Issues and challenges facing transport and logistics management education in Nigeria

Abstract

Transportation education and training comes inform of formal nd informal and the formal include diploma and degree programs all the way through to PhD .programs in transport and logistics field. The level of training requires will depend upon the specific need of individual and corporate bodies. However, the objectives of this paper is to examine the issues and challenges facing transport and logistics management education in Nigerian universities from the perspective of the students and to identify the factors affecting the quality of the transport and logistics management education. The study area is limited to the three pioneer universities that offer the course both at undergraduate and post graduate levels. Namely, Federal University of Technology, Owerri, Olabisi Onabanjo (formerly Ogun State)University, Ago Iwoye and Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Ogbomoso. The method used to collect data was primary through the use of questionnaire, interview and participatory as well as reports from departments and universities while the data collected were subjected to descriptive statistical analysis using percentage, mean score and frequency. A total of 150 questionnaires were administered to transport management students in each of the three universities randomly irrespective of their level while all the questionnaires were properly filled and returned. The challenges associated with transport and logistics management education in the various universities and their solutions were ranked by giving their values as 3,2 and1to seriously agreed, agreed and not agreed while the values were summed up and ranked according to their total values. It was observed that inadequate and high cost of transport textbooks, inadequate Issues and Challenges facing Transport and Logistics Management Education in Nigeria 184 experience and qualified core transport lecturers, inadequate practical exposure are some of the major issues and challenges facing transport management education in Nigeria. The study recommends that the university managements and the governments should encourage the study of transport and logistics courses by funding the departments well and encouraging both the staff and students through adequate post graduate trainings, provision of textbooks and journals as well as exposure to modern practical trainings.