A Study on Staff Training Procedures and Impacts in Nigerian Universities (A Case Study of Delta State University and

ABSTRACT


INTRODUCTION
One of the most crucial resources in any higher educational institution is human resources, especially the lecturers responsible for imparting knowledge to the students under their care.Lecturers are considered pivotal to educational development, and schools are expected to employ and train competent and highly motivated lecturers to achieve education goals.Human resources play a pivotal role in the economic development of developing countries (Armstrong, 2009).The need for competent lecturers has intensified due to the challenges posed by a fast-paced, highly dynamic, and increasingly global economy.Lecturers face the necessity to keep pace with rapidly developing fields of knowledge and technologies while meeting the needs of an everwidening range of diverse students (Peretomode and Chukwuma, 2012).Staff training is described as activities aimed at improving, updating, or maintaining staff skills and abilities.It is a set of systematic and planned activities designed by an organization to provide its members with opportunities to learn necessary skills to meet current and future work demands (Werner and DeSimone, 2006).For productivity to be achieved in a university, administrators, librarians, lecturers, and even non-academic staff need to work together as a team.Staff members are not necessarily trained with the specific skills required for their positions during their academic lives, which is why organizations provide training to equip them with the necessary knowledge and skills for effective job performance.The objective of staff training in organizations such as universities is to increase the skills and knowledge of the lecturers.Planned training programs add value to organizations in terms of increased productivity, morale, and greater organizational efficiency (Nassazi, 2013).Training of staff involves empowering them with new skills for their job, while development involves consciously or unconsciously enhancing those skills.Organizations engage in training their human resources to maximize their potential because training makes employees highly competent at their jobs (Meyer and Smith 2000).Staff training is at the heart of employee utilization, productivity, commitment, motivation, and growth.Many employees fail in organizations because their need for training is not identified and provided for as an indispensable part of the management function.
Staff training should be geared towards the needs and services of the library without neglecting the efforts of those who work towards achieving these goals.A trained staff member is familiar with the library's book stock, ensuring that both staff and students do not experience difficulties, indirectly building students' confidence in the competence of the staff in discharging their duties.Training staff enables them to understand the laid-down procedures of their jobs and the consequences if violated.
Staff training creates avenues for new knowledge, skills, and expertise needed for the realization of the library's goals (Mathis and Jackson 2004).
Training is an organizational effort aimed at helping an employee acquire basic skills required for the efficient execution of the activities and functions for which they are hired.This involves activities undertaken to expose staff to perform additional duties and assume positions of importance in the organizational hierarchy.Staff productivity is a function of ability, will, and situational factors.An organization may have employees with ability and determination, appropriate equipment, and managerial support, yet productivity falls below expected standards.The missing factor in many cases is the lack of adequate skills and knowledge acquired through training exercises.This is why Denhardt and Denhardt (2009) emphasized motivation while discussing leadership and management skills in public administration.They opined that whether members of an organization perform well depends partly on ability and partly on motivation.A person must already possess or be able to learn the right mix of skills and ability to do a job and must be motivated to do the job well.

