APPRAISAL OF STAFF DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMMES FOR LECTURERS IN COLLEGES OF EDUCATION SOUTH-EAST OF NIGERIA

ABSTRACT

The study appraised staff development programmes for lecturers in Colleges of Education, South East of Nigeria. The purpose of the study was to find out if the staff development programmes for lecturers in Colleges of Education, South East of Nigeria is in line with the National Commission for Colleges of Education (NCCE)  Manual on Staff Development. The study adopted  the descriptive  survey research  design. An intact population of 1329 lecturers (772 from federal and 557 from state colleges of education) were used, so there was no sampling as the number was small  enough to be handled. A 32-item researcher designed questionnaire was used as the  instrument for data collection. Data collected was analyzed using mean scores and standard deviation to answer the five research questions, while Z-test was employed to test the four null hypotheses formulated to guide the study, at

0.05 level of probability. It was found that to a great extent the colleges of education South

East of Nigeria complied with the NCCE Staff Development Manual. The implication of this finding is that much is now expected from the lecturers that have been developed. This implies  a glimpse  of hope that  the standard  of education  in  colleges  of education  and consequently, primary school education, will soon improve.   It was recommended among others that the NCCE should not bother to carry out any assessment of the implementation of the Staff Development Manual as this study has provided the necessary information. The resources budgeted for this should be channeled to others areas of need. Also colleges of education should not rest on their oars but ensure that from time to time the lecturers are further developed as education especially for teachers is a continuous process. The NCCE should  endeavor  to  provide  Manuals  for basic  activities  in all their  institutions  for  the purpose of guidance, uniformity and reference.

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

Background of the Study

Staff development is becoming increasingly important as organizations attempt  to come to terms with competitiveness and increased productivity, having recognized  career management  as  a  strategy  in  human  capital  formation  in  dynamic  environment.  Staff development, is a complex concept that defy a simple definition.  It is generally accepted however, that staff development refers to the process whereby employees of an organization enhance their knowledge and skills in directions that are advantageous to their role in the organization. Definitions of staff development may be approached from the perspectives of the developer, the employer and the personnel being developed. According to White (2009), staff development makes room for the development of skills; it enhances productivity and quality of work and also  builds  workers’  loyalty to the organization.  King (2003)  also affirms  that  it  removes  performance  deficiencies,  helps  to  retain  would-be-displaced workers,  ensures  trained  staff workplace  security,  develops  management  personnel,  and creates career development.

There  seems  to  be  a  general  agreement  that  staff  development  engenders  high productivity and ensures job security. Rorney (2008) argued that staff development activity has to be process orientated, while Denzo and Robbins (2008) suggested that a significant component  of staff  development  is to facilitate  change  on a personal,  professional  and institutional level. Mills & Walter (2002) highlighted the need for human understanding and recognition that the feelings, emotions, humanity and ‘being’ of the people involved, play an  important  part  in  staff  development.  This  ‘being’  of  the  people  was  reinforced  by Psacharopoulos  & Woodhall (2007) who viewed  staff  development  as self development guided by critical questions and practiced within frameworks that can lead to meeting the

needs of all persons involved in the process. Marriss (2010) defined staff development as the process whereby employees of an organization enhance their knowledge and  skills in directions that are advantageous to their role in the organization. This  indicates that staff development  is a continuous  learning process starting from the  employee’s  first year of employment and extending to retirement and increases staff knowledge and skills. In other words, staff development is essentially an on-going process of education, training, learning and  support  activities  concerned  with helping  staff  grow  on the job  in which  they are employed. Many organizations have come to realize that staff development programmes are imperative as they help staff of the organization to be familiar with new trends of activities in their work places. Decenzo & Robbins (2008) agree that professionalized human resource has imbued knowledge, skills, abilities, attitudes, and aptitude which when brought to bear in a teaching-learning situation promotes creativity, excellence, transfer of knowledge, and skills to students.

