ABSTRACT
The study examined the relationship between capacity building programmes and job performance of lecturers in universities in Abia State, Nigeria. Six research questions and six null hypotheses were formulated that guided the study. The study adopted a correlational design. A total of 168 lecturers representing 10% of the 1668 lecturers were proportionately drawn from the five universities in the state to constitute the sample size. Two instruments titled “Capacity Building Programmes Questionnaire (CBPQ) and Lecturers’ Job Performance Questionnaire (LJPQ) were developed by the researcher and used for data collection. The instruments were validated by five experts, three from Educational Management and two from Measurement and Evaluation all from Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike. Reliability index of 0.93 and 0.83 were obtained for the CBPQ and LJPQ respectively. Pearson’s Product Moment Correlation Coefficient was used to answer the research questions and to test the hypotheses at 0.05 significant level. The findings revealed that mentoring to a significant positive moderate extent relates with job performance of lecturers in Universities in Abia State; study leave to a significant positive high extent relates with job performance of lecturers in Universities in Abia State; ICT training to a significant positive low extent relates with job performance of lecturers in Universities in Abia State; conference to a significant positive moderate extent relates with job performance of lecturers in Universities in Abia State; seminar to a non-significant positive moderate extent relates with job performance of lecturers in Universities in Abia State; and workshop to a significant positive high extent relates with job performance of lecturers in Universities in Abia State. The study concluded that capacity building programmes relates positively with lecturers job performance. It was thus recommended among others that there is need for university managements in Abia State to make mentoring programmes compulsory for all academic staff, sponsor study leave for lecturers to undergo doctoral degree/post doctoral degree programmes and encourage them to attend conferences, seminars and workshops which will lead to improved performance of lecturers in universities in Abia State.
TABLE
OF CONTENTS
Title
Page i
Declaration ii
Certification iii
Dedication iv
Acknowledgements v
Table
of Contents vi
List
of Tables x
Abstract xi
CHAPTER 1:
INTRODUCTION 1
1.1
Background to the Study 1
1.2
Statement of the Problem 11
1.3
Purpose of the Study 12
1.4
Research Questions 13
1.5
Research Hypotheses 14
1.6
Significance of the Study 15
1.7
Scope of the Study 16
CHAPTER 2: REVIEW
OF RELATED LITERATURE 18
2.1 Conceptual Framework 18
2.1.1 Concept of capacity building 18
2.1.2 Capacity building programmes 23
2.1.3 Concept of lecturer 30
2.1.4 Concept of job performance 31
2.1.5 Lecturers’ job performance 33
2.1.6 Concept of university 35
2.1.7 Measures of job performance for a university
lecturer 37
2.1.8 Nigerian experience on capacity building in
labour relations 39
2.1.9 Challenges to the provision and
participation of capacity building
programmes for
university lecturers 41
2.2 Theoretical Framework 44
2.2.1 Human capital theory by Theodore Shultz
(1961) 44
2.2.2 Herzberg’s two-factor theory of motivation
(1959) 46
2.3 Empirical Studies 48
2.4 Summary of Review of Related Literature 52
CHAPTER 3: METHODOLOGY 55
3.1 Design of the Study 55
3.2 Area of the Study 56
3.3 Population of the Study 58
3.4 Sample and Sampling Technique 58
3.5 Instrument for Data Collection 59
3.6 Validation of the Instrument 60
3.7 Reliability of the Instrument 60
3.8 Method of Data Collection 61
3.9 Method of Data Analysis 61
CHAPTER 4: RESULTS AND DISCUSSION 63
4.1 Results 63
4.2 Summary of Findings 72
4.3 Discussion 73
CHAPTER
5: SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND
RECOMMENDATIONS 77
5.1 Summary 77
5.2 Conclusion 79
5.3 Educational Implications of the Study 80
5.4 Recommendations 82
5.5 Limitations of the Study 83
5.6 Suggestions for Further Research 83
REFERENCES 84
APPENDICES
LIST OF TABLES
PAGES
4.1: Correlation
matrix of mentoring and job
performance of lecturers in universities in Abia State. 64
4.2: Correlation matrix of study
leave and job
performance of lecturers in universities Abia State. 65
4.3: Correlation
matrix of ICT
training and job
performance of lecturers in universities
Abia State. 67
4.4: Correlation
matrix of conference
and job
performance of lecturers in universities
Abia State. 68
4.5: Correlation
matrix of seminars
and job
performance of lecturers in universities
Abia State. 70
4.6: Correlation
matrix of workshop
and job
performance of lecturers in universities
Abia State. 71
CHAPTER 1
INTRODUCTION
1.1 BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY
Universities
are setup to fulfill the primary purpose of training and educating manpower to
provide technical, professional and other socio-economic services for the nation
development. This can only be attained when the University lecturers are
adequately trained and retrained in capacity building programmes.
