CHAPTER ONE
1.0 INTRODUCTION:
1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY:
The Secretarial studies Department is one of the departments in the school of Business studies of the Institute of Management and Technology Enugu.
The Department of secretarial studies came into existence in the year 1973 with the merge of the Institute of Administration (civil service Training Institute service) in the whole of farmer eastern Nigeria with the collage of Education of Technology Enugu to be Institute of Management and Technology than, the two forced Institution had their Secretarial administration and Mr. S.S M. Ifenwata was the first H.O.D, Success by Dr. G.O. Obi etc, and currently being headed by Rev. Ezeugwu.
Secretarial studies Department was established with the main aim of training students in the secretarial profession. The department since its inceptor, has been trying its best in proceeding students of the Secretarial progression.
In view of the present demons in the institution, it must however, be said that one of the greatest predicaments of this institution today is the neglect of the secretarial studies Department whose poor quality very much tend to the craze for good quality make department. Therefore, well established and qualified department is equally contributing to a healthy economy.
Secretary Studies Department was establishment with the main aim of training students in the secretarial profession. The department since its inception, has been trying its best in producing students to the secretarial profession.
In view of the present demands in the institution, it must however, be said that one of the greatest predicaments of this institution today is the neglect of the secretarial studies department whose poor quality very much tend to the craze for good quality male department. Therefore, well established and equipped department is equally contributing to a healthy economy.
In this research work, the term institutionalize embraces the lecturers, workers, and students to be able to think of the problems in the secretarial studies Department and how to tackle them. We should first of all establish who they are, what they are doing and what their problems are. Therefore, we might be able to suggest possible solutions to their problems.
The Secretarial Studies Department in the Institute of suggesting possible solutions to their problems.
The Secretarial Studies Department in the Institute of management and Technology Enugu, embraces the Lecturers, workers, practicing secretaries, messengers, cleaners, Engineers and students both ordinary National Diploma for Regular, Part-time and Uni-Air and also Higher National Diploma for Regular, Part-time and Uni-Air programmes.
After about a decade and half adopting an institutional strategy based on private Institutions, mostly of the assembly type, institute of management and Technology has achieved only a fragile institutional disputes development.
The Secretarial Studies department which was set up tended to be capital intensive and inappropriate given the institutions resources endowment. In response to the weakness of management of the institution, the secretarial studies department has sought to promote the department. Theoretically, Secretarial studies department has potentials worth giving for in promoting and especially increasing the qualities of students as a future secretaries in the institute of management and Technology Enugu.
This in the establishment of secretarial studies department in 1973 both the management and the Government of Old Anambra State now Enugu State were to actively support and promote the development of secretarial Studies department. Meanwhile, it was explicitly stated the main objectives of a programme for the development of secretarial studies department as the creation of employment opportunities mobilization of workers, mitigation of Lecturers and move even to train students secretaries in the department. These were to be achieved through complementary assistance to the department in financial management and technical aspect.
The department of secretarial studies, the researchers are now going to know how far the department has gone in achieving its proposed goal of producing effective secretaries that will meet with the requirements of the present day business executive. Also, the researchers are conducting research to know the actual state of the equipment and facilities and how adequate provisions are being made to ensure rapid growth and development of the students and staff of the department.
In the present day business world, there is a high degree of specialization which often requires hundreds of different firms to complete its production and distribution of a single article.
And within each firm there is again a more specialised division of duties. Hand-in-hand with specialization comes the need for the proper co-ordination of individual, departments and firms so that they may work as a balanced team. This co-ordination is the text of management and the decisions that management makes should be based upon proper knowledge of the facts. The provision of the facts on which the decisions of management are made is one of the most important functions of the office and the position of the secretary in any office cannot be over emphasized.
In a brilliant and exhaustive study by Mrs. Obima Okoye (1995), she ascribed among other things the following roles of the secretaries towards increased productivity in the 1990. Be able to apply knowledge and skill of typewriter key-board to computer applications in the solution of day-to-day problems of our time.
Acquire more indepts knowledge and application of communication skills needed in the increasing computer communication situations of oral, written, face to face group communications and professional reporting.
Also acquire competencies of the audio-typist through specialized training and be able to apply the skills gained in the transcription from magnetic typescript and other recording media.
Having this in mind, you will no doubt agree with the researcher that the secretary is an important officer in any establishment and that the contributions and effectiveness of a secretary enhances the efficiency of an organization. This is the more reason why the secretary needs a proper training to be able to carry out his/her functions.
In subsequent years after the establishment of the department, the institution arrangements and structure of the department was still the same while the objectives also remained the same. It is instructive to appreciate and appraise the success achieved and to proffer opinions on how to come to grips with the problems of promoting secretarial studies department, which arise from poor management as well as inadequate funding and equipment.
This study, however, is concerned with giving incentive to secretarial studies department because the department has many problems. What this department need is a stronger management.
1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEMS:
There have been many complaints that the standard and quality of education in the department of secretarial studies I.M.T. had continued to fall. Evidence have sho0wn that students who passed out of the department in recent years fall to meet up the demands of the modern business world.
Further, it has been alleged that some National Diploma graduates of the institute were denied admissions in some of our National Cardral Polytechnics in Nigeria like the Yaba and Kaduna Polys on the ground that they cannot perform academically. When then has this great institution last its academic glory in the recent times, what has been wrong with the programmes of the department of secretarial studies.
It is on this note that the researcher decided to find out the problems faced by this department which has led to he academic collapse.
1.3 OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY:
In view of the above problems, the objective of the study will be:
1. To identify the problems of secretarial studies department of I.M.T.
2. To ascertain the causes of these problems.
3. To suggest possible solutions to the problems.