learning
mathematics.
(6) Teachers should ensure that they use instructional aids like pictures, concrete material and
demonstration while teaching.
(7) Authors of mathematics text books should write the books in such a way that the students
could easily read and understand them on their own.
(8) Mathematics text books and mathematics teaching allowance should be paid to mathematics
teachers by State government as a source of motivation to teachers.
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References
Adesemowo, P.O. (2006). Premium on objective education: Panacea for scholastic malfunctioning and
aberration. 34
th
Inaugural Lecture. Olabisi Onabanjo University. Agolwoye Olabisi Onabanjo
University Press.
Amadi, G.N. (2010). Teachers role for effective learning and high academic achievement in Nigerian
schools. Nigerian Journal of Empirical Studies in Psychology and Education 1 (11,50-54.
Asaolu, O & Aboderin, M. (2011). Mass failure: Scrutinise WAEC, teachers-stakeholders.
http://odilinet/news/source/2011/aug/809.html
Asikia, O.A. (2010). Students and teachers perception of the causes of poor academic performance in
Ogun state secondary Schools Nigeria: Implication for counselling for national development.
European Journal of Social Sciences 2,13, 229-242.
Johnson, P.A. & Rising, G.E. (1972). Guidelines for Teaching mathematics, Belmect, California: Wadsworth
publishing company.
Morakinyo, A. (2003). Rative efficacy of systematic desensitization, self statement monitoring and
flooding on students test anxiety. Unpublished Ph.D Thesis. University of Ibadan.
National Open University of Nigerian (2006) 1lnstructional techniques and methods in mathematics
retrieved from www.nov.edu.ng on June 5
th
2011.
Nwankwo) O.C & Njoku, J.U. (2005), Factors related to academic achievement of Junior Secondary
school students in Rivers State. Journal of Education in Developing Areas 14, 249-256.
Oladayo, E.C. & Oladayo, O.T. (2010). Effect of constructivist in mathematics and lecture method on
students attitude in mathematics. Nigerian Journal of Empirical studies in psychology and Education 1
(11) 176-184.
Stillman, G & Vale, C. (2007). Teaching secondary school mathematics. Australia: Allen & Unwin.
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Journal of Education in Developing Areas (JEDA) Vol. 19, No. 2.
Human Capital Development in the Context of Global Competitiveness in
Nigeria.
By
NJOKU Chimezie, Ph.D
Dept. of Curriculum Studies and Educational Technology,
Faculty of Education, University of Port-Harcourt.
Abstract
Human capital is the key resource for a nations economic as well as military strength. This human
capital can be acquired only through schooling. It is portable and it can be created anywhere.
Knowledge as a key resource is fundamentally different from the traditional key resource of the
economist- land labour and even capital. When we say that knowledge has become the key
resource, it means that there is a world economy and that the world economy rather than the
national economy is in control. Every country, every industry and every business will be in an
increasingly competitive environment, they will in its decisions, consider its competitive standing in
the world economy and the competiveness of its knowledge competencies. The fact that human
capital has become the key resource means that the standing of a country in the world economy will
increasingly determine its domestic prosperity. This paper will look at human capital as a key
resource in Nigeria. The challenges and opportunities in the development of human capital in the
context of global competitiveness will also be highlighted.
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Introduction
Within the framework of global competitiveness, the Nigerian educational system is being exposed to a
lot of challenges as well as opportunities. The challenges are based on the fact that the system has not
kept pace with the rapid changes in educational ideas and system. It is a necessity that we improve our
capacity for both learning and changing.
Despite the pervasiveness of change and the necessity of continuous learning, we still tend to be
resistant to change and are either unwilling or unable to learn from many of our experiences. This
seems to be particularly the case in Nigeria where for many years we have as a nation behaved as
though we are able to isolate ourselves from events in the rest of the world and neglect keeping pace
with the expansion of knowledge which has occurred around us.
A distinguished Australian economist Helen Hughes (1988) has argued that the countries that
grew most rapidly since world war two are those that have made strong efforts to develop their human
resources. Through education (in a broad sense) and training they have turned surplus labour into
valuable human capital.
Naisbitt and Aburdene (1986) pointed out that in the industrial era, the strategic resource was
capital and in the information era, the strategic resources include information, knowledge and creativity.
There is only one way a corporation can gain access to these valuable commodities ---- through the
people with whom these resources reside ---human capital is the corporations most important resource
for it to compete globally.
The Concept of Development
Most times, the terms training, education and development are used interchangeably. While there is a
debate on the exact definition of these terms, (which in part gives reasons for their perceived
interchangeability) if the terminology is to be used correctly, the distinction must be made. According
to the English on line dictionary, (2000) development is the act of improving by expanding or enlarging
or refining, and also, development is a gradual advancement or growth through a series of progressive
change. Development goes beyond educating employees for a specific position whether present or
future. Any development program prepares employee with learning which will allow them to grow
individually alongside the organisation itself.
The concept of human development embraces every development issue, including economic
growth, social investment, and peoples empowerment, provision of basic needs and social safety net,
political and cultural freedom. According to human development foundation (1999), there is fairly
broad agreement on major aspects of the human development paradigm, they are;
1. Development must put people at the centre of its concerns
2. The purpose of development is to enlarge all human choices not just income.
3. The human development paradigm is concerned both with building up human capabilities
through investment in people and with using those human capabilities fully through an enabling
framework for growth and empowerment.
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4. Human development has four essential pillars; equity, sustainability, production and
empowerment.
5. The human development paradigm defines the ends of development and analyses sensible
options for achieving them.
For the purpose of this article, the researcher will concentrate on human capital development
The concept of Human Capital
Lewis, A.W is said to have begun the field of economic development and consequently the ideas of
human capital when he wrote in 1954, the economic development with unlimited supplies of labour.
The term human capital was not used due to its negative undertones until it was first discussed by
Author Cecil Pigou there is such a thing as investment in human capital as well as investment in
material capital. But according to Hughes (1998), the best known application of the idea of human
capital in economics is that of Mincer and Gary Becker of the Chicago school of economics. Bekers
book entitled Human capital published in 1964 became a standard reference for many years. In this
view, human capital is similar to physical means of production for example, factories and machines.
One can invest in human capital (via education, training and medical treatment) and ones output
depends partly on the rate of return on the human capital one owns. Thus human capital is a means of
production into which additional investment yields additional output. Human capital is substitutable
but not transferable like land, labour or fixed capital.
Rastogi, (2000) defines human capital as, the knowledge, skills, competencies and attributes
embodied in individuals that facilitates the creation of personal, social and economic well being.
According to Schults, (1993) the term human capital has been defined as a key element in improving
a firms assets and employees in other to increase productive as well as sustain competitive advantage.
To sustain competitiveness in the organisation, human capital becomes an instrument used to increase
productivity.
Human capital refers to processes that relate to training, education and other professional
initiatives in other to increase the level of knowledge, skills, abilities, values and social assets of an
employee which will lead to the employees satisfaction and performance and eventually on a firm
performance. Human capital is recognition that people in organisations/institutions are important and
essential asset who contributes to the growth and development in a similar way as physical assets such
as machine and money.
Human Capital Theory
The theory of human capital is rooted from the field of macroeconomic development theory. Schultz,
1993 Beckers (1993) classic book, with special reference to education illustrates that the general
purpose human capital is knowledge gained through education and training in areas of value to a variety
of firms such as generic skills in human resource development. Regardless of this application, Becker
considers education and training to be the most important investment in human capital.
Based on the work of Schultz, Psacharopoulos and Woodhall (1997), human capital theory rests
on the assumption that, formal education is highly instrumental to the improvement of production
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capacity of a population. It emphasizes how education increases the productivity and efficiency of
workers by increasing the level of cognitive stock of economically productive human capacity which is
a product of innate abilities and investment in human beings.
Human capital is getting wider attention with increasing globalization and also the saturation of
the job market due to the recent downturn in the various economies of the world. Countries now
emphasize human capital development towards accelerating the economic growth by devoting
necessary effort and time. Thus human capital development is one of the fundamental solutions to
enter the international arena.
The concept and Meaning of global competiveness
The official definition of organisation for economic cooperation and development (OECD) of a
nations competiveness is the degree to which a country can, under free and fair market conditions
produce goods and services which meets the test of international market, while simultaneously
maintaining and expanding in the real income of its people over the long term
The international institute for management development defines competiveness as a field of
economic knowledge which analyzes the facts and policies that shape the ability of a nation to create
and maintain an environment that sustain more value creation for its enterprise and more prosperity for
its people.
The world economic forum defines competitiveness as, the ability of a country to achieve
sustained high rates of growth in gross domestic products (GDP) per capita. Therefore only nations
with high level of productivity will become domestically and globally competitive and have the capacity
to exploit market opportunities to sustain and expand employment and real income growth in the long
term.
The imperative for global competitiveness according to the international institute for
management development involves addressing the following issues; macroeconomic policies,
government practices and regulations, the cost of doing business, education and skills upgrading,
research and development, innovations, sustainable environment, management conformity with
instructional standards and total factor productivity (TFP).
Garelli, (2002) listed the ten golden rules of competiveness. According to him, for a country to
stay or become competitive they must;
1. Create a stable and predictable legislative environment
2. Work on a flexible and resilient economic structure
3. Invest in traditional and technological infrastructure
4. Promote private savings and domestic investment
5. Develop aggressiveness on the international markets (exports) as well as attractiveness for
foreign direct investment.
6. Focus on quality, speed and transparency in government and administration
7. Maintain a relationship wage levels, productivity and taxation
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8. Preserve the social fabrics by reducing wage disparity and strengthening the middle class.
9. Invest heavily in education especially at the secondary level and in the life-long training of the
labour force.
10. Balance the economies of proximity and globalism to ensure substantial wealth creation while
preserving the value system that citizens desire.
Globalisation and trade liberalisation coupled with rapid advances in information and
communications technology have resulted to unprecedented intensification of market competition
worldwide. The government of many countries have made competitiveness a high priority in their
strategic planning and policy formulation for development plans.
Organisations and Institutions seem to optimize the workforce through comprehensive human
capital development program not only to achieve business goals, but most important is for a long term
survival and sustainability. In response to the changes, most firms have embraced the notion that
human capital has a good competitive advantage that will enhance higher performance.
Challenges and Opportunities
There is a growing realisation that many of our social systems and organisations are being faced with
the new realities of the emerged information/knowledge age. These new realities are touching the lives
of every individual, every family and community, the host of organisations of our public and private
sectors and our overall society. They affect the future of humanity as a whole. The questions that we
need to ask ourselves are; what are these new realities? What is our role in facing the massive changes
that confront us today? What kind of capacities and capabilities should we develop that will allow us to
design our own lives, shape our system and give direction to the evolution of our communities, our
organisations and our society in order to compete globally.
Faced with these new realities, our systems have to transform as other societies have
transformed. They have to keep in pace with their constantly changing environment. Thus, it is
important that we understand what these transformations and new realities are, grasp their implications
and apply our understanding of these implications to the transformation of our systems. We will need
to also learn how to recreate our system and redesign them so that they will accommodate the emerged
new realities.
It is obvious that the kind of schooling we offer today in Nigeria cannot possibly prepare students
for this new world as a result we must;
1. Change our outdated educational systems.
2. Explore the educational implication of new realities
3. Envision new images of systems of learning and human development that are built around the
learner experiences level.
4. Transform our systems by designs that is, bringing the new image to life and guiding education
into it.
Schools should be made compatible with the changing global society. In this century, an educated
person should be able to think and learn in a computational environment. Most of our schools do not
teach their students these abilities now. So a major change ought to be made in the way our schools
functions at present.
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Education as an engine of growth of any country depends on the quality and quantity of education. If
this is true, formal education is highly instrumental in improving the capacity of a nation. As a capital
good, education can be used to develop the human resources necessary for economics and social
transformation. The focus of education as a capital good relates to the concept of human capital which
emphasizes that the development of skills is an important factor in production activities. Education is
an economic good because it is not easily obtainable and thus needs to be apportioned. Economists
regard education as both consumer and capital good because it offers utility to a consumer and also
serves as an input into the production of other goods and services.
It is widely accepted that education creates improved citizens and helps to upgrade the general standard
of living in a society. Therefore, positive social change is likely to be associated with the production of
qualitative citizenry.
Nigeria is confronted by most of the problems that could limit the capacity of expansion in education
to stimulate growth and development. Such as under employment, low absorptive capacity, shortage of
professionals, regional imbalances and brain-drain. The persistence of this problem points to the need
for a more focused responsive, functional and qualitative educational system. To contribute
significantly to economic growth and development, education must be of high quality and also meet the
skill-demand needs of the economy.
According to Fitzsimons (2002), throughout western countries, education has recently been re-
theorised under human capital theory as primarily an economic device. Human capital theory according
to him is the most influential economic theory of western education, setting the framework of
government policies since the early 1960s. It is seen increasingly as the key determinant of economic
performance.
A key strategy in determining economic performance has been to employ a conception of
individual as human capital and various economic metaphors such as technological change research
innovation productivity education and competitiveness.
Conclusion and Recommendations
Human resources are no longer considered to be an expense but an asset in the form of human capital.
Matsushita Electric of Malaysia uses the slogan We make people before we make products. Human
capital development is an investment that must be planned carefully from the school stage. In the pre
employment stage, focus should be on improving the quality of the educational system to enhance
thinking, creativity and communication skills and inculcate good morals and positive work values.
In Nigeria, the percentage of people with technical and university education is very low
compared to those in more advanced nations. A critical mass of educated workers should be created to
support a knowledge base economy leading to high value products and services. There should be
opportunities for continuous learning and access to knowledge and advanced learning.
The educational system must be relevant to the needs and demands of industries to respond to
a rapidly changing economic situation. In the future the stress will be on employability and not on
employment, meaning that flexibility and adaptability will be required.
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Hughes, H. (1998). The economic framework. In Marsh, I.C (Ed) Australia can compete: towards a more
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Psacharopoulos, Schults & Woodhall (1997). Education for development: An analysis of investment choice. New
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Journal of Education in Developing Areas (JEDA) Vol. 19, No. 2.
CHALLENGES AND PROSPECTS OF BRAIN DRAIN IN NIGERIA:
IMPLICATIONS FOR HIGHER EDUCATION DEVELOPMENT
BY
NWAEKE, NKECHI FLORENCE
&
DR. U. J. NWOGU
Department of Educational Management,
University of Port Harcourt.
Abstract
This paper examines the brain drain syndrome in Nigerian educational system. A
situation whereby highly skilled personnel or highly qualified specialist decide to
leave the Nigerian educational system for overseas and other more financially
rewarding organisations in search of greener pasture. The identified causes of
brain drain in our educational system include poor pay package, poor funding of
educational system, social unrest and conflict, poor working environment,
inadequate research facilities and high unemployment rate. The consequential
effect of this phenomenon were seen in the fallen standard of education, reduction
in the quality of skilled manpower in educational system and the tremendous fall in
the Gross Domestic Product of the Nigeria and vice versa. In tackling this syndrome,
it was suggested that, there should be adequate funding of our educational system,
conducive teaching/learning environment, an upward review of the pay package of
lecturers, putting in place staff retention programmes and sensitization on the
effects of brain drain in our educational system.
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Introduction
The roles of universities in the provision and development of manpower required for the socio-
economic and technological advancement of any nation cannot be over emphasised. As a nations
knowledge industry, universities increase the productive capacity of the labour force. In the developed
countries, university scientists monitor global technological trends, assess their relevance to national
needs and assist in developing the national technological capacity for economic growth.
The mass departure of Africas intellectual and skilled population to Western nations, called the
Brain Drain has been one of the greatest obstacles to the development of the continent. Nigeria, in
particular, is suffering from shortage of professionals and skilled individuals necessary for the
advancement of the nations capital.
Up till the early eighties of the 20
th
century, the Nigerian universities were epitome of
everything that could be considered academically excellent; having good, qualified, and to a certain
extent, adequate academic staff. The working conditions were good and motivating enough. During
this period, the academic community in Nigeria lived to its billings, researches were conducted and
results achieved. The totality of the Nigerian university system was recognised and well respected.
Unfortunately the educational system in Nigeria fall from a point of honour to a laughing stock. This
drastic change in the system constituted the syndrome of brain drain in our educational system which
can be likened to Chinua Achebes Things fall apart and the centre cannot hold. This stress put on
the universities has taken a great toll on the quality of learning. Employers of labour and the general
public have expressed concern on the quality of graduates of Nigerian universities. This situation is
clearly evident when graduates of Nigerian institutions are asked to write qualifying examinations
before they can be employed by corporate organizations.
This scenario seems not to augur well for a developing country like Nigeria that believes in
human capital for promoting economic growth and development. It is against this backdrop that this
paper examined the causes of brain-drain in Nigeria universities and the possible ways to redress the
phenomenon.
The Concept of Brain Drain
Brain drain means the mass exodus of highly trained and well experienced academics from countries
with poor conditions of service to those with better working conditions in search of greener pasture.
Timilehin, Esohe, Osalusi and Babatope (2010) state that Brain drain is a process that leads to
educational institutions losing some or a significant number of its academic staff to other sectors of the
economy or to other countries. Brain drain is a phenomenon that had afflicted the Nigerian university
system most severely in the 1980s through to the 21
st
century. Nigeria has lost most of its experienced
professionals to even smaller African countries like Ghana, Rwanda, Kenya and
South Africa, and to big countries like Britain, America, Canada, France, Germany among others.
Between 1988 and 1990, over 1,000 lecturers left the federal universities in Nigeria (Timilehin, et
al, 2010). They also believe that for now, over 10,000 Nigerian academics are employed in the United
States alone. Brain drain in whatever perspectives, as it is being described is the widespread migration
of academic staff from the universities in the country to overseas universities or its equivalent where
their services are better rewarded. It must however, be noted that while the best brains are leaving the
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university system, the broad aim of producing high level manpower from the system for national
development may be a mirage. The impact of brain drain led to the inauguration of a committee on
brain drain by the Federal Government in 1988 during the leadership of former President Babangida.
According to the estimates of the presidential committee on Brain Drain set up in 1988 by the
Babangidas administration, Nigeria, between 1986 and 1990, lost 10,694 professionals from tertiary
institutions alone. The total estimate of both people that left the public and private organisations within
that period is over 30,000. This Brain drain committee was chaired by Prof. Oye Ibidapo-Obe who was
the vice chancellor of the University of Lagos. Ibidapo-Obe stated thus: In our work on brain drain,
we realized that the major problem is the economy, particularly the devaluation of the naira and
inflation.
According to Dr Ihechukwu Madubuike, 21,000 Nigerian doctors were practising in the United
States of America in 1995. The honourable minister alarmed that a staggering 21,000 Nigerian doctors
were practising in the USA alone, the figure when added to those in Saudi Arabia and Gulf States,
Europe, Australia in other African countries the figure should be above 30,000. As at this period the
number of doctors in our public services is not more than 21,000, what a shame.
Anekwe (2003) posits that immediately after the attainment of national sovereignty by Nigeria
from the British overloads, the problem of brain drain was not as acute as it has become today. He
went on to say that those who were privileged to acquire Western education very easily secured
employment. Thus, there was no motivation to leave the country. And then, the Nigerian economy was
much more robust and the Nigerian currency could rub shoulders with the major currencies of the
world.
It needs to be pointed out here that a vital segment of the population that is required by the
country for national development now constitutes the bulk of Nigerians leaving the country in search
of better opportunities abroad. Young doctors, pharmacists, nurses, teachers, engineers, etc constitute
the bulk of this list. The situation in Nigeria today is pathetic because a large chunk of highly trained
university graduates and those of other tertiary institutions have left the country without anyone
benefiting from the investment in their education. This goes a long way to show that the Nigerian
economy needs an urgent surgical operation.
However, there is a more dangerous internal brain drain prevalent in Nigeria now. It is an
established fact that no nation can rise above the quality of its teachers. It is also a fact that countries
who acknowledge education as an instrument par excellence will reserve their first class (best brains) for
the ivory towers. In time past, the products of our institutions who made 1
st
class and 2
nd
class uppers
were easily attracted to teaching while those with lower grades went to the industries. Today, reverse is
the case. The best brains are now attracted to the oil prospecting companies, banks, corporate
organisations and other more viable and motivating organisations. The weak academics are now found
in the classrooms. As Nigerians sit on defence watching at this ugly scenario, the consequences await
our quest for development. There are professors in the civil service, paramilitary services, politics and
even traditional stools while our ivory towers cry loud for qualified professors in different fields.
Causes of Brain Drain
Several factors have been attributed to the wide spread migration of academic from this country to
other parts of the world. Some are examined below.
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(1) Poor pay package to the lecturers: It is no understatement to say that lecturers in our
countrys universities are not well remunerated compared to their counterparts in other parts of
the world. Utile (2008) lamented that in Nigeria a professor earns a salary of about N3.6m per
annum which is (an equivalent of about $22,930 USD) while his counterpart in South Africa
earns R455,774 per annum (an equivalent of N10,485,000 and equivalent in US dollar $66,557).
Akindutire (2004) laments at a situation where a young graduate who is fortunate to take up job
outside the unified public service immediately starts to earn twice his professors annual
income. The author posited that this did not augur well for staff motivation and stability of
tenure in the Nigerian universities system.
(2) Poor funding of the university education system: Governments refusal to properly fund
education and to put education in its rightful position, in terms of funding and allocation of
educational resources had over the years been generating a very unpalatable disagreement
between the Academic staff union of universities (ASUU) and the federal government.
Odekunle (2001) posits that Nigerian universities have been grossly underfunded and the
consequence of this financial crisis is the loss of a great deal of valuable manpower to foreign
countries. The underfunding of the university system has largely been as a result of the
economic crisis of the mid-eighties to early nineties in the country made worse by the
devaluation of the Naira as a result of the structural
Adjustment Programme (SAP). However, this under funding of the system has manifested itself
in areas of deficiency in the infrastructural development in the universities.
(3) Social unrest and conflicts: The inability of government to respect agreements reached with
ASUU on various issues relating to the university system in the recent past has largely been
responsible for the series of strike actions in the system. ASSU has been the only vibrant union
at the forefront of the war with the federal government in issues of funding, autonomy and
conditions of service. According to Onyeonoru and Bankole (2001) observe that much of the
conflicts involving the government and non-academic staff unions emanate from the collective
agreements reached between government and the ASUU, which government failed to keep to
their agreement. The incessant strikes embarked upon by the ASUU had led to frequent
harassment, arrest and dismissal from work of leaders of the ASUU.
According to Arikewuyo (2004), many academics have been dismissed for taking part in nation-
wide strike called by ASUU in 2001. All these conflicts have resulted to why some academics
decide to find solace in a very conducive environment where there are better working
conditions and career opportunities.
(4) Poor working environment: Apart from the social environment that had been said was not
conducive in our universities; the physical working environment seems to be very unconducive.
Physical facilities are in a state of despair, laboratories ill-equipped, libraries are of empty
shelves, while the few books are outdated, several capital projects abandoned and worse still,
only a few of the universities can take advantage of modern information technology like the
internet connectivity. This poor working condition has made so many lecturers to move abroad,
for better working conditions. This scenario has increased the brain drain syndrome in our
educational system.
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(5) Inadequate research facilities: So many lecturers that have the flair for conducting research
cannot come out with adequate research because of poor research facilities in Nigerian
educational system. Poor funding of research, poor electricity, unrewarding nature of
government towards research works and so many others have made so many lovers of research
who have opportunity abroad to travel so that their dreams can come true. Devaluation of
Nigerian currency has resulted in poor research and it is also responsible for the high mobility
of top-flight academics.
Other causes of brain drain in our educational institutions include internal and external factors
such as economic reasons, domestic, social and political conditions. Nevertheless, Nigerian
professionals are being influenced to permanently relocate to affluent nations, where many have done
their undergraduate and graduate studies, for personal and financial security, far away from their place
of origin.
The internal factors include lack of jobs, low wages, lack of power supply, unsatisfactory living
and working conditions, limited career opportunities coupled with lack of an environment conducive
for professional growth. In addition to these elements, we also have poor social conditions, corruption
and political instability. The Nigerian civil war in 1967-1970 caused a major exodus of educated
Nigerians to western nations for security reasons and thus began the brain-drain in Nigeria.
The external factors are juxtaposed to the internal factors, and consisted of better job
opportunities, flexible career paths, higher pay, satisfactory living and working conditions, and higher
standards of living. Increased prospects for professional development combined with political stability
are the brain drains largest pull to developed countries. Globalization has also increased the brain-drain
with the mobility of highly skilled individuals from Nigeria at a lower price than westerns would
request. Many companies in affluent nations have recruiting programmes and incentives to entice
skilled professionals from Nigeria in order to decrease their employment budget, while increasing
productivity for their business.
Subsequently, skilled and educational Nigerians are attracted to the westerns economic
opportunities and what they believe to be an easy way of life. However, the destructive effects of brain-
drain problem arise when Nigerians choose not to return to their native country. After being
established in the American society through education, employment and American partners, Africans
especially Nigerians become Americanized and do not want to go back to the sufferable ways of life in
Nigeria.
