STUDENT-TEACHER’S ASSESSMENT OF SIWES PROGRAMME IN AGEGE LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA OF LAGOS STATE
CHAPTER TWO
REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE
2.1 INTRODUCTION
The word “SIWES” stands for Students’ Industrial Work Experience Scheme. It was initiated by the Industrial Training Fund (ITF) in 1973 so as to complement the theoretical knowledge acquired in higher institutions of learning with practical experience. It is a Skill Training Programme designed to prepare and expose students of higher institutions of learning to the industrial work situation they are likely to meet after graduation. The need for the establishment of the scheme aroused when there was a growing concern among industrialists that graduates of institutions of higher learning lacked adequate practical background required for employment in industries. Thus, the employers were of the opinion that the theoretical education in higher institutions was not responsive to the needs of employers of labour.
According to Akerejola in Ugwuanyi, C.F et al (2010). SIWES is a skill development program designed to prepare students of Universities, Polytechnics/Monotechnics, and Colleges of Education for transition from the college environment to work. Ugwuanyi, C.F et al (2010) added that “SIWES is a cooperative industrial internship program that involves institutions of higher learning, industries, the federal government of Nigeria, Industrial Training Fund (ITF), Nigerian Universities Commission (NUC) and NBTE/NCCE in Nigeria”. Mafe (2010) states that “SIWES is a planned and structured programme based on stated and specific career objectives which are geared toward developing the occupational competencies of participants.
Oyedele in Ugwuanyi, C.F et al (2010) 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.
Ugwuanyi, C.F et al (2010) note that SIWES exposes students to industry based skills necessary for a smooth transition from the classroom to the world of work. It affords students of tertiary institutions the opportunity of being familiarized and exposed to the needed experience in handling machinery and equipment which are usually not available in the educational institutions.
Participation in SIWES has become a necessary pre-condition for the award of Diploma and Degree certificates in specific disciplines in most institutions of higher learning in the country, in accordance with the education policy of government.
The bodies involved are: Federal Government, Industrial Training Fund (ITF), Other Supervising Agencies are: National University Commission (NUC), National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) & National Council for Colleges of Education (NCCE).
Therefore the success or otherwise of the SIWES depends on the efficiency of the Ministries, ITF, Institutions, Employers of labour and the general public involved in articulation and management of the programme.
Thus, the evaluation of SIWES in tertiary institutions in meeting up with the needs for the establishment of the programme is necessary.
The Students’ Industrial Work Experience Scheme (SIWES) started in 1973 in Nigeria with 748 students from all institutions of higher learning participating. By 1978, the scope of participation in the scheme had increased to 5,000 students from 32 institutions. The Industrial Training Fund however withdrew from the management of the scheme in 1979 owing to problems of organizational logistics and the increased financial burden associated with the rapid expansion of SIWES. (ITF 2004b)
Consequently, the Federal Government funded the scheme through the National Universities Commission (NUC) and the SIWES for five years (1979 – 1984). The supervising agencies (NUC and NBTE) operated the scheme in conjunction with their respective institutions.
2.2 TABLE 1: The Growth of students population and institutions from 1974 – 1978.
YEAR NUMBER OF INSTITUTIONS NUMBER OF STUDENTS
1974 11 748
1975 14 1,866
1976 18 3,030
1977 26 3,088
1978 32 5,000
TOTAL 101 13,732
Source: ITF 2004a
The scheme was subsequently reviewed by the Federal Government resulting in decree No: 16 of August 1985 which required that “All students enrolled in specialized Engineering, Technical, Business, Applied Sciences and Applied Arts should have supervised Industrial attachment as part of their studies”.
In the same vein, the ITF was directed by the Federal Government to take charge and resume responsibility for the management of SIWES in collaboration with the supervising agencies, i.e. National Universities Commission (NUC), the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) and the National Commission for Colleges of Education (NCCE).
2.3 TABLE 2: Growth of Students Population and Institutions, 1985- 1995
YEAR NUMBE R OF
INSTITUTIONS NUMBER OF
STUDENTS
1985 58 16,912
1986 72 18,467
1987 79 20,488
1988 87 22,879
1989 94 26,565
1990 101 32,426
1991 104 29,410
1992 121 23,500
1993 134 50,280
1994 137 49,718
1995 141 57,433
Total 1263 348,278
Source: ITF (2003).
