CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1       BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

            The institute of management and technology being the case of study of this write up is a great polytechnic of price among others. When this great institute was established a greater part of the management was left in the hands of Europeans, who really gave optimum management to the school affairs. This they did by equipping the created departments with enough equipment for student effective and efficient performance in the various skill courses they engaged in.

            Among the departments that was really equipped then was secretarial studies department. This department was fully equipped with the necessary facilities, like typewriters, which were the major equipment of the department. The adequacy of the typewriter, that is, the ratio was a typewriter per a student irrespective of the number of student, they were able to sit each per typewriter during their skill drill. The most impressing factor among other things was the efficiency of this typewriters despite the frequency of usage.

            However, as time went, the number of students offering the courses increased tremendously far above the number of these facilities.

            The increased in the number of students without a commensurate increase in the number of equipment will surely have an adverse effect on the students standard of achievement and on the teachers who now have to work with inadequate tools.

Educational facilities are those equipments used by both lecturers and students to make learning easy and simple. Overtime these are new inventions modernized. In order to adapt to these changes schools must introduce and teach student how to use them.

            With time and technological growth, business organizations are increasing the scope of their business and consequently the duties of secretaries are increasing. Facilities are therefore needed to overcome the difficulties and ensure effective and efficient performance of their study. This is a frame of reference on which facilities are concluded.

            The use of educational facilities in every school is today the driving forces for change. Man has been using facilities in one way or the other throughout the history of man’s existence on earth.

            Educators at all level from the government to private school, colleges and polytechnics  as well as universities, have recognized the impact of the facilities on business/offices and have had the foresight not only to recommend but in many instances to require that student’s planning to enter the business world at any level, and in any capacity should be exposed to the study and possible manipulation of these facilities as that would enhance their chances in life.

1.2       STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

            The department of secretarial studies of I.M.T., Enugu was established in 1973, and ever to produce competent and high qualified secretaries to handle secretarial function various offices.

            This department unlike other department of the school can be said to be a practical department which needs equipment and facilities more than only other department in the school. These aids which make it easier for systematic training, acquiring knowledge and abilities as well as developing character and mental powers are indispensable in secretarial department.

            Over this years however there had been an increase in student intake into the department.  Also overtime these facilities have become old, obsolete and out-dated. With the advent of modern technology ands changes in offices equipment and systems, one then wonders whether the department is able to maintain required standards. How prepared is the department to meet current needs of the modern office? Do they have the necessary facilities electronic typewriters, computers, modern communication gadgets, etc, which they should be using in training. These and many more are what this research topic seek address.

1.3       PURPOSE OF THE STUDY/OBJECTIVE

            For every action, these must be reason and in the light of this, the main purpose of our study is to find out and x-ray the causes and effects of educational facilities on the academic performance of secretarial students. Other purpose are:

1.         To know whether the department of secretarial studies has adequate educational facilities to train their students.

2.         To know what are the causes if the answer to number 1 is in the negative such inadequacies.

3.         To know what efforts have been made to provide these facilities to these department.

1.4       SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY/IMPORTANCE

            This project is written to serve the beginning and advanced secretarial students. It will provide them with a basic understanding of what they should know, how they can use facilities in their professional endeavour. This study covers these requirements to equip students to know how to communicate their needs and requirements to the data processing personnel in their organizations.

            It is also beneficial to lecturers, hence it will lessen their burden in lecturing the students and at the same time improve their knowledge and ability to mental power. Also to the department and management, hence they will be proud. They can be recommend their student secretaries to any company or offices with no doubt of poor performance. Hence the good name come to them.

            To the parents and general public, in that their job will be done by experts who are training with modern equipment/facilities and will not feel strange to any modern machine in the organization.

            The Nation also will benefit from these for the graduates will be of great use and can redress the economic situation of the country

1.6       RESEARCH QUESTIONS

1.         What are the modern educational facilities required by the department of secretarial studies.

2.         Why is the department lacking these facilities equipment?

3.         Is the department really in need of those facilities?

4.         Are these facilities available in other departments of the school?

5.         Is the school management aware that such things are lacking for the lacking of this department?

6.         Who is responsible for the lacking of this department or the school management?

7.         How does this set back the academic performances of the students?

8.         Is the public also affected by this problem of poor?

9.         What efforts has been made to provide this to this department?

10.       What are the possible solutions to be taken into consideration to achieve a good result?

11.       How would the public and students benefit from this, if a good result is achieved?