This  in essence  brings  to  limelight  why effective  manpower  development  (staff development)  should  be  guarded  jealously  in  any  organizations  to  ensure   optimum productivity  and  actualization  of  the  vision  of  organization.  It  is  often  assumed  that development  of  human  skills  and  knowledge  enhances  national  development.  Oketete (2002) asserted that human resources form the critical basis for wealth of nations as well as typify the most essential variables in a country’s development. This also, is in consonance with the emphasis on teacher education by the Federal Republic of Nigeria (2004:39), who in her National Policy on Education (NPE), stated that “since no education system may rise above  the  quality  of  its  teachers,  teacher  education  shall  continue  to  be  given  major emphasis  in all educational  planning and development.”  Ojerinde (2011)  stressed  that a major challenge facing teacher education in Nigeria is the production of quality teachers to take care of all the  strata of the educational  system,  hence the need  for effective  staff development  programmes for lecturers in colleges of education in Nigeria. According to

Ozochi in Junaid (2009), teachers are among the most prominent influence that affects not only  the  students’  academic  work,  but  also  their  social  behaviour.  This  explains  the importance of the teacher in the achievement of the nation’s educational objectives. In his contribution, Okeke (2004) observed that the aspirations of education can only be achieved through  the efforts of teachers.  If that  is true,  then equipping  the teachers’  trainers by constantly exposing them to new knowledge becomes imperative in order to meet with the current trends in technological advancement in the training of future teachers. The world is full of technological advancement and each passing day is dotted with innovations on how to do things better. The education industry cannot be left out of this technological growth, as students  have to be ushered  into  e-learning  pedagogy with Information  Communication Technology (ICT) at the fore front of current basic teaching methods.   This is to say that lecturers need to embrace new technologies and innovations in teaching as didactic method of teaching is fast becoming obsolete in the 21st century. Staff development programmes offers the lecturers the opportunity to update themselves with these innovations.

In an educational  institution,  academic  staff development  aims at improving  the teachers’ capacities to play their roles and fit in properly in their work plan optimally for higher achievement resulting in quality service delivery. The staff development programme for  lecturers  may  include  classroom  management,  lesson  organization,  recording  and reporting students’ work achievement, based  on assessable performances , teaching skill, teacher   behaviour,   teacher   administration,   material   resource   management,   student management  among  others  (Jamil,  Atta,  Ali,  Balochi  and  Ayaz,  2011),  which  can  be organized to improve their knowledge and skills for the benefit of the society. Peretormode (2001) sees the benefits of staff development in higher institutions as increased knowledge, skills  and  development  of  positive  behaviour  and  attitude  to  work.    When  lecturers’ knowledge  and skills are  continuously improved, they will be able to impart the desired

knowledge and skills to their students. This is why every institution that wants to progress invest more on human capital of which staff development is one of such.

Investment in human capital is the greatest asset of any organization as it leads to the required  human resources  needed  for smooth and effective running of the  organization. Also, investing in human capital has a competitive advantage as it leads to improved quality of product/services  as well as increased volume of production/services,  and this explains why some organizations perform better than others. Staff development is required for all staff of every organization/  establishment, whether  private  or  government.  Government institutions   such  as   schools  depend  more  on  government   allocation  for  their  staff development.  Every institution that wants to progress invests more in human capital and staff development is one of such investments. The cost of staff development is insignificant when  compared  to  its  benefit  in the  school  system.    This  is probably why,  licensing, certification,  continuing education and training to retain and grow in skills  in the United States, for instance are becoming increasingly important. Heathfield  (2009) in estimating what the American society spends on staff development stated that the American Society for Training  and  Development   (ASTD)  estimate  for  U.S.  organizations’  expenditure  on employee learning and development annually was $109.25 billion with nearly three quarters ($79.75 billion) spent on internal learning function, and the remainder ($29.50 billion) spent on external services.  The society has  also traditionally recommended  a minimum  of 40 hours of training a year for every employee. This can be more if there is need for training in an entirely new area of knowledge or skill which could help the school system. For instance, the  utilization  of  Information  and  Communication  Technology  (ICT),  in  colleges  of education requires staff to be trained in the use of ICT in their teaching. Staff development programmes for lecturers in colleges of education deserves to be given a higher priority for it to achieve its goals. This explains the need to appraise the programme to find out if and how it is being carried out in the colleges of education under study.