LITERATURE REVIEW
According to Ngu (1994) training objectives can be derived from the current staffs and employee situation.He reiterated that the existing manpower situation determines the training objectives both at the organizational and national level.Ngu (1994) corroborated that to be able to identify training needs, therefore will entail a comprehensive staffs and employee survey which is usually an aspect of staff planning.He added that a comprehensive staff survey will expose the types of skills and personnel that need to be developed or trained.Ngu (1994) reaffirms that for a country to enjoy both domestic and international influence and prestige, its citizens must be highly educated, honest and well respected rather than being ignorant, inefficient and corrupt.A training policy therefore is also geared towards that.Giangreco, Sebastiano, and Pecce (2009): as cited in Kulkarni (2013) George (1979) maintains that the importance of training is to help the employee acquire and maintain the necessary skills, capabilities and personal capacities to contribute more adequately to the attainment of organizational and rational objectives.In summary of the afore submission one may infer to say that the importance of training is to increase the present and future employees effectiveness, prepare them for advancement, retain them for greater versatility or for changes in organizational and national programmes.Tan, Hall and Boyce (2003) as cited in Kulkarni (2013) observed that companies are making huge investment on training programmes to prepare them for future needs.Stavrou et al., (2004) posits that the main goal of training is to provide, obtain and improve the necessary skills in order to help organizations achieve their goals and create competitive advantage by adding value to their key resources.Denny (1969) as cited in Ngu (1994) sees induction training as a programme of reception and introduction for newcomers which begins on arrival and is designed to help them to settle into the new surroundings as quickly as possible.He summarizes the purpose of induction training as thus: To give the history and background of the organization; To train the newcomers on their job; To clearly define line of responsibility and line of authority; and to fashion out organizational individual method.Bass andVaughan (1966), Flippo (1976), Green and Biggs (1976), as cited in Ngu (1994) have identified two types of training viz On the job and Off the Job.On the Job Training according to these authorities implies to a technique of training through which an employee acquires relevant skills, knowledge and attitude at his actual work.According to Ojo (2000), on the job training is where an employee is shown how to perform the job and he or she is allowed to do it under supervision.Stone (1982) redresses that during the on the job training the steps are repeated where an error is made until the employee learns the correct procedure.In the wording of Kulkarni (2013), on the job training may be seen as thus; job instruction, apprenticeship and coaching, job rotation, committee assignment, internship training, and training through step by step.Ngu (1994), affirms that Off the Job training is a type that can be conducted outside the working environment.It is usually conducted in classrooms, in this case the trainee are given theoretical knowledge on how to handle a particular operation.Kulkarni (2013) reaffirms and classifies Off the Job Training as thus: Programme instructions, class room lectures, work shop and seminars, conference method, vestibule training, behavioural modelling, experimental exercise, audio-visual method, case study method.

Self-Paced /Computer-Based Training Methods
This can be conducted off the job, that is, in the classroom or in an individual self-paced format.According to Werner and DeSimone (2006)

Computer-Aided Instruction (CAI)
The programmes of computer -aided instruction include electronic workbooks, compact disc and read-only memory (CD-ROM) presentations.The CAI software packages have a wide range of materials from many subject areas.Many companies have replaced instructorled courses with CD-ROMS.Research has also shown that trainees using CAI take less time to learn same amount of material using conventional methods (Wexley as cited by Werner and DeSimone, 2006).Polytechnics could also use this method to train lecturers as it is cost effective.

Internet and Intranet -Based Training
Internets are computers networks that connect millions of computers linked together via modems, telephone cable lines.Intranets are computer networks that use internet and World Wide Web technology and software tools, to find, manage, create, and distribute information within an organization (Cropt, 1996).Thus, with intranet, trainers can communicate with learners, conduct needs assessment and other administrative tasks and transmit course materials.This type of technology-based training is referred to as e-learning (electronic learning).

Intelligent Computer-Assisted Instruction
It is a more advanced computer-assisted instruction because it has the ability to qualitatively evaluate learner performance.It is able to discern the learner capability from the learners" response pattern and the learners" errors.All of the above training approaches have shown that there are a variety of training approaches that an organization can use to for personnel development.However, most of them are used in business organizations but can be adopted by educational institutions like the Universities.

Impact of Higher Education Training Programmes on the Job Performance of Universities Staff
Higher education Training programmes are programs that enable lecturers to acquire further education or higher degrees such as diploma's, bachelor's, master's and doctorate in their chosen fields.The programs are obtainable from universities within and outside Nigeria.Further training is recognized as an approach for achieving increased efficiency and performance of lecturers (FME, 2014).According to Ndiomuas cited by Oyitso and Olumukoro (2012), formal school like the Universities provides the atmosphere for structured learning which makes assimilation process easier.He further states that training in formal schools has some advantages, and they include: the performance level of the study can be readily assessed through testing, ideas and concepts can be standardized, it affords students from various background and experience a forum for interaction and resources are put together in one place for maximum utilization.Nassazi (2013) affirms that the contents, duration and all the details about training should be clear to both the organization and the individuals to be trained.Employees may undertake these courses and programmes while completely off work or alternatively are present for work on part-time basis.

