International Journal of Applied Engineering Research ISSN 0973-4562 Volume 13, Number 6 (2018) pp. 3492-3499 © Research India Publications. http://www.ripublication.com 3492 Workers’ Perceptions on the Recruitment of Evaluators in Nigerian Schools Ifeyinwa O. Ezenwaji 1 ; Baptista C. Chigbu 1* ; Kennedy Ololo 2 ; Chinwe Enyi 1 ; Patricia U. Agu 1 ; Elizabeth N. Ebizie 1 1 Department of Educational Foundations, Faculty of Education, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, P.M.B. 410001, Enugu State, Nigeria. 2 Department of Sociology/Psychology/Criminology & Security Studies, Federal University Ndufu Alike Ikwo, Ebonyi State, Nigeria. *Corresponding Author Abstract This study examined certain issues around the recruitment process of school evaluators in primary schools in Nigeria. The study used a descriptive survey design. The study sample was 628 workers made up of 371 school counselors and 257 school evaluators randomly selected from schools and from ministries of education in south-east Nigeria. A 35 item questionnaire developed by the researchers was used for the data collection. One-way ANOVA was used for data analysis. Results revealed that guidance counselors and school evaluators were of the opinion that, to a high extent, recruitment of evaluators in Nigerian primary schools is based on laid down selection criteria. Keywords: assessment; recruitment; evaluators; primary schools. INTRODUCTION Although much progress has been made in improving the employment situation in the education sector as in other sectors, most public primary schools in many parts of Nigeria are still faced with poorly trained personnel recruited into the inspectorate (Ogunu, 2001). Given the country’s unemployment situation, the assessment of recruitment process of evaluators for primary schools could be a key to overcoming the challenges of primary education and achieving the national objectives of primary education. The key to ensuring that qualified teachers and the needed resources are in place for pupils’ learning could also be by assessing the recruitment of the school evaluators. If so, then, assessment of the recruitment process of school evaluators for primary schools in Nigeria becomes paramount for quality primary education. Generally, education is an important investment no matter the economic reputation of a country (Better Future Foundation Nigeria, BFFN, 2015). Specifically, investing in primary education in Nigeria is a laudable investment for the accomplishment of personal and national development goals (Enaigbe, 2009). As part of reforms designed to change the Nigerian primary education landscape, the new education policy by the Federal Republic of Nigeria (2013) reiterated that the local governments shall, through their Local Education Authorities (LEAs), have responsibility for the management of primary education within their local government areas. In part, the LEAs shall be responsible for the appointments of primary school teachers and non-teaching staff within their areas of jurisdiction; and the supervision and quality control in all their primary schools in conjunction with federal and state authorities, among other responsibilities. Despite these laudable responsibilities for the LEAs, it is pertinent to note that these responsibilities appear to exist as per policy documentation rather than in implementation as per adherence to the policy statement. This, in part, may account for why quality remains a serious issue in primary education in Nigeria (Federal Ministry of Education [FME], 2009). However, with the setting of and adherence to standards-based criteria for recruitment of qualified school evaluators and their training/retraining, researchers feel that this situation is likely to change. The criteria used for schools evaluation follows standardization procedure in many countries in which the educational authorities are in charge of school evaluation (Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development [OECD], 2008). However, an evaluator is someone who is trained to form an objective opinion of the value or quality of something after careful considerations, based on data available and personal observation made at a given time. An evaluator is the custodian of quality assurance. An education evaluator is an authorized official of the Ministry of Education who identifies and provides feedback on the strength and weaknesses in educational institutions so that the institutions can improve the quality of education provided and the achievement of their learners. The evaluator also provides evidence of educational standards for the LGA, state and the national evaluation of educational standard (FME, 2010). School evaluators are quality assurance agents, otherwise known as school inspectors. Evidence suggests that the term ‘school evaluator’, ‘quality assurance agents’ and ‘school inspectors’ are now being used interchangeably across nations see, for (Ezenwaji, 2015; Igwe, 2001). While the responsibilities may be same or slightly different in some education authorities, what accounts for the use of any of these terms may be linked to the dynamism of education policies and the emphasis on quality assurance practice in schools. The main goals of school evaluators could be to undertake inspection visits; disseminate information about instructional materials and effective teaching methods and good practices; obtain information on challenges experienced by teachers in schools and institutions, as well as provide advisory solutions through appropriate authorities; monitor, document, and publicize the overall quality of education in schools and proffer practical and positive advice; and organize meetings with, and workshops for, teachers as necessary, with