Following the resumption of management of SIWES by the ITF in 1984, the scheme has witnessed rapid expansion. Between 1985 and 1995, the numbers of institutions and students participating in SIWES rose to 141 and 57,433 respectively. Between 1995 and 2003, a total of 176 institutions and 535,210 students participated in the scheme. In 2008 alone, the number of institutions which participated in SIWES rose to 204 while the number of students from these institutions who participated in the scheme was 210,390. Mafe (2005a).
2.4 TABLE 3: Growth of Students Population and Institutions 1996 – 2008
YEAR NUMBE R OF
INSTITUTIONS NUMBER OF
STUDENTS
1996 138 40178
1997 141 46108
1998 144 42011
1990 154 56973
2000 154 60241
2001 169 63742
2002 170 64000
2003 176 53210
2004 180 535300
2005 180 530400
2006 200 550400
2007 202 488777
2008 204 210390
Total 2212 3013440
Source: ITF (2008).Students Industrial Work-Experience Scheme in Human Resource Development in Nigeria.
2.5 TABLE 4: Students and Supervisory Allowances from 1974 – 1978
YEAR NUMBE R OF
INSTITUTIONS NUMBER OF
STUDENTS AMOUNT
EXPENDED
1974 11 784 211680
1975 14 1866 503550
1976 18 3030 818100
1977 26 3088 833760
1978 32 4713 1272510
Total 101 13481 3639600
Source: ITF (2003). Students’ Industrial Work Experience Scheme in Human Resource Development in Nigeria.
Presently, participation in the scheme is limited to Science, Engineering and Technology programmes in Universities and Polytechnics while in the Colleges of Education (NCE) programmes in Technical Education, Agriculture, Business, Creative Arts & Design, Computer Studies and Home Economics are eligible.
2.5 ORGANISATION AND OPERATION OF SIWES
The organization of the Students’ Industrial Work Experience Scheme (SIWES) involves many stakeholders as follows:
• Federal Government (Federal Ministry of Commerce & Industry)
• Industrial Training Fund (SIWES Division)
• Supervising/Regulatory Agencies (N UC, NBTE, NCCE)
• Industry/Employers (NECA, NACCI MA, MAN, Government
Establishments)
• Tertiary Institutions (Universities, Polytechnics, Colleges of Education)
• Student Trainees (Engineering, Science, Technology, NCE Technical)
SIWES is operated as a joint venture through the contributory activities
of the stakeholders identified above (Mafe, 2009).
THE ROLES OF THE VARIOUS STAKEHOLDERS ARE:
• The Federal Government (F.G) funds the scheme through the Federal Ministry of Commerce & Industry (FMC&I). It also laid down broad policies and guidelines that govern the scheme.
• The Industrial Training Fund (ITF), a parastatal of the Federal Ministry of Commerce & Industry, is responsible for the overall management of the scheme in collaboration with other stakeholders. The pivotal role of the ITF in ensuring smooth implementation of the Scheme is very clear as shown below. ITF collaborates with all other stakeholders directly or indirectly.
Adapted from Mafe 2010
RELATIONSHIPS AMONGST SIWES STAKEHOLDERS
• The Regulatory/Supervising Agencies (NUC, NBTE, NCCE) who regulate the tertiary Institutions on behalf of the Federal Government ensure that the guidelines for the operation of SIWES is followed by the institutions.
• Employers, members of the Organized Private Sector (OPS) and Government Establishments, are the ultimate beneficiaries of SIWES since they depend on the national pool of technical skills for the operation and maintenance of their resources. They are required to provide places of industrial attachment for SIWES participants.
• Tertiary Institutions are the primary beneficiaries of SIWES since the scheme contributes to enhancing the quality of their products. They carry out the implementation of SIWES. As shown above the central role of the tertiary institutions in ensuring the successful implementation of SIWES is apparent. The institutions relate directly with all other stakeholders except the Federal Government.
