Perceptions of Academic Staff Members on Factors of Capacity Building in Ghanaian Polytechnics (Published)
This article, which reports on a doctoral research project, explores the perceptions of academic staff on factors of capacity building with special reference to Ghanaian polytechnics, where the institutions are facing unprecedented capacity building challenges. A convenience sample of 1026 academic staff members were drawn from a population of 2575 permanent lecturers in the ten polytechnics. Data were collected through a questionnaire constructed by the researchers. Data collected were subjected to statistical analysis with the use of descriptive statistics, ANOVA and Population t-test. The study found that the factors that affect capacity building of academic staff include institutional training and development; performance and professional development; academic competence; and learning and developmental environment. The study further identified some capacity building gaps in the polytechnics. However, there is no significant difference between male and female lecturers’ perception on capacity building in the polytechnics. Lecturers’ perception on capacity building is also significantly high with respect to the identified factors and that significant differences exist between the demographic (designation) groups and the identified factors. The study concludes that building the capacity of academic staff is critical to successful teaching and learning and that capacity building should be the starting point for the on-going transformation in Ghanaian polytechnics. It therefore recommends that policy makers in Ghana be urgently spurred into devising important strategies that would proactively respond to the current capacity-building challenges in the institutions. Moving forward, a context-responsive areas of strategic intervention vis à vis capacity building of academic staff are proposed.
Keywords: Capacity building, Ghanaian polytechnics, Perceptions, academic competence, staff development; institutional training
APPRAISAL OF PETROLEUM TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT FUND (PTDF) MANDATES ON HUMAN CAPACITY DEVELOPMENT IN NIGERIA; BENEFITS FOR NIGERIAN YOUTHS (Published)
The need for Human Resources Development vis-a-vis Career Development (CD), Training and Development (TD) and Organization Development (OD) is constantly increasing with intense rapidity across the globe. Today, Nigerian government agencies, organizations, and NGOs invest in developing human capacity to meet up with global challenges. This paper discusses the roles of Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF) in the development of human resources for Nigeria. It examines its progress and success in partnering with the local and international organizations/institutions in training Nigerian youths to fill the gaps in Nigeria oil and gas industries. Using secondary information with discourse analysis of existing literatures on the subject matter, the study revealed that there is a level of consistency in the various PTDF programmes and continuity in the change of leadership which have resulted in training and empowering thousands of Nigerian youths in universities and though other non-formal education at home and in Diaspora since its establishment in 1973. However, certain criticisms were observed against the Fund which requires urgent attention for amelioration. The study recommends, among others, adequate awareness of programmes and more government supports on human resources development programmes of PTDF especially its appreciation and benefit for indigenous Nigerian youths
Keywords: Capacity building, Human Resources Development, Nigerian Youths, PTDF Mandates