Publicada en el Registro Oficial No 245 del 30 de julio de
AGENDA 21.- Plan de acción creado con motivo de ECO’92, en el que se traza un programa de medidas ambientales a tomar hasta los primeros años del siglo XXI.
193
Differential Employment Opportunities
194
2014). Out of over one hundred (100) universities in Nigeria owned by the Federal and State governments, missions, and individuals, the numbers of female to male Vice-Chancellors in these universities is insignificant. More saddening, no female has ever emerged the Vice-chancellor of Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta.
The Nigerian National Gender Policy (NGP, 2008) recognises the fact that the unequal gender relations in the country cannot be addressed by focusing on women empowerment programmes alone, without the involvement of men. It has the vision of achieving a just and gender- equitable society and economy where women and men contribute their optimal quota to development at all levels of governance and has control over and benefit from all development interventions.
It is in the light of the above this paper sought to investigate broadly differential employment opportunities and selections based on gender in Federal University of Agriculture Abeokuta while the specific objectives were to:
1. Determine the ratio of male to female academic staff 2. Determine the gender distribution of academic staff by rank 3. Establish gender differences in employment of academic staff Hypothesis
HO1: There is no significant difference between male and female academic staff rank and gender in FUNAAB
Methodology
Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta-Nigeria (FUNAAB) was purposively chosen for this study. FUNAAB is one of the three specialized Universities of Agriculture in Nigeria established by the Federal Government of Nigeria in January 1988, (Federal Universities of Agriculture decree No. 48 of 1992) essentially an entirely new concept, different from the concept of the Faculties of Agriculture in conventional Universities. The aim was to promote agriculture and rural development, towards sustainable national development. The distinguishing feature of FUNAAB's mandate is its tripartite nature, comprising teaching, research and extension. In the pursuit of its objectives, the University offers a broad -based agricultural training programs leading to the award of Bachelor of Agriculture (B.Agric.) degree.
The University also offers degrees in Natural Science, Environmental Science, Management studies and Veterinary Medicine. Secondary data of FUNAAB academic staff was used to realize the set objectives for this study. The population for the study consisted of Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta Nigeria academic staff population within years 2010 and 2017.
Secondary data of academic staff were drawn from the Statistical Digest of the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Nigeria (2010 to 2017). The figures of engaged academic staffs were already in existence and not manipulated. Data were analyzed descriptively by using measures such as frequency distribution, tables, percentages, and ratios. The stated hypothesis that there is no significant difference in academic staff rank and gender in FUNAAB was tested using ANOVA.
Results And Discussion
195
Figure 1: Showing the population of FUNAAB academic staff by Gender from 2010-2017
Source: Directorate of Academic planning FUNAAB 2018
Table 3: Distribution of Academic staff in FUNAAB by gender from 2010 to 2017 Out of the total number of academic staff working in the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB) as at the year 2010, only 73.7% were male while 26.3% were female.
There was a slight increase in the academic staff employment in 2011 where the total numbers of staff accounted were 567 which cut across all ranks, the results show that most 73.7% were male while 26.3% were female. 2012 had 389 males and 143 females which bring the total to 532 which represent 73.1 % and 26.9 % for male and female academic staff respectively. The year 2012 experienced a 6.2 % decrease in number of academic staffs due to retirement, transfer of service and resignation but shot up the representation of female academic staff by approximately 1 %. 2013 maintained status-quo with just an insignificant decrease of just 1 academic on the female side and 2 academic on the male side at 387 and 142 respectively which may be due to reasons associated with 2012 decrease in total no of staff. But as at the year 2014 academic staff population was 566 which are made up of 411 for male while 155 were for female which represents 72.6% for male and 27.4% for female in the University. 2014 experienced a replacement in shortfall of academics by 6.2 % which brings academic staff total to 566 and have the female academic at an advantage of 0.5 % increase in representation since 2012. 2015 maintained the rate for 2014 but with increase in number of male academic staffs by 2 and decrease by 2 on the female side. 2016 has it at 72.7 % and 27.3% for male and female academic staff respectively with a decrease of 7 and 3 on both sides of the divide which is lower compared to the number of academic staffs in 2015.
There was an increase in staffing on general note for the year 2017 with 36 more academic staff added to the existing ones which represents approximately 6% but maintained the usual gender ratio as it is pegged consistently between 72.0% in favor of the male gender. This result affirms the study by (Omoregies & Iheneskhien, 2009) that career and academic achievements remain male dominated in institutions generally in Nigeria because female are often marginalized in education. The maintenance of an average 76-24 % over the years understudied might be the result of self-selection of women into occupations that are more compatible with
0 50 100 150 200 250 300 350 400 450
2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017
MALE FEMALE
196
family responsibilities as the societal expectation in an average African setting suggests that women should focus not majorly on making ends meet for the family but purposeful management of the home front while the men focus on providing resources.
