PRACTICUM REPORT FOR EDA 812 WRITTEN BY ORJI FRIDAY OKO

Introduction

Practicum in Educational Management (EDA 812) is a practical course designed to

expose students of Masters’ degree in Educational Administration and Planning into
relevant field experiences. It is designed to assist students develop relevant managerial
skills that are required to administer educational and other related institutions.

The reason behind Practicum in Educational Management is the fact that students of
Educational Administration and Planning, having been taught the principles, theories,
methodologies, skills and behavioural requirements for institutional administration, need
a practical platform to gain real life experience.

This Practical exercise is expected to enrich students with experience in dealing with real
life managerial responsibilities of leading, organizing, coordinating, planning, budgeting,
analyzing, commanding, directing, motivating, reporting, collaborating, and decision-
making, among others. It is also expected that this practicum exercise will assist students
to exhibit personal attributes expected of a Manager, Principal, Headmaster/mistress,
HOD, and Administrator etc. These traits may include: intelligence, accommodating,
honesty, sympathy, tactfulness, maturity, composure, emotional stability, punctuality,
neatness, unbiased, commitment and innovation etc.

However, this is a report portraying the documentation on how I exercised the foregoing
administrative functions and the personal characteristics required of an Administrator at
Consolidated Fortunes Limited which manage and administer the Portal/Website of
Nwafor Orizu College of Education, Nsugbe, Anambra State. Observations during the
exercise are organized in Log Book showing the activities I performed each day of the
week for the duration of twelve (12) weeks.

Profile of Consolidated Fortunes Limited

The company owner (Mr. Benneth Udensi) started the small business center called
‘Benventure Computer Center at No. 22 Onitsha Road, Nnewi on 1st January, 1996.
Initially, the business center was dealing on photocopying, typesetting of documents,
simple graphic works, soft binding of documents, and selling of refreshment/soft drinks.
He was managing the center with his younger brother (Johnson Udensi).

On 20th December, 2000, Mr. Benneth got married to Miss Chinenyenwa Obiorah who
as a graduate of Business Education from the University of Nigeria was motivated to key
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into the small business. The business center was later renamed to ‘Bennenyenwa ICT
Venture’ on 14th April, 2000.

In 2001, Mr. Benneth decided to venture into politics in Anambra State. This move
afforded him the opportunity of pushing to registration of the business. In July, 2003, the
business was registered as ‘Consolidated Fortunes Limited’ with the code ‘RC274212’
under the Companies and Allied Matters Acts as promulgated in 1990 Cap20, Laws of
Federation of Nigeria through the Corporate Affairs Commission.

Based on this corporate name, the company is now dealing huge contracts such as:
development, administration and management of school portals/websites, software
development, networking, design of corporate receipt, identity cards as well as
sales/supply of computers and its accessories.

At present, the company has won the contracts of developing and managing the
websites/portals of Nwafor Orizu College of Education, Nsugbe, Odumegwu Ojukwu
University (Anambra State University), Igbariam, Federal College of Education
(Technical), Umunze as well as the production of identity cards to all motorcyclists in
Anambra State.

However, the company is now developing offices in collaboration with the above higher
institutions of learning aside the already existing Awka and Nnewi offices. It is now
employing more than eighty (80) workers to manage students, school staff members and
other related online requests as the case may be.

Operational Functions of Consolidated Fortunes Limited

Consolidated Fortunes Limited with the incorporation code ‘RC274212’ under the
Companies and Allied Matters Acts as promulgated in 1990 Cap20, Laws of Federation
of Nigeria through the Corporate Affairs Commission specialize in the following
operations:

1. Development, management and administration of Portals/Websites for Schools

(Primary, Secondary, Colleges of Education, Polytechnics, Universities) etc.;

2. Software Design and development;

3. Networking and Internet Utilities;

4. Database Management and Administration;

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5. Sales and Purchase of ICT equipment and Accessories;

6. Repair, Maintenance and Overhauling of Faulty ICT equipment;

7. General contracts: Identity Cards, Receipts, Binding, Typesetting, Data Analysis

etc.

