STUDENT PERCEPTION OF THE IMPACT OF STUDENT INDUSTRIAL WORK EXPERIENCE SCHEME (SIWES) ON THEIR SCHOOL PERFORMANCE

INTRODUCTION

Growing public demand and legislative expectations for accountability in the past two decades have made it imperative that higher education administrators and researchers pay attention to the potential impact of student work programmes on skill development, which in turn, impacts directly on national development objectives. Okpor and Hassan (2012) opined that ‘if Vocational Technical Education is to be meaningful and successful in Nigeria, then relationships are needed between public and private sectors to partner effectively with Vocational Technical Education and skill acquisition programmes.’ Students Industrial Work Experience (SIWES) is a skill development program designed to prepare students of Nigerian tertiary institutions for transition from the college environment to work, (Akerejola 2008). Oyedele (1990) also states that work experience is an educational program in which students participate in work activities while attending school. This work experience program gives students the opportunity to be part of an actual work situation outside the classroom. The impact of Students Industrial Work Experience scheme (SIWES) has thus, been a cause of concern to education and economic planners, particularly with respect to graduate employment. There are also mixed concerns about how much of it that is actually helpful to student’s academic performance and job readiness after graduation. While some institutions and programs permit SIWES for only three months, others go for up to one year. There have been several research literatures, in the area of student work experience and its impact on student development of fitness for the challenges of the job market. A review of literature reveals that, although research questions raised are quite straightforward, the answers had been controversial. It all depends on which outcomes are measured (Furr and Elling, 2000). For every study which postulates the benefits of students work experience, there is an equally compelling study purporting the exact opposite (Aper, 1994). Olugbenga (2009) carried out a survey on the views of students in the three departments of the School of Applied Science, Nuhu Bamalli Polytechnic, Zaria about the adequacy of the skills acquired during their participation in SIWES. From the data collected, he concluded that many of the students suggested that the skills acquired are inadequate. This according to him was because of the short duration and lack of modern facilities in their place of industrial training. Ugwuanyi and Ezema (2010) noted that SIWES plays a significant role in human resource development in Nigeria. Aderonke (2011) in her study examined SIWES and the dynamics of sustainable skills acquisition and utilization in Nigeria with a view to determining the viability or otherwise of government continuing investment in the scheme. She concluded that SIWES is a good strategy for sustainable skill development and utilization in Nigeria. Wodi and Dokubo (2009) evaluates the extent to which the agencies involved in the operation and management of SIWES function to achieve the objectives of the programme. Lack of adequate supervision, non-signing of necessary materials like ITF Form and students’ logbooks at their places of attachment, difficulties of students in getting placement, unnecessary delay in the payment of students and supervisors’ allowance among others were areas of weaknesses revealed. Even though it enables students to acquire technical skills and experience for professional development in their study. Before the inception of the Scheme, there was a growing concern among Nigerian industrialists that graduates of institutions of higher learning lacked adequate practical background experience necessary for employment. So, employers were of the opinion that the theoretical education provided by higher institutions was did not meet nor satisfy the needs of the economy. It was against this background that the Fund during its formative years, introduced SIWES to provide students with the opportunity of exposure to handle equipment and machinery in Industry to enable them acquire prerequisite practical knowledge and skills. (ITF and UNIJOS, 2011). These skills aimed at exposing students to professional work methods as the scheme (SIWES) acts as a catalyst for industrial growth and productivity through professional development

STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

Business education is one of the vocational courses taught in academic institutions in Nigeria. According to Imeokparia and Ediagbonya (2014), Business education is described as an aspect of education that is geared at equipping the learners (students) with business and education competencies (that is, skills, knowledge and attitude) needed to effectively and efficiently function in the world of work either as an employee or an employer (job/wealth creator). The authors further stressed that Business education is an ‘umbrella word’ which covers both secretarial education (that is now known as Office Technology and Management) and Accounting Education. It is in view of this that the researcher intends to investigate students perception of the impact of student industrial work experience scheme (SIWES) on their school performance

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