Why Nigerians Abroad Do Not Return
After being established in developed countries the choice not to return to Nigeria is based upon various
reasons such as safety issues, loss of comfort zone, business and family relations abroad, and fear of
persecution from the government and society. The most important deterrent in returning to Nigeria
permanently is due to the feeling of frustration with the corruption and greed that has infiltrated the
government as well as the communities.
Majority of the people living in Nigeria have accepted corruption as the norm, greed and the
quest for power and wealth are traits not only to be tolerated, but also encouraged, especially in the
government officials. Emeagwali, (2003) posits that one of the reasons why Nigerians abroad find it
difficult to come back is because of the socio economic conditions which makes it difficult for people
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to achieve their potentials in Nigeria. When he was asked on why he did not return home he said First,
I have an American wife that has her academic career and an eight-year old son that is in a good school.
It will be inconsiderate of me to disrupt my wifes career and my sons education. Emeagwali
proceeded by saying that he has not received any formal invitation from the government.
Meanwhile the man Emeagwali is a Nigerian who went to the United States of America after
the Nigerian civil war because he was awarded scholarship in 1974. Emeagwali won the 1989 Gordon
Bell prize, computations Nobel prize, for inventing a formula that lets computers perform their fastest
computations work that led to the reinvention of super computers. He has been extolled by Bill Clinton
as one of the great minds of the Information Age described by CNN as the A father of the
internet and is the worlds most searched for scientist on the internet. This is an indigenous son of
Nigeria who should have been inventing things for us here if the working conditions were alright but
he is outside the country, developing other countries and Nigerians are lacking in his wide knowledge
because he is looking for a greener pasture, and the unconduciveness of Nigeria.
Socio-Economic impact of Brain-Brain in Nigeria
Ainalem (2007), writes that there are more Africans scientists and Engineers in the USA than in the
entire continent. This means that the continuous outflow of skilled personnel continues to contribute
to a widening gap in science and technology between Africa and other continents. From outdated
technology to increased unemployment, the average Nigerian labourer makes $100 dollars a month in
wages which is equivalent to N15,700 naira only. The economic impact of the brain-drain is highly
publicized due to loss of intelligent and skilled individuals with various technical expertises, the social
impact is also very important.
Nigeria has the largest oil and gas reserves in Africa, but about 60% of the citizens are living
below the poverty line as estimated by the CIA- the world Fact Book. The social effects of brain-drain
is depicted through the establishment of a two class society with no middle class consisting of doctors,
lawyers, engineers, professors, and other professionals. Instead, Nigeria has massive under class society
that is largely unemployed and very poor. Meanwhile the few very rich people are mostly corrupt
politicians and government officials. The brain drain will continue to give rise to poor leadership and
corruption in Nigeria, unless Nigerians in the African Diaspora and beyond especially in our generation
decide to lend a helping hand to our beloved nation.
Effects of Brain Drain in Nigerian Universities
The consequences of brain drain has manifested in a number of ways. Brain drain is a phenomenon
that has seriously depleted the universities in Nigeria. Some of the effects are discussed below.
1) It lowers the standard of education: The large movement of academic from the nations
universities to other parts of the world has invariably taken its toll on the quality of outputs
produced from the system. Oni, (2008), lamented that in this very depressing situation, the
process of teaching, research, publication and knowledge development has no relevance to the
challenges of the next millennium or even the present global market. A growing body of
research reports indicate that the universities fall short of the demands of the global market.
2) It reduces the quality of skilled manpower in Nigerian universities: Since academics leave
the classroom for better jobs in other sectors within the country or leaving the country for
greener pasture outside the country, the quality and quantity of academic staff will be reduced.
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3) It raises the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of the receiving countries: There will be no
doubt that with the flight of seasoned academics, to overseas countries, the Gross Domestic
Product of the receiving countries will be boosted while the receiving countries are winners, the
releasing countries are automatically the losers.
4) It increases the level of dependence on foreign assistance by Nigeria universities: This
means that it retards the technological advancement of the releasing country as the enlightened
population that can contribute immensely to the technological upliftment of the nation decides
to abandon the country at the moment of greatest need.
Prospects
If there was no brain drain in the first instance, then professionals are supposed to train within their
country and work there in. This would have meant that all the skills they have, are acquired from within
their local country. In order to improve on their skills and possibly acquire some more advanced skills,
they are expected to spend money to attend professional courses in outside countries or foreign
countries. This would have entailed a drain on the pause of their home country economics in favour of
those foreign countries where they are going to acquire the further skills. With the level of poverty, in
many undeveloped countries the inability to pay the required fees would have been a barrier. Thus
professionals from such countries may not have the opportunity of further training.
However all these are taken care of by what we describe as brain drain. As these professionals
move in search of greener pastures from less favourable environments to the more advanced
environments, they are exposed to opportunities where they acquire more skills, attend advanced
professional courses while on the job. By so doing they acquire skills that would have been impossible
if they were in their home countries. At the end of the day, when they return home they are better
qualified and positioned to render improved services to their father land. Further more because these
professionals scatter to different countries, their countries receive technological advancement from
different countries simultaneously when they came back. This leads to a more rapid growth in the
economy. The prospects lead to the following advantage.
(1) It reduces the cost of training manpower
(2) It affords you the variety of technology or educational advancement
(3) It boost the local economy by creating new opportunities
(4) Brain drain is a positive indication that Nigerian education is still sound and respected world-
wide.
(5) It increase the flow of foreign currency into the country, through the funds they send to their
families
(6) It creates offshore opportunities for their nationals e.g Shell BP which is owned by the British.
Agip which is owned by the French, Chevron which is owned by the America. All these are
offshore opportunities for their nationals. Can we call these opportunities for these nationals
brain drain?
Ways to Redress the Issue of Brain Drain in Nigeria
Although we have seen the prospects of brain drain, Nigeria government can develop a system that will
make her citizens to travel abroad and get the necessary technology and still come back home to
improve our nation. To redress this issue, the government should do the following:
(1) Adequate Funding of the system: There is the dire need for efficient funding of university
system across the nation. Saint, Hartney and Strassner (2003) are of the view that the university
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system throughout the country has not had the financial where withal necessary to maintain
educational quality even in the midst of the significant population explosion. To develop and
sustain the universities require enormous amount of financial resources.
Government should therefore provide more funds to the universities. This will provide
adequate resources for the maintenance of decaying infrastructure, procurement of new
equipment, books, journals, chemicals and other learning inputs.
(2) Need for conducive teaching and learning environment: Another way to redress the
menace of brain drain in the university system is to improve the teaching and learning
environments. Dilapidated structures, obsolete laboratory and workshop equipment and low
usage of ICT have converged to make teaching, of poor quality. A massive overhaul of the
infrastructure in the university system is therefore imperative. Apart from the physical teaching
and learning environment, there is also the need to make the psycho-social environment
conducive. The frequent harassment, arrest and dismissal from work of leaders of the academic
staff union of universities which was in vogue under the military rule should not repeat itself.
(3) Upward review of the pay package for Academic : Based on the premise that the decline in
the purchasing power of lecturers salaries was responsible for brain drain, it is hereby suggested
that the personal emoluments of lecturers need to be reviewed upwards to suit to what their
counter parts are receiving overseas. This will make them to know that they are not losing
anything in terms of salary payment. The wage differential between the university and other
sectors of the economy is a major cause of frustration and disillusionment among present and
future generation of academic staff.
(4) Staff Retention Programme: Staff retention programmes can be put in the country, this may
take the form of putting in place measures that would dissuade those still in the system from
contemplating taking their flight. To do this, the struggle must encompass convincing
government to allocate more funds to the system to adequately cater for the needs of the
universities.
Secondly, government can achieve this by providing individuals who have expertise with career
opportunities and giving them the opportunity to prove their capabilities. Another staff
retention programme is the promotion of existing staff who have demonstrated sufficient
academic excellence to senior lecturers readers and professors. With all these retention
programmes, staff morale would be rejuvenated and staff retention guaranteed and sustained.
(5) Building of data bank of Nigerians abroad: This means that the government should be able
to know how many of Nigerians out there. When we must have done that, we can create job
opportunities with fantastic pay package that will entice them. To say the truth, the most reason
why our people stay abroad and work there is the pay package is attractive. The weather there is
very bad, they have extreme conditions, but because the pay is very good, most Nigerians will
prefer working under the snow and making good money than coming back to work under good
weather and receiving peanut as salaries. But if the government can offer them meaningful
employment and compensation that will entice them they will return home.
(6) Government should increase our investment in science, technology and education: This
is the 21
st
century, it is appropriate that we reflect on our legacy for our children. We need to be
technologically knowledgeable and create more wealth by providing more technology that will
entice those abroad. When they are sure of seeing all those technology, they are used to abroad,
they will know that, they will not miss much if they come back. More technology will bring
more employment opportunities. This will help stop our graduates roaming about on the
streets. Once every graduate is sure of his employment after graduation, nobody will think of
leaving the country.
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(7) The proactive step of the collaboration in human capacity development is the sponsoring of
some indigenes of the state to study in Germany on scholarship under the FEEDER project
after which they would be provided jobs in the state here as a way of alleviating brain drain in
all sectors of the state.
Asala, (2011) stated that:
Rivers State governor is partnering with us through his passion
and strong will for advancing the Rivers state educational system
and leaving a long lasting legacy for the youths. and in achieving
this dream he will stop at nothing to give the students the best
service in becoming role models for the youth and a pride for the
state and Nigeria as a whole. (p 2)
(8) There should be a signed and sealed agreement with their parents and guardians that bind them
to return to their host communities. Governor Amachis administration has done that. This is
another measure put in place to stop the abuse of such opportunity by the beneficiaries who
may want to stay back in the country of study for fear of joblessness in Nigeria. Because these
people here signed a document before leaving, and the money used in training them is our
money, they are under obligation to return home and give back to the society that trained them.
If every state can emulate governor Amachi the issue of brain drain may be a thing of the past.
Conclusion
Universities, all over the world, are recognized as centres of excellence, where knowledge is not only
acquired but also disseminated to those who require it. The state of things in Nigerian universities seem
unsatisfactory. However the concern of this paper has been the problem of brain drain, an affliction
that has embroiled the Nigerian university most severely in the mid-eighties through to the 21
st
century.
It has been established in the course of this paper that brain drain is a virus that can destroy the
entire university system and make the system become shadow of itself if adequate and proper attention
is not given. Based on these, the entire stakeholders in the university education sector are advised to
combine efforts and rise to the challenge of combating the menace in the university system. The
various redressing issues discussed in this paper can be of immense steps to take.
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Journal of Education in Developing Areas (JEDA) Vol. 19, No. 2.
ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION FOR SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT AMONG
ADULT LEARNERS IN RIVERS STATE
BY
OFFOR BEATRICE OGOEGBUNAM
Department of Adult and Non-Formal Education,
University of Port Harcourt
beatyog@yahoo.com
+234 803 702 6222
&
DR. MBALISI ONYEKA FESTUS
Department of Adult and Non-Formal Education,
University of Port Harcourt
onyipath@yahoo.com
+234 806 418 4036
Abstract
Improper management of solid wastes have created subtle and serious
environmental problems in Rivers State. For proper management of solid wastes,
adult learners should be educated on the best methods of disposal and implications
of improper management of solid wastes through the inserted environmental
education topics in the curriculum for the adult literacy programme. The paper
highlights the importance of environmental education in developing knowledge,
attitude, skills, value and responsible behaviour towards solid waste management.
The problem of ineffective delivery of environmental education for the adult learners
is equally brought to the fore. The paper therefore recommends that the curriculum
for the adult literacy programme needs to be reviewed for effective education of
adults on the practice of waste management.
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Introduction
The management of solid wastes have gradually become important practices to humans and their
environment, especially in developing countries of the world as they progressively move towards
industrialisation. The rapid rural-urban migration, the increase in population and modernisation,
especially in African, Asian and South American countries, have contributed immensely to the problem
of pollution in the global environment. There has been a rise in the quantity of solid wastes generated by
each household daily consequent upon increases in population, the rising demand for food and
increased human socio-economic activities. Solid wastes have become a problem globally as they
constitute a potential threat to public health, scar the environment, and could be a block to the
economic development of an area because of the negative image they present (Gardget, 2011:1).
The massive solid wastes generated include domestic garbage, organic litter, plant leaves, pieces of
paper, polythene bags, rags, metal scraps, abandoned vehicles, used tyres, plastics, used diapers, tin- cans
and faecal materials. There have been some concerted efforts globally, nationally and locally to address
the issue of environmental degradation and unsustainable pattern of development that impacts
negatively on the environment. The efforts have resulted in the organization of conferences, workshops
and seminars so as to bring world leaders and people to dialogue on the way forward to design
sustainable development patterns that will benefit the environment and humanity now and in the future.
Despite these efforts by the Federal and Rivers State Governments, there still exists among the
adult citizens a carefree attitude towards the environment. Most adults, still throw away solid wastes
indiscriminately both at home, in the market place, while in the bus, along the streets, when they attend
occasions like weddings, social events, at their places of work and so on. They do not segregate their
solid wastes into degradable and non- degradable wastes before disposal. A situation where-by old
shoes, old clothes, plastics, bottles, tin-cans, vegetable cuttings, food remnants from the kitchen and so
on are packed together in a polythene bag and thrown into any available space near their homes, beside
the roads or designated collection points still persists in Rivers State. This ugly situation is more
prevalent in the urban areas in Rivers State where the population is very high, coupled with the high
consumption pattern associated with modern lifestyle.
Ayotamuno and Gabo (2004:389) noted that indiscriminate dumping of wastes from industrial,
commercial and households such as food wastes, paper, polythene, textiles, scrap metals, glass, wood,
plastic and so on at street corners and gutters is still very common in Port Harcourt. They also noted
that this care free attitude could lead to the obstruction of traffic flow and the likelihood of
contamination of drinking water by the leachates from the refuse dumps. In the same vain, Opara
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(2009:32) said that:
one of the main social problems in Port Harcourt City and which has become an
intractable nuisance is open and indiscriminate dumping of refuse, human and lower
animal faeces and solid wastes. Piles of decaying garbage which are domestic and
industrial in nature litter strategic locations in the heart of the city.
This lack of value and care for the environment has resulted in improper management and disposal of
solid wastes in the state. It could be attributed to laziness and ignorance. The onus of the management
of solid wastes lies with the adults, most of whom are engaged in adult literacy education programmes in
Rivers State. Environmental education designed for these adults is expected to develop the right
attitude in the adults towards maintaining a healthy and clean environment and consequently equip them
with skills in solid waste management. There is therefore the need to educate the adult learners about
solid wastes, its management, disposal methods, health implications of improper solid waste
management. Educating the adult learners on the proper methods of solid waste management will
forestall the continuity of the indiscriminate manner with which adults in Rivers State dispose their
wastes and consequently enhance better practices of solid waste management.
Concept of Environmental Education
Environmental education as defined by Stapp in Environmental Education, Training and Partnership
(EETAP, 1997:1) is education aimed at producing a citizenry that is knowledgeable concerning the
biophysical environment and its associated problems, aware of how to help solve these problems, and
motivated to work towards their solution. Environmental education therefore strives to increase in
individuals, the knowledge of the environment and the problems associated with it. It educates
individuals on the possible solutions to environmental problems, instils in adult individuals the desire to
take responsible actions towards solving environmental problems.
The UNESCO, Tbilisi Declaration of (1977) views environmental education as a learning process
that increases peoples knowledge and awareness about the environment and associated challenges,
develops the necessary skills and expertise to address the challenges, fosters attitudes, motivations and
commitment to make informed decisions and take responsible action. This definition is quite embracing
and it highlights all the five categories of objectives of environmental education which are:
1. Awareness and sensitivity to the environment and environmental challenges;
2. Knowledge and understanding of the environment and environmental challenges;
3. Attitudes of concern for the environment and a motivation to improve or maintain environmental
quality;
4. Skills to identify and help resolve environmental challenges;
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5. Participation in activities that lead to the resolution of environmental challenges (UNESCO in
National Environmental Education Advisory Council (1996:2).
Environmental education increases public awareness and knowledge about environmental issues. It
provides the public with the necessary skills to make informed decisions and to take responsible action.
The Concept of Solid Waste
The concept of solid waste has received local and global attention as they affect the quality of the
environment if not properly managed. Some wastes are inevitable. They arise from human activities in
the farm, schools, market places, offices, industries, at home, hospitals and so on. Things that have been
outgrown, broken, produced in the course of production, all add to the solid waste stream.
The United States Congress in Bernstein, Winkler and Zierdt-Warshaw (1996:305) defines solid
wastes as all garbage, refuse, and sludge products from agriculture, forestry, mining and municipalities.
Miller in George (2004:1) views solid waste as any useless, unwanted or discarded material that is not
liquid or gas. A great mixture of substances including fine dust, metals, glass, paper, cardboard, textiles,
putriscible vegetable materials and plastics characterise solid wastes. However, with the increase in
technological advancement in solid waste management, some of the solid wastes are not regarded as
useless and unwanted. This is due to the fact that some of the materials can be recovered and
reprocessed into valuable products. This is supported by Agunwamba (2001:291) who asserts that some
of what are known previously to be useless and unwanted are now reprocessed into valuable products.
Solid wastes therefore are inevitable products from human activities in our environment. They are a
source of concern to different nations, countries and states. They impact negatively on the environment
if not properly managed.
Solid Waste Management Techniques
The term solid waste management in all its ramifications encompasses steps taken in collection,
transportation, processing and disposal or utilization of wastes in a sanitary manner (Taiwo, 2010:1).
Solid waste management is also defined as the collection, storage, transportation, treatment and disposal
of wastes in such a way as to render them innocuous to human and animal life, ecology and the
environment generally (Oreyomi, 1998:1). Solid waste management is the responsibility of the State and
Local Government Environmental Agencies. The management of solid wastes by adults on the other
hand, entails the reduction, segregation, composting, burying, reuse and recycling of wastes before
disposal in such a manner that they do not pose any danger to humans and the environment.
Solid Waste Disposal Methods
Solid wastes are disposed of by different methods. The disposal methods vary from country to
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country and they include landfill, incineration, composting and open dumping. In Nigeria and in Rivers
State, open dumping is still being practiced. Onwughara, Nnorom and Kanno (2010, 410) noted that
there are cases where wastes are dumped in streams and river channels. Open dumping poses danger to
the environment and it is not a favourable method of solid waste disposal. Opara (2001:32) noted that
solid wastes and wastes in open dumpsites are a source of atmospheric and water pollution, land
contamination, health hazards, and environmental degradation.
Concept of Adult Learner
The adult learner is one with a difference because of the experience he brings to bear in the learning
environment. The concept of adult learner can be viewed from different perspectives. The adult learner
can be viewed from the point of view of his life activities, his function and his educational needs which
drives him to engage in adult education activities. From the point of view that education is a life-long
learning process, an adult learner is defined as any one who consciously, formally, informally or non-
formally engages him or herself in any adult educational programme(s) with an intent to solve life
problems (Nzeneri, 2008:31).
The adult learner as it is called in North America, or mature learner as it is referred to in the
United Kingdom is sometimes called adult student, returning adult, adult returner and student. It is a
term described by (Wikipedia, the free encyclopaedia, 2012) as any person socially accepted as an adult
who is in a learning process, whether it is formal education, informal learning, or corporate sponsored
learning From the fore going adult learners have different needs and aspiration which they hope to
achieve in life. They perform different functions and responsibilities in life. In order to achieve their
goals and aspirations in life, they engage themselves in different educational programmes which could
be in the formal, non-formal or informal levels. For these adults learning never ends.
There are however different characteristics of the adult learners which have implication for
teaching and learning. Some of these characteristics of the adult learners are indicated by Knowles
(1970) in Nzeneri (2008:38) when he showed the differences between the characteristics of the young
and the adult learner and stated that as a person matures:
1. his self-concept moves from one of being a dependent personality (as in children) towards one of
being a self directing being(as in children;
2. he accumulates a growing reservoir of experiences that become an increasing resource for
learning(unlike the young);
3. his (adults) readiness to learn becomes oriented increasingly to the developmental tasks of his
social roles;
4. his time perspective changes from one of postponed application of knowledge (as in the young) to
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one of immediacy of application and accordingly his orientation towards learning shifts from
subject-centeredness to one of problem centeredness(as in adults).
These characteristics of the adult learner and more should be put into consideration by adult
facilitators when teaching the adult learners to ensure that they are motivated to learn, thus making
learning a pleasurable experience. The adult education programme in Nigeria is geared towards national
development. The objective of the programme is to get adults, either as individuals or as a group to
positively change their attitude and behaviour. The learners in the literacy centres are expected to learn
how to manage their solid wastes, change their attitude of indiscriminate disposal of wastes as a result of
environmental education topics inserted in the post literacy curriculum.
The Need for Environmental Education for Solid Waste Management
Environmental Education as previously discussed is a learning process which enables people to be aware
of environmental problems, to be knowledgeable about environmental issues, provides people with the
right attitude and motivation to resolve those problems and prevent new ones from occurring. Most
research studies have noted the importance of environmental education in predisposing people to
participate in waste management, developing in them the knowledge, understanding, right attitude,
values and skills necessary for solid waste management.
Post (2007:24) says that knowledge of waste reduction methods can either motivate individuals
to participate, or inadequate knowledge can be a barrier to waste reduction behaviour. In a study that
investigated the motivating factors and barriers to recycling behaviour in New Jersy, Simmons and
Windmar in Post (2007:24) concluded that a lack of knowledge and a lack of personal salience and
efficacy were barriers that interfered with motivating effect of a persons sense of responsible actions and
conservation ethics. Therefore without information and perception of individual ability to reduce
wastes, the individual will not act on their internal sense of responsibility by participating in waste
reduction program (Post, 2007:24). Homik, Cherian, Mandansky and Narayana in Post (2007:25)
observed that there are four groups of variables that predict recycling behaviour, and noted that the
strongest predictors are internal facilitators, such as having knowledge of how and what to recycle and
awareness of the importance of recycling. Furthermore, Post (2007:25) emphasizes that increasing the
knowledge of waste reduction for the targeted population has been seen as a necessary method of
increasing public participation in waste reduction.
The need for having stronger environmental education programmes increases with rising
preference for more friendly methods such as prevention, minimisation, re-use and recycling.
Environmental education clearly plays a critical role in enhancing movement upward along the waste
management ladder from open burning through recycling and re-uses to prevention (Kamara, 2006:19).
There is therefore an increased need for environmental education for adult learners in Rivers State and
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beyond to achieve the most preferred waste management options of segregation, recycling, re-use,
reduce and waste prevention.
Environmental education has been viewed as the key to educating the young and the old people. It
also enhances learning and supports traditional educational objectives over a wide range of subject areas
of experience. Kamara (2006:21) also found out that there is a growing consensus that peoples attitude
towards the environment has a direct relationship to their level of education, how much they know
about the environment, its values and the need to protect those values. Through the media and the
radio advertisements on keeping the environment clean in Rivers State, individuals gain awareness on the
need to keep the environment clean. This is further enhanced by the monthly environmental sanitation
exercise that is carried out in the state every first Saturday of the month. In addition, Dr Mnegbu the
Director of Rivers State Environmental Sanitation Agency (RESA) in an interview with the authors
noted that RESA organises seminars, workshops, conferences, symposia and so on to educate the public
on environmental themes. Through the media, the problem of solid wastes is equally brought to the fore.
However the adult citizens are not educated and empowered to practice reduction, reuse and recycling of
solid wastes. The main emphasis is mainly on keeping the environment clean, and disposing of solid
wastes properly, tree planting to beautify the environment and creating awareness about climate change.
Educating adult individuals, community members in River State on how to value the environment,
the need to keep the environment clean, how to segregate, reduce, re-use, recycle and practice
composting will go a long way in maintaining environmental quality and the health of the people. This
can further be achieved by the infusion of environmental themes into the basic adult literacy programme
in Nigeria. Environmental education themes that can be infused into the adult education curriculum may
include among others general topics based around the followings:
1. health oriented topics on healthy lifestyles, sanitation, pollution, health implications of improper
solid waste management;
2. environmental policies on waste management (sustainable development, local Agenda 21);
3. consumer aspects like reduction, re-use, recycling, proper solid waste disposal methods;
4. outdoor educational activities on Waste to wealth: how to turn some solid wastes into useful
materials by composting, recycling of paper, plastics, bottles and so on.
These topics when infused into subjects like reading and writing in the basic literacy programme
and English, social studies, health education and science in the post literacy programme, is expected to
develop the appropriate knowledge, skills, values and commitment the adult learners need to maintain
quality environment.