Opeke (2002) further stressed that women in jobs defined for male such as science and engineering are sometimes affected by bias and outmoded institutional structures. Smith, James and Ward (1999) found evidence of differential treatment of senior women which included differences in salary among others with women receiving less despite professional accomplishments equal to those of their male colleagues of which this is not the case as wages are payed to workers alike irrespective gender. Gender stereotypes are the driving forces behind occupational segregation because they influence men and women’s educational and career decisions. In Nigeria, there are widely shared cultural beliefs that men are more socially valued and more competent than women at most things, as well as specific assumptions that men are better at some certain tasks while women are better at others. These gender status beliefs affect the assessments people make of their own competence at career-relevant tasks.
Oloko (2001) notes that specific stereotypes affect women’s and men’s perceptions of their abilities to the extent that men assess their own task abilities higher than women performing at the same level. These biased self-assessments tend to shape men and women’s educational and career decisions.
Equal access of females and males to societal pursuit and accomplishment including education at all levels, namely primary, secondary, and post-secondary or tertiary has been hardly achieved. In other words, the huge differential in employment across gender may not be unconnected to the aforementioned factors.
FUNAAB Academic Staff Gender and Rank 2010-2017
The result in table for the Year 2010 shows a general and huge difference in the proportion of male academic staff to female across all ranks. The trend continues until the year 2017.
Specifically, the table shows that academic staff on the senior cadre (Prof, Reader and Senior lecturers) is increasing without significant replacement for staff members moving up their various career ladders. This then
The result also therefore affirmed that the female gender is not well represented on the professorial and senior ranks which affirms the assertion by (Beintema and Di Marcantonio 2010) that Women are, less represented in high-level research, management, and decision making positions compared with their male colleagues and that as a result, women have less influence in policy and decision making processes, which can further result in biased priority-setting.
Table showing the distribution of FUNAAB academic staff by gender and rank 2010-2017
197 YEAR
2010 GENDER Total
MALE (%) FEMALE
(%)
RANK
PROF 78(84.8) 14(15.2) 92
READER 21(84.0) 4(16.0) 25
SENIOR LECTURER 77(73.3) 28(26.7) 105
LECTURER I 89(76.7) 27(23.3) 116
LECTURER II 65(63.7) 37(36.3) 102
ASSISTATNT LECTURER 28(60.8) 18(39.2) 46 GRADUATE ASSISTANT 22(73.3) 8(26.7) 30
Total 380(73.7) 136(26.3) 516
2011 YEAR 2011
GENDER Total
MALE FEMALE
RANK
PROF
80(86.0) 13(14.0) 93
READER 28(77.7) 8(22.3) 36
SENIOR LECTURER 70(74.5) 24(25.5) 94
LECTURER I 104(76.5) 32(23.5) 136
LECTURER II 78(65.5) 41(34.5) 119
ASSISTANT LECTURER 34(65.4) 18(34.6) 52 GRADUATE ASSISTANT 24(64.9) 13(35.1) 37
Total 418(73.7) 149(26.3) 567
2012 YEAR 2012
GENDER Total
MALE FEMALE
RANK
PROF 76(85.4) 13(14.6) 89
READER 36(76.6) 7(23.4) 43
SENIOR LECTURER 71(70.3) 30(29.7) 101
LECTURER I 96(73.3) 35(26.7) 131
LECTURER II 60(69.8) 26(30.2) 86
ASSISTANT LECTURER 28(58.3) 20(41.7) 48 GRADUATE ASSISTANT 22(64.7) 12(35.3) 34
Total 389(73.1) 143(26.9) 532
2013 YEAR 2013
GENDER Total
MALE FEMALE
RANK
PROF 87(85.3) 15(14.7) 102
READER 45(71.4) 18(28.6) 63
SENIOR LECTURER 70(77.8) 20(22.2) 90
LECTURER I 94(71.8) 37(28.2) 131
LECTURER II 44(62.0) 27(38.0) 71
ASSISTANT LECTURER 30(65.2) 16(34.7) 46 GRADUATE ASSISTANT 17(65.4) 9(34.6) 26
Total 387(73.2) 142(26.8) 529
2014 YEAR 2014
GENDER Total
MALE FEMALE
198 RANK
PROF
93(86.1) 15(13.9) 108
READER 43(71.7) 17(28.3) 60
SENIOR LECTURER 88(77.9) 25(22.1) 113
LECTURER I 85(66.9) 42(33.1) 127
LECTURER II 47(68.1) 22(31.9) 69
ASSISTANT LECTURER 48(63.2) 28(36.8) 76 GRADUATE ASSISTANT 7(53.8) 6(46.2) 13
Total 411(72.6) 155(27.4) 566
2015 YEAR
2015 GENDER Total
MALE FEMALE
RANK
PROF 96(85.7) 16(14.3) 112
READER 45(69.2) 20(30.8) 65
SENIOR LECTURER 92(73.6) 33(26.4) 125
LECTURER I 80(72.8) 30(27.2) 110
LECTURER II 53(70.7) 22(29.3) 75
ASSISTANT LECTURER 43(58.9) 30(41.1) 73 GRADUATE ASSISTANT 4(66.7) 2(33.3) 6
Total 413(72.9) 153(27.1) 566
2016 YEAR 2016
GENDER Total
MALE FEMALE
RANK
PROF 123(81.5) 28(18.5) 151
READER 52(75.4) 17(24.6) 69
SENIOR LECTURER 103(72.0) 40(28.0) 143
LECTURER I 49(69.0) 22(31.0) 71
LECTURER II 40(69.0) 18(31.0) 58
ASSISTANT LECTURER 34(56.7) 2643.3) 60 GRADUATE ASSISTANT 3(75.0) 1(25.0) 4
Total 404(72.7) 152(27.3) 556
2017
YEAR 2017
GENDER Total
MALE FEMALE
RANK
PROF 127(81.4) 29(18.6) 156
READER 58(75.3) 19(24.6) 77
SENIOR LECTURER 92(72.4) 35(27.6) 127
LECTURER I 58(68.2) 27(31.8) 85
LECTURER II 47(68.1) 22(31.9) 69
ASSISTANT LECTURER 44(59.5) 30(40.5) 74 GRADUATE ASSISTANT 2(50.0) 2(50.0) 4
Total 428(72.3) 164(27.7) 592
ANOVA Result Showing the Significant Difference in Academic Staffs Gender and Rank There exists significant difference between the ranks and gender of academic staff across the years understudied at (f=14.709, p>0.000). Result of the study indicates that the ranks and
199
gender of academic staff in FUNAAB are not the same as both gender do not move on equal proportional pedestal throughout the years tested.
