Human Resources Capacity Development for Effective Delivery of Education in Nigeria

[a]Department of Business Administration， Ajayi Crowther University Oyo， Oyo State， Nigeria.

*Corresponding Author.

Address: Department of Economics Ekiti State University， Ado-Ekiti， Nigeria.

Received 7 July 2012; Accepted 12 August 2012

Abstract

This paper explores how human resources capacity development can be used for the effective delivery of education in Nigeria. The development of the various human resources in the education sector is important if educators are to provide quality education for the teeming youths of the nation and this cannot be overemphasized. The various human resources categories in the education sector were critically examined and their roles analyzed. The various ways in which capacity building for these human resources can be carried out was also looked at. Since education is a symbiosis between the teacher and the taught， this means that no group should be left out of the development process as per continuous training. Recommendations were then made on how to use proper Hunan Resources Management tools such as training， communication， recognition for job well done and even national awards when necessary so that there can be job satisfaction in the education sector in Nigeria and personnel there can contribute their quota to the development of the country.

Key words: Capacity building; Human resources; Management tools; Job satisfactions and quality education

OLAWEPO Gabriel Tejumola (2012). Human Resources Capacity Development for Effective Delivery of Education in Nigeria. International Business and Management， 5(1)， -0. Available from: URL: http://www.cscanada.net/index.php/ibm/article/view/j.ibm.1923842820120501.1250

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3968/j.ibm.1923842820120501.1250

INTRODUCTION

With a growing focus on the importance of knowledge societies for equipping countries with a suitable workforce， issues around human resources within the education sector come under greater scrutiny. The human resource element has two important dimension; education supplies human resource， but equally it is essential that those responsible for education receive quality training and opportunities in order to fulfill their role. For the education sector to be able to effectively and efficiently supply quality human resources to other sectors of the Nigerian society， it also has to develop its own human resource.

Good teachers are essential in any education system， but to what extent does capacity building facilitate this the more and how does it impact on the education provided?

Ogbeifun and Olisa (2001) posit that with the troubling revelation of the shortage and half-baked teachers employed to teach in the nation’s schools， how is one certain that the education sector in Nigeria is not heading for the rocks? The federal government reported that the falling standard of education is caused amongst other factors， by acute shortage of qualified teachers at all levels of education but mostly at the primary level where about 23% of over 400，000 teachers employed in the nation’s primary schools do not possess the National Certificate of Education (NCE) is the minimum requirement one should possess to teach in the nations primary schools. Even for those with the required certificate training and capacity building stops immediately after they have left school. They thereby end up giving students archaic knowledge， passing down what they were taught years or even decades ago notwithstanding the fact that new knowledge and new complex technologies are daily being discovered.

For the education sector to thrive and take its place of pride in the nation’s economy， human resources in this sector have to be developed through training and constant retraining. To improve the standard of education in Nigeria， it is necessary to first educate the educators and motivate them to perform their duties well (Dike， 2000). The UNICEF in its state of the world’s children report for 1999 pointed out that about four million Nigerian children have no access to basic quality education and that majority of those that are “Lucky” to enter schools are given sub-standard education.(Akhaine， 1999).

1. FRAMEWORK FOR HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT

Human resource capacity development is a framework for the expansion of human capital within an organization or a nation. Human resource development is a combination of training， education and motivation in the broad context of adequate employment policies that ensures continual improvement and growth of both the individual， the organization and the national human resources.

Nadler (1984) sees human resource capacity development not as a defined object but as a series of organized process with a specific learning objective， within the national context， it becomes strategic approach to inter sectoral linkages between all the factors affecting development.

Human resources capacity development is the framework for helping employees develop their personal and organizational goals， knowledge and abilities. It includes such opportunities as employee training， career development， performance management， mentoring tuition assistance， key employee identification and organizational development. The focus of all aspects of human resources capacity development is on developing a more superior workforce so that the organization and individual employee can accomplish their work goals. A successful human resource development programme prepares the individual to undertake a higher level of work organized learning over a period of time， to provide the possibility of performance change. Therefore human resource development is the framework that focuses on the organization’s competencies at the first stage， training and then developing the employee through education， job satisfaction to satisfy the organization’s long term needs and the individual’s career goals and employee value to their present and future employers.

