A Critique of the Methods of Evaluating the Competency of Lecturers in Nigerian Tertiary Institutions

Abstract

This paper contends that the use of research publications and paper presentation at conferences as the main performance indicators for lecturers is counter-productive. This view is informed by the fact that the use of these criteria has resulted in the negligence of the primary assignment of teaching by some teachers. This paper seeks to accomplish two objectives, that is, to review the procedure used to evaluate lecturers in Nigeria tertiary institutions including colleges of education and highlights the weaknesses of this procedure. Secondly, to argue for the use of performance rating rather than excessive reliance on scholarly publications as means of weighing the efficiency of academic staff. The paper suggests how performance rating can be perfected.

Keywords: Students Rating, Evaluation Methods, Educators