Human Resource Management Practices For Quality Education Delivery In Universities In South East Nigeria

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Human Resource Management Practices For Quality Education Delivery In Universities In South East Nigeria

Abstract

Human resource management is fundamental to quality education delivery in universities. This is due to the fact that for a university to deliver quality education, its human resources must be effectively and efficiently managed. However, there have been claims that universities are not delivering quality education as a result of the ways in which they manage their human resources for quality education delivery which were not yet known. The general purpose of this study, therefore, was to investigate the human resource management practices for quality education delivery in universities in South East Nigeria. Seven research questions and four null hypotheses guided the study. The study adopted a descriptive survey research design. The population of the study consisted of 831 subjects. This figure was made up of 677 heads of units that include 115 Deans, 501 Heads of Departments and 61 Directors; and also 154 Senior Administrative Staff who are at the rank of Senior Assistant Registrar and above in the ten universities in South East Nigeria. The entire population was used for the study due to its manageable size. A 50-item questionnaire was the instrument developed by the researcher and used to collect the required data for the study. The instrument was validated by three experts and tested for reliability using Cronbach Alpha method. The data collected from the respondents were analyzed using means, standard deviations and t-test statistic. Some major findings of the study were that: job vacancies are neither determined through staff audit nor widely advertised in the media, applicants for jobs are not duly invited for interview and the most qualified applicants are not selected to fill vacant positions in the university. Also, there is irregular in-service training programme for staff and seminars are not regularly organized for staff, among others.

Chapter One

Introduction

Background of the Study

University is the highest level of every educational system and it is a major vehicle for economic and social development. According to the Federal Republic of Nigeria (2004), the mandate of the university is to teach and develop high level relevant manpower, conduct research for development and provide community service. Moreso, the vital role of the university in national development has been highlighted. According to Onokerhoraya and Nwonye (1995), universities are responsible for equipping individuals with the advanced knowledge and skills needed for positions of responsibility in government, business and other professions. This means that universities are expected to produce high level manpower that can respond positively to the nation’s goals and aspirations.

The achievement of the above laudable goals of a university depends to a large extent on availability of resources and their proper management. Hanson (1995) defined a resource as simply whatever that can be used to perform an educational function and realize an educational goal. To Adedeji (1998), resources are the things invested into the educational system with a view to achieving educational aims and objectives maximally and at a reduced cost.
Based on the above definitions, one can deduce that resources are the vital inputs made into the educational system for the achievement of the specified educational aims and objectives.

The resources needed for the effective operation of universities have been identified by various authorities in educational administration. According to Ndu (1991), Emetarom (1991), Ibiam (2008), and Ogbonnaya (2009), these resources include: human, physical and financial resources and they are widely regarded as factor resources. However, it is pertinent to note that human resources are of interest to this study in relation to their management for quality education delivery in universities.

Human resources have been conceptualized in different ways by different authors. Ndiomu (1992) defined human resources as the human beings working in an organization who are responsible for the supply of physical labour, technical and professional skills vital to effective and efficient planning and implementation of organizational policies, programmes, projects and daily activities of the organization. Herkimer (2008) defined human resources as the people working in an organization and the totality of the knowledge, skills, competencies, talents and other attributes that allow them to contribute to their personal and social well being as well as those of the organization and the wider society. Based on the above definitions, one can conclude that human resources essentially refer to the people working in an organization and who possess different specializations, capabilities and roles required for the effective and efficient realization of the goals of the organization. As used in this study, therefore, human resources refer to the teaching and non- teaching staff of a university and whose responsibility are to supply the physical labour, technical and professional knowledge and skills needed for the delivery of quality education in the university.

Human resources are vital to the delivery of quality education in universities. Therefore, they require proper management. It is in recognition of this fact that Ezeocha (1990), Ukeje, Akabogu and Ndu (1992), and Ogbonnaya (2004) emphasized that there is need for educational institutions including universities to manage their human resources effectively and efficiently for the delivery of quality education leading to the achievement of their overall educational goals. This means that the realization of the goals of educational institutions including universities depends to a large extent on how well their human resources are being managed.

The term “management” has been defined by different people and with each person defining it according to his or her own orientation. For instance, in the view of Cole (2002), management is the organization and mobilization of all the resources of an organization for the achievement of identified objectives. According to Casio (2006), management simply refers to the purposeful employment of resources to achieve specified organizational objectives. From these definitions of management, one can deduce that it is essentially a social process aimed at achieving organizational goals through efficient utilization of available human, physical and financial resources of the organization. Thus, management is operationally defined in this study as the effective organization and utilization of the human resources of universities for the delivery of quality education in the universities.

However, there have been diverse opinions concerning how universities manage their human resources for quality education delivery. Nevertheless, these opinions lack empirical evidence because no study known to the researcher has been carried out to ascertain the human resource management practices for quality education delivery in universities in South East Nigeria. Therefore, it was necessary to empirically determine the human resource management practices for quality education delivery in universities in South East Nigeria hence, the need for the present study.

