CERTIFICATION AND JOB PLACEMENT AMONG POLITICAL SCIENCE GRADUATE IN OKOBO LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA
chapter one
INTRODUCTION
The increased pace of technological advancement has created a number of job opportunities which demand a change in work career and job placement of Nigerians. It has been recognized that adequate career development programme is the basis for the wealth of the nations. Development in many of the western countries has shown that their spectacular achievements can be attributed to the skills, qualifications (certification), ingenuity and technical know-how of their people.
The technological eminence of United State of America (USA) and Russia today is due to the emphasis the two nations place on career development of their citizens. Hence, career education should be made an integral part of the school curriculum in Nigeria.
In view of the above, the development of individual’s knowledge (certification), skills and attitudes for a vocational purpose should be our primary concern in our school today. In Nigeria, all effort is now geared toward exploring means of making career education a more effective instrument in improving work standards of the people. Exploratory experiences are encouraged in our schools. At the senior secondary school level, the vocational interest of the students are stable, recommend specific vocational choices at that age. By exploring broad occupational areas, students increase their quest and understanding of the nature of work the characteristic of workers and the differences in work setting. They also become aware of their own preferences and dislikes.
Specifically, concern for career development is consistent through out the entire secondary school curriculum. It is believed that students interest in even unpopular subject like mathematics and English language will be aroused if the relationship between all courses of study and the world of work is emphasized career development programme in schools provide students with practice in decision making. Moreover, adequate decision making skills helps students face the many choices they will be forced to make in later life.
Matheny (1979) states that decision making skill involves:
- How to identify alternatives and where to obtain information regarding them.
- How to predict one’s success in each alternative.
- How to estimate the dept to which each alternative will accord with one’s values, interests and ability.
- How to construct a plan of action
The primary aim of carrying out this research study is to analyse the certification and job placement distribution among political science graduates in Okobo Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State.
Blan and Ducan (1967) in Ikpe (ed) (2002) state that higher education certificate is a route to a good job. Certification is defined as an act of certifying, a state of being certified. A certified statement. For the purpose of convenience and effectiveness, the political science graduates are those who have obtained their certification from a school of higher learning like the University of Uyo, Uyo.
Job placement is the act of job placing. The act of an employment exchange or employer in filling a job position. The state of being placed on a job. Job placement helps the graduates to get into a job where he/she is most suitable. Today, job placement is almost impossible in our cultural setting since we have more seekers than available job.
1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
Students prefer occupations differently. Some even choose careers whichare not related to their subject choice which often lead to frustration as a result of inability to attain their occupational pursuit. Some student even seek for a job which they have no qualification (certification). These problems arouse the researcher to investigate into certification and job placement among political science students in Okobo Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State.
1.3 PURPOSE OF THE STUDY
The purpose of this study was (1) to examine the effect of certification on job placement among political sciences graduates in Okobo Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State.
(2) To determine if there is any relationship between certificate and job placement among political science graduates.
(3) To determines the attitude of political science graduates on job placement.
1.4 RESEARCH QUESTIONS
In order to give direction to the study, the following research questions were posed:
- To what extent does certification influence job placement.
- Does the performance of the political science graduates teachers differ from their counterparts who are non-professionals?
- Is there any difference between the attitude to work of the political science graduates teachers and their non-professional counterparts.
1.5 RESEARCH HYPOTHESES
Based on the research questions, the following null hypotheses were postulated:
- There is no significant difference in the job placement of the political science graduate teachers and their counterparts who are non-professionals
- There is no significant difference in the performance of political science graduate teachers and their counterparts who are non-professionals.
- There is no significant difference toward the attitude to work of the political science graduate teachers and their non-professional counter parts
The study was based on the following assumptions.
- Not all the political science teachers are placed on the jobs they were trained for
- Not all certified graduates in our secondary schools can teach well
- The level of performance of the political science graduate teachers and their non-professional counterparts are not the same.
1.7 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
This study is significant in the following ways:
- Because of the much talked about low level of job placement in our cultural setting due to the explosion in the number of job seekers than available jobs. It is hoped that the research findings and the recommendations will help to increase the level of job placement among political science graduates and motivate them to perform more effectively.
(2) Again the result of this research study will enable educational planners and administrators to identify the factors guiding job placement among political science graduates and to find solution(s) to reverse the present trend.
1.8 LIMITATION OF THE STUDY
The study has many limitations. (1) It was a time consuming exercise which needed to be completed within a given period of time in the university.
- Financial constrains equally formed the most serious part of the limitation of this vital study. The sampled schools and the number of political science graduate teachers involved in the study further constrained the study.
- Lastly, the job placement was limited only to teaching profession.
- DELIMITATION OF THE STUDY
This research study is delimited to senior secondary schools in Okobo Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State.
Certification: it has been defined as an act of certifying, the state of being certified. It is equally a certified statement. For the purpose of convenience and effectiveness, the political science graduates and those that have obtained certification from a school of higher learning like University of Uyo, Uyo.
Job Placement: It can be refer to the act of employment exchange or employer in filling a job position Ikpe (2002) concludes by regarding it the state of being placed on a job.
Political Science
According to Eminue (2001), Political Science is defined as the study of the organization and operation of the governmental and political institutions which make, enforce and adjudicate law. Additionally, it is the science which is concerned with the state which endeavours to understand and comprehended the state in its conditions, in it essential nature in various forms or manifestation and its development.