The 21st century schools are in the technological age, and as a result tasked with the needs of information. To this end Sparks in Guskey (2000) accentuated the need for staff development and opined that if teachers are to successfully teach their students with higher standards,   they  must   be   learning   all   the   time.   Through   continuous   learning   and improvement lecturers are better prepared to impart the desired knowledge and experience to the students.  Staff development  therefore  cannot  be  avoided  in school system  if the quality learning is to be assured.

Staff  development  programme  in  this  study  is  perceived  as  planned  educative activities  aimed   at  providing   opportunities   for  lecturers   to  acquire   requisite  skills, knowledge, abilities and aptitudes and attitudes for higher responsibilities and performance at their workplaces.  It includes activities designed to update the knowledge and skills of lecturers  to  expose  them  to  the  new  methods  and  approaches  in  carrying  out  various activities involved in their teaching and  administrative  jobs in the colleges of education. Such programmes vary from one organization to the other, depending on the peculiar nature and vision of the organization and may include: On-the-job training: experiences acquired on the job,  coaching, further studies, position rotating, specialized, projects; task forces, committee assignments and selective study; as well as off-the-job staff development which include: special, courses, role playing, sensitivity training, multiple management, structured insight and special meeting.

Following the promulgation of the Decree (now Act) No. 3 of 1939, the National Commission  for Colleges of Education (NCCE) as a supervisory agency  for  sub-degree teacher  education  was established.  The NCCE  therefore  completed  the  third  leg of the tripod of excellence  in tertiary education supervision  in Nigeria  with the other two legs being, the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) and the Nigerian Universities Commission (NUC). With the Nigeria Certificate in Education (NCE) becoming the basic minimum qualification for entering into the teaching profession in Nigeria, the NCCE has

become  more  strategic  given  the  fact  that  the  she  has  identified  herself  with  staff development by establishing  the Staff Development  Manual for colleges of  education in Nigeria.(NCCE,  2006) The Commission , which is the saddled with the responsibility of advising government on matters affecting colleges of Education such as establishment of colleges of education, conditions of service of personnel; financial needs of the institutions as well as ensuring high standards of teacher education in the country, due to her  interest on the  growth  of  staff  in    the  colleges  of  education,  identified  with  the  need  for  staff development   in   the   colleges.   Consequently,   she   published   a   manual   titled   Staff Development Manual for staff of colleges of Education.

According to the National Commission for Colleges of Education (NCCE) Manual (2002)  consists  of  a  series  of  standard  practices  for  staff  development  in  colleges  of education in Nigeria, which formed the bases for this study and include, Benefits of staff development  programmes;  Planning and organization  of staff  development  programmes; Criteria for sponsoring academic staff in staff development programmes; Availability and/or types of staff development programmes and Factors that influence the quantity and quality of staff development progammes.

In other words the study sought to find out if the colleges under study adhere to the laid down best practices by the NCCE in the course of developing their  lecturers.   The NCCE Minimum standards stipulate that none of the best practices should be reduced or removed but they can be increased  or improved upon. This  suggests that compliance  to these practices imply full adherence to the guidelines.

On the benefits of lecturers’ development  programmes,  NCCE believes that  staff development  programmes  has utilitarian  purposes  with  numerous  benefits.  The  Manual indicates that staff development fosters the growth and development of lecturer, giving the beneficiary a sense of self direction, achievement and self actualization. Also, it supports, motivates and educates employees  in that it serves as  a source of information  on recent

research and methodologies. Staff development programmes promotes cooperation between various lecturers in the same field as an avenue for exchange of ideas and  solving each other’s  problems,  thereby  promoting  cross  fertilization  of  ideas.  The  Manual  further indicates that staff development  programmes  play an instrument  role  in helping service providers  keep  abreast  of changes  in their  respective  fields,  while increasing  teacher’s exposure  to  the  best  educational  practices  and  learning  strategies.  It  also  provides  an opportunity for networking with others so that the concerns about educational problems can be effectively handled. The study investigated if the benefit lecturers derived from the staff development programmes are in line with the above.

