UNEMPLOYMENT AMONG UNIVERSITY
GRADUATES IN NIGERIA AS PERCEIVED BY UNDERGRADUATES IN EKITI STATE UNIVERSITY,
ADO EKITI
BY
IGE OLUWAFEMI MATTHEW
SO80239
BEING A RESEARCH PROJECT
SUBMITTED TO THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATIONAL
FOUNDATIONS AND MANAGEMENT, FACULTY OF
EDUCATION, EKITI STATE UNIVERSITY, ADO – EKITI
IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE
REQUIREMENT
FOR THE AWARD OF B.SC (ED)
HONOURS DEGREE IN EDUCATIONAL FOUNDATIONS AND MANAGEMENT
SEPTEMBER, 2015
CERTIFICATION
This project work was carried out by IGE OLUWAFEMI MATTHEW with Matric No. S080239 in the Department of Educational Foundations and Management,
Faculty of Education, Ekiti State University, Ado – Ekiti.
-------------------------- -----------------------
DR. HAASTRUP
EKUNDAYO DATE
(PROJECT SUPERVISOR)
DEDICATION
This project is
dedicated to God Almighty.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
My heart-felt gratitude
goes to the Omni-science, Omni-potent and Omni-presence God for His grace,
mercy, protection, wisdom and understanding throughout the period of my studies
and this research work.
I am so much beholden
to my indefatigable Supervisor, Dr. Ekundayo Haastrup, whom in spite of his
busy schedule thoroughly supervised this study to ensure its successful
completion, may God continue to bless him.
I am equally indebted
to Mrs. A.O. Kolawole of the department of educational foundations and Management
for her altruistic effort and motherly assistance towards the completion of
this study. May God continue to promote her.
My profound gratitude
goes to my parents Mr and Mrs. A.V. Ige for their love and support throughout
my educational attainment. Words cannot describe my appreciation to my daddy
and mummy, Pst and Mrs. K.O. Akinriboya whose financial, moral and spiritual
support throughout my university education is unfathomable. May God in His
infinite mercy continue to make you great.
This acknowledgment is
incomplete if I fail to pay homage to my academics fathers and models like Dr.
E. Haastrup, Dr. S. Olatunbosun, Dr. Abeere, Dr. B.K. Oyewole, Dr. Sanya
Ogunsakin, Mr. Adeyemi, Mrs. Oluyede F.S., Pst. and Pst. Mrs. J.O. Mokuolu, too
much but few to mention.
I was greatly inspired
and impacted by the following academics high-fliers and erudite scholars of
great repute: Prof. E.O. Ogunleye, Prof. S.O. Bamidele, Prof. A.A Awe, Prof.
Akin Ogunlade, Prof. E.B. Kolawole, Prof. S.O. Omirin and to the entire
management of the prestigious Ekiti State University, I say a very big thank
you.
To my siblings Olaleke,
Olasunkanmi, Isaac, Ayobami, Damilola, David Blessing, Ifeoluwaposimi, I
appreciate you all. I can’t but appreciate Pst. and Mrs. Godwin Aporve, Mr. and
Mrs. Ademusira, Pst. and Mrs. Owadasa, Pst. and Mrs. Olarewaju, Rev. F.J.C.
Onwuka and my blossom friends, Sikiru Bello, Isaac, Joshua, Afolabi, Falola
Precious, Ajiboye Seun, Fanimi Kemisola and every member of Christian family
worldwide. I thank you all. To my costly brother, Pst. and Mrs. Kunle Ige and
his family, thank you sir.
ABSTRACT
This study investigated
Ekiti State University undergraduates’ perception of unemployment among
university graduates in Nigeria.
Five research questions
were raised, empirically tested and analysed.
The sample consisted of
one hundred students drawn randomly from five faculties in Ekiti State
University, Ado-Ekiti.
Questionnaires were
used to obtain data which were analysed using frequency counts and percentage.
The result revealed
that too much attention giving to petroleum sector at the detriment of other
sectors like agriculture and industry, technological and structural change,
over-reliance on white-collar job on the part of university graduates, Nigerian
poor educational curricula at all levels of education, imperfect labour market
information system, minimum retirement age’s legislation among others are the
root cause of graduates’ unemployment problem.
Majority of the
respondents have preference for white-collar jobs that are non-existing and
unreliable. Based on the findings and conclusion drawn from this study, it was
therefore recommended that government should develop agricultural and
industrial sectors through the establishment of economic and social overheads
so as to attract the young graduates into farming, establish more
entrepreneurial skills acquisition centres for the youths as well as empowering
the youths to be self-employed. Educational curricula at all levels of educational
should be related to societal needs, there is the need to correct price
distortion between wages and ability, minimum retirement age’s legislation
should be reviewed, Rural-Urban drift should be checked by government through
palliative measure and provision of basic amenities in the rural area.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
TITLE PAGE I
CERTIFICATION II
DEDICATION III
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS IV
ABSTRACT VII
TABLE OF CONTENTS IX
CHAPTER
ONE: INTRODUCTION 1
Background of the Study 1
Statement of the Problem 7
Purpose of the Study 9
Research Questions 10
Significance of the Study 10
Delimitation of the Study 11
Definition of Terms 12
CHAPTER
TWO: REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE 14
Concept of Unemployment 15
Types of Unemployment 20
Causes of Unemployment 21
Occurrence of Graduate Unemployment 28
Participation in Nigeria’s Job Searching 31
Over-expansion of the Education 33
Neglect of the Rural Sector 35
Effects of Unemployment 37
Summary 45
CHAPTER
THREE: RESEARCH METHOD 47
Research Method 47
Sample and Sampling Technique 48
Research Instrument 49
Validity of the Instrument 49
Reliability of the Instrument 50
Administration of Research Instrument 50
Data Analysis 50
CHAPTER
FOUR: RESULTS AND DISCUSSION 51
Results 51
Discussion of Findings 62
CHAPTER FIVE: SUMMARY, CONCLUSION
AND RECOMMENTIONS 65
Summary 65
Conclusion 66
Recommendations 57
References 70
Appendices 72
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