Kra, Koffi; (1991) An evaluation study of the education and training of civil engineers in the Cote d'Ivoire : with reference to the Higher National School of Public Works (Enstp) and to the graduates performance on the labour market. Doctoral thesis , Institute of Education, University of London.

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Abstract

This thesis is an evaluation study of the outcomes of the education and training of civil engineers in the Cote d'Ivoire. It examines the ways in which the training system in operation at the Higher National School of Public Works (Enstp) has or has not achieved its objectives in supplying the labour market with the requisite technical manpower. It focuses on three main quest ions: 1.) To what extent can the sk ill s acqu ired dur i ng training be described as relevant for employment? 2.) What factors, if any, influence the relationship between training and work? 3.) What measures can be taken to achieve a better match between training qualifications and the skill requirements of jobs? The conceptual framework adopted, seen as a working hypothesis rat-her than a par ad.i.gm, and referred to as combination theory, d raws on ex i st i ng approaches to the issue at stake according to their relevance for the points raised. In this way, it seeks to compensate for their limitations when applied in isolation. The methods used for data collection and analysis are mainly qualitative, though comprising some basic statistics. From the analysis of data, collected in a questionnaire survey and interviews involving respectively 93 Enstp graduates and 47 employers, there appears to be a consensus between all parties concerned that training qualifications are relevant for professional practice. The weaknesses observed are described as insufficient practical experience in some engineering subjects (e.g. engineering design), and lack of general education as well as sk ill sin the management of f i nanc i a 1 resou rces, pub 1 i c administration and language. A number of factors associated with working conditions, the socio-political environment of workplaces and behaviour, are quoted as causing distortions in the relationships between training and jobs. These include recruitment and placement procedures, unclear job description and career structure, imperfect reward systems, rigid hierarchies and inter-personal conflicts. In the 1 ight of the information thus derived from the survey and the interviews, it is suggested that measures should be taken to tu rn the Enstp into a "centre of spec 'i.a1 i zat ion" catering for all initial and in-service training needs in the engineering profession and operating as a training and research institution for all Francophone countries. This requires some adjustments to existing training programmes and changes in the rules regulating the planning, management and financing of tra in i ng. It is also recommended that measures be taken in workplaces to ensure that "the right persons get access to the right jobs."

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