• The students are the direct beneficiaries of SIWES since they are the recipients of the training provided through the scheme. In fact, the activities of all other stakeholders with respect to SIWES are geared towards ensuring that eligible students have the opportunity to acquire Relevant Production Skills (RPS) before graduation. Consequently, eligible students are required to participate in SIWES.
• In addition, an organ known as the Chief Executives Forum and comprising the Chief Executives of ITF, NUC, NBTE, NCCE and the OPS, is responsible for formulation of policies for the effective management and implementation of SIWES at the national level.
While all stakeholders are involved in the operation of the scheme, the key actors or major players directly involved in the implementation of the scheme are the students, the employers and the institutions as shown below. Other stakeholders have largely a lesser role or involvement with the actual training process.
THE THREE ACTORS IN SIWES
Adapted from (Mafe, 2009). The SIWES Tripod: The three actors in SIWES
For a scheme as large as SIWES (in terms of students’ population, number of participating institutions, number of employers, number of stakeholders and the level of funding) guidelines must be put in place to ensure smooth implementation of the scheme Mafe (2009) .
The Guidelines for the Operation of SIWES stipulate the expected roles of each stakeholder and it is the adherence to these guidelines by every stakeholder that can ensure the successful implementation of the scheme and the attainment of its objectives and goals (ITF, 2004). The expected roles of each stakeholder are as follow:
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT
• Provide adequate funds to the ITF, through the Federal Ministry of
Commerce & Industry, for implementation of the scheme.
• Make it mandatory for all Government Ministries, Parastatals, private
Companies and Commercial Ventures to offer places of attachment to
students.
• Make policies to guide and regulate the scheme at the national level.
INDUSTRIAL TRAINING FUND
• Provide logistics and materials needed to administer the scheme.
• Compile lists of employers with available training places for industrial
attachment and circulate the lists to participating institutions.
• Supervise students on SIWES through its Area Offices
• Vet and process students’ log books and ITF Form 8 returns
• Pay students’ allowances and supervisory allowances due to institutions
• Organize Biennial conferences, seminars and Chief Executive Fora on
SIWES.
• Arrange Group Insurance Scheme for students on SIWES
• Review and conduct research in to the operations of SIWES.
2.6 SUPERVISING AGENCIES (NUC, NBTE, NCCE)
• Ensure that functional SIWES Coordinating Units are established in
participating institutions.
• Encourage the appointment of full-time Industrial Coordinators to operate
the scheme in the institutions.
• Evolve minimum national guidelines in respect of supervised training
activities for programmes approved for SIWES.
• Vet and approve Master and Placement Lists and forward them to ITF.
• Ensure that institutions abide by the SIWES operational guide lines.
• Ensure adequate funding of SIWES Coordinating Units in institutions
• Develop, monitor and review job specifications to guide the training of
students on SIWES in collaboration with institutions
• Monitor and review courses eligible f or SIWES
EMPLOYERS/INDUSTRY
• Accept students and assign them to relevant on-the-job training.
• Appoint industry-based supervisors for students on SIWES
• Control and discipline student attachees in like manner as permanent staff
• Pay students’ allowances when receive d from the ITF.
• Provide medical care for students within the limits of the employers’
conditions of service during the duration of the attachment
• Follow tailor-made training programme s agreed to with institutions f or
the training of student attachees
• Permit representatives of ITF and institution - based supervisors to visit
the students on attachment
• Grade students as provided for in the Assessment Form (ITF Form 8) at
the end of the programme and submit same to institutions.
TERTIARY INSTITUTIONS
• Establish fully-staffed SIWES Coordinating Units in the institutions.
• Appoint full-time SIWES Coordinators to operate the scheme at the
Institutional level.
Appoint full-time SI WE S Coordinators to operate the scheme at the
institutional level.
• Prepare and submit Master and Placement Lists to the ITF through the
Respective Supervising Agency (NUC, NBTE, NCCE).
• Place students on attachment with Employers in industry.
• Organize Orientation Programmes for students to prepare them for
industrial training.
• Work out tailor-made training programmes with the industry-based
supervisors to be followed by the students while on training.
• Supervise students on SIWES at least on 3 occasions and sign their log
books.
• Assess students’ performance at the end of training and award grades
Accordingly.
