Profile Analysis of Non-Teaching Staff in Akwa Ibom State University, Nigeria.

Abstract:

There is no gainsaying the fact that every academic institution conducts annual appraisal of teaching and non-teaching staff either for the purpose of promotion or annual salary increment. Like other tertiary institutions, Akwa Ibom State University Appointment and Promotion Committee evaluates senior and junior staff based on certain performance criteria, which include qualifications, work experience, attitude, initiative, community service, rewards/sanctions for the junior staff, and work output, communication, human relations, character traits, work habits, leadership attainment, reward/sanctions for the senior staff. The aim of this work was to subject the overall assessment to statistical analysis as a mathematical approach of evaluating staff performances in the university. Staff that were promoted based on the overall assessment were grouped into two categories, namely senior and junior staff with their respective appraisal scores for 2024/2025 appraisal year. Method of analysis adopted was multiple regression analysis with appraisal score as response variable, while the selected performance criteria for each category constituted predictor variables in the regression model. The justification for the multiple regression analysis was to fit a model as an alternative approach to the staff performance evaluation with a view to compare between the non-mathematical and mathematical approaches to staff appraisal. The analysis produced two different multiple regression models for junior and senior staff in the university. Estimates from the two models were compared with the appraisal scores awarded to staff by their respective reporting officers, and were found to be as good as the overall assessment scores awarded to staff in their appraisal forms. The advantage of the statistical modelling of the appraisal scores over the existing non-statistical method is the ability to identify the non-performing variables characterized by attributes of some staff. The model identified insignificant effect of work experience and initiative among the junior staff, while work-habits was identified as the weakness of the senior staff as shown in the parameter estimates of each model. The outcome of the research is a working instrument to strengthen quality assurance and plan manpower development for higher productivity in the university.