CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background of the Study

Secretarial Education is a vocational programme that is oered in Secondary schools, Polytechnics, Colleges of Education and Universities primarily to educate and train students to become secretarial teachers and administrators with the appropriate skills and competencies to take up a career in teaching, oice occupation and business. According to Amoor and Udoh (2008), secretarial education is an area of instruction that has been in existence for several decades, and it plays very significant role in national economic development. It is, according to Usman (2008) a vital tool in the hand of government to combat unemployment crisis, and also according to Ilo (2002) is a tool to alleviate poverty. Secretarial Education is also very useful to private organizations and individuals in terms of employability, job creation and self-reliance. As important and indispensable as this vocational education programme is, its existence in Nigerian secondary schools today is about to die a natural death. It is keenly observed that many secondary school students nowadays do not opt for secretarial education neither are they guided by their parents or educational Guidance and Counselors to make a career in secretarial education. It is against this background that this paper attempts to examine the factors that are responsible for this devastating low students’ enrolment for this vocational education programme in Nigerian Secondary schools / commercial colleges. Secretarial Education provides knowledge, skills, competencies and attitudes needed for would-be secretaries to function well in oice occupation and also be self-reliant. In support of this definition, Chukumezie (2001) said that secretarial education revolves around job skills, employability and self-dependency. Also, the National Board for Technical Education (1989) defined secretarial education as the type of education that equips students with vocational skills, eective work competencies and socio-psychological work skills essential for inter-personal relations. In addition to the above, Okolo (2001) said, secretarial education provides students with adequate skills, information and competencies needed to function well in oice occupation.

Secretarial education came to limelight in the last decades of the 19th century when some Nigeria nationals in business partnerships with overseas exporters had to learn simple commercial subjects for the purpose of facilitating business transactions. Aliyu (2006), said that between 1940 and 1960, the missionaries, particularly the Roman Catholic, established commercial schools for training girls as secretaries. He said that in 1955, the modern secondary schools were introduced to give pre-vocational business training and some leading commercial schools such as the Abett Institute, Sapele Christian Secondary Commercial College, Warri, subjects such as typewriting, shorthand, Oice practice, Accounts/Bookkeeping, etc were oered. Educational facilities are those equipment’s used by both lecturers and students to make learning easy and simple. Overtime these are new inventions modernized. In order to adapt to these changes schools must introduce and teach student how to use them. With time and technological growth, business organizations are increasing the scope of their business and consequently the duties of secretaries are increasing. Facilities are therefore needed to overcome the diiculties and ensure eective and eicient performance of their study. This is a frame of reference on which facilities are concluded. The use of educational facilities in every school is today the driving forces for change. Man has been using facilities in one way or the other throughout the history of man’s existence on earth. Educators at all level from the government to private school, colleges and polytechnics as well as universities, have recognized the impact of the facilities on business/oices and have had the foresight not only to recommend but in many instances to require that student’s planning to enter the business world at any level, and in any capacity should be exposed to the study and possible manipulation of these facilities as that would enhance their chances in life.

1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

This department of secretarial studies unlike other department of the school can be said to be a practical department which needs equipment and facilities more than only other department in the school. These aids which make it easier for systematic training, acquiring knowledge and abilities as well as developing character and mental powers are indispensable in secretarial department. Over this year’s however there had been an increase in student intake into the department. Also overtime these facilities have become old, obsolete and out-dated. With the advent of modern technology and changes in offices equipment and systems, one then wonders whether the department is able to maintain required standards. How prepared is the department to meet current needs of the modern office? Do they have the necessary facilities electronic typewriters, computers, modern communication gadgets, etc., which they should be using in training? These and many more are what this research topic seek address.