. Allocate credit loads to SIWES as recommended by the Supervising
Agencies.
• Submit ITF Form -8 in respect of each student to the ITF at the end-of-
Training.
• Maintain separate bank account for SIWES funding.
• Submit comprehensive reports on the scheme to the ITF after each
SIWES Cycle.
STUDENT TRAINEES
• Participate in the SIWES Orientation Programme before proceeding on
industrial training.
• Be regular and punctual at respective places of industrial attachment
• Avoid unilateral change of place of attachment except in special
circumstances and only with the permission/approval of the institution’s
SIWES Coordinator.
EMPLOYERS
• Comply with the employers’ rules and regulations.
• Keep proper records of training activities and other assignments in the log
books.
• Arrange own living accommodation during the period of attachment.
• Submit to the ITF, through the institution, the Evaluation Form (ITF Form
8) duly completed by the student, the Employer and the Institution.
• Submit Log Books, Reports and other SIWES Documents required by
the respective institutions at the end of the training programme .
• Be diligent, honest and conscientious in all activities.
• Protect and safeguard employers’ property throughout the period of
training.
2.7 OBJECTIVE STUDENTS’ INDUSTRIAL WORK EXPERIENCE SCHEME.
The objectives are students, institutions and employer centered. Every country has its own goals of attaining industrial work experience for her students. The objective of SIWES are derived from national educational goals at section (7) of the national policy on education (1988) which seeks to inculcate in the individuals national consciousness, unity, right type of values and attitudes for survival of the individual and the training of the mind in the understanding of the world around and particularly.
1. To groom students for working situation which they are to meet after graduation.
2. To assist students in institution of higher learning to acquire the industrial skills and experiences during their course of study.
3. To expose students to work methods and processes in handling equipment and machineries that may not be available in educational institutions.
4. Prepares them for the world of work.
5. Provides students with opportunity to apply his or her knowledge in real working situation, whereby breaching the gaps between college work and actual practice.
6. Enlists and strengthens employers’ involvement in the entire educational process of preparing students for employment in industries.
2.8 ELIGIBLE COURSES FOR SIWES
The three tiers of tertiary institutions that partake in SIWES scheme are the Universities, Polytechnics/Monotechnics, College of Technology and College of Technical Teachers’ Education. SIWES is applicable to purely graduates, diplomas and NCE (technical) levels.
TYPES OF INSTITUTIONS NAMES OF PROGRAMMES DURATION
Universities Undergraduates Three months industrial attachment at the of part 2 and 3 of their courses
polytechnics/
monotechnics/
college of technology National diploma/ Higher diploma Four months of SIWES at the end of one year, and twelve months industrial at the end of year 2 for the OND students, one year at the end of year for the HND
College of technical teachers’’ education NCE (technical) Formally 8 weeks of industrial attachment (business) each at the end of first and second year. Now 16 weeks at the end of the second year
Postgraduates students All courses Not applicable
Duration of industrial attachment for various programmes and institutions adapted from ITF, Jos.
2.9 PROBLEMS OF SIWES (STUDENTS’ INDUSTRIAL WORK EXPERIENCE SCHEME)
SIWES has evolved from one stage to the other and has transcended through various management according to ITF document. Each stage has witnessed some difficulties but the problems can be summarized thus.
1. Absence of SIWES coordinating unit is necessary condition for the success if SIWES scheme in every participating institution is to be meaningful, but some institutions neglect to establish such units due to lack of official space, stationary or equipment.
2. Poor supervision: Some students do not have their required number of contact visit from their institutional or ITF supervisors. This affects monitoring of the work of the students and does not raise morals.
3. Refusal to accept students for industrial work experience.
4. Lack of SIWES orientation programmes: Experiences have shown that absence of SIWES orientation programmes make students unawares of their functions during the duration of the programmes.
5. Duration of SIWES: This is considered too short by employer to enable them benefit from the training that the students acquire. Employers/industries prefer a period of not less than twelve months so that they also can benefit from the services of the students
6. Inadequate statistical records: There are no update records of companies and organizations that have been sanction for failure to comply. Approved courses includes: Engineering and Technology, Environmental Studies, Education Technology and Business, National diplomas and NCE (technical) programmes are also involved in the SIWES programmes.