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Constraints to Effective Delivery of Environmental Education Among Adult Learners in Rivers
State
In the curriculum developed for adult learners in Nigeria, Environmental Education topics are inserted
into the year 1 and 2 of post literacy programmes. Environmental education topics are not inserted in
the basic literacy programmes. This does not make for effective delivery of environmental education in
the literacy programme as the adults are not exposed early enough to environmental education themes
that they need to solve environmental problems that they face on daily basis. In the literacy programme
also, there is no provision for outdoor environmental education programmes. Environmental education
is action oriented. If adults are made to participate in environmental education programmes they will be
properly equipped with the knowledge, skills, values, attitudes, commitment and motivation to solve
environmental problems. The literacy programme makes for only classroom instruction on
environmental themes and as such does not favour proper delivery of environmental education
objectives.
The radio jingles on keeping the markets, shops, homes, offices and so on clean is a good informal
approach to solving the problem of improper solid wastes management. However emphasis is not laid
on the aspect of segregation, reduction, reuse and recycling before the solid wastes gets to the collection
centres. RESA does not make provision for the citizens to place biodegradable and non-biodegradable
solid wastes separately at the collection centres. Separate bins are not provided thus adult individuals co-
mix their solid wastes and deposit them indiscriminately in the environment. This ugly situation
contaminates the groundwater, land and air quality. It equally leads to spread of diseases, destruction of
environmental aesthetics and makes solid waste management by the contractors cumbersome.
Conclusion and Recommendations
Solid waste management has been of great concern to many nations globally and locally. In Rivers State,
Improper management of solid wastes by adult learners impacts negatively on the health and the
environment of the people. It pollutes the environment, contaminates groundwater, land and air quality.
Studies have shown the importance of educating adult individuals in proper methods of managing the
wastes they generate on daily basis. Environmental education have been found to play a critical role in
enhancing the movement upward along the waste management ladder from open burning through
recycling, reuse and waste prevention. There is therefore the need for adult learners in Rivers State to
achieve the most preferred waste management options of segregation, recycling, re-use, reduce and waste
prevention.
In other to achieve the need for environmental education for solid waste management in Rivers
State, it is recommended that the curriculum for the adult literacy programme in Nigeria be reviewed.
Environmental education themes need to be infused or inserted into some of the subjects offered in the
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literacy centres both at the Basic and Post literacy levels. The Ministry of Education in conjunction with
the Adult and Non-Formal Education Agency should establish demonstrations schools for the purpose
of carrying out activities on composting, recycling and so on.
The Ministry of Environment in collaboration with the Rivers State Environmental Sanitation
Agency should provide separate bins for the collection of biodegradable and non-biodegradable solid
wastes, they should equally educate the citizens on how to reduce, segregate, re-use and recycle solid
wastes and consequently dispose their wastes properly.
The adult learners should also be made to participate in Environmental Education programmes that are
organised by the Ministry of the Environment and The Rivers State Environmental Sanitation Agency
.These may include tree planting, clean up campaigns and so on. Above all the literacy programme in
Rivers State should be properly funded so as to achieve the purpose of the programme. Environmental
education provision in Rivers State should be holistic in approach to take care of people formally, non-
formally and informally.
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Journal of Education in Developing Areas (JEDA) Vol. 19, No. 2.
TEACHING IN NIGERIAN PRIMARY AND SECONDARY SCHOOLS:
A CASE FOR PROFESSIONALIZATION
BY
OGBONDAH Livinus, Ph.D
Department of Educational Foundations and Management
Faculty of Education
Ignatius Ajuru University of Education
P.M.B 5047 Port Harcourt.
E-mail: nkelivy2oo2@yahoo.com
Tel: 08089291831, 08037085388
Abstract
Teaching is of a very fundamental importance to any nation both developed and developing
nations and Nigeria is not an exemption. Teachers play a central role in the society to bring
about change and development. As stipulated by the National Policy on Education (2004)
that teaching is a profession but this assertion has been refuted by many scholars that
teaching in the Nigerian context is not a profession. In view of the above, this paper
examines the meaning and concept of teaching and profession, explores the characteristics
of a profession, determines the nature of the teaching profession in Nigeria, identities the
constraints to professionalization of teaching in Nigeria and suggests possible ways
forward which include the need to stop and expunge the non-qualified personnel from
practice.
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Introduction
Teaching addresses a broader concept of education and development. It is about conveying facts,
figures, concepts, theories and constructs with a healthy dose of analysis and reflections through in. For
the last 50 years educators have devoted a great deal of energy to the debate over whether teaching can
be considered a profession or not. It is the thesis of this paper to provide adequate discussions on the
issue.
According to the National Policy on Education (2004:39) the goals of teacher education shall be
to:
(a) Produce highly motivated, conscientious and efficient classroom teachers for all levels of our
educational system;
(b) Encourage further the spirit of enquiry and creativity in teachers;
(c) Help teachers to fit into social life of the community and the society at large and enhance their
commitment to national goals;
(d) Provide teachers with the intellectual and professional background; adequate for their
assignment and make them adaptable to changing situations;
(e) Enhance teachers commitment to the teaching profession.
It went further to state that all teachers in educational institutions shall be professionally trained.
The goals of teacher education are so explicit, geared towards the professionalization of
teaching, but how far these laudable goals have been realized is the main thrust of this paper.
Concept and Meaning of Teaching
According to Clark and Starr (1981) teaching is an attempt to help someone acquire. or change some
skills, attitude, knowledge, idea or appreciation. In other words, the teachers task is to create or
influence desirable changes in behaviour of his pupils. Bookcock (1980) sees teaching as a series of
interactions between someone in the role of a teacher and someone in the role of a learner with the
explicit goal of changing the learners cognitive or affective state. Clark and Starr cited in NTI (2005)
see teaching as an attempt to help people acquire some skills, attitudes, knowledge, ideas and
appreciation.
Nwaenyi and Okoro (2003) opine that teaching is an intentional activity where the teachers who
knows and understands transmits or enables the student to know Onwuka (1990) describe teaching as
the creation or provision of experiences and guidance of activities designed to promote learning on the
part of those engaging in the activities. According to Ikpaye (2001) teaching is a conscious and
deliberate effort by an experienced person (teacher) to impart information, knowledge and skills to a
less experienced person (student) with the intention of inducing learning. Hough and Duncan (1970)
identify the four-phases activity of teaching viz:
(i) Curriculum planning phase: At this stage the teacher formulates the goals of education, states
general and specific behavioural objectives, selects methods and materials to be used;
(ii) Instruction phase: Here actual instruction takes place involving creating, using and modifying
instructional strategies and tactics to be used instructing, interpreting and acting on situational
feedback about instruction;
(iii) Measurement phase: This involves selecting or creating measurement devices, measuring learning,
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organizing and analyzing the measured.
(iv) Evaluation phase: This phase involves the appropriateness of objectives, the effectiveness of
instruction and validity and reliability of the devices used to measure learning.
In the same vein, Koko (2003) asserts that formal teaching refers to a purposeful act directed
towards the achievement of a set goal.
From the various definitions of teaching, it can be adduced that teaching is a systematic,
rational and organized process of transmitting knowledge, skills, values attitudes and information in
accordance with stipulated professional principles. Thus, it becomes very clear that not every person
can teach.
Concept and Meaning of a Profession
The term profession has attracted a lot of definitions from eminent scholars, this is because it has
been used to mean different thing to different people the concept of profession carries with it status
connotation and this has led to a general acceptance on the part of various people to label the diverse
work pursuits as profession. Amaele and Amaele (2003) define profession as guided by peculiar skills,
etiquette, norms and values, conventions, technical jargons and some forms of politeness.
Amanchukwu (2002) asserts that a profession is a distinct occupation marked out from others
by identifiable characteristics. Okoh (2004) gives two definitions of a profession viz.
(i) A profession is a specially desirable and dignified occupation with an implication of intellectual
training and largely mental expertise.
(ii) A profession is an occupation demanding specialized skills and knowledge, requiring an extended
time for their acquisition where the practitioners carefully select and limit the members admitted
to its ranks and maintain high standards of performance through methods of self- discipline.
Profession is occupationally related social institution and maintained as a means of providing
essential services to the individual and the society. Each profession is concerned with an identified area
of need or function. The profession is organized into one or more professional associations, which,
within broad limits of social accountability, are granted autonomy in control of actual work of the
profession and the condition that surround it (admissions, educational standards, examination and
licensing, career line, ethical and performance standards, professional discipline). Therefore, a
profession is a field of economic activity requiring academic preparation above the high school level. It
usually wields certain powers, not only over those who render the services it gives but also over those
who receives them.
Characteristics of a Profession
Scholars have provided a number of laid down rules that can be used to evaluate occupations as to
determine the extent to which each occupation approximates the characteristics and therefore can be
labeled as a profession. A sum-up of the criteria of professioanlization as rightly put up by Mbakwem
(2003:37) are enumerated as follows:
(1) Long period of specialized preparation.
2) Activities that are predominantly intellectual, and its members possess specialized knowledge
and skills.
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(3) Relatively high standard for admission.
(4) Represented by an effective professional organization or organizations.
(5) A broad range of autonomy and to a large extent, sets own standard.
(6) Dedication to extension of the frontiers of knowledge in its area of specialization.
(7) Regarded as a life career.
(8) High priority to service as opposed to personal gains.
(9) Emphasizes self-improvement and growth in service.
(10) Safeguards the welfare of its members.
(11) Requires license or certificate to practice.
(12) Bases its practice on clearly defined ethnical principles.
The Nature of Teaching Profession in Nigeria
A cursory look at the above characteristics will determine whether teaching in Nigeria is a profession or
not.
1. Specialization: A profession requires both a high skill and an intellectual effort In terms of teaching,
the high skill is acquired through professional training in education, and the intellectual effort
concerns the academic subjects which are studied in training. To satisfy these requirements, all
teachers should have been professionally and academically trained. While all teaching personnel in
some countries meet these criteria, it is, not yet so in Nigeria.
(2) In-service Training: This is the process by which professional growth is fostered amongst
members of a profession. The society is dynamic and demands that the body of knowledge and
skills on which a profession is founded, should also constantly change. The teaching profession
should encourage in-service training through workshops, conferences and sandwich programmes
but in Nigeria, the government is not involved in these gestures especially in primary and
secondary schools.
(3) Freedom of Practice: Unlike other professions such as medicine, law and engineering, teachers
do not practice their profession as freely as one would expect in Nigeria. Teachers in Nigeria are
employed by governments and voluntary agencies who also regulate their practice from time to
time. In Nigeria, any person can open a school without being a trained teacher with approval
from government.
(4) Code of Conduct: Every known profession has a code of conduct that prescribes appropriate
relationship between client and practitioner and among practitioners themselves. Although, there
are some regulations which could be regarded in a way as codes of conduct but they are
prescribed and enforced by the various governments rather than by the teachers themselves. This
means that teachers unlike doctors cannot discipline their members.
(5) Conditions of Service: Like their counterparts in other professions, they have well spelt out
conditions of service but when compared with the administrative class of the civil service,
primary and secondary school teachers could be said to be poorly paid, for the permanent
secretary earns a salary grade level 17 non-teachers with grade level 15 and above are given better
conditions of service with cars and housing while teachers with similar qualifications and ranks
are not treated the same way or given the same incentives.
(6) Professional Organization: Membership of a professional body by practitioners of a profession
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is an indication of full profession. In Nigeria, the association of teachers at the primary and
secondary school levels is known as Nigerian Union of Teachers (NUT) aimed at protecting,
promoting and improving the conditions affecting the teaching profession. The legal registration
of the NUT in 1938 under the labour ordinances accounted for the successes of the union
because teachers were able to bargain for better salaries, good conditions of service and fair hours
of work relative to the prevailing economic and social conditions of the country. Therefore, NUT
became a professional organization as well as a trade union.
(7) Service-rendering: Teachers like their counterparts in other professions render services to the
individual and the society at large. As a matter of fact, teachers are preoccupied with effect
desirable changes in the learners by harnessing their potentials and enabling them to attain full
development and self-actualization. It is worthy to mention that every service rendered by other
professions attracts reasonable remuneration but that of the teachers is kept in heaven.
(8) High Degree of Autonomy: According to Mbakwem (20003) a profession is said to be
autonomous if it is fully self-governed and has total control over its function other professions
like Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Nigerian Society of
Engineers (NSE), etc provide this incentive of self-government but not the Nigerian Union of
Teachers (NUT).
Constraints to the Professionalization of Teaching in Nigeria
In Nigeria, a lot of factors have constituted as impediments in realizing the professionalization of
teaching at the primary and secondary school levels. They are:
(1) Lack of Incentive for Teachers: Incentive is a propelling force in any! organization expressed
in kind, cash and encouragement in order to make the recipients happy and ready to work. Most
teachers were not given incentives that would have motivated them for optimal performance on
the job as such they demonstrate laissez -faire attitude in the discharge of their duties.
(2) Lack of interest of Candidates to Study Education: Most candidates who apply for
admissions rarely show interest in Education courses but eventually when they are rejected by
other faculties will now resort to colleges of Education, institutes and faculties of Education as
their last option. This invariably will produce teachers with low intelligent quotient. This is a
serious setback to the teaching profession. Abraham (2010) corroborates this when she says that
it is a common knowledge that in Nigerian universities, most University applicants choose to
study education as a last resort, when they can not meet up with the requirement for their courses
of first and second choices. This practice has made education a dumping ground where
candidates who lack both the aptitude and attitude to become teachers (moulders of lives) are
dumped. This practice spells doom for the future of the country- socially, economically and
politically.
(3) Lack of Enforcement of Code of Ethics: The teaching profession lacks a viable organization
capable of laying down and enforcing its code of ethics as a way of weeding out unqualified
candidates, strictly controlling its eligible members and disciplining of erring members. The
government employs and prescribes the code of ethics for the teachers. Therefore, the teaching
profession becomes subservient to the government and to political manipulations. The establishment
of the Teachers Registration Council (TRC) of Nigeria by Act 31 of 1993 is in this direction. The
TRC is charged with the responsibility of professionalizing teaching in Nigeria. Enforcement
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becomes difficult because of mushroom organizations existing within the teaching profession, for
example, (i) Academic Union of Universities (ASUU), (ii) Colleges of Education Academic Staff
Union (COEASU), (iii) Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP), (iv) Nigerian Union of
Teachers (NUT), (v) All Nigerian Conference of Principals of Secondary Schools (ANCOPSS), (vi)
Association of Heads of Primary Schools in Nigeria (AHPSN), (vii) National Association of
Classroom Teachers (NACT), (viii) Association of TC 11 Teachers (ATT), (ix) Association of
Methodist Mission Teachers (AMMT), (x) Catholic Teachers Association (CTA), (xi) Anglican Union
of Teachers (AUT), (xii) Baptist Union of Teachers (BUT), (xiii) Islamic Teachers Association (ITA),
and (xiv) National Association of Female Teachers (NAFET).
All these associations are formed to protect their members, thereby making enforcement a
Herculean task
(4) Low Socio-economic Status of Teachers: Status refers to the level of prestige accorded to an
individual by other members of the society in which he belongs (Ogbondah, 2005). Socio-
economic status includes wealth, income, property possession, honour, respect, prestige and
other economic fortunes. Teachers at the primary and secondary schools levels are accorded low
personal prestige, honour, esteem and financial affluence. Thus, teachers reward is always in
heaven.
(5) Poor Self-image of Teachers: Closely related to the fourth factor, teachers at the primary and
secondary school levels have developed a negative personality component and believed that they
cannot compete favourably with members of other professions. Therefore, they lack the boldness
to introduce themselves as teachers and as such hardly want their children to be teachers, unlike
the lawyers, engineers and doctors who want their children to take over from them in the same
professions. This disposition of teachers is detrimental to the profession.
(6) Low Professional Qualification: Other professions like medicine, law and engineering use first
degree as the yardstick/standard for admission into their professions but the teaching profession
accepts holders of NCE as minimum requirement. Chapter 2, Section 6 of the Teachers Registration
Council (TRC) captioned principle of professionalization of teaching in Nigeria states the
categorization of teachers into four viz: A- class Holders of Ph.D in Education or Ph.D in other
fields plus Education (e.g. PGDE, NCE); B class Holders of Masters degree in Education or
Masters in other fields plus Education (e.g. PGDE, NCE); C class Holders of Bachelors degree in
Education or Bachelors in other fields plus Education (e.g. PGDE, NCE); D class Holders of
Nigeria Certificate in Education (NCE) or equivalent. Why should the teaching profession be lower
than other profession? This is appalling and a misnomer.
(7) Rapid drift to other professions: Among all the professions, teaching has suffered serious
setback by constantly losing its trained members to other fields of endeavour. Teachers already
trained for manpower development opt for post-graduate diploma in social sciences leading to
MBA and engineering while some go into law.
(8) Lack of freedom to practice: The doctors, lawyers and engineers can on completion of their
courses register with their associations, register a place of practice, fulfilling certain conditions laid
down by their associations and government and could thereafter given license to practice freely.
In teaching the reverse is the case. Governments at the Federal and State levels who are
employers to teachers regulate their practice and not the association. As such, Government can
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hire and fire any teacher without any recourse. This supports the old saying that he who pays the
piper dictates the tune. Thus, the teachers are at the mercy of the governments.
(9) Continued Practice of Non-qualified Personnel: Teaching harbours non- qualified personnel
in the system a great deal. Personnel with H.N.D, B A., B.Sc, B. Tech, B. Eng, M.A, M. Sc and
Ph.D without teaching qualifications abound in the system. A non-lawyer can neither go to court
to defend a client, nor a non-medical practitioner treats a patient or carry out an operation in the
theatre in hospitals or clinics. Any person without teaching qualification can establish a school as
entrepreneur, proprietor or proprietress provided he/she has the money and he/she is politically
connected.
(10) Lack of in-service Training: Teachers in primary and secondary schools seldomly go for
refresher courses, seminars, conferences, workshops, etc to enhance their effectiveness and
efficiency. They use the same lesson notes; the same methods and the same knowledge for years
without any innovate. Evidences abound in our various States in Nigeria. It is very rare that
retraining programmes are organized for teachers at these levels. The implication is that, the
improvement of their skills, abilities, knowledge, adopting and using modern methodologies,
techniques, technologies in their lesson delivery will be seriously jeopardized unlike their
counterparts at the tertiary level that are mandated to attend conferences and workshops for their
professional growth.
(11) Lack of strong sense of professionalism and comradeship among teachers: It is only
among teachers that a strong sense of professionalism and comradeship is seriously lacking. Most
teachers do not even know what code of ethics entails and when one teacher suffers the rest do
not identify with him.
(12) Complacency of the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT): The unifying body of teachers
called NUT is complacent, weak, insensitive and powerless to impart positively on the teachers. It
is very difficult and rare for NUT to call for a national strike to drive home its demands.
(13) Infringement on Teachers Right: In course of the teachers discharging their responsibilities
and duties, their rights may be infringed upon especially in the area of disciplinary measures
including wrongful dismissal. The most contravened areas of teachers rights are in contract of
employment, negligence, defamation and fair hearing (Asuru, 2010). The twin principles of
natural justice qudit alteram parterm (hear the other side) and nemojudex in causa sua (a man must
not be a judge in his own case) have been flagrantly abused in cases of infringement on teachers
rights (Asuru, 2008). These in most cases happen to teachers. For instance, Igwe, (1998) in Asuru
(2010) reported the case of P.G. Inyang vs. Teachers Disciplinary Council, where the appellant,
P.G. Inyang had his name restored in the register of teachers because he was not given fair
hearing by the respondent. The professional associations must rise to their responsibilities to
protect teachers from being infringed upon and challenge such cases in a Court of competent
jurisdiction.
The Way Forward
The task of professionalizing teaching in Nigeria is an ardous one. The researcher therefore suggests
the followings in improving the status of the teaching profession and hence make the profession an
enviable one. They are:
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(1) There is need for re-invigoration of teachers by motivating them through enhanced salary,
pension, accommodation, medical and general emolument. These should be provided for
teachers to promote maximum commitment and productivity. The quest for Teachers Salary
Structure (T.S.S) scale should be realized.
(2) There is need to raise the entry qualification into teaching profession to first degree status.
(3) Teachers code of ethics should be enforced to the letter.
(4) Study leave and scholarships should be instituted for teachers.
(5) Sensitization and re-orientation campaigns should be organized for teachers and the general
public on the value of teachers.
(6) Cut- off points for admission into Education courses should be the same with Medicine,
Engineering and Law in order to admit candidates with the right aptitude and attitude.
(7) Refreshers courses for teachers should be organized regularly especially during long vacations to
prepare them for the tasks ahead in the new session.
(8) Teachers should be given freedom and autonomy to practice the profession without any hitch.
(9) Non-qualified personnel engaged in teaching at the primary and secondary schools should be
given time to acquire degree, certificate or diploma in Education or be expunged.
(10) Teachers should develop a high sense of professionalism and comradeship to make the
profession a noble one.
(11) Nigeria Union of teachers should rise to the challenges facing the profession and also protect
them from their rights being infringed upon like their counterpart ASUU in the sacked lecturers
at the University of Ilorin.
Conclusion
The future of Nigeria depends to a large extent on the quality of the educational system which
invariably depends on the quality of its teachers. The issue of professionalization of teaching in Nigeria
is still a controversial one. Some conditions have been met while some are yet to be realized. For the
fact that it is only in teaching that non-professionals are allowed to practice, then, it becomes very clear
that teaching is yet to be regarded as a profession. If Nigeria is to develop, then teaching must be given
a pride of place and be fully recognized as a profession with distinct codes of ethics.
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Journal of Education in Developing Areas (JEDA) Vol. 19, No. 2.
THE ROLE OF OUT-OF-SCHOOL EDUCATION IN EMPOWERMENT OF RURAL
ADULTS IN ETCHE ETHNIC NATIONALITY FOR COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
DR. J. C. IHEJIRIKA
UNIVERSITY OF PORT HARCOURT
CHOBA, PORT HARCOURT, NIGERIA
E-mail: ihejirikajohn@yahoo.com
Phone No.: 08033414416
Abstract
The purpose of this paper is to examine the roles out-of-school education can play to
enhance empowerment of different segments of rural adults in Etche ethnic nationality for
community development. The educational history of Etche ethnic nationality reveals a
disproportionate emphasis on formal/liberal education at the expense of out-of-school
education, the resultant effect of which has been over production of school leavers without
practical skills. Consequently, unemployment and poverty manifestations are high and
relate to low levels of literacy and lack of vocational skills among the adults and youths. As
a matter of fact, this situation demands intervention of out-of-school education which is
capable of providing unlimited education opportunities for mobilizing the capacities of
various sub-groups of people in Etche ethnic nationality towards rapid transformation of
the communities. Based on literature account, this paper submits that out-of-school
education has crucial roles to play, whether in providing literacy skills to those who were
deprived of formal schooling; or in continuing the education of already literate persons; or
still, in providing life and vocational skills to enable rural adults live improved life which
can translate to community development. In conclusion, the paper calls for establishment of
out-of-school/non-formal education development schemes by Etche and Omuma Local
Government Councils to perform for out-of-school education what zonal Schools Board and
Ministry of Education do for formal school in Etche ethnic nationality.
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Introduction
Nigeria has for long regarded the formal education system as an instrument par excellence for
effecting national development (NPC, 2004), with less emphasis on out-of-school education which is
capable of providing unlimited education opportunities for mobilizing the capacities of various sub-
groups towards rapid transformation of societies. This disproportionate emphasis on formal education
system that is very restrictive and void of opportunities for acquisition of practical skills, to a large
extent, occasioned the disparity in level of development existing between urban and rural communities
in Etche in particular and Nigeria in general (Ihejirika, 2007).
Etche ethnic nationality which comprises Omuma and Etche Local Government Areas, has
witnessed no government approved out-of-school education programme apart from the defunct
school-to-land agricultural project at Egbeke Nwuba. Of course, we learnt from Samlowski (2011) that
in most countries, formal technical and vocational training is neglected and most times deficient. It
could be argued that in the absence of technical and vocational training centres meant for capacity
building of rural adults and youths in Etche ethnic nationality, the people are given partial or one sided
education. This situation attracted the comment of Tugbiyele (1971) that just as a person will find it
difficult to walk on one leg, so will education without either of its two legs: formal and out-of-school
education, experience difficulties in performing the functions normally expected of it (p. 55).
This quotation points to the fact that education in Etche ethnic nationality has been limping on
one leg (formal education) hence it has not performed all the functions expected of it. The result is that
the rural adults and youths lack practical skills in economic, technical and entrepreneurial activities
which out-of-school education has the monopoly.
Etche ethnic nationality lies at the north-east of Rivers State towards the southern portions of
Imo and Abia States, all in Nigeria, and occupies a land mass of 3,600 square kilometers with an
indigenous population of about 1.5 million. It has three main rivers namely: Imo, Oguechie and
Otamiriochie all flowing southwards and emptying into the Atlantic ocean. These rivers and their
tributaries traverse the large plains of Etche ethnic nationality and render the soil fertile for agriculture;
hence the main occupation of the people is farming. The peoples produce include food crops such as
yam, cassava, cocoyam, plantain, maize, melon, vegetables and fruits. However, lack of modern
knowledge of farming has perpetually kept production low and the people poor. In fact, according to
Amirize (2002) most families live from hand-to-mouth because they practice an economy that uses
local technology, little specialization, limited exchange and subsistence production. Worst still, the
women practice the same type of occupation (production of garri from cassava tubers) year in and year
out thereby pass the cruel legacy of poverty from parents to children. Other subsidiary occupations of
the people are hunting, fishing, petty trading, goat and sheep rearing; all for local markets.
