FOCUS ON EBONYI STATE COLLEGE OF
EDUCATION, IKWO.
Abstract
This
study investigated human capital management in Ebonyi State College of
Education, Ikwo. Three research questions guided the study which adopted a
survey design. The population of the study consisted of all the 610 staff of
the college out of which a sample size of 61 was randomly selected.
The
instrument for data collection was a questionnaire titled “Human Capital
Management Questionnaire (HCMQ)”. The instrument was validated by experts and
tested for reliability using Pearson’s correlation co-efficient. Data collected were analyzed using mean
ratings. Result showed that there is efficiency in the management of human
capital in Ebonyi State College of Education. Recommendations were made among
which was that the college should intensify its on-the-job training programmes.
Key word: Human Capital Management.
Introduction
Colleges of education are structured
mainly to offer teacher education in line with the stipulation of Federal Republic of Nigeria (2004) which stated that
all teachers in educational institutions shall be professionally trained
and that teacher education programmes
shall be structured to equip
teachers for effective performance of their duties. In Nigeria, colleges of
education established and run by the Federal Government are referred to as Federal
Colleges of Education; those of the state as state colleges of education; those
owned by individuals as private colleges of education and the one of the military as Army College of education
(National Commission for Colleges of Education, 2006).
Excellent academic performance and instructional
delivery are the hallmark of a good College of Education. Essentially, the
capacity and ability to attain such status is directly related to the resources
available to the college. The resources
often include human, financial and physical facilities. Liphan and Hoe 1974 in
Ezeuwa (2005:10) identified major management or
operational areas of the college
of education to include:
·
Management of instructional programme
·
Staff
personnel management
·
Student personnel management
·
Finance
and physical resource management
·
School
community relationship management.
It is the ability to successfully manage
each of those specific functional areas of operation that determines the
achievement of the set- goals of the college.
The entire staff of the college constitute
the human capital of the system. The human capital (personnel) needs to be
managed for them to catch
up with current
demands and challenges about their jobs. In the present world
where a lot of changes and innovations especially
in the area of technology have
become an integral part of the
culture, there is the need to
constantly upgrade the
intellectual, aptitude and
technical skills of the human
capital of the teacher
training institutions such as the
colleges of education. Ezeuwa
(2009) stated that attainment of the goals
of education greatly depends on
whether there are workforce
adequately equipped to
implement the curriculum at different levels
of education. Iweka and
Odiase (2012) described human capital as all employees of an
organization designated to
contribute to organizational
growth.
Human
capital remains an indispensable resource needed to achieve organizational
goals. Formidable workforce adequately prepared and progressively equipped sustains organizational growth and
survival. Obi (2003) maintained that a viable
and veritable human capital must be available to enhance desired efficiency in
an organization. Available human capital
ought to be properly managed as this is of paramount importance for the sustainability
and improvement on existing structure. Efficient management of human resources
as the determinant of other resources guarantees greater output (Okolie, 2009).
Inefficient management of human capital leads to low productivity and hinders attainment
of set-goals. What then is human capital management?
Concept of Human
Management
Vetter 1977 in Iweka and Odiase (2012) defined human capital management as the
process by which management determines how an
organization should move
from its current position to its desired position. Similarly, Michael (1983)
defined human capital management
as the identification of assessment of internal human
resources capabilities in relation
to the requirements,
development or management
succession framework. In a related
view, Ademolekun (2005)
perceived human capital
management as distinctive
approach to employment
management which seeks
to achieve competition through the strategic deployment of a highly
committed and capable workforce.
Human capital management stands for efficient
and effective handling of organizational workforce to achieve greater goals. The
responsibilities of human capital
management involve:
(a). recruitment of staff
(b). orientation of staff
(c). assigning responsibilities to staff
(d). providing for staff means of further training
on job
(e). providing for staff adequate motivation
for effective performance
(f). evaluating
staff performances through effective supervision.
For Okolie (2004), human capital
management involves education and training, job definition, recruitment, skill development,
remuneration, staff promotion,
dismissal and training, mapping out of working hours and boosting staff morale. The underpinning variables in all the
definitions are staff recruitment, job definition, training on job, motivation
and performance evaluation all of which
are attributes of human capital management.
