Personnel’s Perception of Continued Relevance of Shorthand and Typewriting Skills to Office Management in Osun State Owned Tertiary Institutions, Nigeria. (Published)
Shorthand and Typewriting are two major skilled courses in Office Education Programme in tertiary institutions in Nigeria. Acquisitions of skills in these two subjects were regarded as trade-in-stock for secretarial practitioners in managing offices. But with the current applications of Information and Communication Technology to manage in offices, the relevance of Typewriting and Shorthand skills became a subject of discourse. The main objective was to determine the continued relevance of the two subject’s skills to office management in Osun State owned tertiary institutions. The study adopted a descriptive survey design. Five research questions and five hypotheses were raised for the study. The population comprised 171 executives with their individual secretaries, making 342 participants. The entire population was used as the sample size. Structured questionnaire was used to collect data and descriptive statistics to analyse. The findings among others revealed that Shorthand and Typewriting were still relevant to office management. Based on the findings, it is recommended that secretarial training institutions should intensify efforts towards the training of students in these “twin” subjects.
Keywords: Nigeria, Office Management, Osun State, Shorthand, Tertiary Institutions, Typewriting Skills
Towards A Critical Thinking-Based Curricular and Pedagogical Innovations for Sustaining Democracy in Nigeria (Published)
Democracy, in addition to being a political system is also a way of life that is so admired that it has become a global model. Unfortunately those ingredients and flavour that make democracy the global ideal are terribly lacking in Nigeria, in addition to democracy not having any stronghold in Nigeria. Using the philosophical method, the paper raises sign posts on how critical thinking based curricular and pedagogical innovations can be a relief in reinventing and sustaining democracy in Nigeria. The position of the paper is that there is no substitute to positive thinking and positive thinking especially at the evaluative, insightful and critical thinking levels, can proffer solutions for resolving the pessimism that surrounds democracy in Nigeria. The paper makes recommendations, part of which include developing learners’ curiosity for participation in the democratic processes, the development of learners autonomous moral thinking as well as identifying live problems that threaten democracy and making such the subjects of arguments, dialogues and deliberations
Keywords: Critical thinking, Curriculum, Democracy, Nigeria, Pedagogy
Boosting Achievement Using Individulised And Demonstration Strategies In Biology: How Do Male And Female Students Behave In Nigeria? (Published)
This study determined the effectiveness of demonstration, individualized and conventional methods and Gender on the achievement of Secondary School Two students in biology. The study employed a multi stage sampling techniques; in the first stage, three schools were randomly selected out of the twenty Secondary Schools in Abeokuta South Local Government of the state. At the second stage, sample sizes of sixty students were randomly selected from the list of students and their gender. In the same manner, thirty students were male while the female constitute the same number. The study which lasted six weeks made use of two valid and reliable instruments: Biology Achievement Test (BAT) and Operational guide for instruction (OGI) Stimulus instrument. Students were exposed to different methods (Demonstration and Individualized) while those in the control were not exposed to any treatment but were rather taught in the Convectional way. Data analysis involved the use of Analysis of Covariance, Descriptive Statistics and t-test.The result indicated that the demonstration method is a more potent method of improving achievement in biology. (F (1.167) = 42.838; P < 0.05), (F (1.167) = 486.287; P < 0.05), F (2.167) = 90.389; P < 0.05). Moreover, there was a significant difference in the academic achievement of male and female students when exposed to the two experimental methods and control, hence female students performed better than their male counterparts. Arising from these findings, demonstration method and individualized method where recommended for teachers use in biology classrooms.
Keywords: Achievement, Biology, Demonstration Strategies, Male and Female Student, Nigeria
Teaching Metacognitive Skills for the Promotion of Self-Regulated Learning among Secondary School Students in Nigeria (Published)
The dwindling good performances of students in both private and public examinations call for a serious concern among every individual especially the stakeholders in the education sector. More worrisome is the yearly poor performances of students in public examinations in all subjects. The remedy for this situation is by employing the metacognitive skills. The students need to be taught the metacognitive skills to help them regulate their learning. Metacognition is higher order level of thinking that aids learning. The three skills involved in metacognition: planning, monitoring and evaluation when effectively taught will in no small measure promote self-regulated learning that will enhance students’ performances in all examination. It is against this backdrop that this study is carried out to highlight the importance of teaching metacognitive skills to promote self-regulated learning among secondary school students in Nigeria.