Great hope is attached to the development of the mining sector. Etche is very rich in oil and
gas deposits, though this sector is capital-intensive and can only generate a limited number of non-
technical jobs and is unlikely to bring relief to the poor and vulnerable population. The fact remains
that rural areas in Etche ethnic nationality have for long been suffering from shortage of portable
water, electricity, medical care, and jobs, criminality, insecurity and Nigerian governments inability to
extend rule of law to all nooks and crannies of the country.
This low level of socio-economic activities among rural adults in Etche ethnic nationality
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deserve some positive actions hence, this paper is aimed at analyzing the roles out-of-school education,
with its plethora of programmes, can play to empower them for sustainable community development.
Conceptual Clarifications
The definitions presented here are required right from the start to make our discussion intelligible by
clearly identifying the basic issues to be examined. The title of this paper suggests that the major
concepts to be clarified are out-of-school education, empowerment, and community development.
Out-of-school education
As the name implies, out-of-school education is any form of organized educational activity carried on
outside the framework of the formal system to provide selected types of learning to particular sub-
groups in the population of adults as well as children. According to Ihejirika (2003), out-of-school
education, popularly referred to as non-formal education, is concerned with identifying specific groups
of people in the society such as illiterates, farmers, community leaders, rural dwellers, unemployed
youths etc; diagnosing their specific problems or needs and seeking the most appropriate means to
cater for them to enable them play their various roles in the society. With reference to its content and
scope, Tugbiyele (1971) postulated that out-of-school education includes out-of-classroom youth
education for school children and university students, literacy education, remedial education for
dropouts, technical and vocational training, extension services, health education, community
development and continuing education at all levels and for various categories of people including top
executives in government, industry and labour, etc. However, he regretted that out-of-school education
is a neglected aspect of education which is often looked down upon, hence when given, it is done on an
ad hoc basis.
Different attempts have been made by various authors to define out-of-school education. Their
definitions have different dimensions but a comprehensive view of the concept came from Bown and
Okedara (1981) who stated thus:
The rubric of-out-school education covers training and instruction outside the formal school
system and ranges from individualized apprenticeship to nationwide literacy. It may be
vocational such as staff training centres in Nigeria designed to provide employment
opportunities to young school leavers and for other employed persons or girls vocational
establishments in many African countries which train girls in vocational skills and prepare
young women for marriage and business (p. 17).
This definition gives a catalogue of what out-of-school education can do: it covers training in literacy
skills, apprenticeship, vocational skills and business, all of which prepare participants for employment.
Empowerment
The term empowerment derives from the root word power. Thus to empower means to give
authority to, to enable a person or group of persons gain power. According to Okpoko (2002),
empowerment implies that the person or group of persons being empowered must have hitherto lacked
authority by circumstances either by denial or default.
There are many avenues of empowering people or giving them the strength, knowledge or
information to act. For example, through education and training, an erstwhile illiterate can be
empowered to develop to the extent of getting employment. Again, awareness creation or
consciousness arousal, which Paulo Freire termed conscientization can be used as instrument for
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empowerment. According to Freire (1978) conscientization is a process by which the poor become
aware of themselves and their innate potentialities to restructure an oppressive society. Thus
conscientization, to Freire was to provide the stimulus which would energize marginalized adults to
effect a transformation in the conditions which were oppressing them. This is the theoretical thinking
of this paper.
In this discuss, empowerment is taken to mean a process whereby the rural adults in Etche
ethnic nationality are enabled (empowered so to say) through awareness creation using out-of-school
education programmes to improve upon what they know before or undertake new activities in order to
influence changes in their socio-economic, cultural and political environments.
Community Development
To put community development into proper perspective, the term community must be defined. A
community is defined by Hillery (1955) and Jonassen, (1959) as a grouping of people within a
geographical area, with a division of labour into specialized and interdependent functions, with a
common culture and a social system which organizes their activities, whose members are conscious of
their unity and of belonging to the community and who can act collectively in an organized manner.
The term development can be taken as a process of satisfying the basic needs of an individual
and community and/or society. According to Obi (1987), development is an elusive and ambiguous
term and no definition seems entirely satisfactory. It is a multi-dimensional problem which requires
multi-disciplinary attack. Moreover, it has to do with all aspects of peoples life economic, social,
political, legal, administrative, etc. To Fadahunsi (1986), development is the mobilization, adaptation
and use of human and other resources within a state to meet the needs and possibly, the wants of the
citizens of the state.
Community development therefore, means an educational process through which people
determine their needs, set targets or objectives and make adequate plans on how to attain them
(Nkememewa 1987). It seeks to help people not only to become effective and efficient in their
involvement in solving community and personal problems but, also in seeing to their action priorities.
In this wise, the rural adults in Etche ethnic nationality who have been wallowing in illiteracy,
poverty, hunger, complacency, unemployment etc. require to be woken up or stimulated to seek ways
of improving their standards of living thereby contributing to the development of their communities.
This paper explains how out-of-school education can be utilized to achieve this feat.
Problems of Out-of-School Education in Nigeria
In Nigeria, out-of-school education; call it non-formal education, is not entirely a new concept for as
early as 1943, the colonial administration had published its white paper titled Mass Education in
African Societies. The policy defined goals to be pursued as:
(i) the improvement of the health and living conditions of the people;
(ii) the improvement of their well-being in the economic spheres;
(iii) the development of political institutions and political power until the day arrives when the
people can become effectively self-governing.
Since 1943 many African countries have become self-governing and introduced some out-of-
school outfits which operated mainly in urban areas with no impacts in rural areas. The Directorate for
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Social Mobilization (MANSER) 1987, is a typical example in the case of Nigeria. With the historical
antecedent of out-of-school education in Nigeria, the expectation is that it ought to be firmly developed
and integrated into the educational system by now. But it is still at the periphery why?
One major problem of out-of-school education in both Nigeria and other countries as
identified by Jegede (2005) is the competitive approach to formal education the protagonists of the
concept portray it. An example of such assertion is stated by Coombs (1989) that many developing
countries have become convinced that traditional primary schools are not the only or even the best way
to provide their children and youth with the basic skills and knowledge they will need in life. In this
regard, according to Jegede (2005) when out-of-school education is seen as a better alternative, or as
a solution to the problems of formal education, the tendency is for the protagonists of formal
education to try and defend it by becoming antagonistic to the progress of out-of-school education.
This competition and bias against out-of-school education was reflected in the UBE Act of 2004 where
no provision was made for the Nigerian National Council for Adult Education, nor for any of the Non-
Governmental Organizations in out-of-school education in the membership of the Board of the UBE
Commission. In fact, this exclusion has the tendency of neglecting the non-formal education sector to
the detriment of the emancipation and transformation of the country.
Another problem of out-of-school education is lack of adequate organizational structure. For
example, in Nigeria and elsewhere, formal education has its ministry (by whatever name) to watch over
it and fight its battles so to say, but non-formal education (that motley assortment of out-of-school
training and educational activities), has been everybodys business and therefore nobodys. This
situation therefore calls for the establishment, the strengthening and the invigoration of a
supplementary and/or complementary alternative option under its own ministry. Supporting this view,
Coombs (1970) perceived a clear need to develop a better division of labour and better integration
between formal and non-formal education and stop short changing out of school education. This
measure will give out-of-school education a strong voice to speak on its own behalf on national, state
and local levels.
The unwieldy number of personalities and programmes operating within the province of out-
of-school education creates problems of their own. Experts in other fields such as health, agriculture,
environmental education, the police, air force, army, judiciary, church, ministry of women affairs and
local governments, etc. bring their backgrounds to bear on the practice of out-of-school education.
Likewise, the programmes that conceptualize out-of-school education are becoming systematically
ambiguous that its full meaning can only be better understood when the characterizations of the
subsystem are expressed. The implication is that at federal, state and local government levels, apart
from the seeming neglect or non-recognition of out-of-school education system, there is no dedicated
commitment to fund out-of-school education in Nigeria (Akintayo and Oghenekohwo, 2004). Unless
development partners are brought into the show, Nigerian governments alone cannot equitably
shoulder the responsibility of funding out-of-school education programmes in the country.
Roles of Out-of-School Education in Empowerment of Rural Adults in Etche Ethnic
Nationality
The Ghana Commonwealth Conference on Education in Rural Areas (1970), Thompson (1983), and
Ihejirika (2007) identified the following categories of rural adults that can constitute beneficiaries of
out-of-school education. They are:
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- traditional farmers;
- primary/secondary school dropouts;
- large number of unemployed youths;
- the self-engaged in off-farm activities.
Coincidentally, in Etche ethnic nationality, a similar category of rural dwellers are prominent. In
the nationality, every family head is a farmer and happens to be illiterate. This common phenomenon
left two problems which out-of-school education can handle because those crop of adults are above
formal school age. But for out-of-school education to succeed in helping them change their attitudes
toward traditional and unprogressive subsistence framing they are used to, their illiteracy disease must
be cured first as Thompson (1983) highlighted:
Illiteracy makes it difficult to teach new techniques, poverty prevents investment in new
facilities, and a land tenure system which does not establish legal land boundaries and security
of tenure deprives the farmer of an asset against which to raise loans and gives him no incentive
to invest in long term improvements (p. 108).
To clear this first hurdle therefore, adult literacy education which emphasizes the teaching of
the 3Rs Reading, Writing and Arithmetic or numeracy should serve as first course since literacy is
both a necessary skill in itself and the foundation of other life skills. This can be effectively achieved
among illiterate farmers in Etche ethnic nationality on the provision of Community Learning Centres
(CLCs) at designated points by the two council chairmen in the nationality. Beyond this baseline
education, the farmers are introduced to functional literacy which combines the skills of literacy with
socio-economic activities. In this case, since the people have a common occupation, it becomes
possible to integrate the terminologies or registers of their occupation into the literacy component of
the programme. Then the desire and ability to read, write and compute materials in the vocation will
motivate the farmers for better participation. Hence, Imhabekhai (2009) emphasized that the utility of
the skills will definitely bring about functionality and progress in the farming occupation and fosters
permanent literacy among the participants. Thus, literacy education for the unschooled, according to
Thompson (1983), will facilitate a flow of vital ideas and information, increase their awareness of the
situation in which they live, and of the possibilities and choices before them. Moreover, in our case, it
will motivate illiterate farmers in Etche to increase their efforts to break out of poverty cycle as a result
of the new vista of life which literacy will open for them. This will serve as empowerment for them.
The other challenge is the practice of an economy with local technology which translates to low
productivity and poverty among farmers in Etche ethnic nationality. This age-long problem can
successfully be met through agricultural extension education, which is a process through which
innovations in both methods and techniques of production as well as new improvements in agriculture
are brought to the knowledge of farmers through individual contacts with agricultural agents from
Ministry of Agriculture, Agricultural Development Projects (ADPs) or from Agricultural Research
Institutes in Nigeria. According to Williams (1981), agricultural extension education is a voluntary out-
of-school education programme. It employs teachings/learning principles that effect changes in the
farmers, generally carried out in an atmosphere of mutual trust and respect between agricultural agents
and their clientele. (p. 144)
Upon registration by farmers in Etche at the two Local Government Councils, relevant agents
are sent from the headquarters to visit them according to schedule during which time, apart from
teaching new techniques of cultivation, they are taught other processes involving development and
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supply of new improved seeds and seedlings, fertilizers and insecticides applications, storage and
marketing of products, often through specially created marketing boards. It is envisaged that through
the services of experts and demonstrators to the farmers, there will be self-sufficiency in food
production through introduction of varieties of non-formal vocational courses such as mushroom
breed, chicken raising (poultry), fish pond, snail breeding, rabbitry etc. as against the practice of
planting yam and cassava. Frankly speaking, the services of agricultural experts will help create a
conducive frame of mind and attitude in Etche farmers for acceptance of change from the old ways of
doing their things to the new including formation of cooperatives and credit societies as well as bank
loan facilities and so on, all of which will revolutionize the erstwhile unprogressive socio-economic
activities to a more functional economy and development.
The second category of rural dwellers that populate Etche ethnic nationality is formal school
dropouts mostly from primary and secondary schools. They have no skills as to search for jobs even
menial ones, neither can they enter institutions of higher learning because of lack of certification. They
roam about, some doing motor-cycle transport business that cannot lead them to self sufficiency
because they rent the motorbikes. In fact their learning needs can be conveniently handled by using
remedial and later continuing education components of out-of-school education. Remedial education,
as the name implies, is a form of adult and non-formal education which gives extended opportunities
for learners to make up the inadequacies in their previous school experiences. It presupposes that the
learners had earlier taken part in one type of educational programme but could not complete it due to
certain unfavourable conditions. Since it is not feasible nor desirable to send them back to full-time
schooling, the change must be effected through remedial part-time education to enable them re-inter
formal education if need be, or opt for various vocational skills training for self-sufficiency or
employment. Additionally, as the case may be in a rural environment like Etche, programmes that can
generate community development spirit e.g youth clubs, scouting, women organizations, young farmers
clubs, etc. are relevant to give those early dropouts some sense of responsibility and patriotism.
Another identified subgroup of beneficiaries of out-of-school education in Etche ethnic
nationality are the unemployed youths. Lack of relevant skills to labour demands is a major reason for
not securing job at all. Those among them who are illiterate need to go back to basis for basic literacy
training to enable them pick up from there on a stronger footing as to be empowered in economic
activities which will improve their productivity and thus contribute to community development.
The literate and jobless among them require those basic skills that are not transmitted through
formal schooling. They require - life skills which include technical and manual skills that are required to
secure gainful employment, skills of the kind that enable people to feed their families, to keep them
healthy, and to protect them from illness. In the case of jobless youths in rural Etche communities,
vocational skills training in weaving of cloth, shopping and school bags, crafts production such as
pottery, knitting, sewing, tie, and dye, bricklaying, block molding, house-roofing, pest-control, cassava
processing, baking, candles, soap and pomade, etc. are indicated. The skills if well acquired, can enable
a youth improve his lifestyle by earning income from his small-scale business. It is not in doubt that
where proficiency is demonstrated, the acquired skill could lead to securing job or becoming self-
employed.
Lastly there are a good number of identified youths in Etche ethnic nationality who are engaged
in off-farm activities such as carpenters, drivers, local gin distillers, retail (petty) traders, hair dressers,
etc. in order to eke out their living. All of them require retraining to up-date their technical know-how
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and operate at an acceptable standard within the ambit of government regulations. Their retraining
could be under short-term workshops or apprenticeship courses since adults would need less time-
consuming experience instead of pro-longed programmes. The anticipated training and retraining short
courses are aimed at enabling the participants become more capable of doing the jobs they are doing at
present or to do new kinds of jobs.
In this analysis, it is clear that out-of-school education and training programmes have all it takes
to empower the various categories of rural adults in Etche ethnic nationality after which they become
instrumental factors for community development of the nationality.
Conclusion
This paper has ex-rayed the concepts of empowerment and community development as they relate to
out-of school education. Similarly the relevance of utilizing out-of-school education to empower
different segments of rural adults in Etche ethnic nationality was examined as well. Rural adults in the
nationality were all along subjected to formal education system that paid insignificant attention to out-
of-school education with the result that acquisition of relevant life and vocational skills which are
prerequisites for occupation eluded most segments of people in Etche ethnic nationality. For the rural
adults in the nationality to have both theoretical and practical knowledge, the monopoly of formal
education in the area needs to be broken up by recognizing the practical utility which out-of-school
education provides to the participants. It is capable of bridging the gap created by the limitations of
formal education; be it in the areas of improved agricultural productivity, skills acquisition, vocational
education, employment, health, on-the-job training, literacy and functional education, etc. and where
necessary, out-of-school education provides additional route to career progression or for re-entry of
dropouts into formal education sector. Therefore, the role of out-of-school education in empowering
various segments of rural adults in Etche ethnic nationality with relevant life-giving/vocational skills is
established.
Recommendations
Gleaning from the discussion of this presentation, the following recommendations are proffered for
consideration.
1. There is need for institutionalization of Non-Formal Education out-of-school education
under a separate Ministry of Non-formal Education to oversee the activities and programmes
of out-of-school education.
2. The tendency of governments to place more emphasis on formal education system and leave
out-of-school education at the periphery, and the urge to concentrate development plans in
urban areas at the neglect of rural areas should be drastically reversed to make for even
development of Nigeria.
3. Local Government Councils, Etche and Omuma inclusive, should consider development of
rural areas their priority and establish out-of-school education development schemes such as
local technology workshops, cottage and small-scale industries, skills acquisition/vocational
centres, crafts development centres, international communication technology centres, etc. to
provide employment and training for rural dwellers.
4. The curriculum of the Universal basic Education (UBE) programme in Nigeria should be
diversified and implemented including pre-vocational technical and skills acquisition courses
to empower school-leavers with various occupational skills.
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5. Out-of-school education should therefore become a national programme whereby people in
their communities are empowered and supported to put into teachable units of all kinds of
daily-life activities, special interests and problem-solving situations of all the social classes in
their different work locations, family environments and social conditions.
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Internal Targets for Development. New York: Harper Colophon Books, 143-144
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Ihejirika, J.C. (2007). Fundamentals of Adult Education and Community Development. Uyo: Abigab Associates.
Ihejirika, J.C. (2003). A Handbook on Distance Education (New Edition). Port Harcourt: Sons
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Imhabekhai, C.I. (2009). Programme Development and Management in Adult and Non-Formal Education (Rev.
Ed). Ikota Isolo: AMFITOP Books.
Jegede, S. (2005). The Compulsory, Free, Universal Basic Education Act of 2004: The need for
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Nkememewa, S.S. (1987). Problems of Community Development in Ihembosi (Ihiala L.G.A. in Anambra State).
An Unpublished B.Ed. Project. UNN.
Oghenekohwo, J.E. (2005), Economic Returns of Non-Formal Education Investment and the Budgetary Dilemma
for Sustainable Development in Nigeria. Paper from the NNCAE Conference, Ibadan, Nigeria. Nov.
27-Dec. 1, 58-71.
University of Ghana Conference on Education in Rural Area. Final Report of Workshop on Out-of-School
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Journal of Education in Developing Areas (JEDA) Vol. 19, No. 2.
GENDER AND ACADEMIC HIDDEN EXPERIENCE OF STUDENTS AND
LECTURERS IN NIGERIAN UNIVERSITIES
By
Felicia I. Ofoegbu, Ph. D
Associate Professor
Department of Educational Studies And Management
E-mail: ofoegbufelicia@yahoo.com
B.M Agboola, Ph.D
Department of Educational Studies and Management
E-mail: cettas@yahoo.com
Lucy A. Okukpon, Ph. D
Associate Professor
E-mail: okukpon2002@yahoo.com
Department of Adult and Non-Formal Education.
Faculty of Education, University of Benin, Benin City. Edo State, Nigeria.
Abstract
Gender issues and associated discontent are real but difficult to fathom their extent
and spread. The study ascertains the proportion of female to male students
enrollment, the ratio of female to male academic staff in the university, as an
important corollary highlight the hidden experiences of female students and
academics. 500 students and 183 members of staff were selected using the simple
stratified random sampling technique. Three research instruments were used to
gather information; one was a questionnaire designed to obtain information on the
academic experiences of each group within a cohort university. The second and
third instruments respectively sought information on students enrollments in
faculties and on staffing. The study analyzed the pattern of access based on
gender in enrollment and employment in academic disciplines. A recurring feature
in the data obtained was that males had more opportunities of access to science
and technology related disciplines and professions than their female counterparts.
The study also established that female students during their course of study were,
not uncommonly, subjected to sexual harassment by male lecturers. It is
recommended that Government enunciates affirmative policies to revert the trend in
favour of women and establish the office of Ombudsman headed by a female in the
university to ensure that complaints of injustices and uncomely acts against women
are given the desired attention
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Introduction
Female gender concerns are often downplayed in the misdirected guise of ensuring male driven societal
protection for the woman or ignored outrightly since it would appear more honourable to do so in the
illusion of caring for the social and psychological interest of the woman. Though, everywhere and in
every place, female discontent abound; it is difficult to ascertain its extent, spread, magnitude and
associated deleterious effects on the woman.
Globally, gender issue is not a new phenomenon as men and women have been perceived as
belonging to separate social, cultural and economic strata. This has influenced and manifested in their
different roles and pattern of response to situations, including access to education and other
expectations in the society. In the past, parents availed only their male children the opportunity of
going to school, believing albeit erroneously, that the education of the girl child was a waste since the
probabilities were that she would get married and leave the family for her husband (Oduaran and
Okukpon, 1997). Then the gender disparity favoured the male child as many boys had the opportunity
of accessing western education. Recently, however, there seems to have been a remarkable change in
the perception of the education of girls since many females who had access to education have proven
their worth and thus woken the society to the consciousness of the benefit and need to educate all
citizens irrespective of their sex.
However, the negative attitudes of parents, guardians, uncles and brothers towards the girl-child
have had the adverse effect of conditioning them to against believing in themselves or their abilities.
The result is an apparent lack of exhibition of leadership qualities, assumed lack of initiatives, a taken-
for-granted feeling of subservience and acceptance of an inferior status with respect to boys. The effect
of this badge of inferiority complex on the girl in the school system is better imagined than
experienced. The struggle against these inequalities has taken the centre stage in demands by women
for their recognition and addressing their special and peculiar needs in the society. To this end, and
some years ago, there were, special interventions of Government to encourage the education of the girl
child by facilitating special opportunities for them at the primary and secondary school levels. These
were however rejected by women groups and societies as blocks of evidence to uphold and confirm the
inferiority of the female gender. The solution according to the women organizations is in providing
equal educational opportunities for all irrespective of gender.
This awareness of the positive role of women in overall societal development informed reforms
in Governments educational policy, one of which was the introduction of Mass Literacy, and adult and
Non-formal education programmes the aims of which include:
i) Providing functional literacy and continuing education for those adults and youths who did
not have the advantage of formal education or who may not have completed their primary
education. These include the nomads, fishermen and other migrant families, the physically
impaired and the gender disadvantaged (women).
ii) Providing in-service, on the job, vocational and professional training for different
categories of workers and professionals to enable them continually improve their skills
iii) Providing opportunities for the adult citizens of the country to acquire necessary aesthetic,
cultural and civic education for public enlightenment.
In order to attain the goals effectively, the Federal Government of Nigeria in 2006 established a
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National Commission for Mass Literacy, Adult and Non-formal Education. Indeed Adult and Non-
formal education has in recent years played important roles not only in contributing to the
improvement of productivity of the labour market but also in assisting individuals, especially women, to
improve their employment prospects in a rapidly changing socio-economic conditions. Also, parents
and families now encourage their girl children to embrace schooling at all levels including the
university.
However in spite of meritorious access to higher education and subsequent appointments as
lecturers in higher institutions, the females still suffer undue and unnecessary discrimination based on
their gender. Males are more numerous both as students and as co-workers in the university where they
almost exclusively occupy the major administrative and executive positions. In these circumstances the
hidden impediments and frustration experienced by women in their legitimate quest for higher
education and career achievements are better imagined. However, recent trends appear to have
favoured the girl-student in numerical strength in the South Eastern part of Nigeria (Ofoegbu, 2006).
This paper examines the prevailing situations in the Nigerian context.
Academic experiences of female students and lecturers in the study include experiences of
displeasing, oppressive, intolerable, discriminatory and other forms of unacceptable encounters with
their male colleagues, the authority (comprising mostly male personnel) and even fellow females.
Hidden academic experiences in the study are those kinds of experiences which one might not readily
come out publicly to claim they took place and indeed the individuals that perpetuate them will also not
acknowledge them openly because of their sordidness, gross unacceptability and indecency. They
include sexual harassment in its various forms and unjust practices melted out to subjugate and
sometimes intimidate the females in order to assert presumed male superiority.
Women in the Nigerian society irrespective of status often encounter multiple challenges as a
result of gender, culture, religion and economic situations (Salako, 2009). Bernett (1995) refers to the
academic experience of women as multiple jeopardy. According to her women in academia do not
only carry out their normal duty of teaching and research but they also combine heavy teaching loads
with university committee service and events. Where by chance and on merit they are appointed into
leadership positions, such as Head of Department, they are confronted with barriers from their male
counterparts who see them as taking up positions which men normally assume is rightfully theirs.
Umezulike (2009) asserted that women were frequently relegated to the background, treated as
door mats and as second hand materials. Many Nigerian female academics seem to remain marginalized
to the periphery of academic achievements and so maintain relatively low profiles when compared with
their male colleagues as they confront barriers to promotions and advancements. Notwithstanding the
realities of these experiences the married academic woman is expected to run her home efficiently and
conjure up the image of a faithful and submissive wife, a caring mother and an untiring nurse and cook.
