A CASE OF
F.U.T. MINNA.
The training of
architecture students, in contemporary times, is becoming an exceedingly
complex task. To effectively tackle this complexity requires a high degree of
competence and proven scholarship from the academic staff – architects
educators.
In contemporary
times, the discipline of architecture is confronted with ever–mounting
challenges, manifesting in confusion and depression. (Nkwogu, 2002) there are
challenges of shortage of facilities, exploding technology, curriculum
inadequately to respond to new trends and developments, high students
population, shortage of qualified architects in academic (architect educators)
and shortage of facilities have been recognised as most crucial therefore
requiring a quick and committed intervention.
This is because
the realisation of the architectural aims and goals is in large part depends on
the academic staff (architect educator) whose roles are crucial and daunting; -
in equipping students with requisite knowledge and intellectual skills to bring
about a good humane and orderly built environment.
Many researchers
and policy makers’ world over have begun to advocate capacity building. Capacity–building,
as a concept, has always been referred to whenever there is a marked absence of
required capacity and effectiveness in any organisational set up.
According to
Floden et al (1995) capacity is a general term, referring to “the power or
ability to do some particular thing in order to reach the goals of systemic
reform”. Whenever capacity building is mentioned, policy makers usually focus
on teachers’ professional development.
Study has shown that no educational systems can rise above the quality of its
teachers (Sulaiman, 2001).
Therefore, the
capacity building concern of this paper focuses on building the capacities of
individual teachers, while it is also clear that organisational capacity,
especially the capacity of school (buildings and spaces) is also critical to
supporting, facilitating and sustaining the effort of any reform.
Definition of Concepts
The
concepts of education, training and capacity building cannot be used
interchangeably. Moseley (undated) identified the differences in all of these.
He defines training as “those set of activities that are specifically designed
to improve skills hereby enhancing improved performance of productivity”.
Education refers to the processes of general information or knowledge transfer
that need not be related to enhancing increased performance and productivity.
Capacity building refers to skills, knowledge, and information transfer and
training in general which is aimed at performing tasks that could not be
previously performed”.
There
is a world of difference between capacity building, capacity and organisational
effectiveness. Linneil (2003) attempts to clarify this, she describes capacity
as an organization’s ability to achieve its set mission and have it sustained
over a long period of time. Capacity is also the skills and capabilities of
individuals to accomplish the given tasks.
Capacity
building refers to activities that are therefore geared towards improving an
organization’s ability to achieve its mission or a person’s ability to defined
and realize his / her goals and do his / her job more effectively. (Linneil,
2003).
Within the
framework of the university, capacity building relates to almost any aspect of
its operations; training of manpower for the development of society, research
development and funding, community development and participation,
administration (including human resources, financial management), academic
programmes and excellence, partnerships and collaboration, fund raisings and
income generation through consultancy outfits established by the university.
Capacity
building is intrinsically hinged on the process of developing and strengthening
the skills, instincts, abilities, processes and resources that organizations
and communities need to survive, adapt, and thrive in the fast – changing world
(Philbin, 1996). Since the world generally is experiencing a rapid
transformation in technologies, markets, opportunities and challenges. There is
expectation to identify and propose ways through which capacity will have to be
built and sustained to meet the rising challenges that are staring
architectural education in the face.
In contemporary
times, the discipline of architecture is confronted with ever–mounting
challenges, manifesting in confusion and depression. (Nkwogu, 2002) there are
challenges of shortage of facilities, exploding technology, curriculum
inadequately to respond to new trends and developments, high students
population, shortage of qualified architects in academic (architect educators)
and shortage of facilities have been recognised as most crucial therefore
requiring a quick and committed intervention.
This is because
the realisation of the architectural aims and goals is in large part depends on
the academic staff (architect educator) whose roles are crucial and daunting; -
in equipping students with requisite knowledge and intellectual skills to bring
about a good humane and orderly built environment.
Many researchers
and policy makers’ world over have begun to advocate capacity building. Capacity–building,
as a concept, has always been referred to whenever there is a marked absence of
required capacity and effectiveness in any organisational set up.
According to
Floden et al (1995) capacity is a general term, referring to “the power or
ability to do some particular thing in order to reach the goals of systemic
reform”. Whenever capacity building is mentioned, policy makers usually focus
on teachers’ professional development.
Study has shown that no educational systems can rise above the quality of its
teachers (Sulaiman, 2001).
Therefore, the
capacity building concern of this paper focuses on building the capacities of
individual teachers, while it is also clear that organisational capacity,
especially the capacity of school (buildings and spaces) is also critical to
supporting, facilitating and sustaining the effort of any reform.
Definition of Concepts
The
concepts of education, training and capacity building cannot be used
interchangeably. Moseley (undated) identified the differences in all of these.
He defines training as “those set of activities that are specifically designed
to improve skills hereby enhancing improved performance of productivity”.
Education refers to the processes of general information or knowledge transfer
that need not be related to enhancing increased performance and productivity.
Capacity building refers to skills, knowledge, and information transfer and
training in general which is aimed at performing tasks that could not be
previously performed”.
There
is a world of difference between capacity building, capacity and organisational
effectiveness. Linneil (2003) attempts to clarify this, she describes capacity
as an organization’s ability to achieve its set mission and have it sustained
over a long period of time. Capacity is also the skills and capabilities of
individuals to accomplish the given tasks.
Capacity
building refers to activities that are therefore geared towards improving an
organization’s ability to achieve its mission or a person’s ability to defined
and realize his / her goals and do his / her job more effectively. (Linneil,
2003).
Within the
framework of the university, capacity building relates to almost any aspect of
its operations; training of manpower for the development of society, research
development and funding, community development and participation,
administration (including human resources, financial management), academic
programmes and excellence, partnerships and collaboration, fund raisings and
income generation through consultancy outfits established by the university.
Capacity
building is intrinsically hinged on the process of developing and strengthening
the skills, instincts, abilities, processes and resources that organizations
and communities need to survive, adapt, and thrive in the fast – changing world
(Philbin, 1996). Since the world generally is experiencing a rapid
transformation in technologies, markets, opportunities and challenges. There is
expectation to identify and propose ways through which capacity will have to be
built and sustained to meet the rising challenges that are staring
architectural education in the face.
Strategies for Building Capacity
In attempting to
build capacity, it must be recognised that at the heart of the development
effort is the human resource development (HRD), which in the context of this
discussion are the academic staff (architect educators). It is based on the concept
that education and training occupy a strategic portion of development effort
and without HRD most development interventions will be ineffective. Therefore,
consideration has to be given to both the dimension of teachers’ capacities and
strategies for building these capacities.
The dimensions
of teachers’ capacity will include knowledge, skill, disposition and sense of
self. Strategies will include offering courses and workshops, providing vision
and leadership, providing guidance on curriculum content and instruction,
establishing evaluation or accountability mechanisms, providing resources and
facilitating access to outside sources of support.
REFERENCE
Linneil, D. (2003) “Evaluation of Capacity Building
at; http//www.allianceonline.org/publications/evaluation of
capacity. Page accessed on 12 October 2006 .
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