ANOVA Table: Showing the result of difference between rank and gender of Academic staff in FUNAAB between 2010-2017
Sum of Squares Df Mean Square F Sig.
RANK
Between Groups 305.001 7 43.572 14.709 .000
Within Groups 13081.030 4416 2.962
Total 13386.032 4423
GENDER
Between Groups .097 7 .014 .070 .999
Within Groups 871.653 4416 .197
Total 871.750 4423
Source: Directorate of Academic planning FUNAAB 2018
Conclusion and Recommendations
The study concluded that there exists a huge gender difference in employment of academic staff at an average of 74.0% in favour of the male folks into FUNAAB which could be as a result of qualifications presented upon application or the pursuit of another career path that will not be as demanding as the academic position. The study therefore concludes that the basis for appointment into FUNAAB may not be centered on biases against the female gender but on the principle of equity in recruitment and selection as no data suggests that they were intentionally marginalized in employment however, there is a likelihood of interest in other fields outside academics because of their societal expected role.
The study therefore recommends and advocates for capacity building on the part of the female folks in order to be able to participate on equal footing as their male counterpart especially in the academia. Also, FUNAAB should draw up a gender policy that will seek to address issues of staff recruitments among others issues. This will go a long way in ascertaining the reason for the huge gender differentials in their staffing.
References
Daniel, A. A., & Olumuyiwa, (2014). An empirical study of gender discrimination and employee performance among academic staff of government universities in Lagos
State, Nigeria. International Journal of Social, Human Science and Engineering, 8(1) Fapohunda, T. M. (2013). The gender pay gap in Nigeria: Causes and remedies. Mediterranean
Journal of Social Sciences, 4(2), 211-220.
Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (2007). Statistical Digest, Academic Planning Directorate
Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (2008). Statistical Digest, Academic Planning Directorate
Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (2009). Statistical Digest, Academic Planning Directorate
Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (2010). Statistical Digest, Academic Planning Directorate
Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (2011). Statistical Digest, Academic Planning Directorate
200
Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (2012). Statistical Digest, Academic Planning Directorate
Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (2013). Statistical Digest, Academic Planning Directorate
Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (2014). Statistical Digest, Academic Planning Directorate
Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (2015). Statistical Digest, Academic Planning Directorate
Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (2016). Statistical Digest, Academic Planning Directorate
Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (2017). Statistical Digest, Academic Planning Directorate
FGN, (2009). Federal Government of Nigeria; Encyclopaedia of Policies of the Fedreal Republic of Nigeria. Abuja: Centre for Policy Research and Development 2. 129 – 131.
FGP (FUNAAB Gender Policy) (2015). Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Accessed (13th March, 2015) Retrieved from www.unaab.edu.ng/attachments/draft-funaab-gender-policy
Gberevbie, D. E., Osibanjo, A. O., Adeniji, A. A., & Oludayo, O. O. (2014). An empirical study of gender discrimination and employee performance among academic staff of government universities in Lagos State, Nigeria. International Journal of Social, Human Science and Engineering, 8(1), 101-108.
Kayuni.H., & Tambulsai, R. (2007). Teacher turnover in Malawi’s Ministry of Education:
Realities and challenges. International Education Journal, 2007, 8(1), 89-99.
National Gender Policy (2008). National Gender Policy Strategic Framework (Implementation Plan) Federal Republic of Nigeria 2008- 2013. Abuja: Federal Ministry of Women
Affairs and Social Development.
Omoregie N., & Ihensekhien, O. A. (2009). Persistent gender inequality in Nigerian education. Retrieved August 17, 2013, from http://nau.edu/...
Razzak, A. A.W. (2011). Factors affecting the effectiveness of job performance of specialists working in the Youth Care Centre at Helwan University. World Journal of Sport Sciences 4 (2): 116-125.
World Bank, S. (2012). Gender differences in employment and why they matter. World Bank World Development Report, 198-253.
201