Impact of Information Communication Technology Training Programmes on Universities Lecturers' Job Performance
Lecturers play a pivotal role in the development, adoption, and implementation of educational curricula or innovations.This responsibility becomes especially crucial with the integration of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) into educational institutions.It has been demonstrated that knowledge of ICT usage enhances human capacity across various domains, including business transactions, industrial operations, educational programs, and life in general (Archibong, Ogbiji, and Anijaobi-Idem, 2010).Information Communication Technology (ICT) encompasses the processing and maintenance of information and the utilization of computer, communication, network, and mobile technologies to transmit information (Iloanusi and Osuagwu, 2010).Communication technologies encompass all media used for transmitting audio, video, data, or multimedia, such as cable satellite, fiber optics, and wireless devices (radio, infrared, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi).Network technologies include Personal Area Networks (PAN), Campus Area Network (CAN), intranets, extranets, and the internet.Computer technologies include all removable media like optical discs, disks, flash memories, video books, multimedia projectors, interactive electronic boards, and continuously evolving state-of-the-art PCs, while mobile technologies comprise mobile phones and palmtops.All these technologies focus on information as their material object, and when applied to education, they enhance the delivery and access to knowledge, improve the curriculum, and generate more comprehensive learning outcomes.Various modes of utilizing ICT in education include e-learning, mobile learning, distance education, and online learning (Iloanusi and Osuagwu, 2010).E-learning encompasses distance learning, online, and mobile learning, facilitated by ICT devices such as computers, network communication, and mobile technologies.These technologies aid in delivering education and making information accessible to anyone, anytime, anywhere.Unlike traditional education, where students' assimilation of knowledge depends on how well the teacher or lecturer transfers it, e-learning shifts the focus to both teacher and student.Students can leverage technology to access varied knowledge resources, making learning self-paced and personalized.Online or distance learning eliminates geographical barriers for students and teachers, removing the need for study leave for workers pursuing a program while working (Brown, Anderson, and Murray, 2007).Given the importance of ICT programs in educational institutions, many governments globally have adopted strategies to facilitate ICT education through enhanced training programs and the provision of an enabling environment (Pelgrum and Law, 2003).In Nigeria, governmental and non-governmental organizations, banks, and individuals have funded the implementation of ICT in educational institutions at all levels (Dada and Dada, 2008).Organizations such as the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) have directed efforts towards universities and polytechnics.The benefits of ICT in education are significant, as stated by Yusuf (2005), including its potential to accelerate, enrich, and deepen skills, motivate and engage students in learning, relate school experiences to work practices, create economic viability for future leaders, contribute to radical changes in schools, strengthen teaching, and provide opportunities for connections between schools and the world.Consequently, ICT can enhance the efficiency and productivity of schools.

Impact of Lecturers' Participation in Academic Seminars and Workshops on Job Performance
A seminar is one of the methods or approaches adopted for the training and development of lecturers in universities.The Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary (2010) describes it as a meeting for discussion or training.In seminars, small groups of people meet to discuss a topic, and each participant has the opportunity to gain knowledge and experience (Rahman et al, 2011).Similarly, Oyebade (2008) posits that seminars are undertaken to update knowledge and improve the skills of staff in their subject areas, especially whenever a new curriculum is introduced.A seminar in a university is, therefore, a lecture or presentation delivered to an audience on a particular topic that is educational in nature.It is also regarded as a form of academic instruction either at an academic institution or at a commercial or professional organization.Seminars are highly interactive sessions in which presenters lead a small group of participants in a discussion about a defined topic.The main goal of an academic seminar is to make participants gain mastery of a subject.It is based on the lecture and demonstration format, in which the instructor or presenter prepares the concepts and techniques, presents and discusses them through a combination of visual materials, interactive tools or equipment, and demonstrations.Emphasis is on discussion and questions from all the participants.The objective of a seminar is to familiarize participants with the methodology of their chosen subject and allow them to interact and discuss problems.In addition, seminars also promote and encourage the sharing of information among attendees and provide them with information and sometimes technological displays encompassing the best and most current information in their field.Workshops are similar to seminars, but the emphasis in a workshop is on laboratory work or practical skills (Oyebade, 2008).A workshop refers to an interactive and participatory group exercise designed to reinforce, imprint, and enable participants to implement and put into practice the actual concepts and techniques (Patterson, 2011).The main objective of workshops is to acquaint participants with practical skills in the use of equipment or machines.Hamby (2012) affirms that workshops tend to be smaller and more intense than seminars and often involve participants trying new skills during the event under the watchful eye of the instructors.

