Strategies For Improving In-service Training Of Secretaries As Perceived By Business Education Lecturers In Tertiary Institutions

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

• Background Of The Study

The emergence of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) inNigeria has posed a serious challenge to all facets of the Nigerian economy. Thishas necessitated secretaries to keep abreast of the current technology asIt affects office procedures and operations. For secretaries to contributeeffectively and efficiently to the achievement of goals and objectives of theorganization  they have to be retrained and be given a learning environment oncontinuous  basis in order to acquaint themselves with new challenges in the office and transformed the way secretaries discharge their duties.

Agbo (2012), described  secretary as an employee who can cope with all the stress and demands of the office in a manner that will ensure her overall  control of the crises that may emanate from managing records, communication,  information, people and other resources that are intrinsically involved  in making office the nerve center of any business organization.  secretary is seen as an administrative assistant who is able to cope with the stress involves  in his work and who is able to carry out his assigned responsibilities with less or no supervision. Public establishments according to Oldroyd (2010) are government owned, financed, controlled and managed organizations. Therefore, an effective and efficient public establishment is one that has workers who exhibit high levels of job quality performance, high productivity and organizational commitments.

in-service training   programme to be adequate and sound it should consist of three phases, namely: pre-service training phase, on the- job experience   training phase, and in-service training phase (Diraso, 2012). In-service training is a long life process in which an employee is constantly learning    and adapting to new challenges of his job. This he does through reading of books, journals and magazines in his area of specialization, through discussion with colleagues and supervisors on matters concerning his profession andattending courses and conferences relating to his profession. The aims of in-service training include: to update the employees and revamp their professional knowledge, skills, and competencies and to broaden their knowledge of the core areas of specialization.

Aminu and Ibeneme (2011), defined in-service training as a calculated attempt towards improving quality of an employee in terms of skills, knowledge andattitude with a view to obtaining qualitative and quantitative   output from him. In-service training needs arise when workers or employees cannot cope with new techniques and innovations in their professional areas.  They maintained that in-service training is a well planned and organized effort to change the behavior and to improve on the skills acquired by an employee as to perform to acceptable standard on the job.

In-service training is a vital aspect of organizational management. This is because  it is an investment in people and its essence is to enable the staff acquire more  knowledge  and better techniques by way of improved standard and quality of work  as well as help create job satisfaction for the staff. It should be noted that in a fast changing technological age, the need for employees in-service training cannot be overemphasized, hence, it should be encouraged, organized and be a continuous exercise (Ofordile, 2013).

Business educators are professionally trained teachers of business subjects who are competent in teaching the content of business education curriculum in the faculty of education in universities and colleges of education. According to Osuala (2004), a business educator is any who plays a critical role in making business education viable and visible in the community, plays the critical role of agent of change in business education, delivers high quality instruction in business education and is able to identify problems facing teaching and learning in the field as well as speculate solutions to such problems.Business educators are challenged by the globalization trend following the advancement in technology and the need to meet acceptable standards in product quality and performance. This technology advancement involves having competencies in the use of ICT in teaching and learning. Business educators need ICT competencies to meet up with global trends.

Osuala in Okoli (2012) saw business educators as professional teachers who have ICT competencies to impact knowledge, skills and attitude necessary for effective performance in the business field and in global economy. ICT competency is an integrated set of knowledge, skills and attitudes for functional use of ICT in an educational context (Torres- Gestelu, Kiss and Dominguez, 2015). In other words, ICT competencies are set of technology standards that defined proficiency in using computer technology in the classroom. ICT competences also include the specific abilities needed by professionals responsible for the development of software or communication products and services.

Okoro (2008) also observed that teachers in Business education and instructional facilities such as typewriters, computers, stop watches, dictating machine, adding machine and guillotine machine are inadequate; this affect teaching and learning. Obuh (2007) observed that many lecturers and students have not developed the skills of using internet services to browse for new information. Ogbomo (2007) also observed that libraries were established to support the educational development of any nation, but presently, libraries are under staffed, data collection is difficult and funding is drastically reduced.