The female university student like her female teacher is not short of similar challenges and may face
more severe situations. She is ab initio regarded as weak, of average intelligence if not unintelligent,
emotional and inferior to her male counterparts. Her male teachers and lecturers see her as a sex object
and often admire her achievements in the context of her beauty. She goes through various unpleasant
experiences sometimes despicable, while in the university; such encounters may give expression to
negative influence in her academic performance.
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Statement of Problem
The existence of gender bias in favour of men is brazenly unequivocal. Women do not have the same
educational experience as men right from the Greek and Medieval education history till date. However
it has been observed that the Nigerian educational scene has witnessed a significant increase in the
participation of women in major occupations hitherto reserved exclusively for men. It is also
recognized that girls have benefited from the educational expansion of the 1970s and 80s to a great
extent as a consequence of conscious government efforts to provide girls with equal educational
opportunities, thereby, narrowing the difference in opportunities between male and females. However
that unpleasant gender related experiences do occur in a womans life is rather taken for granted but the
situation becomes more worrisome when the events concerned tend to stifle the womans academic
career either as a student or as a lecturer in the university. In order to establish the facts, extent and
penetration of such condemnable hidden and unofficial practices against women, it has become
necessary to assess the rate of female admission into Nigerian universities and appraise their
experiences as females in higher institutions.
Purpose of Study
The aim of this study is to ascertain the proportion of female to male students admitted in the
university and the ratio of female to male academic staff in the same university and through these focus
on establishing the academic experiences of female students and lecturers in Nigeria. The therefore
following research questions were raised:
1 What is the rate of female enrolment by gender and academic discipline in Nigerian universities?
2 What is the rate of female staff employed by gender and discipline in Nigerian universities?
3 Is there any difference in the hidden academic experiences of students and teachers in Nigerian
universities?
Method of Study
The study is a survey.
Population
The population of the study comprises 9583 female students and 183 female members of academic
staff of the cohort university in the 2007/2008 academic session.
Sample and Sampling Technique
One public university was purposively selected for the study. Out of the 9583 female students enrolled
in 2007/2008, five hundred were randomly selected based on faculties and disciplines and 183 female
academic staff employed during the cohort year participated in the study.
Instrument
Three instruments were used for the study. The first instrument was a questionnaire titled Gender and
Academic Experiences Questionnaire (GAEQ) which was used to find out the academic experiences
(invisible acts) among the female staff and students.
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The second was the check list from the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board provisional
admission list and the University Admissions Board clearance list from the university for 2000/2001,
2001/2002, 2002/2003, 2003/2004, 2004/2005, 2005/2006, 2006/2007, 2007/2008 which was used to
establish the rate of female student admissions into academic disciplines. The third was the staff list
which was obtained from the Academic Planning Division of the same university to establish the rate
of female employment during the cohort respective sessions.
Result
The results of the study are presented in the tables below.
Table 1: Hidden Academic Experiences by Students and lecturers
HIDDEN EXPERIENCE FACTORS
LECTURERS
EXPERIENCES(N-183)
STUDENTS EXPERIENCE (N-
500)
SA A D SD SA A D SD
1 There is affirmative positive action toward female
access in educational system in Nigeria
45% 49% 1% 5% 33% 56% 10% 1%
2 Women are given their subject area of choice
during admission
36% 55% 1% 8% - 79% 12% 9%
3 Female teachers/students are constrained in their
teaching and study
4% 46% 3% 47% 9% 6% 76% 9%
4 Female enrolment/employment
is low in science and technology
89% 11% - - 77% 18% 5% -
5 Family background has influence on female
academic experience
65% 25% 8% 2% 66% 28% 6% -
6 Cultural and societal expectation have impact on
female academic experiences
68% 28% 4% - 63% 37% - -
7 Role modeling and outreach can improve
academic experience
79% 19% 2% 66% 32% 2%
8 Female lecturers are members of
University/faculty committee
53% 8% 29% 10% 15% 37% 48%
9 Female lecturers are sexually harassed by male
colleagues in their course of work
12% 66% 22% - 18% 71% 11%
10 Female students are sexually harassed by male
colleagues in their course of study
77% 19% 4% 78% 12% 10%
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Table I indicates the academic hidden experiences of female students and teachers in the cohort
university. The table reveals that79% of female lecturers and 89% of female students strongly agree that
female students are sexually harassed by male lecturers. This was closely followed by 77% female lecturers
and 72% female students who agree that female students are sexually harassed by male students during
their course of study.
Table II: Student Enrolment by Gender and Academic Discipline From 2000/2001 to 2007/2008
11 Female students are sexually harassed by male
lecturers in their course of study
79% 16% 5% - 89% 11% - -
12 Female students/lecturers are sexually harassed
by female counterparts in their course of study
06% 66% 28% - - 76% 24%
13 Female teachers are sexually harassed by male
students in their course of work
05% 73% 22% - - 32% 68%
14 Female lecturers are discriminated against when
it involves chairing a University/Faculty
committee
16% 46% 33% 05% - 57% 38% 5%
15 Female students are discriminated against when it
involves heading students Union/Group
51% 43% 06% 21% 61% 18% 10%
16 Female lecturers are not appointed Head of
Departments
52% 28% 15% - 64% 36%
17 Female Teacher/Students experience
assault/violence in the course of work/study
21% 65% 08% 13% 76% 19% 05%
STUDENT ENROLMENT BY GENDER AND ACADEMIC DISCIPLINE FROM 2000/2001 TO 2007/2008
2000/2001 2001/2002 2002/2003 2003/2004 2004/2005 2006/2007 2007/2008 Mean
% of
Femal
e
Stude
nts
FACULTY Male Fe
mal
e
% F Mal
e
Female %
F
Mal
e
Fem
ale
%
F
Mal
e
Fem
ale
%
F
Mal
e
Fem
ale
%
F
Mal
e
Fem
ale
%
F
Mal
e
Fem
ale
%
F
Agriculture 282 255 47 462 375 45 403 229 36 511 217 38 558 345 38 599 379 39 892 496 36 39
Arts 617 817 57 857 977 53 689 103
6
60 899 118
2
57 103
0
133
0
56 981 148
0
60 113
8
168
0
60 57
Education 2482 264
2
52 263
2
2742 51 761 118
4
61 116
2
171
3
60 137
8
169
2
55 116
6
169
0
59 124
8
135
1
52 56
Engineering 2950 636 18 313
0
762 20 324
3
305 9 401
9
491 11 380
5
396 9 359
7
448 11 393
4
581 13 12
Law 730 742 50 760 765 50 746 771 51 901 956 51 608 537 47 677 664 50 556 595 52 50
Medicine 997 611 38 102
7
631 38 131
5
487 27 122
8
608 33 133
1
549 29 102
9
526 34 950 401 30 32
Pharmacy 838 779 48 868 799 48 445 285 39 835 881 51 408 384 48 409 429 51 370 349 49 48
Dentistry 173 119 41 209 136 39 326 130 29 409 236 37 409 225 35 263 168 39 179 105 37 36
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Table II shows that on the average females constituted 43%, 36%, 40%, 38% and 41% of students
admitted into the university respectively during the 2000/2001, 2001/2002, 2002/2003, 2003/2004,
2004/2005, 2005/2006, 2006/2007, 2007/2008 academic years under study. However, the least
admission rate was recorded in Engineering with an abysmal 9% rate during 2002/2003 and 2004/2005
academic sessions. It confirms that admission of women into science and technology is remarkably
low.
TABLE III
ACADEMIC STAFF EMPLOYMENT BY GENDER AND ACADEMIC DISCIPLINE
Year 2000/2001
2001/200
2 2002/2003 2003/2004 2004/2005 2006/2007 2007/2008
Mea
n %
of
Fem
ale
to
male
staff
FACULTY
Ma
le
Fem
ale % F
M
al
e
Fem
ale
%
F
Ma
le
Fem
ale
%
F
Ma
le
Fem
ale
%
F
Ma
le
Fem
ale
%
F
Ma
le
Fem
ale
%
F
Ma
le
Fem
ale
%
F
Agricultur
e 46 4 8
4
8 5 9 47 5
1
0 51 5 9 53 5 9 47 5
1
0 49 6
1
1 10
Arts 96 15 14
8
5 22
2
1 86 22
2
0 86 19
1
8 87 21
1
9 96 25
2
1 95 25
2
1 30
Education 54 16 23
5
8 18
2
4 53 18
2
5 56 18
2
4 57 22
2
8 53 24
3
1 53 26
3
3 28
Engineeri
ng 71 5 7
7
3 6 8 78 3 4 82 6 7 87 6 6 88 7 7 97 7 7 23
Law 23 2 8
2
5 1 4 24 1 4 27 4
1
3 28 3
1
0 31 6
1
6 27 6
1
8 21
Medicine 85 24 22
8
5 24
2
2 85 26
2
3 68 29
3
0 70 29
2
9 76 35
3
2 75 29
2
8 32
Pharmacy 35 8 19
3
5 11
2
4 33 12
2
7 36 13
2
7 35 10
2
2 36 10
2
2 36 10
2
2 31
Dentistry 13 2 13
1
4 1 7 14 3
1
8 16 4
2
0 16 4
2
0 21 2 9 20 5
2
0 16
Physical/Lif
e Sciences
2456 197
4
45 270
6
2227 45 242
5
152
7
39 332
9
225
1
40 312
7
211
0
40 331
0
243
9
42 381
8
203
6
35 42
Manageme
nt/Social
Sciences
1533 127
5
45 165
3
1458 47 254
2
156
9
38 388
4
299
6
44 418
3
276
0
40 372
4
278
1
43 287
9
198
9
41 44
TOTAL 1305
8
98
50
142
68
10872 128
95
725
3
171
77
115
31
168
37
102
92
157
55
110
04
159
64
958
3
Overall
Total
22908 43 25140 43 20418 36
28708
40
27129
38
26759
41
25547
38 39.86
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Physical/L
ife
Sciences
14
8 39 21
1
6
2 44
2
1
15
4 42
2
1
16
4 40
2
0
16
6 40
1
9
16
9 47
2
2
16
3 48
2
3 21
Managem
ent/
Social
Sciences 97 13 12
9
7 16
1
4
10
1 17
1
4
10
7 20
1
6
11
0 19
1
5
10
9 19
1
5
11
0 21
1
6 14.52
TOTAL
66
8 128
6
8
2 148
67
5 149
69
3 158
70
9 159
72
6 180
72
5 183
Overall
Total 796 16
830
1
8
824
1
8
851
1
9
868
1
8
906
2
0
908
2
0 18.43
Table III reveals that on the average female academic staff employed in the university constituted 16% in
2000/2001 academic session, 18% in 2001/2002, 2002/2003 and 2004/2005 and respectively 19% and 20% in
2005/2006, 2006/2007 and 2007/2008. It can be inferred that employment of women in academics is low when
compared to their male counterparts.
Table IV: Mean Difference in Lectures and Students Hidden Academic Experiences
Variable No. of Respondents Mean.
Lecturers 183 4.12
Students 500 6.51
The mean scores in Table IV indicate that there were differences in the level of lecturers and students
hidden academic experiences in Nigerian universities.
Discussion
The central theme of the study is to find out the academic hidden experiences of students and teachers
in Nigerian universities in relation to gender. The findings showed that the academic experiences of
female students and lecturers were significant. However, it is recognized that female students were
more subjected to such invisible acts experiences than their female lecturers.
The invisible act experience among women in academics as revealed in the study is not
surprising and is in consonance with several gender studies including Eboh (1995), Oduaran and
Okukpon (1997) and Akpan (2004). It is also recognized that the hidden experiences projected in the
study are not peculiar to Nigeria but obtain also in several parts of Africa and the world in general.
The findings also showed that fewer females than males were admitted or employed into the
disciplines of Science and technology. The finding is indeed a confirmation of the observation and
positive assertion that on the whole, fewer Nigerian female students and lecturers choose science and
technical disciplines even where the options are available. The females take up on the average 38% of
their expected enrolment in the sciences and 20% of their expected job placement. The finding affirms
the disparity existing in academic staff employment in favour of men (Umezulike, 2009) which
translates into the low representation of women in the Boards of Colleges and Universities, and the
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persisting disparities between men and women in leadership positions in Nigerian universities. This
explains the actual situation in which the majority of females in academics are found in Education, Arts,
Law and Social Sciences (Brock-Ume 1982).
Conclusion/Recommendation
The study concludes that gender- related and unpleasant academic hidden experiences of female
students and lecturers in Nigerian Universities are significantly high. However, Nigerian women
themselves need to live up to the challenges that their gender has necessarily imposed on them.
Government needs to encourage increased university enrolment for women through increasing
educational opportunities for girls and, also the office of the ombudsman headed by a female should be
established in every university in order to ensure that complaints of embarrassment, injustices and
uncomely acts against women are given the desired and right attention.
Reference
Akinsolu, A. E (2010) Teachers and students Academic Performance in Nigerian Secondary Schools:
Implications for Planning. Florida: Journal of Educational Administration and Policy. Vol. 3 Issue 2,
summer .Pp 90.
Akpan, O. R. (2004) Propelling our issues forward in Mangza (Ed.) Images of Nigerian women. Abuja
National Center for Women Development
Bernett, B (1995) Gender, Race, Academic Experience, Black Women. Paper presented at the annual
meeting of the American Sociological Association, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
Chall, J. S & Popp, H.M (1990) Chall-Popp Phonics: Level B (Teachers Edition) Continental Press.
Eboh, S (1996) the changing role of women and their career choice in Nigeria Gender Issues in
Education and Development: A Book of readings. Okpara, E. N. a publication of the Association
for promotion of quality education in Nigeria. Vol 8 p 52 58.
Federal Republic of Nigeria (FRN (2004) National Policy on Education NERDC. Press Yaba Lagos
Johan. R, (1995). The elusive Agenda: Mainstreaming women in Development. New Jersey: zed Books.
Oduaran, A.B. and Okukpon, L.A. (1997) Building womens capacity for National Development in
Nigeria, in Convergence, Vol. xxx, No.1. p 60.
Ofoegbu, F. I. (2006) Analysis of students rate of attendance at Nigerian public secondary schools.
African Journal of Studies in Education. Faculty of Education, University of Benin, 2, (1) 40 53.
Salako, C. T (2009) factors militating against girl-child access to education in Nigeria: implications for
National growth and development. Journal of the Department of Arts and Social Science
Education 4 (1) p55 61 University of Jos.
Sadiq, M (1996) Socialization and Gender Stereotyping. Gender Issues in Education and Development:
A Book of readings. Okpara, E. N. a publication of the Association for promotion of quality
education in Nigeria. Vol 8 p103-110.
Umezulike, N.A (2009) the perception of men towards women educational empowerment in Enugu
State. University of Science and Technology (ESUT), Enugu. Jos Educational Forum. 4 (1) 1-6. A
journal of the Department of Arts and Social Science Education, University of Jos, Jos
UNESCO (2000) EFA Global Monitoring Report. Paris.
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Journal of Education in Developing Areas (JEDA) Vol. 19, No. 2.
FIFA 2010 SOCCER WORLD CUP IN SOUTH AFRICA AND ITS EFFECTS ON THE
CURRICULUM IMPLEMENTATION IN ZIMBABWEAN SCHOOLS: A CASE OF
MASVINGO URBAN SECONDARY SCHOOLS.
BY
Albert Mufanechiya
Great Zimbabwe University
Department of Curriculum studies
Email : mufanechiya@yahoo.com
Tafara Mufanechiya
Great Zimbabwe University
Teacher Development Department
Email : tafaramufanechiya76@gmail.com
&
Benjamin Mudzanire
Great Zimbabwe University
Department of Curriculum Studies
Email : bmudzanire@yahoo.co.uk
Abstract
There is need to take stock of the effects of world events especially on how they impact on
education. There are some world events that cannot be ignored by their very nature and
attraction to all, such as the FIFA Soccer World Cup. The 2010 edition of the soccer world
cup in South Africa was special in more than one way in that it was on the African
continent and closer home to ignore. The research was a case study of three Masvingo
urban secondary schools with three(3) school heads and twelve (12) secondary school
teachers responding to interview questions and questionnaires in respect of thirty (30)
students to ascertain the impact the 2010 FIFA Soccer World Cup had on curriculum
implementation in Zimbabwe. The study found that the education sector in Zimbabwe did
not fully plan for the event as a result, valuable teaching time was lost and quality
teaching compromised hence little educational value derived from the event. The study
recommends that educational fathers and mothers should seriously take note of events
that attract all, so that adequate planning is done to avert potential losses and
compromises. The other recommendation is that world leaders should walk the talk and
transcend grandstanding at public fora, dining and wining in the name of the millions of
poor children, who because of their unfortunate economic situations which in most cases
the leaders have helped create, find themselves with no access to quality education.
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Introduction
The much talked about and publicised 2010 FIFA Soccer World Cup from 11 June to 11 July in South
Africa has come and gone. This was a memorable event and significant time for the African continent,
with Africa, for the first time in the history of the soccer showcase, hosting it. The greatest soccer event
on earth, as it is dubbed, generated a lot of interest from all sections of the population, the young and
the old, men and women. Most people, whether they were football fans or not, had an interest in the
soccer World Cup, whether it be from a football point of view, an economic point of view or simply
for the sheer spectacle of the event (Roberts, 2009). The event almost made the whole continent come
to a standstill as people found time to support the African dream of the event on home soil. Such was
the enthusiasm and euphoria in Zimbabwe, when Brazil came to play the Zimbabwe Warriors on the
4
th
of June 2010, that the government gave all the workers half day off to accord them a life time
chance to watch their soccer idols play live at the giant National Sports Stadium.
A lot of resources, human, material and financial were committed to the development of
infrastructure in South Africa in particular and Southern Africa Development Community [SADC]
countries in general that is, roads , stadia, railway lines ,airports refurbishments and significant others. It
was like a SADC event. The idea was that South Africa, on behalf of the beautiful African continent
was to be supported so that it could successfully stage and manage the soccer showcase without any
hitches and shame those that doubted Africa `s ability to host an event of such a global stature.
Attention was given to detail on almost everything especially on security of the high profile world class
players, the Tshabalalas of South Africa, Gyans of Ghana, Etos of Cameroon ,Rooneys of England,
Ronaldos of Portugal, Kakas of Brazil ,Villas of Spain, the list is endless.
The soccer event generated a lot of entertainment and excitement with the touch of South
African celebration through the vuvuzelas. The young and the old, men and women spoke the same
language with interest and enthusiasm as they followed on televisions at home, offices and fan parks
the world cup soccer proceedings. People temporarily forgot their problems and miseries during the
period. A fan, a Mr Mhete from Murambinda was quoted saying, Things are really difficult for us.
Many families here are facing food shortages, but this World Cup Soccer has brought joy for us and we
are watching these matches for free (Bwitit, 2010: D5). Most sectors felt the effects of the world cup. A
Sunday Mail reporter quoted the then Minister of Energy and Power Development, Elias Mudzuri
warning that some wheat farmers would experience power outages as ZESA, the national power utility,
juggled the available power to allow viewers to watch the soccer World Cup games (Sunday Mail, 13-
19 June 2010: 6).The corporate world in Zimbabwe also came out in full force to support government
efforts to make the World Cup accessible to all fans. Even the remotest parts of the country enjoyed
the soccer showcase free, courtesy of Netone in partnership with Castle Lager, Coca Cola, Edgars,
Zellco, Firstel and Rainbow Tourism Group (Sunday Mail, June 13 19 2010).
In the same vein, Dangaiso (2010) noted that the tournament attracted strong corporate
sponsorship from global brands such as Nestle, Volkswagen, Gillette and many significant others.
Masvingo province was not left out with fan parks in all the districts. In Masvingo urban a giant screen
was erected at Masvingo Polytechnic. This kind of investment into soccer could also have been
considered for education given that there were schools without basic resources. Musarurwa (2010)
during the World Cup period (Sunday Mail, June 27 July 3 2010) reported about outdoor schools in
Epworth, a few kilometres outside Harare. She noted the plight of more than 1800 pupils who had to
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endure the cold out in the open and being tutored by temporary teachers. The head of the school was
quoted saying that the ministry had not done anything about their situation despite the several
applications and pleas for assistance that they had submitted.
A lot of business and important assignments were reportedly suspended as people took time to
go in front of the screens to watch their favourite teams play. To afford and accord everyone, especially
the young, the opportunity to witness the whole event uninterrupted, the South African education
authorities adjusted their calendar as educational institutions were on holiday during this period.
Roberts (2009) rightly observed that South African educational authorities wisely adjusted the school
year calendar so that all the children could enjoy holidays for the duration of the tournament. There
was no holiday in Zimbabwe during the 2010 FIFA Soccer World Cup; it was business as usual in the
education sector.
During the preliminary stages, there were three live matches per day, two in the afternoon and
one in the evening. As teams got eliminated, matches were during evenings, ending around eleven
oclock. Both teachers and pupils were those who slept late watching these matches hoping to wake
early and go to school and effectively execute their daily duties. Teachers are at the chalk face and are
the life force for curriculum implementation ( Burgess, Robertson and Patterson, 2010). Their routine
duties include among other things: pre-planning their work for the following day in terms of collecting
media for lessons, planning lessons, evaluating daily work, preparing chalkboard work and marking. For
pupils, it is also time to reflect on what has been learnt on that day, write homework and mentally
prepare themselves for the following days lessons. It was also during this period that in Zimbabwe
there were Zimbabwe Schools Examination Council (ZimSEC) June examinations which demanded
maximum attention and commitment of both teachers and pupils in terms of reading, consultation and
general preparation of these examinations. For teachers it was also time to assist these students with
examination techniques and helping them in areas they had difficulties. Thus according to Roberts
(2009) teachers irrespective of grade, should have been aware of the impact of the World Cup and plan
accordingly.
For many in the SADC countries and in economic terms, the focus was on the generation of
the much needed revenue for industrial growth and development. The expectation of good returns
were very high, given the more than one million soccer enthusiasts who thronged South Africa.
According to Sharuko (2010) Zimbabweans played their part in the success story as the events were
unfolding at Africas first World Cup show by being part of the more than one million visitors who
thronged South Africa.
For FIFA, they did not lose sight of the contribution soccer would make to education with one
of their themes as, One goal one education. In this spirit, FIFA organised an educational summit on
the eve of the World Cup aimed at closing the funding gap in education between the rich and the poor.
According to Welter (2010) before kick- off for the World Cup matches in South Africa on July 11
2010, 1 Goal ambassadors asked political leaders for more funding for education. Hosted by South
African President, Jacob Zuma and FIFA president Blatter and attended by African Heads of State,
Senior United Nations officials, African Union, celebrities and soccer stars, the education summit
brought attention to those present, the sad fact that about 72 million children around the world do not
learn to read or write and 759 million adults lack basic literacy skills (Welter, 2010). During the summit
President Zuma raised two important points according to Welter (2010), firstly, that he would like to
see the same concentration of effort his country used to prepare for hosting the World Cup be poured
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in education in the state where millions of students attend schools that do not have regular electricity or
running water. Secondly, the aim of the summit was to use the World Cup event to promote the
importance of education for development. Thus the summit was meant to sensitise world leaders about
their responsibilities in raising funding and becoming proactive in providing education to millions of
children without access to basic education. An advertisement floated on all television channels during
this period depicted how soccer and education could partner for the benefit of youths in dealing with
poverty alleviation and illiteracy. Whether there would be any action from these world leaders or yet
another talk show time will tell.
The fundamental question is, How much of an effect did the 2010 FIFA Soccer World Cup
had on the general teaching and learning in Zimbabwe? It is against this background that the research
sought to find out how much of an impact the soccer showcase had on curriculum implementation in
Masvingo urban secondary schools.
Statement of the Problem
The effects of the 2010 FIFA Soccer World Cup on curriculum implementation in Zimbabwean
secondary schools
Research questions
The research was guided by the following research questions:
What impact did the 2010 FIFA Soccer World Cup had on curriculum implementation in
Zimbabwe?
How did secondary school heads, teachers and students react to the event?
Conceptual Framework
The research was informed by the curriculum implementation discourse that the activities and
processes that the teacher organises and carries out before, during and after the lesson are what we call
teaching (Ndawi and Maravanyika, 2011). In the same vein, Alonsabe (2009) observed that curriculum
implementation is the actual use of the curriculum or what it consist of in practice. Alonsabe noted two
views about curriculum implementation namely the laissez faire or the let alone approach in which
the teacher is given absolute power to determine what, when and how to implement the curriculum
without firm control and monitoring. The second approach is the authoritarian control in which the
educational fathers (inspectors and heads) direct teachers on content and teaching methods to use
during lessons. It is the laissez faire approach which seemed to take the centre stage during the 2010
FIFA Soccer World Cup in South Africa as both heads and teachers did what they believed to be
appropriate with no supervision and monitoring of educational activities. Curriculum implementation
entails closely monitored interaction among students and between students and teachers, working
together, sharing ideas and jointly solving problems (Ritz, 2006).It was during this time that most
secondary schools curriculum implementation was found wanting generally unresponsive to student
needs.