METHODOLOGY
This study aims to design a means of collecting and analyzing data on staff training procedures and impacts in Nigerian universities using Delta State University and Edwin Clark University as a case study.Outlined below are the various aspects of this chapter:

Research Design
The researchers made use of the case study to aid this research work.This is because the case study ensures that research work is streamlined towards chosen area or a selected group of people organization.This aids accurate research findings.

Population, Sample and Sampling Technique
The population of the study is made up of some selected staff of Delta State University and Edwin Clark University.The sample size for the research work is put at 25 staff per university making it a total of 50 staffs for both Universities.This figure is chosen considering the time factor and the resource available for the work and this numbers were obtained through simple random sampling techniques.

Research Instrument
The instrument used for this research study is the questionnaire.The questionnaire is divided into two main sections.Section A -Personal data about the respondent Section B -Information on various staff training procedures and the impacts on staffs, problems encountered during course of training by individuals, solutions, and recommendations by various staffs on best training procedures.

Validity and Reliability of the Instrument
The questionnaire is highly recommendable for carrying out research that involve staff responses especially in different divisions/department of targeted population within both Universities.The questionnaire is a systematic in-depth attempt to obtain, data and objective views of training procedures or it exercises.The method used for the collection of data is reliable most especially as it enables and ensures sincerity on the part of the respondents.

Method of Data Collection and Analysis
The medium of collect data is through the questionnaire which is clearly typed and printed out.The researcher administered the questions to the sample population to collect relevant data for the analysis.The researcher used tables and figures to present the data for better comprehension.It is analyzed in a simple descriptive method and percentage of: Total number of Response x 100 / Total number of Questions x 1 From the data presented in the above table, it is evident that for Delta State University, 13 (52%) of the respondents are male, while 12 (48%) are female.In contrast, for Edwin Clark University, 10 (40%) of the respondents are male, and 15 (60%) are female.This indicates that in Delta State University, there are more male respondents than female, whereas the situation is reversed in Edwin Clark University.The data obtained on the age distribution of respondents from Delta State University, as presented in the above table, reveals that 8 (32%) of the respondents fall within the age range of 20-30 years, 10 (40%) fall between 31-40 years, 5 (20%) fall between 41-50 years, and 2 (8%) of the respondents are 50 years and above.Meanwhile, data from Edwin Clark University shows that 10 (40%) of the respondents fall within the age range of 20-30 years, another 10 (40%) fall between 31-40 years, 3 (12%) fall between 41-50 years, and 2 (8%) of the respondents are 50 years and above.This implies that the majority of staff in both universities are young people.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION Data Analysis and of Results
In Table 3 above, the data indicates that for Delta State University, 22 (88%) respondents answered 'Yes' to the question, while 3 (12%) responded 'No.' Similarly, for Edwin Clark University, 24 (96%) respondents affirmed with 'Yes,' and 1 (4%) responded with 'No.'The responses to the questionnaire suggest that a majority of both university staff and employees are aware of the available staff trainings and may potentially participate in them.However, when comparing the percentages, respondents from Edwin Clark University appear to be more aware of staff trainings than those from Delta State University.Am.J. Soc.Dev.Entrep.3(1) 1-9, 2024 The responses in

