Improvement Of The Working Conditions Of The Secretary In A Public Sector

Introduction

In this chapter, the researchers present the background to the study, statement of the problem, scope of the study, purpose of the study, significance of the study, research questions and/ or Hypothesis (es).

1.1 Background To The Study

Industrial attachment is a system whereby a student before graduating is sent to an industry or a training centre to have practical experience on the job. It is either for a year, six months or two months depending on which categories of students are involved. At the training centre, only the practical aspect of the course is emphasized, that is, attention is paid to technical skill development.

In other words, industrial attachment as applied is to the undergraduate a form of practical training in industry where the student is expected to acquire professional practical experience and scale in the activities of a particular industry or establishment and having a physical feeling of those things learnt in theory.

Industrial attachment as it is called to day is the brain child of the industrial training fund (ITF) otherwise known as students’ industrial work. Experience scheme (SIWES) which was introduced by the industrial training fund (ITF) since 1973.

According to Awan (1979) the industrial training fund (ITF) was established in Decree NO.47 of 8th October 1971 with the aim of “promoting and encouraging the acquisition of skills in industry and commerce with a view to generating a pool of indigenous trained man power sufficient to meet the needs of the Nigerian economy”.

Before the beginning of this scheme, various institutions made their own arrangement with industries/companies where their students go to hare the practical experience to enable them match theory with practice. The pioneer of these private institutional arrangements was institute of management and technology-(IMT) Enugu.

It was the first of the three manpower training and development agencies created by the federal military Government during the 2nd National Development plan period (1970-1974). The other bodies were the Nigerian count for management development (NCMD) and Administrative Staff Collage of Nigeria (ASCORL).
According to Ayoade (1994), the provision of the above decree which established the industrial training fund (ITF) empowered it among other things to.

Encourage employer to train and retain their workers.

Provide facilities for industrial training in general.

 

It is in realization of this noble role that the industrial training fund in 1973 launched the students industrial work experience scheme (SIWES). The idea was to use facilities in industry and commerce to supplement institutional education and training, because of huge financial burden which this scheme placed on ITF. The fund in 1979 decided after due consideration to terminate the scheme. This decision was without prejudice to the consequences of their action on the students and their staff who had already seen the scheme as the only hope of preparing students very meaningfully for the worked of work.

In order to sustain the expectation of the students and the need for manpower development in the nation, the federal military government continued to fund the scheme from 1980 to 1984 through the National Board for technical Education (NBTE). The supervision of the scheme was once more passed over to the industrial training fund (ITF) in 1985, while the funding remained the responsibility of the federal Government.

The scope of the fund left with administrative functions is limited to college of technology, and Education, University of technology and Polytechnics all over the nation.

1.2 Statement Of The Problems

The need for work experience has become an often mentioned criterion for man power selection as required by all employers. Evidence has shown that students in industrial training come back to complain adversely on the lag existing between industrial experience or practical aspect of their studies with what is obtainable in the classroom, and the need to fill this gap is inevitable if the required manpower

needed/expected of our students from accountancy should be acquired and harnessed. These calls for the need for our curriculum planners and implementers to look into the problem the students encounters while in industrial training (IT) so that there will be a similar relationship with what nis obtained in theory and that obtainable in their practical experience.

Therefore, efforts should be made by lecturers handling most of these courses like financial accounting, taxation, mathematics or business mathematics, auditing and investigation, computer and other management courses etc to see that the students will not mess themselves up while in their industrial training.

1.3 Significance Of The Study

This research project will be of benefit to the students, Government and business houses in general.
It is expected that the study will provide data on the benefits, problems associated with industrial attachment and recommend solutions to these problems. The information should be useful to industries that show negative attitudes towards the Programme thereby making it easier for the students to secure attachment. Also to highlight to the students the expected relationship that should exist will between them and the business houses.

This study will also be helpful to lecturers in accounting and other management studies that produce their students IT to have focused on the current development in the industries so that students experience in the classroom will be in line with what they will see as the practical.

Aspect of their studies. Government agents/agencies can still make use of this work to advise industries on the need to be fully involved in this Programme and ensure that the aim of this programmed is not a mere book aim but an achieved aim if the need for man power development should rule the day.

Other readers/researchers in accountancy will also find this work useful when they will need to do further research work on industrial training Programme which will serve as a word of encouragement to students of accounting education during their IT and also a motivator to those takes active part in training and job inter play.

1.4 The Purpose Of The Study

The main purpose of this study is to:

Ascertain the role of industrial training in accounting education.

Examine the strength and weakness of the programme which warrants its continuation.

Find out whether coordinating units are established in the institutions selected and if they are functioning well.

To ascertain whether the employers accept all the students for industrial attachment as stipulated in ITF Decree No 47 as amended in 1990.

Determine how often the supervision staff of ITF visit the students on attachment.

Find out whether students involved are given orientation course prior to their attachment.

Identify how often allowances are being paid to the students and supervisors.

 

The students will in no small measure intensity and identify the various aims and objectives of the Programme and make necessary recommendations based on the findings.

1.5 Scope Of The Study

The researchers feel that what is obtainable in these places that organize the Programme so far is the same everywhere. Also the financial involvement and time constraint were factors considered by the researchers.

1.6 Limitation And Delimitation Of The Study

The researchers feel that Owerri Urban is suitable for this study because there are many schools that send students out on industrial work experience scheme (SIWES). We have four higher institutions in Owerri but the researchers used only two namely, Alvan Ikoku Federal Collage of Education Owerri and Federal Polytechnic Nekede

1.7 Research Questions

For the purpose of this study, the researchers formulated the following research questions.

What are the major benefits that students of accounting education derive from students industrial work experience scheme (SIWES)?

What are the strength and weaknesses of the Programme?

What is the role of dose supervision and observation during the SIWES Programme?

Are student trainees accepted by every organization where they are posted for SIWES Programme?

Is improper orientation before the Programme a factor that leads to lots of mistakes on the part of the student during the Programme?