1.2 Statement of the Problem

Based on the research findings highlighted at the background of this study, universities now produce poor quality graduates that do not meet the knowledge and skill requirements for national development. Studies have also shown that universities are characterized by employment of unqualified staff, irregular staff training and development programmes, poor motivation of staff, and irregular staff promotion and performance appraisal.
Furthermore, the National Universities Commission (NUC) which is mandated to co-ordinate the activities of all universities in Nigeria had in its 2002 research report on the state of university education in Nigeria expressed its dissatisfaction with all universities in Nigeria for the poor quality of their graduates. The NUC in its (2012) publication also cautioned universities in Nigeria to look for ways of improving the poor quality education they are now delivering. The inability of universities to produce quality graduates requisite for Nigeria’s socio-economic development has been blamed on how these universities manage the human resources at their disposal. One then wonders how these human resources are managed for quality education delivery in universities. Regrettably, no study known to the researcher has been carried out to determine the ways in which universities manage their human resources for quality education delivery. Consequently, it was the problem of this study to empirically determine the human resource management practices for quality education delivery in universities in South East Nigeria.

1.3 Purpose of the Study

The general purpose of this study was to investigate the human resource management practices for quality education delivery in universities in South East Nigeria. Specifically, this study sought to:

  1. Ascertain the staff recruitment and selection practices in universities in South East Nigeria.
  2. Determine ways universities in South East Nigeria train and develop their staff.
  3. Find out ways universities in South East Nigeria motivate their staff.
  4. Ascertain the staff discipline and control measures adopted by universities in South East Nigeria.

1.4 Significance of the Study

This study has both theoretical and practical significance. The theoretical significance of this study is based on the systems theory. The systems theory is an integrative theory propounded by Ludwig von Bertalanffy in 1951. It assumes that an organization is a unified and purposeful system composed of inter-related and inter-dependent parts such that an activity in any part of the organization affects the activity of every other parts. For instance, human resource management in a university is an integration of different functions which combine to deliver quality education in the university and any negligence in the performance of any of these functions will grossly affect the delivery of quality education in the university.

Based on the assumptions of the systems theory, the human resource management practices in universities are said to combine to deliver quality education in universities. This theory has, therefore, provided the base for this study to ascertain all the human resource management practices carried out in universities as an integrated approach to quality education delivery in universities hence, its relationship to this study.

1.5 Research Questions

For the purpose of guiding the study, the following research questions were posed:

  1. What are the staff recruitment and selection practices in universities in South East Nigeria?
  2. In what ways do universities in South East Nigeria train and develop their staff?
  3. What are the ways universities in South East Nigeria motivate their staff?
  4. What are the staff discipline and control measures adopted by universities in South East Nigeria?

1.6 Scope of the Study

The geographical scope of this study was de-limited to all the public universities in South East Nigeria. South East Nigeria is made up of five states, namely: Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu, and Imo States.

In the area of the content, the study covered the human resource management practices for quality education delivery in universities in South East Nigeria which include: staff recruitment and selection, staff training and development, staff motivation, staff discipline and control, and staff performance appraisal.

Chapter Five

Conclusion, Recommendations and Summary

This chapter discusses the findings of the study based on the research questions and hypotheses that guided the study.

Conclusion

Based on the finding of the study, the following conclusions were drawn:

  1. In the recruitment and selection of university staff, job vacancies are neither determined through staff audit nor widely advertized in the media; applicants for jobs are not shortlisted according to advertized posts/jobs or when they are shortlisted, they are not duly invited for interview; the most qualified candidates are not selected to fill vacant positions in the university as those selected do not have the required skills for maximum performance.
  2. In the training and development of university staff, there is no constant identification of the training needs of staff; there is irregular in-service training programme for staff; seminars are not regularly organized for staff; there is no regular supervision; staff are not encouraged to participate in professional development activities outside the university; and there is lack of professional library with adequate facilities and equipment for the professional development of staff.
  3. In terms of motivation of university staff, the university staff are not properly motivated because there is inadequate and delayed payment of their salaries and allowances; they are not provided with good working conditions; they are not provided with their welfare needs; there is irregular staff promotion; the staff are not given considerable workload, delegation of duties to staff is not based on their knowledge, skills and competence; there is inadequate encouragement for the inter-personal relationship of staff; and cordial relationship between staff and university administrators is not well maintained.
  4. The staff discipline and control measures in universities include taking disciplinary action against: unpunctuality and total absence from work, refusal to participate in university activities, destruction of school property, quarrelling, embezzlement or misappropriation of university funds, and falsification of facts/figures or forging of documents. In addition to these, there are control measures to ensure staff’s conformity with the university’s rules and regulations.
  5. The staff performance appraisal practices in universities include: identifying staff’s strengths and weaknesses, conducting periodic staff performance appraisal, using appraisal reports to promote and transfer staff, determining the quality of services rendered by the staff, identifying the training and development needs of staff, and the encouragement of staff for maximum performance.
  6. There are problems encountered in the management of universities’ human resources and these include: insufficient funds, political interference, lack of professional library, inadequate training of university administrators in human resource management, moral laxity among university staff, inadequate staff motivation and irregular staff performance appraisal.
  7. The strategies for improving human resource management in universities are increased funding of the university, proper management of university’s funds, increased transparency in staff recruitment and selection, adequate professional libraries, adequate training of university administrators in human resource management, more determination to maintain staff discipline and control, increased staff motivation, and conducting periodic staff performance appraisal.
  8. There is a significant difference between the mean ratings of heads of units and senior administrative staff of universities on the staff recruitment and selection practices in universities in South East Nigeria.
  9. There is a significant difference between the mean ratings of heads of units and senior administrative staff of universities on ways universities in South East Nigeria train and develop their staff.
  10. There is a significant difference between the mean ratings of heads of units and senior administrative staff of universities on ways universities in South East Nigeria motivate their staff.
  11. There is no significant difference between the mean ratings of heads of units and senior administrative staff of universities on the staff discipline and control measures adopted by universities in South East Nigeria.