1.2 StatementOf The Problem

Secretaries provide information to managers in offices, plan and calendar meetings, take minutes at meetings, organize and maintain paper work and electronic files, disseminate information among other obligations (Bureau of Labour, 2006).

Technological advancement has been extended to all spheres of human endeavors. Offices are daily modernized through the use of latest equipment and procedures. This might affect the secretary ability to deliver effectively in his office. The advancement of technology, update of knowledge and innovations on a daily basis in  dynamic world will require the secretary the responsibility for training in order to be efficient in his job.

The essence of providing  in-service training  for secretaries is to enable them develop professionally, keep abreast on new knowledge and technology in their office procedures and operations. However, it has been observed that public establishments pay only lip service to in-service training of their employee and this automatically accounts for poor job performance. Its also worthy of note that where in service exist most times its haphazardly coordinated, poorly monitored and organized. In-service training also experience the constraints of inadequate funds. This is because employees retraining are considered expensive in terms of time and management of staff during the programme.

There is also management inability to recognize the in-service training needs of their employees. The work force is generally under-trapped, under-utilized and therefore falls short of its anticipated contributions to the realization of organizational goals. Therefore , the above inadequacies , if not properly addressed will result in poor performance, difficulty in attaining organizational goals and objectives, and lack of individual development and so on. These anomalies should urgently be corrected for the benefit of both the organizations and their staff members.

It is therefore, very vital to conduct a study on the strategies for Improving In-service Training of Secretaries as perceived by business education lecturers in tertiary institution in Bayelsa state.

• Purpose of the Study  

The general purpose of this study is  to the strategies for Improving In-service Training of Secretaries as perceived by business education lecturers in tertiary institution in Bayelsa state Specifically, the study is  set out to:

1. Examine the literarature on in-service training of secretaries with intension to improve it in tertiary institution in Bayelsa state
2. Determine if secretaries are given adequate training. in tertiary institution in Bayelsa state
3. Determine the need of improving in-service training of secretaries in tertiary institution in Bayelsa state.
4. Offer immediate and long term suggestions for the in-service training of secretaries in tertiary institutions in Bayelsa state.

1.4      Research Questions

The following questions have been formulated to guide the study;

1. What literature can be examined to improve the in-service training of secretaries in tertiary institution in Bayelsa state?
2. How far are secretaries in tertiary institution in Bayelsa state are given adequate training?
3. To what extent the need of improving in-service training of secretaries in tertiary institution in Bayelsa state?
4. What immediate and long term suggestions should be offered for the in-service training of secretaries in tertiary institutions in Bayelsa state?

1.5        Significance Of The Study

This study is significant in that it will serve as a guide and it will go a long way in helping to create the necessary awareness required of employers in achieving an improved in-service training of their secretaries for an improved in-service training of secretaries. This will make them more productive and efficient in their jobs to the benefits of the employers and to their joy and satisfaction.

It will help our policy makers  take  into account  the strategies  for improving in-service training of secretaries in some  organizations ,thereby formulating development plans to favor them.

This study will help our policy makers to take into account the strategies for improving in-service training of secretaries in modern business organisations in the state thereby formulating development plans to favour them.

This study will serve as a guide and also a motivational tool for both the secretaries and employers of labor in modern business organisations in  Bayelsa state.

1.6  Scope Of The Study

This study will focus on  the strategies for Improving In-service Training of Secretaries as perceived by business education lecturers in tertiary institution in Bayelsa state. It will be limited to the needs, challenges and strategies for improving good training.

1.7 Operational Definition Of Terms

Strategy: a general set of plans intended to achieve an objective

Improve: to enhance the quality of something

In-service training: training given to an employee to update his or her knowledge

Secretary: a person employed by an individual or in an office to assist with correspondence, make appointments, and carry out administrative tasks.

Business education Lecturers: A trained professional on business education who is competent at teaching it.