An evaluation of female labour input in the university educational system in Nigeria.
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Date
2006
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Obafemi Awolowo University
Abstract
This study examined the labour input of female university staff and the
extent of their participation in the various job schedules in academic,
administrative, and technical units of the Nigerian university system. It also
examined the factors which had impact on the labour input of females with a view
b
to determining their effectiveness in the university system.
The study adopted the survey research design utilizing both primary and
secondary data. Primary data were collected through questionnaire administered on
female staff using the purposive sampling technique. In order to compare labour
input within each occupational category, questionnaire was administered on 730
females grouped into 381 academic, 225 administrative and 124 technical staff.
Data gathered through the questionnaire bordered on the labour input of females,
their job schedules and patterns of work, their experiences on the job and factors
which affected their labour input. The secondary data were obtained from the
official records of the universities, the National Universities Commission, academic
journals, textbooks and the Internet. The data were analysed using descriptive and
inferential statistics
The study revealed that female non-academic staff outnumbered their
counterparts in academia, comprising 81.0 % of the entire female labour force in
Nigerian universities. The study further revealed that 27.6 % of the female
administrative staff claimed that attending to files was a major job schedule they
performed. Also, 42.7 % of them performed clerical duties while 55.6 % claimed
that they do not chair committees.
The female technical staff who indicated that the preparation of laboratory materials
for practical classes was their major job schedule was 88.7 %. Those of them who
did not perform duties related to the operation, maintenance and repairs of
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laboratory equipment was 15.3 %. The female academic staff who contributed more
to teaching was 71.3 %, while 19.7 % combined teaching and research duties
effectively. In addition, 22.4 % of the female academic staff who made much
impact in research were from southern universities. Regarding publications, 59.9 %
of the female academics published a paper annually, 23.6 % published up to two
papers, 1.0 % published three papers, while 15.7 % did not publish on an annual
basis. Although a higher percentage of the female academic staff published a paper
annually, they wished they could increase their publication rate. Results of the test
of hypotheses showed a significant relationship between the gender attributes of
females and their labour input in the Nigerian university system (x' = 13.47. P <
0.05). Secondly, economic and socio-cultural factors significantly affected female
labour input (x* = 4.12, P < 0.05). Also, the environment and institutional practices
in the university system significantly affected female labour input (x2 = 13.64, P <
0.05). Although 4.9 % of the female staff in all the three job categories found their
various jobs interesting and challenging, 8 1.6 % of them experienced overcrowded
work schedules, 9.3 % experienced subtle discrimination, while 2.1 % reported that
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their job schedules were stressful and difficult due to lack of adequate working
facilities.
The study concluded that female staff in academia made modest
contributions to teaching than research and the female administrative staff did not
make much input in decision-making in their various units.
Description
xix, 183p
Keywords
Female labour, University education research, Admnistrative staff, Academic journal, National university commission, Labour input, Labour
Citation
Ogbogu, C. O. (2006). An evaluation of female labour input in the university educational system in Nigeria. Obafemi Awolowo University