Major Divisions of Consolidated Fortunes Limited

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 Observations

Week One

Having sought for approval in November, 2014 to serve as Manager during practicum at
my place of work, I finally got introduced to the staff members as ‘Interim Manager’ on
2nd February, 2015. I summon a brief meeting so we could discuss a ways of making
things work better in the office. I had a special meeting with my Boss (Managing
Director) during which I presented the outcome of our preceding meeting to him and
solicited for his advice, support and cooperation.

I, my Boss and a college supervisory staff who work with us visited the Provost (Dr. Ego
Uzozie) for introduction and familiarization regarding my new position. I then appealed
for her support and cooperation in managing the school portal office. I and my Boss
visited our corporate office in Awka. This afforded me the opportunity to interact with
the Branch Manager on their success and challenges so far.

From the foregoing, I demonstrated planning, goal-setting, decision making,

coordinating, commanding, collaborating, consulting and leading as the responsibilities
of an Administrator.

Week Two

I assessed the number of employees at our disposal and the challenges of meeting the
demand from the college community, and recommended for the recruitment of two ICT
inclined prospective employees. I reshuffled our staff members into five units: customer
care, engineering, facility, bursary and data processing. I then recommended the Heads of
the units; was approved as part of proceedings from my first meeting with staff members.

I had meeting with Heads of the units to intimate and interact with them on what is
expected of them in their new positions. I issued a notice to the Head of Data Processing
Unit to prepare employment advert and post round the college community. I worked with
Customer Care unit to address students who had several complaints regarding the
mandatory online Bio-data form which were printed for them.

Forecasting, staffing, planning, organizing, coordinating, leading and controlling,

commanding, directing, consulting and motivating constituted the managerial functions I
observed during the week.

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 Week Three

I issued a notification to the Engineering Unit to start developing software that could
serve as platform for hosting students’ course forms. I visited the Dean, School of
General Education (Dr. Ken Azubuike) to ascertain the courses offered as general
education as well as their credit hours.

I visited the Dean, School of General Studies Education (Dr. P. Anwulorah) to ascertain
the courses offered as general education as well as their credit hours. I started visiting the
various Head of Departments soliciting that they forward to our office all courses, codes,
status as well as their credit hours. I instructed the Head, Data Processing Unit to receive
the above course details these authorities mentioned above, if I was not on seat whenever
they visited.

Directing, commanding, consulting, coordinating, delegation of duties, and directing

summarized the administrative responsibilities I carried out during the week.

Week Four

I, my Boss and the Head, Data Processing Unit interviewed the prospective applicants
and finally employed three persons into Data Processing Unit. I organized and supervised
on-the-job training for the newly employed staff members to equip them on the relevant
skill and attitude required of the job and encouraged them to be committed.

I presented the Letter of Introduction to my Boss while having brief meeting with the
Head, Facility Unit to ascertain how functional our equipment (generator, photocopier,
Air conditioner) etc., are. This afforded me the opportunity of analyzing the challenges
we would likely face if the non-human resources are not put in their functional status. I,
my Boss and Head, Bursary Unit had interaction on our income inflow and generation
strategy as well as how to harness it. I was able to understand in more detail our internal
income flow sources and how much we stand to make each week. I proposed and got
approval to introduce hour leisure for our staff members between 1 and 2 pm to enable
them refresh, and this came after a thorough and convincing meeting with my Boss and
Heads of each Unit.

Staffing, planning, supervising, motivating, consulting, forecasting, inspecting,

budgeting, motivating, lobbying, and leadership were the administrative functions I
performed during the week.

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 Week Five

I worked with customer care unit to address further challenges encountered by students’
as errors keep repeating the Bio-data forms they often fill and return to us. I and the
college staff member discussed with my Boss on my intention to organize an interactive
session to intimate students on how best to access and use their portal. This is because I
found that majority of the students are unfamiliar with portal-based school system; thus,
need such interactive platform to inform them

I, my Boss and the college staff member visited the College Provost to discuss our plans
with her, and to seek for approval. We also discussed the benefit therein and the fund
required towards observing such exercise, and she approved it. I informed the Head of
Data Processing Unit to prepare a document that will be used to notify student on the date
(Fri, 6.3.2015) for the interaction planned through Bulk SMS and posting round the
school.

Orientation and the interactive session was held during which I asked the various Heads
of Units to address pressing questions as inquired by the students and other college staff
members available.

Consulting, coordinating, evaluation, motivating, reporting, planning, consulting,

budgeting, commanding, organizing and directing portray the managerial functions which
I carried out during the week.