Lecturers
as instructors and facilitators in teaching and learning should be dynamic in
methods, knowledge, approaches and information so as to cope with the modern
challenges of their job. Lecturers are inherent factors in university
education; they play a major role in shaping the younger and upcoming generation
through quality education. It is therefore necessary that they gain the entire
information and the necessary qualities of education by means of trainings and instructions
which utilizes the development of an individual mentally, morally and physically
which ultimately will help in building their capacities.
The
term Capacity building is most times used together with capacity
development. Ogunyai (2017) views
capacity building or capacity development as the process of training and educating
people for productive employment role. Adebayo, and Sagaya, (2016) described capacity building as a
process which deals with the development of skills, human competence and
attitude for measuring up with the needs of the nation professionally, occupationally,
technically and administratively. As stated by Alawa, Abanyam and Okeme (2010),
capacity building is an effort geared towards improving skills, attitudes and knowledge
possessed by an individual for proficiency in a given task or job.
Adebayo,
and Sagaya, (2016) states that capacity building refers to strengthening the
skills, knowledge, competencies, and abilities in individual to survive, adapt
and scale through in the fast-changing world. In line with this fact, Igbongidi,
(2011) restated that a nation that cannot develop and improve the knowledge and
skills of her people and use them effectively in the developing the economy a
nation will definitely not have the capacity of developing anything else. It is
therefore clear from the above definitions and in line with this study that
capacity building is effort geared towards improving the skills and knowledge
of lecturers in order to perform efficiently in the learning and teaching process.
It is the steps through which organizations, societies and individuals
strengthen, maintain and obtain the capabilities to achieve and set their own
development objectives over a certain period of time.
Building capacity is of great benefit to any
nation. Institutions of higher learning around the world play a major role in
this development, by means of education and research which contributes greatly
in poverty reduction. Capacity development is a transformation process, and therefore
it’s about managing transformations, peoples’ capacities, capacity of an institution
and that of a society changes with time. It has to do with enhancing the
already acquired capacities of these lecturers in order to yield the required
change. A close attention to what investments and development policies work
best to boost the abilities skills, networks and knowledge base cannot be a
one-off intervention. The importance of development and training of lecturers
cannot be overemphasized. This is because the system at work in most university
globally is seen as the center of knowledge, the fountain and bedrock of
intellectualism, the foundation for the intellectual training of the future
leaders, and the greatest means of the achievement of socio-economic
development in a nation (Ekpiken, 2015). A system which guarantees only qualified
students in learning and character should have lecturers who are also well trained,
retrained and developed professionally and academically through capacity
building programmes.
Hence,
capacity building programmes encompasses training, promotion, motivating and
rewarding staff. The process also involves a range of situational training
forms, mentoring, attendance at regional conferences, seminars and workshops,
although the importance of the work unit must be met first (Mgijima 2014). Esu,
(2012) pointed out that staff development programmes include training,
attendance at seminars, workshops, conferences and short courses within and
outside the institution. They also include sabbatical leaves, promotions which
are expected to lead to effective performance in activities and in tertiary
institutions. Staff development programms primarily aim at improving employee
competence as to ensure transfer of quality knowledge, skills and required
attitudes of trainees, as well as improved performance on the job in the
various work situations. Capacity building programmes could take the following
forms in this study- mentoring, study leave, ICT training, conferences, seminars
and workshop.