Staff development programmes like other administrative activities require adequate Planning and organization. The NCCE Manual indicates that the planning and organization of staff development programmes in colleges of education shall be the responsibility of the various  departments  and  schools  of  each  institution  and  that  the  concerned  heads  of departments and deans of schools shall convene meetings to plan for the progamme. Senior and competent staffs are to be co-opted in the planning. The committee will consider the alternatives and make necessary choices based on availability of funds. The study sought to find out if the colleges comply with the NCCE Manual on planning and organizationos staff development.

On the criteria for sponsoring academic staff in staff development programmes the Manual indicates that staff to be sponsored  for staff development  must have  served the institution for at least two years. In other words, years of experience are one of the criteria for  sponsoring  such  staff.  This  implies  that  the  staff  must  have  been  confirmed  as  a permanent  staff  before  being  qualified  for  sponsorship.  At  this  level the  provost  shall approve the staff development programme on the basis of availability of funds, facilities and equipment which shall be on current and topical  issues. The productivity level of staff is

also a criterion, which is provided by the deans of school and heads of departments. Another criterion is the academic needs of the college and job discipline of the lecturer.

The  Manual  stipulates  the  following  as  the  available  and/or  types  of   staff development  programmes  approved  for the colleges  of Education in Nigeria;  Academic conferences  organized  by  the  commission  and  departments  of  the   institution;  Part- time/Sandwich   programmes   in  universities;   Workshops   and   Seminars   organized   by departments, school and units; Coaching and Counseling by superiors; Postgraduate courses in universities; Management  courses in colleges,  professional institutes or universities.  A close look at the types of staff development programme above suggests that most if not all the lecturers must have benefited from one staff development programme or the other. This explains the use of ex post facto design and intact population in this study that also tried to find out the available staff development programmes in the colleges.

The NCCE Manual also noted the following  as factors that should influence  the quantity  and  quality  of  staff  development  progammes;  Government  policies  or  new legislation; Degree of change in the external environment; The availability of suitable skills within the existing workforce; Availability of funds and equipment; The extent to which the institution  supports  the  idea  of  infernal  Career  development;   The  extent  to  which management sees training as a motivating factor in their work;  and knowledge and skills of those responsible for carrying out training. This is because such programmes are normally designed to produce highly   motivated and efficient lecturers that are enterprising so as to improve their work ethics as well as cultivate positive attitude to work. Staff development programmes  help  to produce  lecturers  that  are effective  theoretically  and  practically  in pedagogy who can effectively teach the content of their subject with evidence of continuing pursuit of such knowledge and finally produce staff (beneficiaries) whose:

        Interactions  with  students  consistently  demonstrate  a  genuine  caring/respect   for individual students

        Lesson plans are exceptional in demonstrating components of a well prepared lesson geared towards students’ success.

        Consistently  submit  accurate  records/reports  with  all  appropriate  information  in  a timely manner.

       Consistently implement a classroom discipline plan

        Consistently   encourage   self-discipline   of   all   students   by   involving   them   in establishing standards of behavior.

        Consistently  maintain  a  controlled  behavior  even  in  the  most   difficult/stressful situations and

        Provide appropriate feedback on students’ performance  to students and the   school authority according to the school academic achievement plan.( NCCE 2006)