Recommendations

Based on the findings of the study, the discussions that followed and the various implications highlighted, the following recommendations were made:

  1. Staff recruitment and selection exercise in universities should follow due process so as to ensure the employment of qualified staff that can contribute significantly to quality education delivery.
  2. University administrators should periodically organize and carryout training and development programmes and activities for their staff so as to constantly improve and update their knowledge, skills, and competencies and on the basis of which quality education delivery can be guaranteed in the university.
  3. The university staff should be well motivated in order to enable them perform maximally for the achievement of quality education delivery.
  4. University administrators should continually put in place as well as use staff discipline and control measures to elicit staff’s compliance with university’s rules and regulations which are geared towards the achievement of quality education delivery.
  5. Universities should always see staff performance appraisal as an essential ingredient of quality education delivery and then carry it out periodically.
  6. Universities should initiate painstaking plans and appropriate actions to surmount the problems which they encounter in human resource management and so be in a better position to deliver quality education.
  7. Universities should take concrete steps to diversify their revenue base in order to enable them have sufficient funds for adequate provision and management of their human resource as well as have the financial capability to deal with all other problems which they encounter in human resource management .

The ministries of education and educational policy-makers should formulate relevant policies that will compel university administrators to adopt the identified strategies for improving human resource management and then improve their human resource management for the benefit of quality education delivery.

Summary of the Study

The general purpose of the study was to investigate the human resource management practices for quality education delivery in universities in South East Nigeria. The study sought to achieve seven specific purposes and it was guided by seven research questions and four null hypotheses. The population of the study was 831 heads of units and senior administrative staff. This consisted of 677 heads of units and 154 senior administrative staff who are at the rank of Senior Assistant Registrar and above in the ten public universities in South East Nigeria. The entire population was used for the study due to its manageable size. The instrument for data collection was a 50-item structured questionnaire developed by the researcher and subjected to validity and reliability tests.

The required data for the study were collected by the researcher and ten research assistants. The analysis of the data was carried out using mean and standard deviation to answer the research questions while the null hypotheses were tested using t-test statistic and each was tested at 0.05 level of significance. The major findings of the study were:
The respondents in overall disagreed that the listed questionnaire items (items 1-6) are the staff recruitment and selection practices in universities, the respondents in overall disagreed that the listed questionnaire items (items 7-12) are the ways by which universities train and develop their staff, the respondents in overall disagreed that the listed questionnaire items (13-20) are the ways universities motivate their staff, the respondents in overall agreed that the listed questionnaire items (items 21-27) are the staff discipline and control measures adopted by universities, and the respondents also in overall agreed that the listed questionnaire items (items 28-34) are the staff performance appraisal practices in universities.

The respondents reported that the listed questionnaire items (items 35-42) are the problems encountered in human resource management in universities. The respondents also reported that the listed questionnaire items (items 42-50) are the strategies for improving human resource management in universities.

The hypotheses tested indicated that there was a significant difference between the mean ratings of heads of units and senior administrative staff of universities on: the staff recruitment and selection practices in universities, ways universities in South East Nigeria train and develop their staff, and ways universities in South East Nigeria motivate their staff. Conversely, there was no significant difference between the mean ratings of heads of units and senior administrative staff of universities on the staff discipline and control measures adopted by universities in South East Nigeria.

Based on the findings of the study, some recommendations were made among which are: staff recruitment and selection exercise in universities should follow due process so as to ensure the employment of qualified staff that can contribute significantly to quality education delivery; staff training and development programmes should be periodically organized for university staff so as to constantly improve and update their knowledge and skills; and university staff should be well motivated in order to enable them perform maximally for the achievement.

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