To participate in this community called school, students must take part in a variety of activities
that are organised, monitored and effectively evaluated. Curriculum implementation suggests a high
investment in time, effort and focus (Burgess, Robertson and Patterson, 2010) in terms of contact
hours, interactive engagement leadership and results - based evaluation. This should take care of what
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Sternberg ( 2000) calls the total experiences to which students are exposed.
Methodology
The research was a descriptive survey that used questionnaires and interviews to collect qualitative data.
The choice of the design allowed the researchers to get at the inner experience of participants as well as
the opportunity to connect with participants at a human level (Corbin and Strauss, 2008), regarding the
effects of the 2010 FIFA Soccer World Cup on curriculum implementation in Zimbabwe. The
population was made up of Masvingo urban secondary schools, school heads, teachers and 2010 form
four students. It was from this population that three (3) secondary schools, two (2) from the high
density and one (1) from the low density, were randomly selected. Twelve (12) teachers, four (4) from
each of the selected schools who were teaching form four core subjects, that is English, Shona,
Mathematics and Science were purposively selected to respond to interview questions. This allowed for
flexibility and made it possible for researchers to follow the interests and thoughts of respondents
(Chilisa and Preece, 2005).
Three (3) secondary school heads from the selected schools also responded to interview
questions. Thirty (30) form four students, ten from each school were randomly selected to fill in
questionnaires concerning their views on how the curriculum was implemented in their respective
schools during the 2010 FIFA Soccer World Cup. The two data collection instruments (interviews and
questionnaires) and the three data sources (school heads, teachers and students) ensured that
researchers had a wide range of possible empirical materials (Punch, 2004) about what really happened
in secondary schools during the event.
Findings and Discussion
The research found that Zimbabwean football and education felt the effects of living next door to the
2010 FIFA Soccer World Cup host, South Africa. The tournament was the most popular sporting
event attracting the attention of all age groups consequently disrupting a lot of educational activities.
The secondary school going age especially the boys showed the greatest interest and even the girls were
not spared. The general discussion during school times were around the proceedings of the soccer
world cup in South Africa. Students congregated every morning sharing notes and arguing over the
world cup soccer issues. In the midst of this hype, curriculum implementation suffered as the Ministry
of Education, Sport, Arts and Culture failed to give the necessary direction to schools.
Below are the teachers who were manning the co subjects during the 2010 FIFA Soccer World Cup
at the sampled secondary schools.
Table 1: Twelve (12) teachers teaching the co- subjects.
Teachers male female Subjects taught
A 10 2 Mathematics
B 4 8 Shona
C 6 6 English
D 9 3 Science
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From the questionnaire given to thirty (30) Masvingo urban secondary school students, the research
found that curriculum implementation was the biggest casualty during the period under review. Below
is the summary of students observation of how teachers conducted curriculum activities during the
2010 FIFA Soccer World Cup.
Table 2: Lesson preparation and delivery by teachers during the 2010 FIFA Soccer World Cup.
Subject Tr attended
well
prepared
Tr attended
prepared
Tr attended
ill prepared
Tr did not
attend
Mathematics 1 3 6 20
Shona 10 11 5 4
English 6 5 4 15
Science 5 4 4 17
Table 3: Amount of work given and marking during the period
Subject Adequate
& well
marked
Adequate
& marked
Adequate
& not
marked
Inadequate
& marked
Inadequate
& not
marked
Student
marking
own work
Mathematics 0 0 6 4 8 12
Shona 7 3 4 4 6 6
English 5 3 7 8 0 7
Science 2 5 4 6 8 5
Table 4: Strategies used by teachers during the period
Subject Lecture Group work Class
discussions
Individual
work
Mathematics 0 10 5 15
Shona 2 8 8 12
English 1 6 6 17
Science 0 10 4 16
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Table 5: Extra curricular activities during the period.
Sport Sessions on &
tr present
Altered
sessions & tr
present
Sessions on &
tr absent
Sessions not
conducted
soccer 0 0 15 15
netball 5 10 15 0
Volley ball 2 0 20 8
Other activities 0 0 0 0
The questionnaire had the provision for students to write any other comments and a summary of the
comments were :
Most students were left on their own with a lot of work to do with teachers giving students
their notebooks for class monitors to dictate notes to the whole class.
Heads rarely came for lesson observations.
Male teachers were the ones who did not do a lot during the period.
Female teachers, even those who were not football fans also took advantage and did not come
for lessons.
Most afternoon lessons and activities were delayed or suspended.
From the above tables, students observed that the period was characterised by very little
commitment and compromised work ethics as either teachers left classes to watch matches or came for
lessons ill prepared. From the students responses, teachers used strategies that excluded them from
active involvement and commitment such as group work and individual work. The most affected
subjects were mathematics and science. The reason could be, these subjects were mainly manned by
male teachers who are usually soccer enthusiasts. However English and Shona had their fair share of
problems. Given Ndawi and Maravanyikas (2011) understanding of curriculum implementation which
places the teacher at the centre of curriculum activities before, during and after lessons, then it is
evident that curriculum implementation took a great knock as teachers neglected important duties to
watch world cup matches. This showed that teachers had no time to adequately plan and execute their
lessons. On the other, students exchanging of written work and marking it, pointed out on lack of
supervision from the school heads. Verspoor (2006) says that without regular monitoring of teachers
and students, effective teaching is left to chance. In short, teachers operated on the fringes of
effectiveness.
From the interviews, teachers acknowledged that when it was about time when the matches
were to kick off they abandoned everything to be in front of television sets to watch live matches. No
educational activities were spared, even extra curricular areas suffered including soccer. The major
reason forwarded by teachers was that no one wanted to miss action of this life time event. The
teachers acknowledged that this was not the first world cup, but the fact that it was closer home had
generated a lot of interest than other editions played in distant continents. Teachers said that they were
impressed by administrators who made local preparations by buying generators, television sets and fuel
to ensure that both teachers and school heads enjoyed matches at school. Teachers said that heads
allowed them to leave their classes on condition that they left the classes gainfully employed and
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maintaining a normal situation. However, during interviews these teachers admitted that most
students, without the watchful eye of the teachers, also left school to go home or to fan parks to watch
these matches. In the same vein Robertson (2009) predicted that the effects of the world cup would be
felt in terms of lacking planning, discipline and lack of concentration on the part of school heads,
teachers and students. Asked about make up lessons to cater for the lost time, one teacher
surprisingly asked, What for? As long as evaluations in our scheme cum plans indicate that the
lessons were successfully taught, is enough. Given this scenario student learning as the central concern
of teachers and heads was really compromised.
From the interviews with school heads, they were generally agreed that there was minimal
disruption of educational activities. They said that teachers went about their business normally and only
those without lessons had the chance to watch matches in the staffroom. They said this was why they
bought television sets and generators so that the schools would not experience a systems failure.
However, this was in sharp contrast with teachers and students sentiments. On the other hand,
school heads admitted committing a large chunk of school resources to buying televisions, generators
and fuel to enable their teachers and even themselves the opportunity to watch these matches. Asked
about how these financial resources could have been wisely employed to buy books that were scarce,
heads defended this by saying that besides using these gadgets during the soccer tournament, they were
also important educational assets that could be used to vary and enhance teaching and learning.
However, during interviews, teachers expressed that these purported educational assets were
last used during world cup matches and now are neatly and safely stored in heads offices. One teacher
said, Maybe the results of your research may help us take those gadgets from offices into the
classrooms for students to benefit from this investment. Teachers thought that their schools could
profitably make use of generators for practical subjects given the serious power outages the country
was facing. On the other hand, school heads during interviews, blamed teachers for their lack of
creativity and innovation in their teaching, preferring the traditional archaic methods of chalk and talk.
One of heads retorted, Our teachers are of the old school of thought, these new gadgets deskill them
and they cannot see them as important teaching tools. They gather dust in our offices yet they should
be out there in classrooms helping during teaching and learning.
Only one school head, who was a football enthusiast, admitted that the school bought the
television set and generator for the sole purpose to ensure that teachers watch matches at school at the
same time attending to their classes. He said, Having the soccer world cup for the first time closer
home was enthralling and fascinating , a one off event of a life time that any sane person could not
afford to miss so as administration we saw it fit for teachers to enjoy this spectacle at their work place.
Asked whether this did not compromise teaching and learning, the head acknowledged that at times it
did as students were left unattended as teachers went to the staffroom to watch matches. However, he
was quick to say that make up lessons were organised. About what has become of the equipment
after the event, the head said that the equipment had been put to good use in the staff room where
teachers could now watch news at lunch time and also other important programmes that keep them
updated on current world and national events. Results from teachers and school heads interviews
showed that schools made some efforts to mitigate the negative effects of the world cup by ensuring
that teachers stay at school and at the same time did not miss out on the matches. However, from the
findings, it was evident that teachers maintained a physical presence, pretended that teaching and
learning was going on yet students were left unattended with a lot of work in their hands that teachers
never evaluated and school heads did not supervise teachers. Without the watchful eye of the teachers
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some students also left school to watch these matches at home and those given to mischief, this was
the time.
Conclusion and Recommendations
Decisive educational and political leadership in Zimbabwe lacked during the 2010 FIFA World Cup
Soccer tournament. Political leaders fresh from the summit in South Africa on how education and
sport could partner for development did not do much to help educational fathers plan for the event.
They went to sleep at the crucial moment. While schools made some local arrangements to mitigate the
effects of the 2010 FIFA Soccer World Cup on curriculum implementation in Zimbabwe, the Ministry
of Education, Sport, Arts and Culture did not have a consolidated and communicated national
response, compared to the South African experience where the education sector was on holiday during
the period. The arrangement by the South African educational fathers and mothers ensured that all
students were neither short changed in terms of learning opportunities nor deprived the lifetime chance
of witnessing the event. Without the national plan and response, Zimbabwean secondary schools in
their own circumstances, using their own initiatives, resources and discretion did what they thought was
feasible. What really suffered, however, was curriculum implementation as teachers and students left
post to watch live soccer matches on television. The lost teaching - learning time was never recovered.
Furthermore, secondary schools committed a lot of financial resources to the soccer event at
the expense of procuring the much needed teaching learning resources like textbooks, laboratory
consumables, equipment and materials for practical subjects which were not there in most secondary
schools. While teaching and learning suffered, there were some areas that got a major boost, especially
soccer; as teachers and students got some soccer tips and skills that they could use. Girls soccer is also
now a new development in the selected secondary schools. If the social responsibility shown by the
corporate world by erecting fan parks around the country could be extended to education, it could put
a smile on the face of education in Zimbabwe.
It is against this backdrop that the research recommends:
The need for educational fathers and mothers to devise a national strategy that ensures
minimum disruption of teaching and learning when such big events occur cannot be
overemphasised. In mind there are such events like Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON),
European Championships, World Cup and such other events that have huge enthusiasts.
That the Zimbabwean corporate and business sectors have shown a lot of potential and
willingness to avail financial and material resources and should be engaged to augment
government efforts in injecting funds in education. Their resolve to pull together resources to
build fan parks, that experience can be used to fund educational activities to ensure that schools
do not struggle in the provision of education.
Gadgets and materials bought by schools for this event should be profitably used to enhance
teaching and learning in secondary schools rather than gathering dust in offices.
World leaders should walk the talk and transcend grandstanding at public fora, dining and
wining in the name of the millions of poor children, who because of their unfortunate
economic situation which in most cases the leaders have helped create, find themselves with no
access to quality education.
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REFERENCES
Burgess, J., Robertson, G. and Patterson, C. (2010) Curriculum implementation: Decisions of early
childhood teachers. Australasian Journal of Early childhood. Volume 35: Number 3 September
2010. Pp 51 59.
Bwititi, K.(2010) Fan parks overshadow hunger. Sunday Mail InDepth. Harare. Zimpapers. June 27
July 3 2010. Pp D5
Corbin, J. and Strauss, A. (2008) Basics of Qualitative Research. Los Angeles : SAGE Publications.
Dangaiso, F.(2010) World cup boost for Zimbabwe. Skyhost. August September 2010. Pp 32.
Musarurwa, C. (2010) Education without walls takes new meaning . As Epworth residents resort to
outdoor schools. Sunday Mail: People and Living. Harare. Zimpapers. June 27 July 3 2010. Pp 6
Ndawi, O. and Maravanyika, O. (2011) Curriculum and its Building Blocks: Concepts and Processes. Gweru.
Mambo Press.
Chilisa, B. and Preece, J. (2005) Research Methods for Adult Educators in Africa. Cape Town: UNESCO
Institute for Education CTP Book Printers.
Punch, K. F. (2004) Introduction to Social Research: Quantitative and Qualitative Approaches. London: SAGE
Publications.
Roberts, M. (2009) How will the soccer world cup next year affect education in South Africa. Are we
prepared? Education Around 2010 Soccer World Cup in Mikbelmeg in Education. December
2, 2009.
Sharuko, R. (2010) Mzansi visitors hit million mark. Herald. Harare. Zimpapers. June 2010. Pp 18
The Sunday Mail, (2010) World cup blow for farmers. Harare. Zimpapers. June 13 19 2010. Pp 5.
Welter, C. ( 2010) President Zuma Host Education Summit for Heads of States. South African
Government Information, The Presidency. July 7 2010. Available on
www.suite101.com/news/educationsummitat-soccerworldcup
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Journal of Education in Developing Areas (JEDA) Vol. 19, No. 2.
ICT IN DISTANCE AND OPEN LEARNING: THE CASE OF OPEN UNIVERSITY
STUDY CENTRES IN SOUTH-SOUTH NIGERIA.
Kebbi, J. A.
Faculty of Education, Niger Delta University
Asim, A. F.
Faculty of Education, University of Calabar,
Offor, I. T.
Faculty of Education, Niger Delta University.
Abstract
The need for Information and Technology has become one of the most important
and potentially effective instructional methods to improve teaching and learning
especially in the Open and Distance education as it transcend the boundaries of the
traditional classroom instruction. To find out how this functional, flexible and cost-
effective mode of education with a success story from National University
Commission has been put to use by the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN),
thirty-two (32) undergraduate education programmes were evaluated. The focus of
the aspect of the study reported here was on the use of ICT in NOUN study centres
in South-South Nigeria. Data generated through the use of nine (9) baseline
indicators and ten (10) facilities/equipment profile for the use of ICT and support
materials revealed gross under utilization. The implications of this finding on the
achievement of programme goals of the Open and Distance learning in Nigeria are
discussed. In conclusion, it calls for the provision of technological infrastructure and
facilities to compliment the traditional face to face mode of learning as a way
forward to actualize the goals of the Open and Distance learning in Nigeria.
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Introduction
The roles of the university and the quality of its graduates in sub-Saharan-Africa have come under
sharp criticisms in the face of shortage of funds and the attendant brain drain. However, concerns
about raising the quality of education is a global issue resulting in about 20 world conferences related to
education between 1990 and 2000 (Obanya, 2002). The low rating of sub-Saharan Africa on several
indicators of basic and higher education in areas such as access, gender equity, inclusion, quality and
achievement has been of particular concern (Shabani & Okebukola, 2004). The conference of African
Ministers of Education (MINEDAF), the African Union (AU) and the New Partnerships for Africas
Development (NEPAD) are addressing this concern in terms of capacity building-targeting teachers
and managers (Asim, 2007).
Nigerias National Policy on Education adopts education as an instrument par excellence for
effective national development (FRN; 2004). It further places emphasis on the provision and utilization
of information and communication technology (ICT) due to its prominent role in advancing knowledge
and skills necessary for effective functioning in the modern world. The policy defined ICT as
computer, auxiliary equipment, software, and form ware (hardware) and procedures, services and
related resources. The document described ICT as an equipment or interconnected system of
equipment that is used in the automatic acquisition, storage, manipulation, management, control,
display, switching and transmission of information.
As its contribution to expanding access to education through the use of ICT, the Nigerian
Universities Commission (NUC) initiated the Virtual Institute for Higher Education Pedagogy
(VIHEP) in 2003. VIHEP maximized the advances in ICT by providing tertiary
Education teachers the opportunity to take online courses, participates in discussions, write tests and
examinations and receive immediate feedback which culminated in certification. This flexible and cost-
effective mode of education with a success story from NUC could be of immense benefit to any
distance learning programme like the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN).
One aspect that characterizes the open and distance learning programme of NOUN as put forward by
Fabunmi (2004), is that there is a physical separation between the facilitator and the learner, with
instruction being delivered through a variety of communication media such as the print, electronic,
audio tapes, CD-ROMs and website computers and correspondence. According to lmahabakhai (2004)
instructional delivery in this system is highly flexible because it takes the convenience, time and interest
of the learner into consideration.
Kermber ( 1995) recognized that students progress in distance education such as NOUN can
be enhanced if the design of a course concentrates on developing intrinsic motivation, and a deep
integration can be improved by developing collective affiliation and ensuring agreement between
students expectation and course procedures. The corollary of this is that a highly structured course
with less dialogue, especially without the use of industrial method such as ICT creates greater
transactional distance between the teacher and the learner, while a careful, simple and appropriately
structured course with frequent dialogue reduces the transactional distance which makes for retention
of student, completion of the course and reduction of cost and inconveniences. This is debatable
considering the immense benefits of ICT.
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The function of teaching in the classroom process is considered paramount, especially when we
consider the teaching and learning process as the acquisition of knowledge and skills by individual to
enable them become useful members of the society. It is argued that teaching cannot take place without
the students, teachers, curriculum, content and instructional materials. The above judgment may not
stand the test in this ICT age. This is because teaching imposes content, learners freedom is restricted
while ICT employs independent judgment in decision making and thus it is seriously eroding the
teaching situation.
Maduname (2004) is of the view that classroom teachers are expected to utilize ICT facilities to
inculcate relevant knowledge to students. The use of ICT in the classroom situation enhances learning
effectiveness. It is used as strength towards leveraging the conventional process of teaching and
learning in higher instructions in Nigeria.
Njoku (2006), writing on computerization for effective teaching and learning in Nigerian
universities, upheld that the use of ICT has helped facilitate decision-making for classroom
management and individual students management; additional information concerning problems,
opportunities, challenges and contributions to the development of online screening and registration of
students were not in use.
Kruma (2006) in a study to assess the availability of ICT in the Ghanaian University system
randomly selected and used for the study six (6) government owned universities. Questionnaires were
distributed to 1,200 randomly selected students in the selected universities under study; 1,141 copies of
the questionnaires were successfully completed and returned giving a response rate of 95%. Descriptive
statistics were used for data analysis; findings showed that I00% of the respondents accepted the fact
that enough computers were not made available for them during computer lesson. About four students
paired up on a single computer during their use of computer lesson, which generally incapacitated their
process of understanding the lesson properly. It also revealed that internet facilities on Campus were
too skeletal for students to browse on the net. Against the background of increasing access to higher
education in Africa in general and Nigeria through open and distance learning, the aspect of the study
reported here, sought to find out how ICT is employed in NOUN programmes in South-South
Nigeria.
Purpose of the Study
The purpose of the study was to evaluate the use of 1CT in the National Open University of Nigeria
(NOUN). Specifically, this study sought to achieve the following:
1. Determine the use of ICT in NOUN study centres in South-South Nigeria.
2. Determine the adequacy of physical facilities/equipment for programme implementation in
these centres.
Research Questions
To guide this study, the following research questions were investigated:
1. To what extent is ICT used in the implementation of NOUN educational programmes in South-
South Nigeria?
2. Do available physical facilities/equipment conform to programme implementation requirements?
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Method
Research Design
The survey research design was employed in this study. The investigators adopted this approach
because of its preoccupation with describing what is and establishing the relationship existing among
variables. It is concerned also with gathering data with the intention of knowing the nature of already
existing conditions or identifying standards against which these conditions can be compared or
determining the relationship that exists between specific events (Cohen,Manion & Morrison 2008).
Instrument
The major instrument used in gathering data for this study is the primary source of data collection
(observation) baseline indicators and profile namely:
1. NOUN Baseline Indicators for ICT Usage (NBIIU) and
2. NOUN Profile of Facilities/Equipment (NPFE)
The instrument consists of nine (9) and six (6) items with response options of Yes and No, and
adequate, inadequate and absent respectively. The instrument was subjected to both face and content
validity by experts in the University (NOUN) and of measurement and evaluation in the University of
Calabar. The data collected for this study were analyzed and findings were reported in words rather
than statistics (Worthen, Sanders & Fitzpatrick, 1997).
Population
The target population of this study consists of seventy-nine (79) programmes of the five schools of
NOUN in the four study centres which were Port Harcourt, Calabar, Yenogoa and Benin in the South-
South Nigeria. The schools include Arts and Social Science Business and Human Resources
Management, Education, Law and Science and Technology.
Sample and the Technique
Purposive sampling was then adopted to select the sample of the study which consists of thirty- two
(32) undergraduate degree programmes of NOUN made up seven (7) from school of Arts and Social
Science, four (4) from Business and Human Management, twelve (12) from Education, one (1) from
Law and eight (8) from Science and Technology. The choice of the sample was mainly for
comparability of standards and generalization of findings. The justification of using this sample size is
based on the fact that there are other programmes such as three (3) certificate, twenty-six (26) diploma
and eighteen (18) graduate programmes and since the undergraduate degree programmes meet the
required characteristics for generalization for the study. The breakdown of the sample is presented in
table 1.
Table 1: Sample of Schools and Programmes of NOUN, South-South Nigeria
Arts and Social Science 1 Peace studies/conflict resolution
2 Criminology and Security Studies
3 French/International Studies
4 English Language
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5 Christian Theology
6 Islamic Studies
7 Mass Communication
Business and Human 8 Hotel And Catering Resource Management
9 Tourism
10 Cooperative Management
11 Entrepreneurial/Small Business Management
Education 12 Integrated Science
13 Biology
14 Physics
15 Chemistry
16 Mathematics
17 Agricultural Science
18 Information Technology for teachers
19 Business Studies
20 Early Childhood Education
21 Primary Education
22 French
23 English
Science and Technology 24 Environmental Studies/Resource Management
25 Nursing
26 Communication Technology
27 Computer Science
28 Agricultural Extension and Management
29 Data management
30 Mathematics
31 Mathematics/Computer Science
Law 32 Law
RESULTS
Research Question 1
To what extent information communication technology used in the implementation of NOUN
educational programmes in South-South Nigeria?
Table 2 Baseline indictors for the use of information communication technology in NOUN
S/N Baseline Indicators Yes No
1 Course materials delivered on-line -
2 Course materials delivered through audio tape -
3 Course materials delivered through CD-ROM -
4 Course materials delivered through radio -
5 Course materials delivered through e-mail -
6 Course materials delivered through satellite broadcast -
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7 Course materials delivered through television set -
8 Course materials delivered through print
9 Course materials delivered through video cassette
(Source: NOUN Handbook 2006/Field Survey (2010).
Table 2 depicts indicators of ICT use and the corresponding response resulting from data collection.
Result shows that course materials are delivered only through print. This implies that ICT is yet to be
used in the open and distance learning programme implementation in NOUN, in South-South Nigeria.
Research Question 2
Do available physical facilities and equipment confirm to programme implementation requirement?
The data for this question in presented in table 3.
Table 3 NOUN profile for assessment of adequacy of facilities/equipment in the four (4) study
centres.
S/N Facilities Adequate
No.
Port
Harcourt
Calabar Yenogoa Benin Adequate Inadequate
1 Auditorium 1 1 1 1 1
2 Tutorial Hall 4 4 4 4 4
3 Local area network
centre
1 0 0 0 0
4 Computer sets 20 0 0 0 0
5 Television sets 25 0 0 0 0
6 Public transmitting
system
5 0 0 0 0
7 Central/traditional 1 0 0 0 0
8 Virtual library 5 0 0 0 0
9 Resource centre 5 0 0 0 0
10 Conference Room 5 0 0 0 0
Source: NOUN Student Handbook 2006/Fieldwork, 2010
The result from table 3 in the study centres revealed that only adequate numbers of auditorium
and tutorial halls were found in the found four different study centres. All other facilities/equipment,
such as local area network centres, computers, television sets, transmitting system, virtual library, and
resource centres were completely absent in all study centres visited.
Discussion of Findings
It is obvious that NOUN uses only the print media as a source of learning materials for students in the
centres surveyed. There were indications in 2006/2007 NOUN handbook for students that course
materials either came through the baseline indicators of the use of ICT such as online transmission,
audio-tapes, CD-ROM, television set, radio, on-line multimedia interactive and non-interactive
presentations (p.20), email and satellite broadcast. The reality is that such facilities were not provided
for in the implementation of NOUN programmes. Undoubtedly, this finding agrees with the study by
Njoku (2006) on computerization of effective teaching and learning in Nigerian universities. The report
showed that the use of ICT was completely absent. This may not be unconnected with low level ICT
skills among students (Asim. 2004) and Higher Education teachers (Asim, 2007).