Lecturers are teachers in colleges of education usually with a minimum qualification of a bachelors’ degree in his or her specific field of study. They are engaged in teaching and research.  The  need  for  their  development  through  any of  the  above  mentioned  means becomes  imperative  due  to  the  current  trends  in  the  field  of  teaching  and  research, especially in teacher education. Essentially an  effective staff development progamme for lecturers provide a framework for developing their career aspirations through learning and projects that enable them have self determination to achieve their career goals.   Lecturers mostly  involved  in  teaching,  supervision  of  teaching  practice,  supervision  of  students’ projects and research. They also serve as mentors to students and carry out administrative duties  such as classroom  management  and  control,  planning  and  supervision  while  the senior ones carry out the duties of heads of departments and deans of schools. Lecturers also constitute members of the academic board that make policies for effective  and  efficient academic activities in the colleges. It is therefore evident that staff development of lectures requires appraisal to determine if it is administered in the line with the stipulated rules of the

NCCE Manual for the colleges of education. In colleges of education, lecturers are expected to receive continuing staff development programmes to suit the changing work environment and keep abreast with the technological advancement of the 21st century so as to produce teachers that will be able to meet with the educational challenges of our time. One of such challenges is the use of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in teaching and learning. Unfortunately,  most lecturers in colleges  of education find it difficult to utilize ICT facilities in their teachings. This has led to continuous use of white boards and a time, black  board  in  teaching  by  the  lecturers.  This  can  be  attributed  to  inadequate  staff development programmes for lecturers to improve their skills and begin to use ICT facilities in their teachings. Colleges of education lecturers adopt different methods in teaching their students.  Such teaching  methods  include lecture, seminars,  tutorials,  practical laboratory demonstrations,   field  work  and  e-learning,   Multimedia   technologies,   among  others. Lecturers also  pursue their own research to contribute to the wider research activities of their department/institution. Many aim to have their research published, either in the form of a book or scholarly article, and this can help raise the profile of their employing institution.

Colleges of Education are tertiary institutions  established  to produce the  Nigeria Certificate  in  Education  (NCE)  teachers  that  teach  in  primary  and  secondary  schools. Colleges  of  education  are  geared  towards  educating/training  of  teachers  because  it  is believed  that  teachers  are the greatest  resource  in the  preparation  of  young people  for productive and healthy living in the society. Although the federal ministry of education has made it clear that teachers produced in the  colleges of education are to teach in primary schools, in many cases, they teach in secondary schools. Colleges of education are teacher education  institutions  with  the  main  objective  of  the  production  of  highly  motivated, conscientious, effective and efficient classroom teachers for the primary and post primary levels of the educational system (Federal Republic of Nigeria, 2004). Generally, the NCE programmes in colleges of education last for a minimum of three years, within which the

student is exposed to three inter related areas of emphasis, which includes: a broad liberal education;  specialization  in  one  or  two  teaching  subject(s)  or  field(s)  ;  and  education professional  knowledge  and skills.  Each of these  is indispensible  in the  training of the teachers (NPE, 2004). The NCE qualification  not only enables the  graduate  to teach in primary or secondary schools but also serves as an admission requirement for direct entry into  Nigerian  universities  for  reading  education  courses.    In  other  words  colleges  of education are feeders to universities in Nigeria. Some of them award bachelor of education degrees  in  affiliation  to  universities.  Appraising  the  staff  development  programmes  in colleges of education, is very essential so as to ascertain the suitability of the lecturers that produce teachers that form the foundation of education of this country, for if the foundation is weak the whole educational system stands a risk of collapsing.

Appraisal has been variously conceptualized but the frame work is similar. It implies making of value judgment about a phenomenon in relation to specific objectives. It is the pinnacle of all intellectual or thought process. Appraisal is an outcome of the achievement of particular objective. Business Dictionary Com (2015) describes it as an impartial analysis and evaluation conducted according to established  criteria to determine the acceptability, merit, or worth of an item.

Michel Racy (2014), stressed that appraisals are a valuable performance

management tool used to evaluate the performance and the value employees provide as well as set goals for the next review period.  This study agrees with this concept in that it will provide information for judging and reviewing staff development programme for lecturers

in colleges of education in South East Nigeria.

Appraisal is further perceived as the systematic evaluation of the performance  of employees and to understand the abilities of a person for further growth and development. It  can  be  seen  as  the  systematic  evaluation  of  the  performance  of  employees  and  to understand    the    abilities    of    a    person    for    further    growth    and    development.