Ebonyi state
college of education has
some staff both academic and
non academic in place that ought
to be effectively managed to achieve desired results. This implies that the effectiveness of the
management of the school is determined from its output. Succinctly put, members
of the public use the academic performance of a school to adjudge the
managerial abilities of the managers of such a school. College administrators
are expected to use their positions to reflect growth and change in the school.
There is the need to critically examine how this is done at state colleges of
education using Ebonyi State College of Education as a point of reference.
It is against this backdrop therefore, that this paper is set to appraise human capital
management in Ebonyi State
College of Education, Ikwo with special regards to
efficiency in staff
training, motivation and discipline.
Research
Questions
The
following research questions guided the study.
1.
To
what extent does Ebonyi State College of education provide on-the-job training
for its staff?
2.
To
what extent does Ebonyi state college of education motivate its staff for effective
service?
3.
To
what extent does Ebonyi state college of education apply disciplinary measures
as a management strategy?
Method
The descriptive survey research design
was adopted for this study. The population of the study consisted of 185
academic and 425 non-academic staff of
Ebonyi state college of education, Ikwo. In all, the population of the
study was 610. Through the use of simple random sampling procedure, 61 which, constitutes
10% of the population was selected as sample for the study. In the sample, 19
represents academic while 42 represents non academic staff. Ali 1988 in Ezeuwa
(2005) postulated that 10% sample was adequate for a survey design of this
nature.
The instrument for data collection
was a questionnaire titled “Human Capital Management Questionnaire (HCMQ).” It
is a 15 item questionnaire structured in likert form and consisting of three
(3) sections designed to seek information on:
(a). Staff management through
on-the-job-training
(b). Staff management through adequate
motivation
(c). Staff management through
use of disciplinary measures.
Two experts, one in educational administration
and the other in the area of measurement and evaluation validated the
instrument. Their comments and suggestions led to the reduction of the items
from original 21 to 15. Reliability of the instrument was established using
Pearson’s Correlation Coefficient. Reliability
coefficient values of 0. 84, 0.73 and 0.64 respectively were obtained from each
of the three sections. Sixty-one (61) copies of the questionnaire as
administered were collected and used for analysis.
Research questions were answered using
mean ratings and standard deviation. Item with mean score of 2.5 and above was regarded
as having positive/agree response while scores less than 2.5 were regarded as having
negative /disagree response.
Result
Table 1: Staff
management through on-the-job-training
|
S/no
|
Statement
|
X
|
SD
|
|
1
|
Ebonyi state
college of education
provides on-the-job-training
for its staff.
|
2.62
|
1.07
|
|
2
|
Available training
programmes cover all the functional departments, sections and units of the college.
|
2.54
|
1.12
|
|
3
|
All
categories of staff benefit from the
college’s on-the-job training programmes.
|
2.51
|
1.06
|
|
4.
|
Training programmes are regular.
|
2.52
|
1.09
|
|
5.
|
On-the-job
training programmes are usually
sponsored by the college.
|
2.51
|
1.06
|
Data in table 1 summaries extent of
provision of training on job programmes
for its staff by
Ebonyi state college of
education, Ikwo. All the item statements scored up to 2.5 which, is the
decision score for positive response. It then implies that the college not only
provides regular on-the-job- training for its staff
but ensures that all departments,
units and different
categories of staff
benefit from such
programs.
Table 2: Staff management through adequate motivation
|
S/no
|
Statement
|
X
|
SD
|
|
6
|
Consideration
is given to skills acquired during on-the
–job training for staff advancement/promotion.
|
2.57
|
1.09
|
|
7
|
Staff
are fully paid their entitlements even when out of office for the
on-the-job training.
|
2.51
|
1.06
|
|
8
|
Staff
are paid based on their new positions as a result
of the on-the-job training
acquired.
|
2.52
|
1.07
|
|
9
|
Staff
salaries/allowances are paid as and when due by college management.
|
2.51
|
1.04
|
|
10
|
Staff promotions
are regular in the college .
|
2.56
|
1.06
|
|
11
|
Every
staff is provided with an office.
|
2.26
|
1.14
|
|
12.
|
Senior
staff such as Deans, Heads of Department and Unit heads are provided with official vehicle.
|
2.14
|
1.09
|
|
13
|
Most
staff are provided with living accommodation.
|
2.05
|
0.92
|
Results in table 2 show that out of 8
item statements on staff motivation, 5
met the decision score
of 2.5 while
3 did not. Staff are promoted not only regularly but based on their new qualifications even
as they are paid all their entitlements while in training. Staff salaries are paid
as and when due. College management did not provide enough offices, living
accommodation and official vehicles for staff.