2. STRUCTURE OF HUMAN RESOURCE CAPACITY DEVELOPMENT

Human resources development allows for individual development， potentially satisfying the organization or the national goals. Development of the individuals benefits the individual， the organization and the nation and its citizens. In the corporate vein， the human resources capacity development structure views employees as an asset to the enterprise， whose value is enhanced by development.

Elwood， Olton and Trott (1996) say that human resources capacity development’s primary focus is on growth and employee development， emphasizing developing individual potential and skills. Human resource development at the national level can be a broad inter-sector approach to fostering creative contributions to national productivity.

A successful human resource development prepares the individual to undertake a higher level of work organized learning over a period of time to provide the possibility of performance change.

3. PROBLEMS TO HUMAN RESOURCES CAPACITY DEVELOPMENT IN NIGERIA

Moja (2002) posits that human resource capacity development is essential for the effectiveness of the education sector in Nigeria in as much as there are various needs for this in administrative management， research and teaching as well as for the support and technical staff. There is an urgent need for capacity building in the various commission charged with responsibility for governing and managing different aspects of education in Nigeria.

One problem facing human resource development in the education sector in Nigeria is that planning， supervision and monitoring mechanisms for the entire education system have been very weak. Management problems within the system have also been cited often as a factor that impacts negatively on the success of projects and polices that have been supported by international development agencies.

Another problem facing human resource development in the education sector is that of uncontrolled growth in the system that far out paces the growth of human resources. Lack of data and unprocessed data in the education sector have also made planning if not totally impossible， inadequate. The system has thus suffered from lack of adequate planning for the implementation of policies that are essential to improved quality and expansion (Kayode， 2010). Human resources in schools have also been faced with poor quality of training especially for colleges of education responsible for training teachers. The training method and approaches are outdated and do not take into consideration the changes taking place in both the local environment and a more technological global environment. Also， teachers in service and administrative officials do not have opportunities for high quality staff development. Their knowledge and skills are often outdated and the inspectors are not providing the necessary pedagogical support for further development.

Furthermore， the Nigerian society has a warped value system where education is not put on the pedestal it should be. This weird value system is seen when priorities are turned on their heads. The salaries of the less educated local government counselors are much higher than those of university dons. This weirdness is also seen when known fraudsters are hailed and praised notwithstanding the source of wealth. This value system has so degraded the education sector that policy makers no longer reckon with it since you can become rich without being educated.

4. WAYS OF DEVELOPING HUMAN RESOURCES IN THE EDUCATION SECTOR

To make the educator viable in the present dispensation of things in Nigeria， those in charge of policy in the education sector should adopt the following ways of human resource capacity development.

●Training: quality training and management skills should be constantly done for the personnel in education so as to position them firmly in the new technological era. This is to make them competent in the complexity of the new technologies and the rapidity of their evolution. This training can be in form of workshops， seminars， symposia’s for discussion.

●Educational systems should be made challenging and stimulating then encourage lateral thinking and emphasize the capacity for the human mind to imagine new dimension and concepts.

●Courses must be geared towards solving practical problems instead of being single subject based.

●Development of structured career development plans for the staff to keep learning new things in their various fields must also be done.

●Emoluments and salaries should be appropriate to rank and be promptly paid. This should be done in accordance with what obtains in other sectors of the economy so as to create job satisfaction.

●Mentioning: This is essential to foster relevance in the individual. Senior colleagues with credibility in the profession should mentor younger ones not by being tribalistic or showing undue favoritism but by personal training and mentioning for more effectiveness on the job. This is effective because it is face to face instead of having more people.

CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

The decline in quality education in Nigeria has been a major concern and is due to the rapid expansion in student numbers without comparable expansion in resources both human and material.

For Nigeria’s educational sector to take its pride of place in Nigeria and the world at large， government and policy makers should do their utmost to see that the educators are also educated and well remunerated. The educational sector should be made more attractive by giving honour to whom honour is due. The warped value system of the country where salaries of people in the educational sector who have contributed immensely to the human resource development of the country are mere stipends compared to that of politicians who have not made any meaningful contributions to the nation’s development are paid far higher salaries.

Recognition in the form of merit awards should also be extended to deserving persons in the education sector of Nigeria. Human resources capacity development also encompasses recognition for job well done whenever necessary.

In conclusion， the fact that whatever input is made into the educational sector of any country ultimately reflects on all other sectors of the economy should make human resources capacity development in the education sector， a must for the government and those concerned.

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