(managementstudyguide.com/performance-appraisal.htm, 2015). Decenzo (2008) defined it as a quality control of system  allowing  for the determination  at each step  in education programme.  It  means  determining  the  extent  to  which  an  administrator  succeeds  in achieving  his  objectives.  Okpara  (1994)  pointed  out  that  appraisal  makes  use  of  the proceeding  cognitive  levels.  In other  words,  the  proceeding  levels  of cognitive  domain could be subsumed in the evaluation level. It involves making quantitative and qualitative judgment  about the extent  to which the  learning experiences  and techniques  satisfy set criteria or standards. The process of ascertaining the functionality of educational programs and practices in a systematic manual is called educational evaluation. Appraisal is a process which  systematically  and  objectively  attempts  to  determine  the  relevance,  efficiency, effectiveness and impact of project activities in the light of set objectives. Nworgu (2003) pointed out that appraisal is generally used in two senses. In the first sense, it is used to connote  the process of making value judgments  or decisions based on empirical data or information  made available through measurement.  It is also used in a broader and  more encompassing sense as a process of seeking, obtaining and quantifying data with a view to making  value judgment  about objects,  events  or their  characteristics.  Grounlund  (1976) defined appraisal from two standpoints namely: instructional stand point; as well as from a broader and general sense. From institutional stand point,  appraisal may be defined as a systematic process of determining the extent to which instructional objectives are achieved by the learner.

In this study, appraisal is the process of collecting and using information to  make decisions about the lecturers’ development in colleges of education. The information may be  collected   using  measurement   or  non-measurement   techniques.   It  includes   both quantitative and qualitative description of behaviours plus value judgment concerning the desirability of those behaviours. While definition of appraisal from institutional stand point is concerned with the product of the institution which is the learner, the definition from a

broader  and  general  sense  is  concerned  with  assessing  every  aspect  of  the  institution including  human and material resources  as well as the educational  outcomes.  Appraisal implies  both  the  process  of  getting  the  information  and  making  value  judgments  or decisions  concerning  the  information  obtained.  Elgbaly  (2010)  defined  appraisal  as  a process  aimed  at determining  the  performance  of the  worker.  That is, how the worker should perform his or her work. Appraisal assesses the performance of not only the worker but the level and influence of his or her performance. Appraisal involves both the classroom assessment  and  the  evaluation  of  school-wide  curricular  issues.  It  deals  with  learning outcomes that demonstrate the ability to judge the value of subject matter that is learned in relation to specific purpose. Nwaogu (1980) defined appraisal as information gathered by less  objective  methods  such  as  rating  scale,  anecdotal  records  and  interviews.  These objective methods obviously do not lead themselves to measurement by precise, standard units but they are very valuable as a basis for making judgment about the quality of the learners’ reactions, learners’ methods of work, and other tangible educational outcomes.

Colleges of education in the South East like their counterparts are confronted with numerous roles in the face of various technological changes and advancements.  Many of them wish to upgrade their institutions to degree awarding college. Hence the lecturer need to  be  developed  but  from  the  experience  of  the  researcher,  many  chief  executives  or provosts take over the sole responsibility of the staff development programme and become partial and favourative in the sponsorship to the agitation of many lecturers, which has often led to conflicts and  threats for strike action. Since the NCCE has developed a Manual with specific  guidelines  on staff development  programes  in colleges of education  it becomes necessary  to  appraise  it  to  find  out  if  the  colleges  adhere  to  the  guidelines  on  staff development.

Statement of Problem

The overall aim of training  and development is to see that the organization has staff with  current  knowledge  needed  to  attain  its  goal  for  quality  products.  The  education industry is not exempted from this goal; it can only be achieved if management of education industry is fully committed  to staff development.  Development  of staff is important  for updating  them and making staff current in the  trend of events  in their  work places.  In colleges  of  education,   lecturers  need  to   be  engaged   in  different  staff  development programmes so as to improve their knowledge and skills in order to be in line with global trends in technological advancement.

