In The Context of Cipp Model: A Case for Re-Engineering Higher Education in Nigeria for Employment and Productivity

Abstract

There is a growing concern about the quality of the products of our tertiary institutions. There is equally a concern about the high level of unemployment, especially of graduates of our various institutions. Using the Content, Input, Process, Product (CIPP) model as the guide, the paper discusses how positioned higher education in Nigeria is in meeting its mandate of manpower development for employment and expected productivity levels. It observes that the input resources and process components fall short of what is ideal. It equally observes that the internal and external environmental contexts in which higher education is given is not suitable for producing quality graduates that are employable and productive even if employed. The paper therefore recommends an overhaul of higher education and re-orientation of the academic courses, community and the larger society in such a way that permits closer ties. I. Introduction Education is the means by which knowledge, skill and attitude are largely transmitted from one generation to another. One of Nigeria's educational goals, derived from the main national goals, is the acquisition of appropriate skills and development of physical, social abilities and competencies of the society (Federal Government of Nigeria, 2004). Bamiro (2012) has a rather ambitious and idealistic view of what a university education function should be and captures it thus: A university should move radically from brewing graduates looking for employment to be seen as crucial national assists on addressing many policy prorates and as sources of new knowledge and innovative thinking; providers of skilled personnel and credible credentials contributors to innovation; attraction of international talent and business investment; agent of social injustice and mobility contributors to social and cultural vitality and determinants of health and well-being. This perception of the university role applies to a large extent to all categories of the nation's tertiary institutions including colleges of education, Polytechnic and monotechnic A cardinal mandate of higher education of the nation is the production of high level power for national development that meets all of Bamiro,s goals. However, with regards to this role, there is a growing public concern among different groups: industrialists, educators, educationalists, employers, parents and government officials that the products of out higher institutions in recent times are below our expectations. This is coupled with the feeling in some quarters that many of the graduates of these institutions are not even employable. According to Agih (2011), it is a fact that manpower production in Nigeria today is comparatively higher than any other time in the past, but this work force is seriously deficient in terms of required knowledge, skills and quality. He strongly believes that what is primarily responsible for this lapse among others is the poor quality of the products of our tertiary institutions of learning. The effectiveness of any institution in discharging its duties depends to a very large extent on its quality. Recent ratings of Nigerian higher institutions, especially the universities, have been comparatively low at the global level. To ensure that the institutions turn out graduates of the expected quality, the institutions should be of reasonably high quality. Tagoe (2011) strongly contend that the quality of institution is a sine qua non for its effectiveness in realizing its set goals. This paper makes a case or posits for re-engineering our higher education systems in order to make them adequately fit for the purpose of producing graduates that are both employable (by themselves and others) and productive to their employers. II. Concept Clarification There is a need to properly define the key terms of this paper. Engineering is the science-based profession and activity by which the physical forces of nature and properties of matter are made useful to human beings in the form of structure, machines (Encyclopedia Britannica, 2010); and process involved is done at a reasonable care. The field involves the application of science to the optimum conversion of the resources of nature to the uses of humankind. It involves bringing, knowledge to bear on practical problem in order to solve them. Engineering also involves conceiving, designing, creating, implementing apparatuses or process to solve