Mentoring
is referred to as the relationship that exist between two people with the primary
purpose of enhancing personal and professional development. It is a
relationship that is centered on a mutual ground for development that is directed
towards career objectives and goals. The individuals involved are usually referred
to as the “mentee” and the “mentor”. The
mentor is usually more experienced and exposed colleague while the mentee is a
less experienced colleague. The process of mentoring has to do with sharing
perspectives, coaching and transferring wisdom and knowledge to the mentee.
Mentoring among lecturers in the university is beneficial to both the mentor
and the mentee in terms of job performance. It helps in learning of new and
better ways to do things, improve leadership skills, communication skills,
career advancement, and so on (Anebi, 2015).
Study
leave refers to a period for which an employer has released an employee from
his duties to enable him/her pursue training or course. A lecturer could take
up study leave to go for a doctoral degree/post doctoral degree. When higher
Institutions in Abia State allow their lecturers take study leave, they will be
better equipped to take up their responsibility in the school, hence, their performance
in the job is improved (Machika, 2014).
ICT
Training: It is sad to say that some University lecturers in Abia State have no
ICT skill. They can neither browse through the net or type. This negatively
affects their job performance. ICT training should be constantly organized for
lecturers to help improve their job since most of the information we have today
in the world is contained in the net.
Conference according to Ene 2016, is a meeting or
gathering that usually last a few days, it which is organized based on a specific
subject matter or to gather people who have common interest together. It gives opportunities for active
participation of members and creates avenue for innovative ideas to be thrown
about and new information to be shared among experts. Its purpose is to present
research findings. Attending conferences will help broaden lecturers’ knowledge
and improve their productivity.
Seminar
is an academic instruction that involves the coming together of people for the primary
aim of discussing a specified topic. Such gatherings are usually an interactive
session where the people involved engage in discussions about the topic in
question (Ene, 2016). Seminars help renew ones motivation or excitement for the
job because it is easy to get so caught up in the daily grind. Hence, you may come
back from the seminar with a rebranded motivation to go after your goals and
find your interest in the topic rekindled, which will positively lead to improved
performance in the job.
Workshop
is a brief educational program meant for selected group of people that is
centered on skills and techniques in a specified field (Radebe, 2013). When
Universities organize workshops for the lecturers, they learn new skills and
apply same in their daily tasks, hence job performance is improved.
These
programmes should be adequately provided in Universities to make sure that the
lecturers perform up to standard and as well affect students’ performance
positively. Higher Institutions are setup to achieve a statutory function of training
and educating higher manpower to provide technical, professional as well as
socio-economic services for the nation development. It is based on this that
the Federal Republic of Nigeria (2013) in its policy on education stated that,
higher or advanced education creates room for producing and preparing young
graduates, for instance, doctors, engineers, surveyors, architects, lecturers,
lawyers, accountants, and a whole lot of others, as manpower needs in industry,
government as well as other professions. The universities are required as a
mandate to produce graduates that are highly skilled and qualified for manpower
requirements in all the areas a country’s economy to improve effective
implementation of a country’s development agenda and programmes. In the course
of carrying out this task of capacity building, the higher institutions of
learning in Nigeria are always confronted with different challenges such as inadequate
facilities, certificate racketeering, poor funding, examination malpractice, cultism
and unencouraging attitude of students towards learning. This of course has a
negative effect on the performance of these lecturers.
That
is why virtually all stakeholders in education agree that lecturers represent a
centripetal force in most educational systems. There is also an understanding that
their performance is inextricably associated with the educational outcomes for
both the system and learners alike. The study emanates from the believe that
performance of lecturers can, at best be judged to be only marginally
successful in higher institutions if the capacity building requirements of
lecturers are addressed. This is true in the case of Nigeria where a large
number of student academic failure has been associated partly to lecturers who
has been accused of not carrying out their major mandates of teaching,
lecturing and promoting learning with quantifiable and proven success (Akpan
& Etor, 2015).