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The present study also revealed that facilities/equipment such as local area network, computer,
television sets, transmitting system, virtual library and resources centres were also absent in all four
study centres visited. This showed that students under such learning conditions cannot adapt positively
to the learning environment, as the absence of the use of ICT in open and distance learning such as in
NOUN programmes will create greater transactional distance between the teacher and the learner. The
present finding lends credence to the contribution of Kermber (1995) who concluded that students
progress in distance education can only be enhanced through the use of industrial method such as ICT
in order to structure courses and reduce the transactional distance which makes for retention of
students, completion of the course and reduction of cost.
On the importance of ICT in learning, Maduname (2004) pointed out that teachers are
expected to utilize ICT facilities to inculcate relevant knowledge to students as it enhances effective
teaching and serves towards leveraging the conventional process of teaching and learning in higher
instructions in Nigeria However, Oyelaran-Oyeyinka and Adeya (2004) warned that the resources and
infrastructural constraints prevalent in developing countries like Nigeria make it unnecessarily
challenging for stakeholders to deploy ICT for teaching and learning.
The present study supports an earlier study by Krurna (2006) which focused on availability of
1CT in six (6) randomly selected government owned universities in Ghana Questionnaires were
distributed to I,200 randomly selected students in the universities. Results from that study showed that
enough computers were not made available for use of ICT during computer classes, and this
inadequacy made it difficult for students to understand the lesson properly.
Conclusion
Both advanced and developing countries have attested to the fact that ICT is a central focus for the use
of educational policies and integration in the school curriculum. Yet, the Nigerian educational system
has not adequately exposed students, teachers and institutions of learning to face the challenges of the
global world of ICT for the purpose of using it effectively within the shortest possible time.
ICT usage serves as the eye in a global world of our time, a complementary tool to the
traditional method of face to face teaching and learning process which enhances functional, flexible and
cost-effective life-long and quality mode of learning that increases access to higher education by many
disadvantaged groups like the rural dwellers, migrant fishermen in the south creeks or pastoralist
nomads in northern Nigeria. The complete absence of ICT usage in NOUN study centres in South-
South Nigeria will greatly hinder the actualization of the purpose of open and distance learning in
Nigeria.
Recommendations
1. There seems to be much emphasis on the use of course books and the face to face mode of
programme delivery in NOUN. Audio cassettes and video-cassette, non-print materials such as
CD-ROMS tapes need to be integrated effectively into the programme as distribution and use of
ICT facilities in a programme such as open and distance learning is not only appropriate but highly
desirable.
2. There is need for a permanent structure called NOUN campuses where necessary basic
facilities/equipment such as local area network centres, computer sets, television sets, public
transmitting system and virtual library are provided to ensure quality assurance in open and
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distance learning in the country.
3. Government should implement its education initiatives such as Nigeria Universities Network, the
School Net Project, National Virtual Digital Library (Ministry of Education/NUC), The Nigeria
Education Academic and Research Network (NEARNET) and Polytechnics Network (Polynet)
projects.
References
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River State, Nigeria. Nigerian Journal of COMPUTER Literacy (NJCI), 5 (1). 11-20
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are higher education teachers some Nigerian Universities? In I. Hufford & T. Peddrajas (Eds).
Educating for a World View: Focus on Globalizing Curriculum and Instruction. New York: University
Press of America.
Cohen, L., Manion, L & Morrison K. (2008). Research method in Education London: Routledge.
Fabunmi, F.A. (2004). The role of libraries and information centres in distance learning open learning
education. (NPTEA).
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edition), Lagos. NERDC Press.
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Kruma, C. (2006). Gender in education: The importance of cultural Diversity. CRILE working paper,
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Madaname. M.E. (2004). In-service education: a neglected dimension of the professional development
of the Nigeria science teachers. West African Journal of Educational Researcher 1 (2), 183-186.
Njoku, A. (2006). The changing fortunes of higher education. In A. Ejiogu and K. Ajaye (eds) Emergent
issues in education Lagos: Nigerian Universities consult.
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Obanya, P.A.I (2002). Revitalizing education in Africa Ibadan: Hodder Sturton.
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Shabani, A. & Okebukola, P.A.O (2004). Welcome to Viheaf. (2/26/04).
Worthen B.R. Sanders, J. R & Fitzpatrick, J.L (1997). Programme evaluation: Alternative approach and
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Journal of Education in Developing Areas (JEDA) Vol. 19, No. 2.
RANDOMIZED SIX-GROUP EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN: A RADICAL EVOLUTION
By
Dr. KPOLOVIE Peter James
Department of Psychology, Guidance and Counselling,
Faculty of Education, University of Port Harcourt
E-mail: peter.kpolovie@uniport.edu.ng & drkpolovie@yahoo.com
Phone Numbers: 08088061666 & 08037758445
Abstract
Experimental research design is a most careful and thorough written plan of action
to be meticulously adhered for execution of a truly genuine experiment with
maximum validity in establishment of cause-and-effect relationships between
independent and dependent variables. It vividly shows the entire what, how and
when everything that constitutes the whole process of the experiment will be
satisfactorily done to arrive at meaningful conclusions about causal relations in the
variables of interest. Experimental research designs that are classically adopted by
investigators have evolutionally ranged hierarchically from randomized between
subjects after-only and randomized between subjects before-after, through
randomized Solomon four-group design to randomized between subjects factorial
design. Each higher design evolved from lower one(s) to overcome shortcomings of
the latter. This article has posited and expounded randomized six-group
experimental design that radically propels experimental research to its zenith.
Randomized six-group experimental design robustly encompasses and surpasses
the classical ones and completely overcomes their weaknesses to better meet the
complexity of research in modern society.
Key words: randomized six-group design, experimental research, classical experimental designs, experimental validity,
randomized experimental designs, Solomon four-group design, , statistical techniques.
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Introduction
Experimental research is the best research methodology for investigation of cause-and-effect
relationships between variables. The experimenter focuses on establishment of the effect of some
interventional process, termed treatment on some experimental objects or units, which could be parts
of people, groups of people, animals, plants, and so on. A good understanding of what research
methodology truly means is necessary before further examination of experimental research.
Research methodology refers to the lucid explanation or delineation of the entire processes of
arriving at the dependable or reliable solution to identify problems in a way that expands the frontier of
knowledge. It is the exhaustive outline of the processes and procedures for conducting each research. It
clearly shows or describes everything that will be done, how they will be done, the type of data to be
collected, the devices to be used and the step by step procedure for collecting and analyzing the data in
the course of the investigation. This is so because the research method chosen, more often than not, is
a major determinant of the statistical technique to be applied in analyzing the data.
Research methodology is the body or science of methods, action plans or paradigms that can
most appropriately be employed in research under different circumstances. It is the self explanatory
description of the approaches, methods and designs adopted in a research for gathering and analyzing
the data that serve as basis for drawing unquestionable inference, interpretation and conclusive
prediction of future occurrence. It is a comprehensive plan of the process and procedures for arriving
at the products, results or solutions to the problem of an empirical or scientific enquiry; and certainly
not the products themselves. Methodology portrays, describes, analyzes and buttresses the procedure
adopted in a research; showing explicitly the resources, presuppositions, consequences, potentialities,
limitations and assumptions of the designs or methods employed in the investigation under specific
circumstances.
Generally, research method refers to the explicit design of any information-gathering exercises
where variation exists, ether under total control of the researcher or not. When the variation is under
the complete control of the researcher, it is termed experimental research; and when the investigator
does not have full control over the variation, it is suitably described as a quasi-experimental method or
one of the non-experimental methods. Research methods that can be suitably employed for execution
of investigations in education and the social or behavioural sciences as well as the natural sciences
mainly include the following: Experimental, Quasi-experimental, Ex post facto, Correlational,
Evaluation, Action, Ethnographic, Historical, Survey, Triangulation, Instrumentation, and Single-
subject.
Experimental research is the most powerful and most suitable methodology in investigations for
overt establishment of unambiguous causal relationships (cause-and-effect relationships) among
variables. It is a design that best allows for manipulation of at least one independent variable for the
sole purpose of identifying or observing effect of the manipulation on a dependent variable. Far from
mere description, prediction and identification of the nature of relationships between dependent and
independent variables, experimental research ensures dependable specification of the cause of such
relationships through control and manipulation of the variables under investigation. Thus, experimental
research method is a planned intervention in the natural order of events by the experimenter. This
accounts for why Sid Sytsma, reproduced in Mottola (2009) averred that:
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Much of the substantial gain in knowledge in all sciences has come from actively
manipulating or interfering with the stream of events. There is more than just observation
or measurement of a natural event. A selected condition or a change (treatment) is
introduced. Observations or measurements are planned to illuminate the effect of any
change in conditions. The importance of experimental design also stems from the quest for
inference about causes or relationships as opposed to simply description. Researchers are
rarely satisfied to simply describe the events they observe. They want to make inferences
about what produced, contributed to, or caused events. To gain such information without
ambiguity, some form of experimental design is ordinarily required. As a consequence, the
need for using rather elaborate designs ensues from the possibility of alternative
relationships, consequences or causes. The purpose of the design is to rule out these
alternative causes, leaving only the actual factor that is the real cause. For example,
Treatment A may have caused observed Consequences O, but possibly the consequence
may have derived from Event E instead of the treatment or from Event E combined with
the treatment. It is this pursuit of clear and unambiguous relationships that leads to the
need for carefully planned designs. The kinds of planned manipulation and observation
called experimental design often seem to become a bit complicated. This is unfortunate but
necessary, if we wish to pursue the potentially available information so the relationships
investigated are clear and unambiguous. The plan that we choose to call a design is an
essential part of research strategies.
The design itself entails:
selecting or assigning subjects to experimental units
selecting or assigning units for specific treatments or conditions of the experiment
(experimental manipulation)
specifying the order or arrangement of the treatment or treatments
specifying the sequence of observations or measurements to be taken
Experimental research is the surest methodological approach for the discovery, development and
organization of knowledge. Execution of experiment is highly sophisticated due to its requirement of
carefully controlled conditions to exclude all possibilities of the influence of extraneous and intervening
variables from the carefully manipulated independent variable. It is only when this is done, that changes
in the dependent variable can be correctly attributed to the independent variable.
Experimental research design is a most careful and thorough written plan of action to be
meticulously followed, step by step, for execution of a truly genuine experiment with maximum validity.
It clearly shows the entire what, how and when everything that constitutes the whole process of the
experiment will be satisfactorily done to arrive at conclusive conclusions about the purpose of the
investigation.
A true experimental research design must adequately represent a sure means for isolating the
effect of the independent variable (treatment conditions) on the dependent variable while
simultaneously excluding all possible or imaginable extraneous variables. The plan necessarily indicates
procedure for collecting all relevant data and accurately analyzing the same for testing null hypotheses
and answering research questions of the experiment unambiguously. The design puts all possible
extraneous, intruding, confounding, nuisance or contaminating variables under control through
randomization and use of control group. While randomization is the only means by which both known
and unknown variables are controlled or held constant, use of control group serves as a justifiable
source of comparison and as a suitable control for rival hypotheses (Kpolovie, 2010; Kpolovie, 2007;
Kpolovie, 2011; Cohen, Manion and Morrison, 2008; Best, 2007; Fraenkel and Wallen, 2003; Cooper
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and Schindler, 2001; Best and Kahn, 2007; Shaughnessy, Zechmeister and Zechmeister, 2000 and Pearl,
2000).
All that have been said above about a genuine experimental research design covers or ensures
internal validity of the experiment. It is therefore cogent to quickly aver that a true experimental design
must adequately cover the other critical part of experiment, namely external validity. A true
experimental design vividly shows the type and extent of population that findings of the investigation
can accurately be generalized to.
Finally, a true experimental research design depicts or indicates the manner and strategy of
collecting pretreatment measure (pretest) without practice effect. With this, the initial position or
condition of the subjects is elicited for more comparability and greater sensitivity of the experiment in
capturing and magnifying even small change in the dependent variable caused by the independent
variable where such effect indeed exists.
Worthy of mention too is the fact that in an experiment which control group will not be used, a true
experimental design shows the sequence of presentation of treatments to the group of subjects such that
carry-over and order effects will be eliminated. This is particularly so in experiments concerned with
finding out only within subjects effect instead of between subjects effect on the dependent variable.
Evolution of randomized six-group experimental design
Wikipedia Foundation, Inc. has given an excellent history of the development of experimental research.
Controlled experimentation on scurvy for instance, started far back in 1747 when James Lind carried out a
controlled experiment to develop a cure for scurvy when he was serving as surgeon on HM Bark Salisbury.
Lind selected 12 men from the ship, all suffering from scurvy. Lind limited his subjects to men who
"were as similar as I could have them". That is, he provided very strict entry requirements to reduce
extraneous variation. He divided them into six pairs, giving each pair different supplements to their
basic diet for two weeks. The treatments were all remedies that had been proposedThe men who had
been given citrus fruits recovered dramatically within a week. One of them returned to duty after 6 days
and the other cared for the rest. The others experienced some improvement, but nothing was
comparable to the citrus fruits, which were proved to be substantially superior to the other treatments.
Statistical experiments emerged from Chares Peirce when he developed a theory of statistical
inference in "Illustrations of the Logic of Science" (18771878) and "A Theory of Probable Inference"
in (1883). These two publications emphasized the importance of randomization-based inference in
research and statistics. Charles S. Peirce randomly assigned volunteers to a blinded, repeated-measures
design to evaluate their ability to discriminate weights. His experiment inspired other researchers in
psychology and education that resulted in the development of a research tradition of randomized
experiments in laboratories and specialized textbooks in the 1800s. He also contributed the first
English-language publication on an optimal design for regression-models in 1876. A pioneering optimal
design for polynomial regression was suggested by Gergonne in 1815. In 1918, Kirstine Smith
published optimal designs for polynomials of degree six (and less). Abraham Wald pioneered sequential
analysis experimentation and Herman Chernoff wrote an overview of optimal sequential designs. In
1952, a specific type of sequential design, "two-armed bandit" was published by Herbert Robbins.
Sir Roland Fisher is the father of the entire principles of experimental design. He proposed a
methodology for designing experiments in his landmark book The Design of Experiments (1935). As an
example, he described how to test the hypothesis that a certain lady could distinguish by flavour alone
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whether the milk or the tea was first placed in the cup. While this sounds like a frivolous application, it
allowed him to illustrate the most important ideas of experimental design such as comparison,
randomization, scientific control, analysis of variance, factorial experiments, replication, blocking,
orthogonality, and so on.
Raj Chandra Bose and K. Kishen of the Indian Statistical Institute posited some efficient designs
for estimating several main effects simultaneously in 1940. Orthogonal arrays as experimental designs
were introduced by C. R. Rao and this played a central role in Taguchi experimental designs, posited by
Genich Taguchi in the 1950s. These methods were successfully applied and adopted by Japanese and
Indian industries and subsequently were also embraced by US industry albeit with some reservations.
Gertrude Mary Cox and William Gemmell Cochran published their book on Experimental Designs in
1950 and it became the major reference work on the design of experiments for statisticians for years
afterwards.
Linear models theory on which true experimental research designs are based was developed and
they have encompassed and surpassed the cases that concerned early writers. Currently, true
experimental research designs and the data so collected are analyzed on the basis of linear algebra,
algebra and combinatorics.
It is in line with linear models theory and true experimental designs that Peter James Kpolovie of
the unique University of Port Harcourt developed his randomized six-group experimental design in
2007 to study the effect of 20-hours training on application of SPSS in data analysis on university
lecturers in Nigeria. The randomized six-group design of experiment encompasses and surpasses the
four true classical experimental designs. Data generated with the design are analyzed in accordance with
linear models that use both frequentist and Bayesian approaches. While the frequentist statistical
technique studies the sampling distribution, the Bayesian statistical procedure is used for updating the
probability distribution on the given parameter space.
1. Randomized between Subjects After-only Experimental Research Design
Between subjects after-only research design is a true experimental design which randomly
assigns subjects into experimental and control groups, administers the treatment and takes
measurement of the variable without a provision for pretest. A t-test analysis is then used to compare
performance of the experimental and control groups where only one treatment group was involved. In
a situation that more than one treatment groups were involved, analysis of variance (ANOVA) is
adopted for analyzing the data. What makes this design a true experimental one are the randomization,
administration of treatment and comparison of the control and experimental groups with respect to the
treatment variable. This design can also be described as randomized posttest only groups design. It can
be illustrated thus:
Treatment Observation
Experimental Group R X O
1
Control Group R O
2
Figure 1: Randomized after-only design
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Since membership of both groups was by randomization (R), any significant difference between
observations O
1
and O
2
can be rightly attributed to the treatment (X) that is the only difference
between the two groups. However, condition of the subjects before the treatment with respect to the
dependent variable is not known as the design does not include pretest. This gave room for emergence
of the next true experimental design.
2. Randomized between Subjects Before-After Experimental Research Design
In between subjects before-after research design, subjects are randomly assigned into control and
experimental treatments to equate the influence of unknown (extraneous) variables. Then, a
pretreatment measurement of the dependent variable is taken to further confirm equivalence of the
control and experimental groups with respect to the dependent variable. Next, the experimental groups
are administered the treatment conditions of the independent variable. After the treatment, a posttest
measurement of the dependent variable is obtained from all the groups. If subjects in the treatment
groups significantly differ from those in the control group, then such difference is the effect of the
independent variable on the dependent variable. If only subjects in one of the treatment groups (say B)
improved significantly in the dependent variable, then the difference can be said to have been caused by
the effect of treatment condition B (i.e., X
2
) on the dependent variable.
Pretest Treatment Posttest
Experimental Group A R O
1
X
1
O
2
Experimental Group B R O
3
X
2
O
4
Experimental Group C R O
5
X
3
O
6
Control Group R O
7
O
8
Figure 2: Randomized between subjects before-after design.
If ANOVA of the pretest had shown lack of difference in observations O
1
, O
3
, O
5
, and O
7
, due
mainly to the randomization; but after the treatment, posttest ANOVA revealed significant difference
between each of observations O
2
, O
4
, and O
6
on the one hand and that of the control group (O
8
) on
the other hand, then the manipulated independent variable must have been the cause of the difference.
For this conclusion to be made, O
2
, O
4
, and O
6
, must have each been significantly higher than O
1
, O
3
,
O
5
, O
7
and O
8
. For greater experimental sensitively, analysis of covariance (ACOVA) could also be
performed on O
1
, O
2
, O
3
, O
4
, O
5
, O
6
, O
7
and O
8
to totally remove the influence of pretesting and all
other known and unknown extraneous variables by treating O
1
, O
3
, O
5
and O
7
as covariates. There was
yet a need for an experimental design that could successfully combine randomized after-only design
with randomized before-after design. Consequent upon this, the next experimental design evolved.
3. Randomized Solomon Four-Group Design
Randomized Solomon four-group research design is another between subjects experimental
design. It is optimally powerful and very good in ascertaining causal relationship between independent
and dependent variables. This design appropriately combines the between subjects after-only and
between subjects before-after designs in investigating cause-and-effect relationship between two
variables. The design provides for
(a) One experimental group that takes pretest and posttest.
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(b) An experimental group that takes only the posttest.
(c) A control group that takes both pretest and posttest.
(d) Another control group that takes only posttest.
It also requires that membership of each of the groups as well as the treatment conditions for the
various groups be arrived at by random sampling. It is the most suitable design for total eradication of
extraneous variables and the factors that threaten internal validity. Both ANCOVA and ANOVA are
suitable for analyzing randomized Solomon four-group experimental design data.
Group Pretest Treatment Posttest
1 R O
1
X O
2
2 R O
3
O
4
3 R X O
5
4 R O
6
Figure 3: Randomized Solomon four-group design.
In spite of how thorough randomized Solomon four-group experimental design is, it can only be used
to investigate the effect of just one independent variable on a dependent variable at a time. There was
therefore a need for an experimental design that can accurately be used to study the effects of more
than one dependent variable on the dependent variable contemporaneously. This gave rise to yet
another experimental design.
4. Randomized Between Subjects Factorial Design
When an experiment is aimed at determining the independent (main) and interaction effects of
two or more independent variables on a dependent variable, the most suitable design to apply is
randomized between subjects factorial research design. Factorial design is very important because of its
unique merits over other experimental research designs. It is only factorial design that can be used to
study the main effects and interaction effect of two or more independent variables on the dependent
variable. Secondly, factorial design allows for manipulation of two or more independent variables in an
experimental study. That is, with factorial design more than one hypothesis can be tested with a single
analysis on the causal relationships between independent and dependent variables. Thirdly, factorial
design allows for control of a potential extraneous variable by building or incorporating it into the
design. Fourthly, with factorial design, greater precision can be gained for an experiment. Put
differently, factorial design better permits precision control than the earlier examined designs.
Currently, an experiment using factorial design has just been concluded in University of Port
Harcourt. The study aimed at determining effects of counselling and salary grade levels on 50-year old
male non-academic staffs readiness for retirement by this author. While the dependent variable is 50-
year old male non-academic staffs readiness for retirement (i.e., readiness for retirement in short), the
independent variables are counselling and salary grade levels. While three counselling strategies for
coping with retirement were used on the one hand; salary levels were in four categories. Taking the
counselling strategies as X
1
, X
2
and X
3
; and the salary grade levels as Y
1
, Y
2
, Y
3
and Y
4
, the factorial
design can be summarized as in the figure below.
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Counselling Strategies
S
a
l
a
r
y
g
r
a
d
e
l
e
v
e
l
s
X
1
X
2
X
3
S
a
l
a
r
y
m
a
i
n
e
f
f
e
c
t
s
Y
1
X
1
,Y
1
X
2
,Y
1
X
3
,Y
1
Y
2
X
1
,Y
2
X
2
,Y
2
X
3
,Y
2
Y
3
X
1
,Y
3
X
2
,Y
3
X
3
,Y
3
Y
4
X
1
,Y
4
X
2
,Y
4
X
3
,Y
4
Counselling main effects
Figure 4: Factorial experimental design
The twelve cells of X
1
and Y
1
, X
1
and Y
2
, X
1
and Y
3
, X
1
and Y
4
, X
2
and Y
1
, X
2
and Y
2
, X
2
and Y
3
, X
2
and Y
4
, X
3
and Y
1
, X
3
and Y
2
, X
3
and Y
3
, and finally X
3
and Y
4
, constitute interaction effects of the two
independent variables (counselling and salary grade levels). When data generated on the dependent
variable (readiness for retirement) are analyzed using two-way analysis of variance (Two-way ANOVA),
the main effect of counselling and the main effect of salary grade level as well as the interaction effect
of the counselling and salary grade levels on readiness for retirement will be clearly shown.
Recall that one of the independent variables (salary grade levels) was a potential extraneous
variable that was incorporated or built in to the design. It should also be noted that age was held
constant or controlled by using only 50-year old staff. Another suspected extraneous variable that was
controlled (held constant) in the investigation was sex or gender by using only male staff of the
University of Port Harcourt. Finally, all other known and unknown imaginable extraneous variables
were excluded from influencing the experiment by basing assignment of subjects into the treatment
groups on randomization. Though factorial design could be used to study the effects of two or more
independent variables on the dependent variable at once, the design does not usually allow room for
pretesting to ascertain the status of the subjects before introduction of the treatment conditions with
respect to the dependent variable as adequately taken care of in randomized Solomon four-group
design. This allowed a great knowledge gap that could only be filled with an experimental design that is
capable of encompassing all the four classical designs and better enhancing experimental validity by
providing greater control mechanisms and much more comparison groups to produce results that
preclude plausibility of alternative explanation of causality. The knowledge gap of having an
experimental design that can be used to investigate the main and interaction effects of two or more
independent variables contemporaneously when randomized after-only, before-after, Solomon four-
group and factorial designs are completely embedded culminated in the revolutionary emergence of the
randomized between subjects six-group experimental design.
5. Randomized Six-Group Experimental Design
Randomized six-group experimental design is a very powerful and most suitable between subjects
design for establishment of causal relationships between each of two independent variables or of the
two treatment factors and one dependent variable. The design has all the merits of randomized
Solomon four-group design and factorial design. Randomized six-group experimental design was
formulated by Kpolovie (2007) to overcome criticisms of posttest-only, pretest-posttest, Solomon four-
group and factorial between subjects experimental designs. The randomized six-group design does this
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by allowing for the effects of two treatment conditions or two independent variables on a dependent
variable to be studied at once with the influence of pretest or practice effect totally removed from the
dependent variable. With randomized six-group experimental design, investigation of two independent
variables and one dependent variable that would have called for application of randomized Solomon
four-group experimental design twice can easily be done once with greater control of extraneous
variables and an additional advantage of detecting interaction effect. In reality, each psychological
construct as a dependent variable is not only associated with other traits but is actually caused by the
influence of more than one independent variable due to the complexity of human attributes and their
interconnectivity. Consequently, the very best experimental design to apply is the randomized six-group
experimental design that best allows for investigation of the effects of more than one independent
variable on a dependent variable when pretest and posttest conditions of the subjects are known. The
design has six randomized groups, four of which are experimental groups and two are control groups
as illustrated below.