Table 3: Staff management
through the use of disciplinary measures
|
S/no
|
Statement
|
X
|
SD
|
|
14
|
Staff
punctuality and regularity to work are checked by use of time book.
|
2.56
|
1.09
|
|
15
|
Erring
staff are usually disciplined based on the level of their offences ranging
from warning, query, suspension of
salary, suspension from office and dismissal.
|
2.56
|
1.07
|
Results in table
3 indicate that staff discipline is a management strategy in Ebonyi State College
of Education. All the item statements show positive response having
scored mean up to 2.5. There is therefore discipline in the college.
Major
Findings
1. Ebonyi
State College of Education, Ikwo
provides on-the-job training for its staff.
2. The
college motivates its staff for effective services
3. Staff
discipline is a managerial strategy in the college
Discussion
The first finding of the study
reveals that the state college of education provides on-the-job training for
its workers. This is perhaps in
recognition that employees competence on the job is acquired not only by
initial preparation but also through experience gained in the work environment.
Maduabum (2006) confirmed this when it noted that there are limits
to the effectiveness of any pre-service course of preparation however well conceived, and that initial training will only be successful,
if it is a bridge into a professional
life which is illuminated by regular periods of
in-service education and
training. Iweka, et al (2012), equally maintained that staff competence is enhanced
through the acquisition of specific
skills and knowledge on the job by training and
development.
The
second finding reveals that the college motivates its staff for effective
performance. This is not very surprising since motivation has always been
acclaimed a veritable administrative strategy within organizations. Ezeuwa (2005) elaborately recommended that motivation
is a vital administrative instrument in any objective-oriented organization.
Similarly, Ugo (2010) noted that
the ability to keep staff in
their jobs and make them want to stay depends
on the managements ability to adequately
motivate them. However, the same
second finding indicates inadequate motivation of staff as enough offices and
living accommodations were not provided for them, while Deans and Departmental heads were not provided official vehicles. The
situation is absurd as it is equally a negation of earlier warning by
Oboegbulem (2004) that effective performance of staff could be negatively
affected by insufficient accommodation and lack of means of transportation.
The
third finding of the study shows that staff discipline is one of the managerial
strategies of the college management. The staff are managed using disciplinary
measures such as use of time book, warning, query, suspension of salary,
suspension from office and even dismissal depending on magnitude of offence. Discipline
according to Federal Government of Nigeria (1987) is concerned with the
observance of established code of conduct, which upon infringement attracts
punishment. Federal Ministry of
Education and Youth Development (1993) stated that discipline is concerned with the establishment and
maintenance of order and harmonious functioning of an organization and have
always remained a veritable instrument for
management of schools. There cannot be effective school
management without sufficient
application of disciplinary measures.
Conclusion
The findings of the study in general
terms show that there is efficiency in the management of human capital in
Ebonyi state college of education, Ikwo. Varieties of opinions derived from the
sampled population involved
in the study were
in consensus that there is on-the-job
training programme for the staff of
the college and that the staff are
variously motivated towards effective
performance. However, motivation was
found to be lacking in some vital areas such as provision of enough offices,
living accommodation and means of transportation to workers. The absence of these important requirements
would obviously negatively affect staff performance. The college also applies disciplinary
measures in the management of human capital. The measures were applauded by
works cited as vital managerial strategies.
Recommendation
Based on the findings of the study, the
following recommendations were made:
·
Though
on-the-job training programmes are already available in the college, there
should be continuity as it is a good management skill worthy of emulation.
·
Other
state colleges of education yet to adopt on-the-job training of their workers
as a management strategy should emulate Ebonyi State College of Education.
·
The
college should ensure adequate motivation
of its staff by providing every
one of them with office accommodation, living accommodation
within the college and then
official vehicles for Deans
of schools, Heads of department and other Senior staff in that category to enhance efficiency in their work.
·
The
use of discipline as a management strategy should continue, given that no goals
will be achieved in any organization
where indiscipline pervades.
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