More
so, the nations of the world have come to rely on the threefold function of the
university, this include teaching; community service and research as a way of improvement
and advancement in production of workforce that is qualified, knowledge, economic
and social transformation. Development and training of lecturers is aimed at
raising the standard of skills possessed by them with a view to expanding their
ability to fully use their capabilities and apply their knowledge and
experience to old, novel and potential problems. There are lecturers with sound
pedagogy but are not conscientious to deliver. Some of them, including
professors, associate professors and senior lecturers never received training
in the principles and methods of teaching regardless of the fact that lecturing
involves teaching. Some negative dispositions are noticeable, lack of interest
in the job, poor teaching environment, high incidents of ethical disciplinary
cases, low lecturers morale, among others (Anwo, 2012). There is need therefore
to address the capacity building needs of lecturers for better job performance.
Thus, job performance
according to Peleyeju and Ojebiyi. (2016) comprises of various types of traits
which influence organizational (university) effectiveness. Onukwube, Iyagba and
Fajana (2010) views job
performance as a means to reach a goal or set of goals within a job, role, or
organization but not the actual consequences of the acts performed within a
job. Lecturers’ job
performance can be assessed through knowledge of the subject matter, good
communication skills, good teacher-student relationship, teaching skills,
effectiveness in carrying out quality research, organization of seminars for
students, ability to judge rightly, innovation and creativity, etc.
Furthermore,
Arong and Ogbadu cited in Egbo (2011) provide a premise of the debate in the
following analysis of the state of university education in Nigeria:
The school system
in Nigerian is overwhelmingly challenged with a lot of complex issues. There is
a constant complain about the failing standards of education and morals
flagging. Some blame students for the decline in the quality of education as
well as moral values. A thoughtful few feel that they are as a result of the
nature of changes in all directions. A
lot of people blame the lecturers for the failure in our schools in Nigeria
today. They are not as devoted and dedicated to the cause of education as their predecessors [my
emphasis]. Lecturers as a group
blame parents and the children. They also blame government for unattractive
condition of service and poor physical facilities in some parts of the
educational system (p.12).
As
stated by Egbo (2011) lecturers performance relates with variables that are
linked to lecturers themselves and, policy-related variables as evidenced in
university education policies, resource allocation and, the failure to build
lecturers capacity in any significant way. Therefore, the importance of
capacity building programmes cannot be overemphasized. According to Peleyeju,
and Ojebiyi (2016) the benefits of capacity building are consequential, in the
short term, to the specific institutions and individuals that are their
recipients, but the major beneficiaries are the unborn members of society, that
what they may be interested in is not clearly ascertained in the present.
Crucially, for capacity building to be efficient and productive, it must
respond to the development and growth requirement of the individual and the
needs of the necessary institutions.
More
so, university staffs are expected to always be in touch with present trends in
knowledge to be able to positively and effectively affect students’ learning.
In line with Babalola (2008), there is knowledge explosion in the world today,
and most university lecturers may have found it difficult to update the contents
of their course because of poor internet access or connectivity. In support of
this, Adekanmbi (2008) states that a reasonable number of lecturers as well as staff
in most universities in African lacks access to internet connectivity. Abama
(2009) and Obanya (2010) in their study stated that for effective learning and teaching
to be achieved in our higher institutions, there should be among other things, constant
supervision and continual pedagogical opportunities that encourages improvement
throughout a lecturer’s career in the school system.
Recently,
a new problem emerged in some higher institutions where staffs and lecturers
are expected to make their research work available or published different
continents of the world before they are promoted to the position of Associate
Professor and Professor (Babalola, 2008). This development has its advantages
and disadvantages, but it looks as if the disadvantages outweigh the advantages.