ASSESSMENT OF SIWES
SIWES being a course of study with assigned credit units must be assessed to determine the performance of students in the scheme. Students are required to obtain a pass grade; failure to do so may lead to the student repeating his/her participation in the scheme.
However, there are no uniform standards or criteria set for the assessment of students in SIWES across all institutions. Initially at the Lagos State University annex at Agege, the criteria adopted were: Log Book (30 marks), End-of-Training Report (20 marks), Oral Presentation (30 marks), ITF Form 8 (10 marks) and Interim Report of Supervisors (10 marks), making a total of 100 marks. The last two criteria (ITF Form 8 and Interim Report) were supposed to capture the student’s involvement in training while in industry; but these criteria are now presumed to be captured by the comments of the industry-based supervisor in the log book. Hence, the new criteria for assessment are:
Log Book 30 marks
Training Report 30 marks
Oral Presentation 40 marks
100 marks
Additionally, Lagos State University has put in place sub - criteria for each of the three main criteria (Log Book, Training Report and Oral Presentation).
The need for a systematic assessment scheme for SIWES cannot be over-emphasized. Otherwise, the scores earned by students may end up being arbitrary since conditions under which they undergo training vary from one school/ industry to another.
Payment of Allowances: Two modes of payment of student allowances had been adopted in the past. These were payment through the employer while the student is in industry and payment through the institutions after the end of SIWES. Both modalities had thrown up many problems which are capable of diminishing the significance of SIWES (Mafe, 2006).
2.10 SOME OF THESE PROBLEMS INCLUDE:
• Delays in payment and, sometimes, non-payment of the student
beneficiaries.
• Inaccurate claims for re-imbursement by some employers.
• Diversion of student allowances to other uses by some employers
• Students already paid by employers claiming allowances though
institutions
• Delays in payment of students by institutions
• Attempts by some institutions to inflate the number of students eligible
for payment
• Diversion of student allowances for other purpose s by some institutions.
Consequently, during the 10th Biennal SIWES Conference it was proposed that student allowances be paid on-line through the banks (Mafe, 2006). This proposal was accepted at the 11th Biennal SIWES Conference in 2008 and modalities were subsequently put in place to implement the proposal as from 2009. However, the website designed for this purpose (SIWESdata.org) has inherent problems which make the uploading of students’ data cumbersome and complicated. As a result the online payment of the allowances into individual student bank account is yet to be put into operation.
However, the website designed for the purpose (SIWES data.org) of uploading a student’s data has problems which make it cumbersome and complicated. As a result, the online payment of the allowances into individual student’s bank account is yet to be out into operation.
It is imperative for the Industrial Training Fund to remove all bottlenecks associated with the website (i.e. SIWES data.org) to facilitate effective payment of students’ allowances; where by all eligible students are promptly paid in accordance with their performance while on training. This would ensure completeness, promptness and equity in payment of student allowances.
2.11 BENEFIT OF SIWES (STUDENT INDUSTRIAL WORK- EXPERIENCE SCHEME) TO STUDENT-TEACHERS
• To learn to assume responsibility in any organization and to themselves.
• Gain knowledge and attitude necessary for successful job performance.
• Acquire good job habit.
• To learn how to get along with fellow workers and employees.
• Develop personality and poise.
• Gain necessary fund to their benefit.
• Realize the connection between the job production and wave.
• Discover the relationship between education and job success.
• Helps for field exploration. A student is able to ascertain which field is most suitable.
• Broaden their knowledge of the occupational world and of working
conditions in their community.
2.12 FUNCTIONS OF I.T.F (INDUSTRIAL TRAINING FUND)
a. Encourage employers to train and retain their workers.
b. Provide facilities for industrial training in general.
c. Assist industries to organize important training programmes of their own and to develop facilities for training their staff.
d. Reimburse employers who contribute to the I.T.F level training expenses incurred by them.
e. Encourage and support the development of technical and commercial education.
f. Develop and train indigenous manpower for the country with a view to providing craftsman for the maintenance of equipment and structure for staffing the nation’s manufacturing industries.
g. Provide advisory and consultant services for employers of labour and
the general public on human resources development.