Evaluation of Qualifications, Fields of Study, Skills, and Administrative Staff Retention Records in Selected Tertiary Education Institutions in Sierra Leone

Abstract

This study assessed the relevance of qualifications (RQP), major fields of study to position (RMFSP), and management skills to position (RMSP) in tertiary education institutions in Sierra Leone. A total of 266 questionnaires were administered to administrative staff of six tertiary educational universities in Sierra Leone. Documentary Overview with Administrators was also conducted to solicit their perceptions on the current number of staff, numbers of staff recruited, and promoted per gender across five academic years. Results showed that skewness of RQP, RMFSP, faculties/schools to position (RFSP), relevance of leadership skills to position (RLSP), RMSP, internal public relations to position (RIPRP), relevance of office ICT skills to position (ROISP), and relevance of administrative to position (RAP) of respondents was negative. Mean scores of respondents on relevance parameters ranged from 3.48 to 3.65, indicating relevance to their positions. Standard deviation ranged from 0.76 to 0.87, indicating similar views among respondents. The RIPRP (−0.19), and ROISP (−0.59) revealed platykurtic distribution, whereas other parameters had leptokurtic distribution. Total staff loss negatively influenced the current number of staff, whereas number of staff recruited positively influenced the current number of staff more than the number of staff promoted. Results suggest that improving the developmental, maintenance, and skills utilization process should form part of the core elements of the policy package necessary to support sustainable long-term growth and employment creation.