Staff development  programmes  for lecturers in colleges  of education  include  in- service  training,  seminars,  workshops,  conferences,  among others.  Lecturers  need  to be involved in staff development programmes if they are to meet up with the  innovations in their field of work. When the knowledge and skills possessed by the lecturers are updated through staff development programmes, it will help them in imparting the desired learning experiences which are in line with the current trend in  technological advancement  to the students. In realization of this the NCCE developed  a Manual as a guide to the college administrators on the best practice standards to  adopt in their staff development which is mandatory for them to follow.  The various academic and administrative roles of lecturers in colleges of education in South East Nigeria, has made it expedient that lecturers should be developed. However, some executives seem to take absolute control of the administration of the  staff development  programme  to  the discontent  of many lecturers.  This  has  led  to conflicts  in  some  colleges  in  the  South  East  and  agitations  for  an  appraisal  of  the programme. Again it is observed by the researcher that the NCCE Manual developed over five years ago is overdue for a review and appraisal to ascertain if the guidelines are being adhered to and if there is need for an amendment. In other words it is necessary to find out if the Manual is achieving its objective in the colleges and if the colleges are complying

with the guidelines as required. Hence the problem of the study put in a question   form would be: To what extent do colleges of education in the South East of Nigeria adhere to the National  Commission  of  Colleges  of  Education  (NCCE)  staff  development  manual  for lecturers in colleges of education, South-East of Nigeria?

Purpose of the Study

The general purpose of this study is to appraise the staff development programmes for lecturers in colleges of education in both federal and state in the south East of Nigeria. Specifically, the study sought to achieve the following objectives:

1.       To determine the extent benefits derived from staff development programmes  for lecturers   in the  colleges of education in the South East of Nigeria is in line with those of the NCCE staff development manual.

2.        To  determine  the  extent  the  planning  and  organization  of  staff  development programmes for lecturers in the colleges of education   in the South East of Nigeria are in line with   the NCCE manual.

3.       To ascertain     the extent to which the criteria  for sponsoring lecturers for   staff development programmes  in colleges of education  in the South East of Nigeria is in line with  the NCCE staff development manual.

4.       To find out the extent of the available staff development programmes in   colleges of education  in the South East of Nigeria  are in line with that of the NCCE  staff development manual.

5.       To find  out the extent   administrative  factors  that  influence  the quality of  staff development programmes in colleges of education in the South East of Nigeria are in line with those in  the NCCE staff development manual.

Significance of the Study

This research study has both theoretical and practical significance. Theoretically it is anchored on the Lazarus Appraisal Theory of Emotion. In his research, Lazarus specified

two  major  types of appraisal  methods:  primary  appraisal,  which  seeks  to  establish  the significance or meaning of an event, secondary appraisal, which assesses the ability of the individual to cope with the consequences of the event. Lazarus described primary appraisals as judgments about the degree of potential harm or threat to well-being that  a particular event might introduce. The perception of a threat or the outcome of the event then triggers the secondary appraisal-judgment  of the options available to  cope with the situation—as well as perceptions of how effective such options will be. This study helped to authenticate this theory in that both primary and secondary appraisals were adopted.   Firstly the study established the ‘how’ of the staff development programmes in colleges of education south east of Nigeria and then using the data collected the ‘how’ was interpretation and judgment made on the colleges adherence to the NCCE Manual on staff development.

Practically, the findings will benefit both federal and state ministries of education, National  Commission  for  Colleges  of  Education  (NCCE),  researchers,   lecturers  and administrators  of colleges  of education.  Appraising  the staff  programmes  in colleges  of education helped to determine whether the NCCE guidelines are being followed, that is,  if the programme is administered in line with the NCCE best practice standard?  This is the essence of this study. The NCCE guidelines are reviewed every five years.  NCCE manual (2006)This appraisal provided useful information to NCCE for the review of the Manual

The findings on the benefits of staff development programmes will be of immense benefits to the researchers, lecturers, and administrators of colleges of  education.  It will enable  them  to  know  the  numerous  benefits  of  staff  development.  This  will  motivate lecturers to insist on attending  various staff  development  programmes  that will improve their knowledge and skills. The findings will equally help researchers to have a literature base for their studies on staff development. It will help administrators to understand that importance of developing their staff.