Keywords: Metacognitive Skills, Nigeria, Self-Regulated Learning, Teaching, secondary school students
Judiciary and the Theory of Separation of Powers in Achieving Sustainable Democracy in Nigeria (The Fourth Republic) (Published)
Nigeria is a nation with a chequered history of democratic rule. The pressures mounted on the Nigerian political system since independence created instability in Nigerian polity. Hence the Judiciary could not carryout its roles effectively, the First, Second and Third Republics collapsed thus, paved way for the inevitability of military incursions in Nigerian politics, which truncated the Nigerian nascent democracy. Studies have shown that, in a democratic state, separation of powers is indispensable and the independence of the judiciary is paramount in achieving sustainable democracy. This study therefore investigated the impact of the separation of powers in achieving sustainable democracy in Nigeria State. The study used qualitative and content analysis method in analyzing the information generated for the study. Cases and instances from the content analysis showed that: the independence of the Judiciary helps in achieving sustainable democracy in Nigeria; Independent Judiciary enhances due process in a democratic state. Further analysis showed that incidences and court verdicts on issues relating to how the practice of separation of powers enhances the Judiciary to discharge its constitutionally stipulated roles in achieving sustainable democracy in Nigeria is convincing. This work therefore concluded that separation of powers enhances the efficiency of the Judiciary in Nigeria. The researchers recommend that the consolidation of democracy in Nigeria will depend on the commitment and ability of the Nigeria State to take extra measures to ensure that the theory and practice of Separation of Powers, and the Independence of the Judiciary is firmly established, respected and protected.
Keywords: Democracy, Judiciary, Nigeria, Separation of Powers, Sustainable Democracy
Incarceration and the Well-Being of Prison Inmates in Nigeria (Published)
This study investigated the influence of incarceration on the well-being of prison inmates in Nigeria. The study was carried out in Port Harcourt Prison in Rivers State, Nigeria. The population of inmates in this prison at the time of study was 2,997 while the sample of study was 250 inmates. The design of study was ex-post facto design. Five null hypotheses were formulated to guide the study and data for their investigation were collected through the administration of copies of a questionnaire tagged “influence of incarceration on prison inmates (ICPI) the reliability co-efficient of the five sub-sections of the instrument were 0.79; 0.80; 0.80; 0.80 and 0.80 while the overall reliability co-efficient was 0.80. The hypotheses were tested with t-test of independent means and the results show that nature of incarceration does not influence the physical and vocational well-being of prison inmates however, it influences their psychological, social and educational well-being. These results were discussed and some recommendations were also made. One of the recommendations is that psychological and counselling services designed for inmates who are depressed, filled with anxiety, fear and hopelessness should be improved and intensified.
