Perception Of Office Managers on Technology Skills Possessed of Secretaries in Colleges of Education for Managing Information in Enugu State

: The study was undertaken to determine the perception of office managers on technology skills possessed by secretariats in colleges of education for managing information in Enugu State. The researcher employed a descriptive survey research design. The study population consisted of 90 office managers from two government owned colleges of education in Enugu State. There was no sampling since the size was manageable. The instrument for the data collection was a structured questionnaire developed by the researcher entitled: “Technology Skills Possessed” by Secretaries Questionnaire (TSPSQ). The instrument was duly validated by three experts. The reliability was done using Cronbach Alpha which yielded coefficient of 0.68; indicating the instrument was reliable. The two research questions was answered using mean with standard deviation. While the null hypotheses were tested at .05 level of significance using t-test. Results of data analysis relating to the study have shown the following. Networking skills are highly possessed by secretaries as perceived by office managers in colleges of Education for managing information in Enugu State. The office managers equally perceived that word processing skills are highly possessed by their secretaries for managing information. The hypotheses tested, showed that there was no significant difference between office managers in federal colleges of education and their counterparts in state on their perception on technology skills possessed by their secretaries for managing information. Based on the findings, it was recommended that secretaries should be allowed to update their technology skills by attending regular conferences.


Introduction
An office is believed to be a centre of administration despite the size, type and location. It is any place where clerical or administration work of a firm is carried out (mbazue,2014). Akpan (2015) in Aja (2019) saw office as a place in which clerical process and activities of a business are started, developed and controlled. Every office is headed by office manager. Office managers essentially ensure the smooth running of an office on a day to day basis and may manage a team of administrative or support staff Chibuike (2019) observed that office manager is a person whose job is to be responsible for the work of an office. It is the duty of office manager to supervise the office correspondence, procedures, policy implementation, record maintenance, filing and indexing. Therefore, office manager job descriptions includes scheduling meetings and appointments within the office, organizing the office layout and managing information (data base).
Managing information is making sure that the right people have the right information at the right time. Managing information describes how successful organization make best use of information and knowledge. According to obayi (2020). Information management is the collection and management of information from one or more sources and the distribution of that information to one or more audience. In an office, managing information includes stock control system, decision support system among others. Ugwunwoti (2020), recommended that information can be managed thus: Selecting and transferring paper records, preserving digital records, policy and process, public enquiry guidance, managing risk and digital records transfer. No good office manager can manage information without the services of Secretary.
A secretary is one whose work is to perform secretarial duties in an office. A secretary according to Ihekwoaba (2015) is a person employed in an office to work for another person, dealing with letters, typing records, making appointments and arrangements. In other word, a secretary is a person employed by an individual or in an office to assist with correspondence, make appointments and carry out administrative tasks. Obayi (2009), in Ngwoke (2019) was of the view that a good secretary is one who has organization abilities, clear, friendly and professional communication skills. Presently, technology innovation in office has increasingly made the work of a secretary more complex and sophisticated (Ojobor and Musa,2010) . Hence such secretary should posses technology skills. Technology is the skills, method and processes used to achieve goals.
Skills is vital for managing information in colleges of education irrespective of the status and place. Skills according to Obi (2014), is the ability to use one's knowledge effectively and readily in performing an act or a European Journal of Business and Management www.iiste.org ISSN 2222-1905(Paper) ISSN 2222-2839(Online) Vol.13, No.18, 2021 habit of doing a particular thing competently. The author further stated that, an individual may hardily be skilled in a task without exposure, training or practice. Skill is the ability to do something well and expertly. For Secretaries in Colleges of Education to manage information well, they are expected to posses word processing and networking skills respectively. This is because the duties of secretaries have gone beyond answering phones and bells calls from bosses.
Word processing refers to the act of using computer to create, edit, save and print documents. According to Technohella (2021), word processing skills are the abilities to add text, enter text, format text, font, style, size and colour among others. Technohella (2021) further stated that word processing is probably the most extensive and essential for staff (secretaries) to survive in an office. Hence, word processing skills are the abilities to use computer to create, edit, save and print documents. A good secretary working in Colleges of Education is expected to possesses needed word processing skills if she can manage information. Apart of word processing skills, such secretary need to posses networking skills. Networking skills are the abilities to make contacts through a process that is two-way. According to mbaezue (2015), Networking is the act of making contact and exchanging information with other people, group and institution to develop mutually beneficial relationships or to access and store information between computers. Nwangwu (2010), stated that Networking Skill enhances the managing of information in an offices through internet services. But Ugwunwoti (2019) opined that Networking Skills make a staff to gain access to necessary resources that foaster development. When Networking Skills are possessed by secretaries in Colleges of Education, it will definitely help in managing information in Enugu State.
Colleges of Education is an institution aimed at training individuals to be a qualified teacher to teach in primary and post-primary schools'. It is a three -year programme. According to Ezoem (2019),the colleges of education in Nigeria are the train, trainers' institutions as they are responsible for production of teacher at primary and secondary school levels. Colleges of Education are the third tier of higher educational institution in Nigeria. At the completion of the three year fulltime course programme, the college of education award grandaunts with Nigeria Certificate in Education (NCE). The NCE is the basic qualification for teaching in Nigeria. According to Lassa (2000), it is sub-degree certification course and a professional teacher diploma which is obtained after three year full-time at College of Education. In Enugu State there are two Government owned Colleges of Education viz: Federal College of Education Eha-Amufu and Enugu State College of Education (Technical). A Federal Colleges of Education are owned, controlled and financed by the Federal Government, while the State Colleges of Education are owned, controlled and financed by State Government.
In the context of this paper, office managers are principal officers in the Colleges of Education in Enugu State who have secretaries attached to them. Apart from performing clerical duties of typing-setting office document, secretaries perform other functions like arranging for meetings. It was in the light of this that Ezenwafor and Gude (2020) opined that a secretary must document vital actions and events taking place in the organization where he serves in fulfilment of his functions. Supporting this view, Ezenwafor (2013) stated that secretarial staff are the category of office personnel concerned with proper maintenance of office information. Based on this assertion, it has become imperative that such staff should possess the needed technology skills. Hence Wozison technology skills possessed by secretaries in Colleges of Education for managing information in Enugu State was carried out.

