Extension worker competencies needed for effective management of self-help groups (SHG) in Gombe state

Inadequate number of competent extension workers in Nigeria has made the work very tedious and resulted to poor performance in the field. The regulatory agencies were found to be training and retraining the personnel on various areas of the extension service, but still, extension workers were found...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Gombe, Sani Yakubu, Suandi, Turiman, Ismail, Ismi Arif, Omar, Zoharah
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Universiti Putra Malaysia Press 2015
Online Access:http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/50967/1/Extension%20worker%20competencies%20needed%20for%20effective%20management%20of%20self-help%20groups%20%28SHG%29%20in%20Gombe%20state.pdf
_version_ 1825930440290074624
author Gombe, Sani Yakubu
Suandi, Turiman
Ismail, Ismi Arif
Omar, Zoharah
author_facet Gombe, Sani Yakubu
Suandi, Turiman
Ismail, Ismi Arif
Omar, Zoharah
author_sort Gombe, Sani Yakubu
collection UPM
description Inadequate number of competent extension workers in Nigeria has made the work very tedious and resulted to poor performance in the field. The regulatory agencies were found to be training and retraining the personnel on various areas of the extension service, but still, extension workers were found lacking the skills required for self-help groups’ (SHGs) formation, management and evaluation, which resulted to non-availability of the groups in some communities or low performance where they are found. This paper discusses competencies of the extension worker in terms of knowledge, skills, attitude and personal characteristics that can be acquired or developed, with specific focus on identifying the competencies required by both baseline extension workers and their supervisors on initiating, forming, managing and evaluating SHGs. Delphi method was used in the study and the result revealed that 28 competencies are required to effectively build solid and formidable SHGs. These competencies were categorized into four main groups namely; organizational tradition and guidance, leadership building, system or style, social and external personal skills, and resource management skills, for easy training and assimilation of the extension workers. The paper recommends carrying out training of extension workers systematically; especially in group activities since the SHGs is their main tool of work. Also, to enhance the competency of the extension workers, professional values and training opportunities directly related to the needs of the extension worker should be stressed.
first_indexed 2024-03-06T09:11:34Z
format Article
id upm.eprints-50967
institution Universiti Putra Malaysia
language English
last_indexed 2024-03-06T09:11:34Z
publishDate 2015
publisher Universiti Putra Malaysia Press
record_format dspace
spelling upm.eprints-509672017-03-31T10:05:47Z http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/50967/ Extension worker competencies needed for effective management of self-help groups (SHG) in Gombe state Gombe, Sani Yakubu Suandi, Turiman Ismail, Ismi Arif Omar, Zoharah Inadequate number of competent extension workers in Nigeria has made the work very tedious and resulted to poor performance in the field. The regulatory agencies were found to be training and retraining the personnel on various areas of the extension service, but still, extension workers were found lacking the skills required for self-help groups’ (SHGs) formation, management and evaluation, which resulted to non-availability of the groups in some communities or low performance where they are found. This paper discusses competencies of the extension worker in terms of knowledge, skills, attitude and personal characteristics that can be acquired or developed, with specific focus on identifying the competencies required by both baseline extension workers and their supervisors on initiating, forming, managing and evaluating SHGs. Delphi method was used in the study and the result revealed that 28 competencies are required to effectively build solid and formidable SHGs. These competencies were categorized into four main groups namely; organizational tradition and guidance, leadership building, system or style, social and external personal skills, and resource management skills, for easy training and assimilation of the extension workers. The paper recommends carrying out training of extension workers systematically; especially in group activities since the SHGs is their main tool of work. Also, to enhance the competency of the extension workers, professional values and training opportunities directly related to the needs of the extension worker should be stressed. Universiti Putra Malaysia Press 2015 Article PeerReviewed application/pdf en http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/50967/1/Extension%20worker%20competencies%20needed%20for%20effective%20management%20of%20self-help%20groups%20%28SHG%29%20in%20Gombe%20state.pdf Gombe, Sani Yakubu and Suandi, Turiman and Ismail, Ismi Arif and Omar, Zoharah (2015) Extension worker competencies needed for effective management of self-help groups (SHG) in Gombe state. International Journal of Education and Training, 1 (1). pp. 1-7. ISSN 2462-2079 http://www.injet.upm.edu.my/index.php/archives/vol-1-1-june-2015
spellingShingle Gombe, Sani Yakubu
Suandi, Turiman
Ismail, Ismi Arif
Omar, Zoharah
Extension worker competencies needed for effective management of self-help groups (SHG) in Gombe state
title Extension worker competencies needed for effective management of self-help groups (SHG) in Gombe state
title_full Extension worker competencies needed for effective management of self-help groups (SHG) in Gombe state
title_fullStr Extension worker competencies needed for effective management of self-help groups (SHG) in Gombe state
title_full_unstemmed Extension worker competencies needed for effective management of self-help groups (SHG) in Gombe state
title_short Extension worker competencies needed for effective management of self-help groups (SHG) in Gombe state
title_sort extension worker competencies needed for effective management of self help groups shg in gombe state
url http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/50967/1/Extension%20worker%20competencies%20needed%20for%20effective%20management%20of%20self-help%20groups%20%28SHG%29%20in%20Gombe%20state.pdf
work_keys_str_mv AT gombesaniyakubu extensionworkercompetenciesneededforeffectivemanagementofselfhelpgroupsshgingombestate
AT suandituriman extensionworkercompetenciesneededforeffectivemanagementofselfhelpgroupsshgingombestate
AT ismailismiarif extensionworkercompetenciesneededforeffectivemanagementofselfhelpgroupsshgingombestate
AT omarzoharah extensionworkercompetenciesneededforeffectivemanagementofselfhelpgroupsshgingombestate