Keywords: Counselling Service, Incarceration, Inmate, Nigeria, Prison, Well-being
Education for All in Nigeria: Finance Management Constraints and the Way Forward (Published)
The paper examined the issue of financing Education for All (EFA) in Nigeria with a view to identifying the finance management constraints and the strategies for the way forward. The study adopted a survey research design which utilized a researcher-made questionnaire duly validated and tested for reliability using the Cronbach Alpha with a reliability coefficient of. 76 and .87 obtained for CEAPFM and SEEAPFM respectively to collect data. The study, involved a population of 152, namely: 32 principal and 120 head teachers in Afikpo Education Zone, Ebonyi State of Nigeria. Means, Standard Deviation and t-test analysis, tested on .05 significance level was adopted in (he data analysis Findings revealed, among others, that poor governments’ allocation to schools, inadequate financial knowledge base of school administrators, diversion of funds into private purse, poor economic state of the schools, poor attitude to financial management, poor project supervision, hence inability to keep accurate account, were among the finance management constraints. Concluding, the researcher suggested among others, that ceiling funding of education programmes on school enrolment should be removed from the education systems as a way forward in attainment of education for all in Nigeria
Keywords: Finance Management, Financing Education, Nigeria
An Evaluation of Classroom Experiences of Basic Science Teachers in Secondary Schools in Ebonyi State of Nigeria (Published)
The aim of this study was to evaluate the Classroom Experiences of Basic Science Teachers in Context of Competencies and Opinions. Two instruments were developed and used for the study, the instructional skills performance level (ISPL) based on five-point performance scale and questionnaire. The two instruments were developed by the researcher and validated by 3 specialists in Science Education, one from measurement and evaluation and two from biology and Chemistry. The questionnaire was administered on 200 Basic Science Teachers randomly selected from Ebonyi State Junior Secondary schools. The questionnaire was divided into 2 sections. Section I contains all the variables. Section II contains a 10-point item scale constructed by the researcher seeking the opinions of basic Science Teachers. It also contains a list of 76 instructional materials used in teaching Basic Science. The Results showed that Basic Science teachers seem to have a title performance level in classroom management and students participations and in evaluation/summary. They performed averagely in the remaining 3 instructional skills; it was also found that most teachers who teach Basic Science used lecture and demonstration method in teaching. Based on the findings, recommendations were made.
Keywords: Classroom Experience, Education, Nigeria, Secondary, Teachers
Expanding Private Higher Educational Institutions in Africa: Implications for Good Governance (Published)
The conventional wisdom is that the proliferation of and concomitant increase in access to, tertiary education is central to bridging poverty gap in developing country and fast-tracking development. Scholars have also proposed the existence of a nexus between such educational advancements and good governance, especially in terms of the multiplier effect on political education, public participation and public accountability. The proposed paper assessed the conventional wisdom on the nexus between education, development and democracy in Africa drawing key insights from cross-sectional data obtained from national universities in the sub-region. The paper challenged the orthodoxy dominant within the international development community that increase in tertiary education is directly related to improved development and good governance. Although the number of universities have grown over the decade, the paper is keen to show that aside from increasing enrollment and improving access (to the neglect of quality) the preponderance of privately-owned universities, many of them with constricted visions on the open knowledge production and ideals that universities are supposed to represent and pursue, is problematic; indeed, as the paper argues, the political economy that drive their establishment and proliferation does not automatically translate into improved access due to skyrocketing school fees and sundry charges in a continent with a record of about 70% poverty ratio. Furthermore, the peculiar teaching curriculum and authoritarian management styles of the growing number of private universities have the potential to blunt the political and civic consciousness of their students and, in the final analysis, deepen the festering governance crisis in the country.
Keywords: Africa, Education Funding, Governance Crisis, Higher Education, Nigeria, Public Financial Management
Prayer in Schools – Legal and Administrative Perspectives in Nigeria (Published)
The study is concerned with the administrative and legal perceptive of prayer in Nigeria public schools. 780 school administrators were randomly selected from the public schools in the 3 geo-political regions in the Southern Nigeria. A 20 item questionnaire was designed by the researcher. This was validated by experts in test and evaluation as well as seasoned school administrators in Bayelsa State, Nigeria. The instrument was further tested for reliability using the test-re-test method. The data collected was analysed using the Pearson Product Moment Correlation Coefficient statistics and it was established as 0.82 which shows that the instrument is reliable. The researcher and other research assistants personally administered the questionnaire and the data analysed using the mean and the t-test analysis. From the result and findings, it was observed that most school administrators do not see prayer as a normal school routine but do not have proper knowledge on the legality of enforcing prayer in schools. To the administrators, prayers is for character molding, entertainment and an instrument to instill discipline but the legal perspective is that it must not be forced on the child and must be conducted in line with the fundamental human rights of the child as enshrined in Section 33 – 44 of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Keywords: Administration, Nigeria, School, prayer