This much emphasis on publications according to Babalola (2008) is at the cost
of effectiveness in teaching in Nigerian higher institutions, as there is the likelihood
for the lecturers to spend more time on activities that will result to their
promotions rather than learning and teaching activities. Lecturers should
therefore be made to know the importance of improving their teaching effectiveness
for the benefit of the students and the society at large.
Expectedly,
in an educational institution like universities, in-service training for staff
development especially lecturers, aims at improving capacities of individuals
to play their roles and optimally fit in assignments for higher achievements
that will result to quality service delivery. The programme focus may include lesson
organization, management of classroom, reporting and recording students work
achievement on assessable and acquired for-life standards, lecturers behaviour,
teaching skills, material resource management, management of student, administration among others (Jamil, Atta,
Ali, Balochi, & Ayaz, 2011). It therefore follows that, improvement of
teaching staff competence is crucial to attain quality university education and
this can only be attained through capacity building programmes for lecturers.
Several
related empirical studies such as; Akpan and Etor (2012) studied the problems
facing human capacity development in Higher institutions and the possible methods
for improvement in Cross River State, Nigeria. Peretomode and Chukwuma (2012)
in their study examined the relationship between lecturers’ productivity and manpower
development in higher institutions in the Delta State of Nigeria. Nzoka (2015) studied
institutional factors influencing lecturers’ productivity at Kenya Methodist
University (KeMU). Geofrey (2010) investigated public universities’ teaching
staff performance with special interest on the context of motivation with a
case study of Makerere University in Uganda. Dauda & Mohammed (2012)
investigated the relationship between teaching performance and motivation on
one hand, and research performance and motivation on the other hand in Ibrahim
Badamasi Babangida University, Lapai (IBBUL), Nigeria. Machika (2014) conducted
a study on challenges of implementation of capacity building programmes at head
office of the Gauteng Department of Education, North-West University, South
Africa. Olusegun and Adesola (2013)
conducted a study on the
influence of lecturers’ performance assessment on total quality managements of
public Higher institutions in South-Western Nigeria. Hence, the empirical
studies reviewed indicated need for this study to clearly find out the
relationship between capacity building programmes and job performance of
lecturers in Higher institutions in Abia State.
1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
University
lecturers are faced with the responsibility of achieving a major function of training
and educating high level manpower to provide technical, professional as well as
socio-economic services for national development. This can only be attained
when they are trained and retrained in capacity building programmes. Capacity
building programmes will provide opportunity for lecturers to improve their ICT
skills, learn new methods and techniques in teaching, be efficient in
curriculum development, make proper decisions as well as judge rightly. In
addition, training and retraining of lecturers in capacity building programmes
will help them update on modern instructional devices and inspire them to
become better lecturers in the modern world.
The
above situation seems not to be the status-quo in Nigeria with particular
reference to Abia State. Their performance appear less satisfactory than the required
standards and the outcome has been predictable as there are increasing concerns
over erratic coverage of course content and term projects, missing marks and
delayed examination results, poor assessment of students, inefficient
lecturer-student interaction, decline in academic performance and reduced
levels of research and publications and as a result, academic standards and
performance among students have been
adversely affected and are still the daily complaints among university
stakeholders.
This
seems to have posed a threat on the quality of education offered by the
institution and service delivery. Parents and guardians seem to be doubting the
validity of university education in Nigeria. The problem therefore is: how does
capacity building programmes relate to job performance of lecturers across
Universities in Abia State?
1.3 PURPOSE
OF THE STUDY
The
purpose of this study was to find out the relationship between capacity
building programmes and job performance among lecturers in Universities in Abia
State, Nigeria. Specifically, the study aimed to achieve the following, to:
1.
determine the extent
mentoring relates with lecturers’ job performance in Abia State Universities;
2.
determine the extent
study leave relates with lecturers’ job performance in Abia State Universities;
3.
ascertain the extent ICT
training relates with lecturers’ job performance in Abia State Universities;
4.
determine the extent
attendance to conferences relates with lecturers’ job performance in Abia State
Universities;
5.
determine the extent
seminars relates with lecturers’ job performance in Abia State Universities;
6.
determine the extent
workshops relates with job lecturers’ job performance in Abia State
Universities;
1.4 RESEARCH
QUESTIONS
The
study answered the following research questions:
1.
