Page 1 of 9
Journal for Studies in Management and Planning
Available at
http://edupediapublications.org/journals/index.php/JSMaP/
e-ISSN: 2395-0463
Volume 02 Issue 8
August 2016
Available online: http://edupediapublications.org/journals/index.php/JSMaP/ P a g e | 331
An Assessment of the Constraints of Qualitative Secretarial
Education in Osun State Polytechnic Iree, Osun State, Nigeria
1Omisope.B. O., 1Ajayi. A., 2Olodude.I. I. and 3Ajayi. O. A
1. Institute for Entrepreneurship and Development Studies, Obafemi Awolowo University,
Ile-Ife, Osun State, Nigeria
2. Housing Unit, Directorate of Corporate Services, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife,
Osun State, Nigeria
3. Department of Educational Foundation and Management, Ekiti State University, Ado
Ekiti, Ekiti State, Nigeria
Abstract
Secretarial education is an area of
institution that has been in existence for
several decades and it plays very significant
role in economic development of any nation.
It is a vocational education that is intended
to provide the skills and the manpower for
the office and other administrative services
required by the society. Therefore, this study
reviewed the problems of secretarial
qualitative education in Nigeria with a view
to identify the qualities and functions of a
secretary and examine the constraints of
secretarial education in Osun State
Polytechnic Iree of Osun State, Nigeria.
Both primary and secondary sources of data
were utilized for the study. The primary data
were collected through questionnaires in
which 65 questionnaires were administered
to the staff and students of department of
secretarial studies of the polytechnic out of
which only 50 questionnaires were
completed and returned. The questionnaires
were administered using simple random
sampling techniques such as frequency
distribution and percentage. Secondary
sources of data were generated from
internets sources, relevant textbooks and
journal on the field of secretarial studies.
The study revealed that there is plethora of
problems militating against qualitative
secretarial education in Nigeria. They
include infrastructural challenges, ill- equipped school environment, admission
policy and operational regulation,
inadequate secretarial teachers and
facilitators, lack of government commitment
to secretarial education, low society value
for secretarial education etc. The study
concluded that graduates of secretarial
education with second class upper should be
employed as graduate assistants and be
given further training in higher degree.
Also, federal and state ministries of
education should provide facilities for ICT
in institutions of higher learning so that
secretarial education graduates can be
trained and equipped to face the challenges
of modern business office.
Introduction
Secretarial Education
According to Okolo (2001), secretarial
education provides students with adequate
skills and information needed to function
well in office occupation. Amoor and
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Journal for Studies in Management and Planning
Available at
http://edupediapublications.org/journals/index.php/JSMaP/
e-ISSN: 2395-0463
Volume 02 Issue 8
August 2016
Available online: http://edupediapublications.org/journals/index.php/JSMaP/ P a g e | 332
Magaji (2015) opine that secretarial
education is a component of vocational
education that provides knowledge and
skills needed to perform efficiently and
effectively in the world of work. They state
further that secretarial education involves
acquisition of skills, knowledge and
competencies and makes the recipient
proficient in secretarial profession.
Secretarial education is a tool for alleviating
poverty. This means that a secretarial
graduate that is well equipped with
technological knowledge could be employed
and be on his/her own as an employer of
labour. Secretarial education is useful to
modern business office in private
organization (NGOs), governmental
organization and Non-Governmental
organization (NGOs) in terms of
employment opportunity, job creation and
self-reliance.
Despite the role of secretarial education in
Nigeria, there are still many problems
militating against its survival in Nigeria. It is
on this note that this study assessed the
constraints of qualitative secretarial
education in Osun State Polytechnic Iree of
Osun State, Nigeria.
Objectives of the Study
The objectives of study are to
i. examine the concept of
secretarial education in Nigeria.
ii. identify the qualities and
functions of a secretary
iii. assess the constraints of
qualitative secretarial education
in Nigeria.
Literature Review
Concept of Secretarial Education
Secretarial education is a component of
vocational education that provides
knowledge and skills for would be
secretaries to perform efficiently and in the
world of work.
It also involves acquisition of skills,
knowledge and competencies that make the
recipient proficient in secretarial profession
(Amoor, 2009).
Secretarial education is offered in Colleges
of Education, Polytechnic and the
Universities primarily to educate and train
students to become competent professional
secretaries (Aliyu, 2006).
National Board for Technical Education
(NBTE) (1989) defined secretarial education
as the type of education that equips students
with vocational skills, effective work
competencies and socio-psychological work
skills essential for interpersonal relation.
Adelani (2006) described secretarial
education as an area of instruction that plays
very significant role in national development
and a tool to combat unemployment crisis.
Secretarial education is an aspect of
education which leads to the acquisition of
practical and applied skills for employment
in various fields of endeavor. Students of
this programme are exposed to courses in
Page 3 of 9
Journal for Studies in Management and Planning
Available at
http://edupediapublications.org/journals/index.php/JSMaP/
e-ISSN: 2395-0463
Volume 02 Issue 8
August 2016
Available online: http://edupediapublications.org/journals/index.php/JSMaP/ P a g e | 333
the special areas as well as in general
education.
In addition to acquisition of vocational skills
in secretarial education, the students are
equipped with effective work competencies
and psychological work skills which are
very essential in everyday interactions with
others (Amoor, Ibid).
Qualities and Functions of a Secretary
Harrison (1979) gave the business qualities
of a secretary as secretarial skills, organizing
skills, efficiency, reliability, responsibility,
discretion, initiative, tact, diplomacy and
punctuality. Lauria (1972) highlighted the
personal qualities of a secretary as
adaptability, level-headedness, good
observance, intuitiveness, flexibility, tact,
friendliness, accuracy, thoroughness, fore- thoughtfulness, initiative, self-confidence,
good listener, a good telephone personality
and a good appearance. Egbokhare (2011)
outlined qualities of a good secretary under
two classifications of business and personal.
Business qualities include secretarial and
language skills, organizing punctuality,
resilience among others. He stated further
that the personal qualities include being
smart, tactful, neat, friendly, helpful, well
informed or knowledgeable, courteous,
polite and observant among others.
According to Abolade (1999), a secretary in
a polytechnic or in a university performs
inter-alia the following functions.
These are:
1. Taking notes from the head;
2. Taking minutes of meeting;
3. Preparing the LPO;
4. Keeping accurate and up-to-date
records of students;
5. Organizing current departmental
information to make it easily retrievable;
6. Keeping secret departmental
information;
7. Typing with accuracy;
8. Making and receiving telephone
calls; and
9. Performing other duties as may be
assigned by the head of the department.
Adewale (2001) gave the following
functions of a secretary. They include:
(i) Setting up and administer
systems and procedures for a
department or unit.
(ii) Word processing text and
information such as letters,
reports, memos etc.
(iii) Composing correspondence,
reports and memos.
(iv) Performing office duties and
arranging meetings
(v) Setting up and maintaining file
systems.
Problems of Qualitative Secretarial
Education in Nigeria
There are myriad of problems facing
qualitative secretarial education in Nigeria.
Adelani (2006) pointed out some of the