CONCLUSION
The findings of this research work and the discussions on the various results indicate that the following conclusions are evident.A trained staff performs their job competently.Training leads to the eradication of staff lousy attitudes towards performance and productivity.Furthermore, there is a significant relationship between training and staff attitude towards the work and the human environment.A trained staff has the tendency to improve on their non-friendly attitudes towards people at the grassroots.The research discovered that both private and government universities do not train their staff regularly.On the other hand, staff enthusiasm for training, more often than not, derails.To address the issues epitomized by this anomaly, university management should morally and financially encourage staff to institute a training fund contribution that would facilitate regular training exercises.This effort would benefit the university management board and the staff.When a staff is equipped to compete with contemporaries outside their university, it makes them a good ambassador for their university.Another recommendation is the provision of training opportunities that would also meet the financial needs of the workers.
When you help develop your employees' skills through instruction, training programs, and the like, you are likely to have a significantly greater impact on their motivation and work attitude.Staff training takes the form of on-the-job training and other forms of in-service training, resulting in the development of knowledge or expertise, greater confidence, and indeed, a significant improvement in performance.The objectives of this research work were to demonstrate that training should be geared towards organizational needs and nothing more or less, evaluating the relationship between training, development, staff attitude, and their (staff) human development index.The study aimed to examine the outcome of the relationship between educational/ academic staff and the human environment (society) and to isolate possible factors influencing the work attitude of academic staff.
corroborated that the key determinants of overall satisfaction with training are perceived training efficiency and perceived usefulness of training.Karthick, (2012) as cited in Kulkarni (2013) affirms that training objectives tell the trainee that what is expected out of him at the end of the training programme.He added that training objectives are of great significance from a number of stakeholders perspectives, trainer, trainee, designer, evaluator.
the increased availability of networked computers has led to a limitless interplay between instructor-led and individual based computer training.Computers are increasingly becoming indispensable in the delivery of training in many organizations.It is estimated that 55 percent of organizations now use computer-based training in their training programmes.There are three methods or approaches of using computer-based training (CBT).These are computer aided instruction, intranet training, and intelligent computer assisted instruction.
there is a higher involvement in on-the-job training and job rotation compared to other types of training.In Edwin Clark University, staff primarily participate in onthe-job training, seminars, and conferences, suggesting effective implementation of training processes in both universities.Staff in both universities cited 'skill improvement and effectiveness and efficiency' as the main reasons for sending employees for training, with Edwin Clark University showing a higher preference for higher responsibility compared to Delta State University.All staff respondents affirmed their experiences before various training sessions in both universities, indicating a positive impact on their personal and professional development.Staff unanimously agreed that training impacts can be evaluated in both universities, aligning with Nwachukwu's (1988) findings that training fosters positive work attitudes.Regarding funding, in Delta State University, a considerable number of respondents agreed that the university funds training, while an equal number expressed uncertainty.In Edwin Clark University, responses were divided equally between 'Yes' and 'No,' suggesting varying levels of awareness among staff regarding university-funded training.The majority of respondents in both Delta State University and Edwin Clark University are unsure about the reasons behind the university management's failure to provide training when due. Staff respondents from both universities unanimously agreed that sound staff training enhances the enthusiasm of employees for work, supporting the findings of Ojo (1986) that staff training fosters cooperation among staff and contributes to a positive organizational image through employees' dedicated efforts.

Table 1 :
On Sex Distribution of Respondents

Table 2 :
On Age distribution of respondents Variables

Table 4 :
If yes, what type of training programme(s) does your L.G.A offer her employees?

Table 5 :
What are your university reasons for sending your employees for training?

Table 6 :
Can staffs be motivated to increase their productivity through training?Am.J. Soc.Dev.Entrep.3(1)1-9, 2024 answered 'Yes' to the question without any objections.Similarly, for Edwin Clark University, 24 (96%) responded affirmatively, while 1 (4%) indicated 'No.'These findings strongly suggest an increase in productivity through staff training in both universities.Analyzing the data from Table 10 above, it becomes evident that for Delta State University, all 25 respondents (100%) answered positively with 'Yes,' while at Edwin Clark University, 21 (84%) responded affirmatively, and 4 (16%) indicated 'No.'This suggests that a significant majority, if not all, of the university staff from Delta State University exhibit improved enthusiasm for work following any form of staff training, in contrast to Edwin Clark University.

Table 7 :
Can training impacts be evaluated?

Table 8 :
Are training funded periodically as at when due in your University?

Table 9 :
Are there reasons given by management for failures of providing training as at when due?

Table 10 :
Does sound training increase the staff zeal for work?