Week Six

I received comprehensive list of the programme of the college through the college Public
Relation Officer as directed by the College Registrar (Mr. Okeke G. Uzodimma). I
quickly remitted it to the Head, Data Processing Unit to prepare the document for upload
into the school website. I inspected the document and found the college as affiliated with
the University of Nigeria is involved in five programmes, namely: Pre-NCE, NCE Part-
time, NCE regular, Degree regular and Sandwich with twenty four departments. I then
asked the Head to print a copy to be sent to the Registrar to proof-read before we could
carry on with the upload.

I received comprehensive courses offered in the college from the various Head of
Departments as I earlier directed. After ensuring that all departments were available, I
handed it over to the Head, Data Processing Unit for preparation against upload, and
instructed him on the format to use. I worked with Data Processing Unit by ensuring that

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the preparation of the courses are commenced and ordered accordingly. During this
exercise with Data Processing Unit, I issued them refreshment (soft drinks and snacks)
for their commitment towards purpose

I ordered the Engineering Unit through their Head to upload the school programmes as
approved by the Registrar. During this time, I continued work with Data Processing Unit
to enable us meet targeted date for courses upload.

Directing, organizing, coordinating, supervising, commanding, directing and motivating

were the peculiar duties I carried out during the week.

Week Seven

I discussed with the Head, Facility Unit to identify the reasons that the office air
conditioner stopped functioning. I took records of his observations and recommendations,
and promised to meet with the Managing Director and school authority to revamp the
facility. I inspected the records of Customer Care Unit to ascertain the number of new
students who have successfully completed the online Bio-data form registration. I then
encouraged the unit to create a complaint record file to cater for all manner of differences
in the on-going online Bio-data registration exercise.

I, my Boss and the college staff member had a meeting with the College Director of
Works. This meeting afforded me the opportunity to discuss our challenges regarding the
malfunctioning status of our office air conditioner and other equipment. I received the
various Deans of schools who visited to office to inspect the status of the course form and
course preparation. I discussed and showed them the extent we had gone in preparing the
courses. Then, they made recommendations on corrections that should be effected. I
instructed the Data Processing Unit to make adjustment on the structure already
developed for preparing the course form. I then supervised this plan.

Consulting, inspecting, coordinating, organizing, directing, commanding, reporting,

planning and supervising peculiarly observed.

Week Eight

I discussed with my Boss on the coming examinations during which I presented him my
POP examinations time-table. I also discussed with him on whom I wish to be delegating
duties to in my absence, and this was agreed. I and Head, Engineering Unit visited the
Company’s Branch Office at Nnewi for a workshop. This afforded me the opportunity to

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interact with my distance colleagues on how to better school and ICT-based portal
administration.

I summon a meeting with my co-workers at Nwafor Orizu College of Education Portal

Office. This enabled I and the Head, Engineering Unit to convey what we learned at
Nnewi to our colleagues. I then enquired from the Head of Data Processing Unit on what
transpired while I was on a special assignment at Nnewi.

I went for examination (EDA822-Supervision of Instruction in Education). I informed the

Head, Data Processing Unit to take charge in my absence. Pre-Election Break 1. But I
went to the office with the Head, Customer Care Unit to review the status of complaints
from students and to find a way of fine-tuning it for better administration of students.

Consulting, reporting, collaboration, leading, directing, controlling, delegation of duty,

coordinating and inspecting were observed as seeing from the script above.

Week Nine

I, my Boss and the Head of Engineering Unit had a meeting with College Principal
Officers on a proposal to provide efficient and wireless network (Internet) for the College
community. This afforded me the opportunity of talking with the management on the
importance of having the college community wirelessly networked for efficient surfing of
the net without exclusive subscription. I went for examination (EDA832-Economics of
Education). I informed the Head, Data Processing Unit to take charge in my absence. I
inspected the activities file as presented to me by the Head of Data Processing Unit. I
recommended some actions to be taken, especially in resolving students’ complaints. I
went for examination (EDA834-Budgeting and Financial Management in Education). I
informed the Head, Data Processing Unit to take charge in my absence. Good Friday-I
observed a holiday by visiting the Head, Engineering Unit.