Group Pretest
observation
Treatment Post-test
observation
1 R O
1
Y O
2
2 R O
3
X O
4
3 R O
5
O
6
4 R Y O
7
5 R X O
8
6 R O
9
Figure 5: Randomized six-group experimental design.
Requirements of the design are as follows:
Randomly draw a truly representative sample from the population.
Randomly assign the subjects into six groups.
Randomly assign treatment and control conditions to the groups.
Two of the groups should receive Treatment Y.
One of Treatment Y groups should receive both pretest and posttest observations (O
1
and O
2
).
The other Treatment Y group should receive only posttest observation (O
7
).
Two of the groups should get Treatment X.
One of Treatment X groups should take both pretest and posttest observations (O
3
and O
4
).
The other of Treatment X groups should take only posttest observation (O
8
).
Two of the groups should be control groups.
One of the control groups should be exposed to both pretest and posttest observations (O
5
and
O
6
).
The second control group should be exposed to only posttest observation (O
9
).
The obtained data so collected can be subjected to a much more robust analyses, ANCOVA, ANOVA
and pairwise multiple comparisons. Results will show the main effect of each of the treatment factors
on the dependent variable. Which of treatments Y and X has greater effect on the dependent variable
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will equally be revealed by the analyses. Two-way ANOVA can also be applied in the analyses to reveal
interaction effect in addition to the main effects of the column and row factors (the two independent
variables) on the dependent variable. A single randomized between subjects six-group experimental
design is more thorough than double randomized Solomon four-group designs in an investigation. In
sum, this design supersedes two randomized Solomon four-group design experiments to incorporate
factorial design to aptly produce cause-and-effect relationships between independent variables and a
dependent variable. All the four classical experimental designs are embedded and surpassed in a
randomized six-group experimental design. The design can also be correctly used by combining
matching with randomization in a situation that this is most desirable or appropriate. Randomized six-
group experimental design was used to study the effect of 20-hour training in use of SPSS in data
analyses as well as manual data analyses on university lecturers in Nigeria. Results showed significant
effect that by providing lecturers with 20-hour comprehensive training in application of SPSS in data
analyses, they are able to personally use SPSS to accurately, speedily and effortlessly analyze their
research data.
With randomized six-group experimental design, the three indispensable conditions for
establishment of cause-and-effect relationships between variables are best met. The necessary
conditions for establishment of causal inference are:
i) Evidence of covariation of events: in which manipulation of one variable is a necessary and
sufficient condition for significantly observed effect on or changes in the dependent
variable
ii) Time-order relationship: which demands that to correctly infer a causal relationship between
independent and dependent variables, the independent variable must always occur first
before the dependent variable
iii) Elimination of extraneous variables: which demands that all confounding variables are
totally held constant or eliminated in the course of the manipulation of the independent
variable for its effect, and nothing else, on the dependent variable to be observed.
Threats to experimental validity are optimally controlled from affecting the experiment with the
use of randomized six-group design. Such threats include history, maturation, statistical regression,
selection bias, experimental mortality, testing, prior treatment interference, artificiality of experimental
setting, placebo-Hawthorne effect, instrumentation effect and implementation effect (Kpolovie, 2010;
Jackson, 2006; Babbie, 2007; Kpolovie, 2011; Cohen, 2008; Breakwell, Hammond and Fife-Schaw,
2001; Ary, Jacobs and Razavieh, 2002).
Choice of most appropriate experimental Design
The foregoing five experimental designs that have been carefully explained are true experimental
designs because when meticulously executed, they produce cause-and-effect relationships that are not
confounded by extraneous variables. It is the responsibility of a researcher who is engaging in
experimental research to carefully choose and use one of them. The choice of a most appropriate
experimental design to use in an investigation depends on a number of factors. Firstly, the designs that
can best or most suitably provide answer to the research questions and test the postulated null
hypotheses of the study. Secondly, the design that can provide maximum control over extraneous
variables and free the work from the influence of factors that threaten experimental validity. Thirdly,
the design that has the highest merits or advantages and the lowest or least disadvantages in meeting
the purpose of the study or solving the problem under investigation. It should be reiterated that these
are decisions that can be made correctly if and only if the researcher has a thorough knowledge or
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mastery of i) experimental research designs, ii) threats to experimental validity, iii) techniques for
controlling extraneous variables, and iv) the problem which he has chosen to investigate.
Contributions to knowledge
This paper has propounded a new experimental design, called randomized six-group experimental
design, in which all the classical experimental designs (randomized after-only, randomized before-after,
randomized Solomon four-group and randomized factorial experimental research designs) are
completely embedded. The new design evolved from the classical ones, encompassed and surpassed
them in investigation of cause-and-effect relationships between variables. Randomized six-group
experimental design is used for investigation of the main effects and interaction effect of two or more
independent variables on a dependent variable in a most thorough form as one randomized six-group
between subjects design is more powerful than two Solomon four-group design experiments. The
complexity of modern society and the interconnectivity of psycho-social variables demand that for best
results with greatest experimental validity, the use of randomized six-group experimental research
design is supersedingly the best to apply. Randomized six-group experimental design allows for more
critical comparison groups for greater precision and establishment of overwhelmingly exceeding
difference, where a statistically significant difference exists indeed. The design best allows for
application of several inferential statistical techniques in the analyses of collected data. Since very
experimentally researchable variable is complexly interconnected with other socio-psychological
constructs, application of randomized six-group experimental design is absolutely recommended for
investigators wishing to execute experimental research.
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Journal of Education in Developing Areas (JEDA) Vol. 19, No. 2.
SOCIAL SCIENCE EDUCATION AS A PANACEA FOR
NATIONAL INTEGRATION IN NIGERIA
By
Paulley, F. G. (Ph.D) mnim.
Department of Educational Foundations
Faculty of Education, Niger Delta University
Wilberforce Island, Bayelsa State.
Email: paulleyfg@gmail.com
08037768953
Abstract
Social Science Education, which is concerned with the study of man, his culture
and his relationship with his environment, in diverse ways, is a potent force for
ensuring national integration. However, the achievement of the above goal is
premised on the fact that, best practices are followed particularly, as they relate to
the teacher, who in the formal educational sector is the fulcrum on which the entire
school system revolves. This, in the Nigerian case is lacking. Accordingly, the
paper proffered few suggestions as the ways forward, so that Nigeria as a multi-
ethnic state, yearning for integration, can exploit the gains of social science
education, as a tool for national integration.
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Introduction
The Meaning of Social Science and Its Scope
This is a vast area of human knowledge that defies one single definition. This is so because, what the
field of study encompasses, cannot be easily categorized. However, the term social sciences, according
to the Encyclopedia Americana (1997:130) refers typically to the highly specialized teaching and
research, conducted at university and adult levels, in those disciplines that are characterized by their
concern with man, his culture, and his relationship with his environment in diverse ways. In other
words, it involves those fields of learning and research that are primarily concerned with human
behaviour in his social, cultural and economic aspects.
To ascertain whether a field of study belongs to the social sciences, the Encyclopedia
Americana (1997: 131) poses two questions to be answered. These are:
(i) does the field deals with human behaviour?
(ii) does it gather and study its materials in a scientific manner?
These are important questions, because, the aim of the social sciences is to establish
generalizations about human behaviour, that can be supported by empirical evidence(s), since man and
his social relationships, which are the focus of the social sciences are unpredictable. Thus, the social
scientist seeks to research and collect data in an objective and scientific way, rather than rely on
documentary practices, with the use of more precise instruments of research to bring about an accurate
or a closer prediction of mans behaviour in society.
To do so, he acquires a wide range of tools and techniques, ranging from electrical devices to
measure and record brain activities, psychological tests of attitudes and personality, tests of learning and
social interactions, interviews, surveys and polls, statistical processes and the application of instruments;
such as recording devices and use of computers. Based on the above, the disciplines of Political
Science, Economics, Sociology, Social Studies and Education among others fall within the field of
Social Sciences, as they have something to do with different aspects of human behaviour.
Why Study the Social Sciences in Schools
The study of the Social Sciences according to Asuka and Paulley (in press) is useful to man because it:
helps man to understand and control his emotions, prejudices and fears, as he lives in the social
environment;
helps man to find the basis of a strengthened value system, and the means whereby one can
achieve those ends that will provide the progress of civilizations. This is so because, in many
instances, we possess numerous facts arising from researches and thoughts in the Social
Sciences basic to the betterment of our social dilemmas;
provides man with a honest and dispassionate criticisms of the effectiveness or evils of society
as well as proffering solutions to such evils/vices aimed at bettering the society;
helps in the training of professionals, who take and influence the making and implementation
of some policies, for the improvement of social life; and
makes one to be rational in ones thinking and actions.
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The Concept of Education
The word education is derived from the Latin word educare
meaning to bring up, to lead out, to raise up and to educate. In its original sense, to educate means
acting in order to lead out fully all the potentialities of an individual. Education, therefore, is one of the
social institutions invented by man to satisfy societal needs of progress and accelerated development
There are today many definitions of education, varying with educational philosophers, scholars
and students. Even one person can define education in more than one way, and ones definition of the
word may change from time to time. This according to Kosemani (1995:1), is so because each society
has its unique needs distinct from others. This is what Dewey in Kosemani (1995:1) meant when he
said:
the aim (of education) is a matter of emphasis at a given time, which suggests
that the role, direction and character of education is a function of the prevalent
philosophy of life and circumstances operative in any society or state at any point
in time.
A few of the current ideas and definitions of education are presented for analysis in the following
paragraphs.
According to Moses (1981:3-4) sees education may be seen as:
the process by which the young ones of the human family are prepared for happy
and useful membership of the world into which they are borna continuous
process of growth and development in all aspects of ones beingand intended to
fit one for the type of life that is both satisfying to himself and acceptable to the
community in which he lives, grows and works.
The above definition of education implies that education is a composite of all the means
(formal and informal), and ends of nurturing and developing the intellectual and physical abilities,
attitudes and values, in conformity with the approved and acceptable norms of behaviour in the society.
For Okafor (1987), education is one of the most important factors that distinguish man from
animals, since it is one of the principal outcomes of mans rationality. Plato, as cited by Okafor (1987),
puts it that a good education consists of giving to the body and to the soul all the beauty and all the
perfections of which they are capable. Okafor, therefore defined education as a process of
acculturation, through which the individual is helped to attain the development of his potentialities and
their maximum activation when necessary, according to right reason and to achieve thereby his perfect
self-fulfillment (sic). This definition by Okafor sees education not as casual experience, but as
something well planned and handled. The potentialities of an individual may be in the psychomotor,
affective or cognitive perspective. It must not be one sided. It must involve the totality of the
individual.
Hernrich, Pestallozi and Huxley as cited in Rusk (1976) see education as an instrument/process
of developing the individual for social reforms, by mastering the laws of nature and utilizing them
effectively and judiciously in our life experiences. For OConnor (1957:7), education is an elaborate
social mechanism, designed by any society to bring about in those submitted to it, certain skills and
activities that are judged desirable in that society. This, therefore, suggests that education is the bye-
product of its environment as its character and direction are usually influenced by their history, political
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system, sociology, religion and economy of that society. Kaduna (1963) and Castle (1966), claim that
education is the transmission of culture from the older generation to the young. This concept is often
expressed not only by educational historians, but also by sociologists and psychologists who study
education. Callaway, as quoted by Jekayinfa and Kolawole (2003:4) holds the view that life is education
and education is life. This implies that the process of education, spans through a mans life.
To Taiwo (1986), education is the total efforts a community put in to raise its social, economic
and political standard of life. For Majasan (1967), as quoted by Jekayinfa and Kolawole (2003:4),
education is the process by which society passes its culture from one generation to another while
Ajayi, (1965) holds the view that education should aim not merely at creating and transferring
technology, but also at developing people and resources. Another popular definition of education is
that of Good (1945), who sees education as the art of making available to each generation, the
organized knowledge of the past, which is the process by which the traditions and culture of a society
are passed on from one generation to the other, from the older to the younger ones.
Fafunwa (1995), was of the view that education is the aggregate of all the processes by which a
child or young adult develops the abilities, attitudes and other forms of behaviour, which are of positive
value to the society in which he/she lives; that is to say, it is a process for transmitting culture in terms
of continuity and growth and for disseminating knowledge either to ensure social control or to
guarantee rational direction of the society or both. Fafunwa, went further to observe that the end
(objective) of education is to produce an individual who is honest, respectful, skilled, co-operative, and
who would conform to the social order.
The above definitions of education point to the fact that any education that goes contrary to the
idea of developing the potentialities of individual, so that he will be able to benefit and also contribute
to the development of the society in which he find himself may not be seen as functional.
Ezewu (1993:29-33), after reviewing the views of several philosophers including Plato, Aristotle,
Milton, Rousseau, Dearden, Jefferys and Castle, came to the conclusion that:
education is the process through which an individual born into a human society is
exposed to and learns the culture which includes knowledge, skills and values of
the given society consciously or unconsciously so that he can function efficiently in
the given society.
Similarly, Obanya (2004:22) opines that every human society devotes a considerable amount of
time and energy in transmitting its cultural heritage to its younger generation. The scholar went
further to state that it is this inter-generational transmission of cultural heritage that is the primary
meaning and function of education.
In spite of the many definitions of education as given above, two things appear common to all
of them. These are:
that the goals of education are derived from the societys value system; and
that education is intended to equip the learner with knowledge, attitudes, skills and competences
necessary for the production of rational and productive citizens for societal transformation in all its
ramifications. The essence is to stimulate national development.
In this paper, education is used specifically to mean all those planned and deliberate
programmes of the schools, leading to the acquisition of knowledge, skills and values, adjudged
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desirable by the state, guided by its philosophy and ideology aimed at producing the type of individuals
needed by the state. The main purpose of education is to develop the individual so that he can be
useful to himself, his family, and the society, generally.
What is Social Science Education?
Every society needs capable people to hold the various offices available in it. To supply these
personnel, the school provides a variety of courses (education as a discipline) which will enable people
acquire the relevant skills, knowledge and information that will make them fit in properly for the
performance of their roles for the benefit of the society. This is so because, most people, the world
over look up to education for the realization of their life ambitions to become functional members of
the society in which they find themselves. The school as an agent of the formal educative process has a
great role to play in this direction. This is where Social Science education comes in to meet the needs of
social interactions so as to keep the system in equilibrium.
Social Science Education, therefore, involves the study of the experiences of human
relationships as they affect ones culture in the society. These experiences and their rightful application
form the values which become controls for the social relations of each individual.
To achieve the above in the modern concept of education, the role of the teacher cannot be
over emphasized. The teacher in this context has the duty of adapting his lessons to the needs of the
learners environment so as to make the lesson have a lasting impact on him. The school through the
teacher should teach the children to learn their roles as learners, group members in the family and the
community at large, since as social animals, they cannot live in isolation. The children should be made
to appreciate the demands and needs of group living (spirit of tolerance). They should be informed
about the society in which they live (Geography), how the society is ruled (Political
Science/Government), how members use their limited resources to meet their many needs
(Economics) and how the community is kept clean for the survival of the individuals (Environmental
Education). They should be equally taught beliefs and customs (Religious Education), national
consciousness and history (History/Civic Education), other parts of the world, their cultures and how
they live (Sociology) among others.
Emphasis must, however, be placed on the study of the local environment with excursion
arranged so that the students can learn about other parts of the country with the aim of ensuring
peaceful co-existence which is an essential ingredient of national integration.
What then is National Integration?
According to Section 14 (3) (4) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, national
integration refers to the specific problems of creating a sense of territorial nationality, which eliminates
subordinate parochial loyalties. This assumes that there exists in every ethnically plural society, like
Nigeria, the issue of each group trying to protect its own peculiarities such as language or other self
conscious cultural qualities thereby weakening the foundation of the entire state. This is because the
various groups are all struggling to protect their micro solidarities, allegiance or secessionist tendency.
In essence, it is a ploy aimed at fighting such divisive elements within such ethnically plural states such
that the interest of the state as a whole will be upper most in the minds of all the people.
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National integration therefore leads to political cohesion and sentiment of loyalty towards the
central political institutions. This is so because it helps in creating a national central authority over
subordinate political units. Conceived in this way, national integration is a subjective feeling which
individuals belonging to different social groups or historically distinct political units have towards a new
state. Such feeling is created through the objective control, which the central authority has over the
entire territory under its claimed jurisdiction.
Sanda (1992:65-66) sees national integration as synonymous with national unity. He, therefore, defines
it as the collective orientation of members of a society towards the nation and its society such that
micro-loyalties are not allowed to jeopardize the continued existence of the state, its objectives and
ideals.
A nation (state) is said to be integrated according to Bhatia (2004:235)
if its citizens, may be belonging to any caste, community, religion, language and state,
have feeling of oneness, share each others joys and sorrows, smiles and tears and have an
interest in the welfare of the nation (state) as a whole.
The citizens of an integrated nation, he continued,
have mutual understanding, tolerance and respect for the culture, traditions and ways
of life of the different sections of people in their country. They have common national
ideals, common objectives, common interests and above all a profound confidence in the
future of the nation. National Integration is the end whereas emotional integration is
the means to achieve that end, he concludes.
From the above, it implies that national integration covers a vast range of human relationships
and attitudes such as integration of diverse and discrete cultural loyalties, development of a sense of
nationality, a means for the maintenance of a political system from disintegrating. In spite of the
diverse ways it is seen, they all have a common link, as they all point to the fact that national integration
is aimed at holding society and the political system together.
Why National Integration in Nigeria
National integration is a problem facing developing countries with diverse ethnic groups. Nigeria as a
developing country with diverse ethnic groups is, therefore, not an exception. This view was aptly
captured by Ajayi (1989:218) when he said:
the problems of national integration in Nigeria stare us in the face all the time, and no
one can argue that we ignore them. But they are problems which require long term
solutions and yet we deal with them on an ad-hoc basis without a consistent or coherent
policy or ideology.
This being the case, how can education and more specifically the Social Science Education as
provided in the National Policy on Education (2004) promote National Integration in Nigeria?
Levels of Education in Nigeria and Specific Social Science Education Objectives as Contained
in The National Policy on Education
Pre-Primary/Early Childhood Care and Development Education: This is meant for children of
ages between 2 and 5+. It is intended to help the child acquire rudimentary knowledge of social norms,
a spirit of inquiry, co-operation and team work (Social Science Education objectives). This level of
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education (that is ECCDE), according to Obanya (2004:29), is based on the well-known principle that
the foundations for education and personal development is laid before the child is born. It is at this
stage that the intellectual, emotional and sound traits for lifelong functional education are awakened and
stimulated. As crucial as this level of education is in the educational development of the child and the
country, the sector is unfortunately left solely in the hands of private proprietors, business men and
women who see it as yet another means to make money. The implications of this are many, three of
which are that:
education contrary to the government policy of free and compulsory for all at the foundation
level is not after all free.
accordingly, only children of the well-to-do are likely to have this rudimentary education; and
assuming that all children attend the state controlled free primary schools (now the lower basic)
those children with pre-primary/early childhood care development education background are
most likely to be at an advantaged position due to the disparity in the system.
Basic Education: This is made compulsory for all children whose ages range from 6 to 15 years.
Accordingly, parents are liable for fines and imprisonment for failing to send their children to school
according to the UBE Act of 2004 (See Part I Section 4 (a-c). Its Social Science Education objectives
include inculcating in the child citizenship education as a basis for effective participation in and
contributes to the society, mould the character and develop sound attitude, moral training of the child
and ability to adapt to the changing environment.
Secondary Education: This is being offered to children between the ages of 16 and 18 years who
would continue in academics after the nine years of continuous school under the UBE. The Social
Science Education objectives here are to prepare the child for useful living in society, developing and
protecting the Nigerian culture, raising a generation of people who can think for themselves (rational
thinking) respect for the feelings of others (tolerance), respect for the dignity of labour, foster Nigerian
unity with emphasis on the common ties that unite us in our diversity. Social Studies, Government,
Christian Religion Knowledge (C.R.K), Geography among other subjects are taught to inculcate these
feelings among the children.
Higher Education: Higher Education is given to adults from 18 years and above which is intended
to help the adults acquire, develop and inculcate proper value orientation for the survival of the
individual as useful members of the community as well as having an objective view of the local and
external environment. Here such courses as Sociology, History and Diplomacy, Philosophy, Political
Science, Religion, Psychology, Economics, Education among others help to inculcate these feelings
among the adults.
Apart from the above categories specified, other categories of education as provided in the
National Policy on Education (FRN:2004) include Mass Literary, Adult and Non Formal Education as
well as Teacher Education with each of them also having specific provisions for Social Science
Education. For instance, the Social Science Education provisions for Mass Literacy, Adult and Non
Formal Education include giving the adult citizen of the country necessary cultural and civic
education for public enlightenment.
Teacher Education as a specialized training giving to those who are being prepared to take up
appointment as professional teachers has such Social Science Education objectives of helping the
teacher fit into the social life of the country and society at large and to enhance the commitment of the
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teacher to national objectives.
Role of Social Science Education in National Integration
From the above, therefore, a well co-ordinated Social Science Education Programme as provided in the
National Policy on Education (2004) will enhance the following for the overall integration of the
diverse groups for the development of the Nigerian state.
making the Nigerian child to be efficient and selfless leader/statesman and devoted enlightened
follower:
instilling in the child a strong sense of group loyalty, that is the country as a group.
instilling a sense of approval and devotion to the national ideals.
showing love and admiration of the nations past and present heroes/leaders.
instilling in the child a sense of obligation to the service of the state. This is a recognition that
the state has a supreme claim upon ones service.
instilling in the child love of the fatherland which should include appreciation of the physical
features and the diverse indigenous cultures (spirit of tolerance) a key to harmonious group
living.
helping the child to be familiar with and appreciate national symbols such as the national flag,
anthem, coat of arm, currency and leaders, as well as the need to respect them.
providing for both personal/individual as well as for national economic efficiency .
instilling in the child how to make effective use of his resources such as intellect, time, income
and other materials possessions.
teaching the child the importance and necessity of conserving natural resources.
inculcating in all the ideals of wise saving and spending, and
developing in the child a sense of self discipline and responsibility, creativity, critical thinking
and ability to take initiative.
It is hoped that the above will give the child a sense of belonging to his community, state and
the country which incidentally are the overall objectives of the National Policy on Education. With this
type of education, progressive and happy citizens will be produced for the integration of the entire
country.
The Problem
Nigerias problem is not that of policy formulation, but that of implementation. The translation of
these ideals into reality so as to stimulate the needed integration of the country using education as a tool
is the responsibility of the teacher and the other enablers of the teaching and learning environment.
The question, therefore, is how is the government the greatest employer of teachers and the
ultimate beneficiary of the national integration effort treating issues relating to teachers on whose
shoulders every other thing relating to the successful implementation of any educational programme
revolves. This bit was aptly captured by Coombs (1968) cited by Amadi (1986:vii) when he said the
quality of education in any country cannot rise above the quality of its teachers. This assertion in the
specific case of Nigeria had been re-emphasized by the government in the National Policy on
Education (FRN:2004:39).
In spite of the above position, there appears to be a great distaste for teaching in the country
due to the way teachers are being treated. Commenting on the lack of interest in teaching among
people in the country, The Punch Newspaper in its editorial of September (20:2005:16) raised a number
of issues ranging from contempt with which the teaching profession is been held presently, poor
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funding, half hearted implementation of most government education policies (UPE, the 6-3-3-4 and
the current UBE programme among others), and more importantly the discouraging remuneration of
teachers. Teachers are believed to operate under lamentable working conditions, inadequate facilities,
lack of job satisfaction, stressful classroom situations which often lead to burnout.
Accordingly, a lot of teachers believe that society does not value their input and that they are
not getting enough respect. As a result, most people go in for teaching as a last resort. This is evident
in the dwindling fortunes of admissions into the countrys faculties of education, whose responsibility it
is to produce graduate teachers, in recent time.
The Way Forward
In view of the strategic role of the teacher in the actualization of the Social Science Education goals for
the promotion of national integration, government in particular and the society as a whole should take
issues relating to teachers welfare a little more serious, for no matter how well a countrys educational
system is been planned, until it attracts an efficient and highly motivated teaching force, it will amount
to effort in futility. The much talked about Teachers Salary Scale (TSS) should be implemented across
the country with no further political intrigues. Again, the current effort of the Teachers Registration
Council in registering teachers to make teaching a real profession as it is with law, medicine, surveying
among others is a move in the right direction that should be sustained. This way, teachers will have a
sense of pride, as it will no longer be an all comer affairs as it is currently.
Until these are done, good and credible persons will continue to shun the teaching profession.
The implication, therefore, will be that the much talked about national integration using Social Science
Education as a tool will continue to be a wishful thinking. This according to Nnoli (1980:175) is so
because Nigeria (as a country) has been suffering from self-fulfilling and self-sustaining dynamic of the
various ethnic groups. This jinx can only be broken in the thinking of this author using Social Science
Education if best practices are put in place in matters relating to the teacher.
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