Statement of the problem
Secretarial functions particularly in various offices irrespective of the locations and types are been performed by secretaries. These functions are referred to as clerical duties of receiving, recording, arranging, giving and storing information. In today's offices particularly in Colleges of Education, there are changes in the ways these functions are been performed. One of the function of an office manager in Colleges of Education is to manage information. Hence, can be achieved with a qualified secretary and with relevant skills. New machines have been introduced to secretaries against the old ones. This has given rise to the demand of secretaries in Colleges of Education in Enugu State to possess the needed skills.
Regrettably findings have shown that office managers are faced with challenges in managing information. Could it be that their secretaries were not exposed to the needed technology skills while in institutions? The problem of this study was that the secretaries in Colleges of Education seem not to posses the needed technology skills. This state of affairs is indicative of the fact that there may be some technology skills for managing information. Therefore, there is need to reverse the trend by finding out these skills, hence this question: what then are these technology skills?. Finding answer to this question is the major concern of this study.  Vol.13, No.18, 2021 Purpose of the study The main purpose of this study was to determine the perception of office managers on technology skills possesses of secretaries in Colleges of Education for managing information in Enugu State. Specifically, the study sought to: 1. determine Networking skills possessed by secretaries in Colleges of Education as perceived by office managers for managing information in Enugu State and; 2. determine word processing skills possessed by secretaries in Colleges of Education as perceived by office managers for managing information in Enugu State.

Research Questions
The following research questions guided the study: 1. What are the Networking skills possessed by secretaries in Colleges of Education as perceived by office managers for managing information in Enugu State. 2. What are the word processing skills possessed by secretaries in Colleges of Education as perceived by office managers for managing information in Enugu State.

Hypotheses
The underlisted hypotheses were tested at .05 level of significance using t-test HO1 : There is no significant difference between the mean ratings of office managers in Federal Colleges of Education and their counterpart in State Colleges regarding the Networking skills possessed by secretaries for managing information in Enugu State. HO2: There is no significant difference between the mean ratings of office managers in Federal Colleges of Education and their counterpart in State Colleges of Education regarding the word processing skills possessed by secretaries for managing information in Enugu State.

Method
A descriptive survey research design was employed in this study. According to Nworgwu (2015), descriptive survey is the one in which a group of people is studied by collecting and analyzing data from few people, considered to be representative of the entire group. The study was carried out in two Colleges of Education in Enugu State , Federal College of Education Eha-Amufu and Enugu State College of Education (Technical). The population for the study comprised of 40 office managers and 50 office managers from Federal College of Education Eha-Amufu and Enugu State College of Education (Technical) respectively; totalling 90 office managers. There was no sampling because the population was manageable.
The instrument for data collection was a structured questionnaire developed by the researcher entitled "Technology Skills Possessed by Secretaries Questionnaire" (TSPSQ). The instrument has three sections. Section A was on bio-data. Section B on the networking skills and Section C contains items on word processing skills. The rating responses were Very High possessed (VHP) Highly Possessed (HP) Fairly Possessed (FP) and Lowly Possessed (LP) with numerical order of 4,3,2 and 1 respectively. The instrument was face-validated by three expect. Two from Department of Business Education and one from Department of Mathematics and Computer (Measurement and Evaluation) both from Enugu State University of Science and Technology (ESUT) Enugu. To test the reliability of the instruments, 20 office managers in Colleges of Education in Anambra State was used. Croubach Alpha estimate was used to determine the internal consistency of the instrument; which yielded a coefficient index of 0.78. This index indicated that the instrument was reliable enough to be used in the study.
The researchers with the help of three research assistants used direct delivery techniques in the administration of the instrument to the respondents. At the end of the administration of the instrument, all the 90 copies were returned and used for the study; representing 100% rate of return. Mean and standard deviation was used in answering the research questions; while t-test was used in testing the null hypotheses at .05 level of significance at the appropriate degree of freedom. Decision rule for answering the research question was based on the real limits of the mean thus: Very High possessed -3.50 -4.00 Highly Possessed -2.50 -3.49 Fairly Possessed -1.50 -2.49 Lowly possessed -1.00 -1.49 For the hypothesis, when the calculated t-value was equal to or greater than the table value, the null hypothesis was rejected, otherwise it was rejected.