Consulting, reporting, collaborating, planning, convincing, delegation of duty,

coordinating, directing and controlling, holiday and motivating observed.

Week Ten

Easter Monday-I observed a holiday by visiting the church and a rehabilitation center in
Onitsha with two of my friends. I went for examination (EDA842-Application of
Management Information System in Education). I informed the Head, Data Processing
Unit to take charge in my absence. I went for examination (EDA844-Statistics for

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Educational Management). I informed the Head, Data Processing Unit to take charge in
my absence.

I went for examination (EDA852-Politics of Education). I informed the Head, Data

Processing Unit to take charge in my absence. Pre-Election Break 2. I went to the office
with the Head, Bursary Unit to inspect the status of account (income and expenditure)
from the financial records so far. This enabled us to understand our financial status as
MD demanded. Holiday, delegation of duty, budgeting, auditing, examinations, and
inspecting undertaken.

Week Eleven

I inspected the activities file as presented to me by the Head of Data Processing Unit. I
then resolved misunderstanding that occurred between Head of Engineering Unit and the
Head of Facility Unit. I directed them to meet with our Boss to further clarify issues
regarding the purchase of Internet facilities. I went for examination (EDA854-Legal
aspect of Educational Management). I informed the Head, Data Processing Unit to take
charge in my absence.

I inspected the activities file as presented to me by the Head of Data Processing Unit. I
discovered the course forms have been approved for upload. I then informed the
Managing Director on the approval giving by College authority that the courses should be
uploaded. I then ask the Head of Engineering Unit to effect the upload.

I received order from the Director of Part-Time Programme (Mr. kene George) that we
should start registering NCE Part-Time students. I then called the attention of my Boss
who gave me go ahead order. I directed the Head of Data Processing Unit to send Bulk
SMS to inform part-time students to start coming for their online registration. I then
discussed with the Head of Customer Care Unit on how to handle the part-time students
to minimize conflict.

Coordinating, directing, controlling, delegation of duty, inspection, reporting, and

consulting observed.

Week Twelve

I directed the Head of Bursary Unit to remit some fund to Head of Facility Unit to enable
him purchase some materials (A4 papers, ink, fuel and pin for stapler) which we needed
as we prepared for part-time online registration. I discussed with my Boss on my

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practicum exercise nearing completion by Friday, 24th April, 2015. He promised to retain
the Units I introduced in our office.

I, our Boss and the Head of Engineering Unit discussed and developed a structure of how
to provide Internet wireless network as approved by the College Management. A get
together meeting was organized to mark the successful completion of my practicum
exercise. As the chief celebrant, I thanked everyone for their cooperation, understanding
and tolerance during my Interim Managerial position. I also presented a brief report on
my observations, achievements and recommendations.

I worked with the Customer Care Unit to attend to the part-time students who had started
coming for the online registration. I got involved in directing them on the Unit
requirements for the exercise.

Directing, coordinating, planning, reporting, consulting, organizing, evaluating and

motivation succinctly observed.

Conclusion

Undoubtedly, this exercise has availed me the opportunity of putting into practice the
following administrative routines duties: planning, supervision, motivation, coordination,
controlling, directing, organizing, inspecting, budgeting, delegation of duties, forecasting,
commanding and leading. However, coordinating and controlling towards purpose were
what I consider the most tasking of all the functions I observed. Planning on the other
hand, was my most invaluable instrument towards the firm’s goals during the course of
the exercise.

Recommendations

Based on my experience during the exercise, I make the following recommendations for
future use:

1. It should be recalled that ‘he who fails to plan, invariably plans to fail’. Hence,
planning should rigorously before any project is undertaken in relevant
establishment;

2. It should recall that an Administrator is the ‘first among equals’. Thus an

Administrator should not see himself as ‘Mr. Know All’ or ‘Dictator’ as such may
deter staff members from making utmost contributions towards the betterment of
the firm;

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3. It should be bone in mind that individual differences and emotional endowment
remain eminent among employees in work places. Hence, every would-be
Administrator need to have adequate understanding of all relevant concepts in
Psychology, as well as its applications;

4. It should be understood that relevant motivations to colleagues at work places

have high tendency to improve results, as it help to encourage the employees;

5. It should be known that supervision and evaluation works on regular bases

remains the major instruments to achieving effective and efficient results in the
establishment.

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