To what extent does
mentoring relates with lecturers’ job performance in Abia State Universities?
2.
To what extent does study
leave relates with lecturers’ job performance in Abia State Universities?
3.
To what extent does ICT
training relates with lecturers’ job performance in Abia State Universities?
4.
To what extent does
conference relates with lecturers’ job performance in Abia State Universities?
5.
To what extent does
seminar relates with lecturers’ job performance in Abia State Universities?
6.
To what extent does
workshop relates with lecturers’ job performance in Abia State Universities?
1.5 HYPOTHESES
These
null hypotheses were tested at 0.05 level of significance as guide to the
study:
H01:
The extent to which mentoring relates to job performance of lecturers across
Universities in Abia State is not significant.
H02:
The extent to which study leave relates to job performance of lecturers is not
significant.
H03: The extent to which ICT training relates to job
performance of lecturers across Universities in Abia State is not significant
H04: Conference and job performance of lecturers
do not significantly relate to an extent in the study area.
H05: The extent to which seminar relates to job
performance of lecturers is not significant in the study area.
H06: The extent to which workshop relates to job
performance of lecturers in the study area is not significant.
1.6
SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
The
findings of this study when published may be of great benefit to National
Universities Commission (NUC), Lecturers, Students, Universities in Abia State,
Heads of Departments, Deans and Principal Officers of Abia State Universities
and future researchers.
The
NUC will be aware of the capacity building programmes and its relationship in
the universities and will be better guided on how to make these programmes
better.
The findings of this study will benefit
lecturers as they will be informed on the importance of mentoring which will
improve their skills in teaching, communication, research, and so on. The
lecturers will be better informed on the benefits of attending seminars, workshops
and conferences which include among others exchange of knowledge, competence in
public presentation, academic exposure and academic networking.
The findings of this study will also
benefit students in that lecturers who have acquired the skills of teaching
through the various development programmes will now apply same knowledge in
class and as such, academic performance among students will improve.
The findings of this study could help
universities in Abia State identify staff development programmes that may be
positively or otherwise affecting job performance among lecturers in the
university and hence be in position to adjust those programs that are in their
power to adjust to positively enhance job performance in the university.
The research findings can also be an
invaluable information base for the Heads of Department, Deans, principal
officers of the universities to revise and improve policies on training and
promotion opportunities for the improvement of lecturer’ job performance.
Theoretically, the findings of this study
will also prompt more researches in the area having contributed to literature
related to staff development programmes and serves as a reference for private
and public Universities interested in the dynamics of job performance.
The findings of this study will be
justified by its unquantifiable contribution to existing knowledge and
literatures on the importance of performance appraisal to the overall job
effectiveness of universities’ lecturers’ job performance and consequential
overhauling of the Nigerian university education vis-à-vis capacity building
programmes.
1.7
SCOPE OF THE STUDY
This
study focused particularly on the capacity building programmes and its
relationship with job performance of lecturers across Universities in Abia
State, Nigeria. It examined the capacity building programmes (independent
variable) in terms of mentoring, study leave, ICT training and conferences and
the interrelationship between these programmes and performance of the lecturers
in higher institutions in Abia State (dependent variable) in terms of knowledge
of the subject matter, competence in teaching skills, good teacher-student
relationship, ability to attend to students needs, effective participation in
community services, communication skills, effectiveness in transferring
knowledge, manifestation of critical analytical skills, effectiveness in
carrying out quality research, ability to mentor students on research, among
others
The
study was delimited to higher institutions in Abia State and covered the five
Universities in the state which included Michael Okpara University of
Agriculture, Umudike (MOUAU), Abia State University, Uturu (ABSU), Gregory
University, Rhema University and Clifford University.
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