Results
Research question 1 What are the Networking skills possessed by secretaries in Colleges of Education as perceived by office managers for managing information in Enugu State?  25, 3.53, 3.32, 3.29 3.29, 3.49, 3.42, 3.46, 3.32, 3.26, 2.23, and 3.46 respectively are regarded as highly possessed by the respondents. The grand mean value of 3.67 also attested to that; while cluster standard deviation of 0.83 shows homogeneity of opinion of respondents.

Hypothesis I
There is no significant difference between the mean ratings of office managers in federal colleges of education and their counterparts in state colleges regarding the networking skills possessed by secretaries for managing information in Enugu state.
European Journal of Business and Management www.iiste.org ISSN 2222-1905(Paper) ISSN 2222-2839(Online) Vol.13, No.18, 2021 Table 2 shows that the calculated t-value at 0.05 level of significance and 88 degree of freedom is 0.81, while the table or critical value under the same conditions is l.96 since the calculated t-value is less than the critical or table value, the null hypothesis is therefore not significance. This invariably mean that, there is no significant difference between the mean ratings of office managers in federal colleges of education and their counterparts in state colleges regarding the networking skills possessed by secretaries for managing information in Enugu State.

Research Questions 2
What are the word processing skills possessed by secretaries in colleges of Education as perceived by office managers for managing information in Enugu State?  2222-1905(Paper) ISSN 2222-2839(Online) Vol.13, No.18, 2021 of 3.52. The table also shows that the items numbers 13,15,16,17,18,19,20,21,22,23 and 24 respectively were highly possessed regarding the word processing skills by secretaries in colleges of education for managing information in Enugu state. The grand mean of 3.34 also attested to that. The cluster standard deviation of 0.71 shows that the disparities of opinions of respondents are slim.

Hypotheses 2
There is no significant difference between the mean ratings of office managers in federal colleges of education and their counterparts in state colleges of education on word processing skills possessed by secretaries for managing information in Enugu state.  Table 2, shows that, the calculated t-value at 0.05 level of significance and 88 degree of freedom as 0.194; while the critical t-value under the same condition 1.96. since the calculated t-value is less than the t-table, the null hypotheses is therefore not significant. This invariably means that, there is no significant difference between the mean ratings of office managers in federal colleges of education and their counterparts in state colleges of education on word processing skills possessed by secretaries for making information in Enugu State.

Principal Findings of the study
Results of data analysis relating to the study have shown the following; 1. Networking skills are highly possessed by secretaries as perceived by office managers in colleges of education for managing information in Enugu state.
2. There is no significant difference between mean ratings of office managers in federal colleges of education and their counterparts in state colleges of education on networking skills possessed by their secretaries for managing information in Enugu state. 3. Word processing skills are highly possessed by secretaries as perceived by office managers in colleges of education for managing information in Enugu state. 4. There is no significant difference between the mean ratings of office managers in federal colleges of education and their counterparts in state colleges of education regarding the word processing skills possessed by secretaries for managing information in Enugu State.

Discussion of the Findings
The data presented in table 1 showed that, office managers in colleges of education in Enugu state were in agreement that networking skills were highly possessed by their secretaries in federal and state colleges. This is in-line with Nwangwu (2010) that, networking skills enhance the management of information in an office through internet services. The null hypothesis one tested on the networking showed that, there was no significant difference between the mean ratings of office managers in Federal colleges of education and their counterparts in state colleges of education on networking skills possessed by their secretaries for managing information in Enugu state. The implication of the findings of no significant difference was that the types of colleges of education had no significant influence in their opinions. Data obtained regarding research question two, revealed that word processing are highly possessed by secretaries as perceived by office managers in colleges of education for managing information in Enugu state The finding is in harmony with technohella (2000) that wood processing is probably the most extensive and essential for staff (secretaries) to survive in an office.
The null hypotheses two tested on the word processing skills showed that office managers in federal colleges of education and those in state colleges of education did not differ significantly in their mean ratings on the word processing skills possessed by their secretaries for managing information.

Conclusion
Based on the findings of the studys it was concluded that secretaries in colleges of education in Enugu state possess technology skills for managing information in their offices contrary to the reports trending owing some office managers that their secretaries perform poorly in employment due to lack of such skills.

Recommendations
Based on the finings of the study, it was recommended that: 1. Office managers in colleges of education in Enugu state should ensure ICT resources are provided. 2. Secretaries in the colleges of education should be allowed to update their technology skills by attending conferences regularly. 3. Office managers should from time to time invite technological experts to update their secretaries. 4. Authority of colleges of education should ensure regular payment of salaries and other incentives to their secretaries.