The findings on planning process of staff development will help administrators of colleges of education to have knowledge of the various stages and planning  required for staff  development.   This  will  enable  them  to  adopt  such  strategies   in  planning  for development of their staff.

The findings on criteria for sponsoring lecturers participation in staff development will enable the lecturers to understand the various criteria which they have to meet up with in other to be eligible for participation in staff development programmes. This will enable them to be able to take advantage of staff development opportunities whenever they arise.

The  findings  on  availability  of  staff  development  programmes  will  enable  the lecturers  in  colleges  of  education  to  know  the  various  staff  development  programmes available  for  them  to  benefit  from  as  well  as  being  able  to  take  advantage  of  such programmes at the right time.

Also, the findings on the factors that influence the quality of staff development will be of benefits to the administrators, lecturers, federal and state ministries of education, and researchers.  It will enable them to know that effective  performance  of an institution  is dependent of the quality and strength of its staff members. This will enable the federal and state ministries of education to map out appropriate  staff  development  programmes   for lecturers in colleges of education. It will equally enable the lecturers to guard against any substandard staff development programme that is not capable of improving their knowledge and skills.

It will provide information to the National Commission for Colleges of Education (NCCE)  on the extent   staff development  activities  in the federal and  state  colleges  of education in the South East  of Nigeria.

The Nationl University Commission and its curriculum planners will benefit from this  study by using  the  information  derived  to  structure  and  review  staff  development programmes in the universities.

The findings of the study will also be of benefit to students because when adequate staff development programmes are implemented for the lecturers, the lecturers will be able to impart their new knowledge and experiences to the students.

Scope of the Study

The study is delimited to federal and state colleges of education in the South East of Nigeria. Each state in South – Eastern Nigeria, has at least one or two colleges of education which are owned by state or federal government. It will focus on types of staff development programmes    available  for  lecturers;  the  benefits  derived  from  the  staff  development programmes  by lecturers;  planning  and  organization  of staff  development  programmes; criteria for sponsoring academic staff; available staff development programmes; as well as factors that influence the quality of staff development programmes.

Research Questions

The following research questions were formulated to guide the study.

1.          To what extent are the benefits derived by lecturers from the staff  development programmes  in colleges  in the South East of Nigeria,   in line  with   the NCCE Manual?

2.        To what extent do the planning and organization of  staff development programmes in colleges of education in the South East   comply with  the NCCE manual on staff development programmes.

3.        To  what  extent  do  the    criteria  for  sponsoring  lecturers  participation  on  staff development programmes in colleges of education South East of Nigeria  comply with  the NCCE staff development manual?

4.         To what extent  are   the available  staff development  programmes  in colleges  of education South East of Nigeria, in line with  the NCCE Manual?

5.        To  what  extent  are the administrative  factors  that  influence  the quality  of  staff development programmes in Colleges of Education,  in line with the NCCE Manual?

Hypotheses

The following null hypotheses were formulated to guide the study and tested at 0.05 level  of significance.

HO1:    There is no significant difference between   federal and state colleges of education with  regards  to    the  extent    the  benefits       derived  from    staff  development programmes are in line with the NCCE manual on staff development.

HO2: There is no significant difference between federal and state colleges of education  with regards to the extent their  planning and organization comply with the NCCE manual on staff development programmes.

HO3: There is no significant difference between the federal and state colleges of education with  regards  to  the  extent  their  criteria    for  sponsoring  s  participation  in  staff development programmes comply with the NCCE manual.HO4:   There is no significant difference between the federal and state colleges of education with regards to the extent available staff development programmes in  colleges of education South East of Nigeria are inline with the NCCE Manual.

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