Final Report on June Training '99

Introduction

During the week of June 14 - 18, the UNIJOS Computer Centre hosted two training sessions that attracted dozens of professionals from across Nigeria. The week was split into three distinct events: two days focusing on managing Microsoft Windows NT Servers; one day of public seminars and education; and two days of seminars on issues common to those responsible for network management and implementing the Internet.

The impetus for this training grew out of a desire to share a little of the (as Jeff Cochran of the USAID AfricaLink Project termed it) "Jos Magic" with other Nigerian universities. Originally conceived as a conference that would attract presenters from around Nigeria, we eventually decided to proceed with a straightforward training scheme so as to avoid all the logistical problems inherent in organizing a conference in Nigeria. It was also felt that UNIJOS had enough experience and expertise on board to attract attendees and that using in-house resources would make it easier for us to insure a quality event.

Philosophy

At the insistence of the training coordinator, the training sessions were designed to reflect a high standard and quality not common to the typical training offerings available to Nigerian professionals.

The idea was to attract those attendees who were more concerned about quality than price and then present them with relevant topics and information-packed sessions. We decided to "spoil" them with excellent facilities, food, training materials, and amenities. We decided to hold one higher-priced "hands-on" training session in the computer lab and another less expensive seminar-style training session for a larger audience. For the hands-on training, we expected that we could accommodate up to thirty trainees at fifteen computers. For the seminar-style training, we expected to be able to host as many as a hundred trainees.

We determined our prices by surveying the training offerings advertised in newspapers from Abuja and Lagos as well as reviewing similar training offered in Jos. We found similar hands-on training priced between N20,000 and N60,000. We found seminar-style offerings priced between N1,500 and N5,000. We determined that we could make a profit even with enrollments of six persons for the hands-on training priced at N20,000 and sixteen persons for the seminar-style training priced at N2,000.

Focusing on establishing a quality reputation, our goal was to create a desire in the attendees to attend future UNIJOS training sessions and to recruit them to "advertise" our training services to their colleagues.

Using in-house talent allowed us to provide financial incentives to Computer Centre employees to share the knowledge they have accumulated as well as compel them to document the work they have accomplished to date. We decided to make the compensation high enough to engender real enthusiasm and to recognize the hard work of the participating Centre employees. Select employees were invited by the training coordinator to submit papers on predetermined topics and instructed to develop professional presentations. The papers were reviewed beforehand and the presenters coached on how to make high-quality presentations.

Understanding the myriad of complexities in hosting such an event, we decided to offer similar financial incentives to a core of Centre administrative staff to prepare for and conduct the event. Four persons were selected to conduct publicity, prepare the facilities, register participants, arrange for power and food, and assemble instructional materials.

Results

Capitalizing on UNIJOS' prominent reputation, we attracted twenty trainees to the hands-on NT Server training and thirty-six persons to the seminar-style training. Participants came from the Nigerian Universities Commission, the U.S. Information Service, the Federal Ministry of Health, ABU, BUK, FUT, Africa Today Magazine, amongst others.

The participants were asked to fill out evaluation questionnaires throughout the week and the results were overwhelmingly positive. Those attending the seminars were asked, "Would you be interested in attending future seminars at UNIJOS?" -- 21 of 26 respondents indicated "Very Much." (The remainder simply indicated, "Yes.")

Every participant in the NT Training indicated they would be "Very Much" interested in attending future hands-on training.

The Windows NT Server training was led by training coordinator, Cliff Missen, and assisted by two Centre interns who had successfully passed the NT Server computer-based exam, Abdulraheem Usman and Keghtor Jika. Centre staff member Dan Madubuko passed the exam the first morning of the training and provided a small amount of assistance.

The following papers were selected for presentation at the seminars:

• "Networking the University of Jos Campus" Dan Inusa 
• "Computers and Networks in a University Library" Steven Akintunde 
• "Running a Private Internet Email Service Provider" Dr. Sam Inyang (SystemLinks) 
• "Delivering Email in a Campus: The University of Jos" Dan Inusa and John Gotip 
• "Managing Public-Access Computer Labs" Ofonsediana Umoren & Joseph Eseyin 
• "Combating Viruses and Preparing for Y2K" John Gotip and Daniel Yakmut 
• "Intranets for Corporate Productivity" Dan Yakmut and Cliff Missen, MA 
• "Managing Computer Maintenance and Repairs" Engr. Dan Madubuko

As well, Cliff Missen made short presentations on:

• "Power Protection and Supply" 
• "Internet Connectivity Options and Satellite Connectivity" 
• "Web Site Design with Microsoft FrontPage" 
• "Guerilla Networking / Wiring Your Own Ethernet Network" (hands-on demonstration)

(At the participants' request, the hours of the second day of the seminars were extended to accommodate two of these additional presentations.)

Financially, the week's events returned a handsome profit of N352,907.

The training expenses, including honorariums and gratuities, were N185,775.

Interestingly, when asked in the evaluations if, "These seminars were reasonably priced?" not a single respondent responded in the negative. Half indicated, "Very Much."

Observations

While not flawless, the week proceeded relatively smoothly. The Centre staff stands to receive a lot of credit for going beyond the call of duty to make the Centre presentable and insure the functioning of the computer systems throughout the week.

Fuel Wahala 
The biggest concern was a constant supply of electricity. There were some mornings when the training was delayed for 30-45 minutes and several mini-panics mid-day when fuel was dangerously close to finishing without a sure source of replenishment. Despite promises from the Director of Works and Maintenance that the generator would be fueled and operational for Centre staff to make preparations and conduct the training, we spent most of the prior Thursday and Friday without electricity. The support staff worked Saturday and part of Sunday to compensate.

In the end, the Centre wound up purchasing several barrels of diesel through the UNIJOS fuel dump as well as N10,240 of diesel on the market to supplement the supply of Works and Maintenance.

There is some doubt as to whether all of the fuel supplied by the various parties actually made it into the generator. From verbal reports, it appears as though several weeks' worth of fuel was requisitioned, but the generator certainly did not run long enough to consume the fuel purported to have been supplied. It remains for the interested parties to investigate further.

Staff Performance
It quickly became clear to the coordinators that many of the Centre staff had not participated in such an endeavor before, yet many rose to the challenge with a great deal of energy.

Some staff, particularly some of those who were not to be compensated, bent over backwards to prepare the Centre and did admirable jobs of accommodating our guests. Most notably, the security guards, cleaners, workshop technicians, and some interns.

Some staff, even those being compensated for their efforts, took a great deal of prodding and encouragement before they became even nominally productive.

The public presentation on World Wide Web Wednesday went particularly poorly, with Mr. Joseph Eseyin caught unprepared the morning of the event despite instructions to have the equipment set up and tested the previous day. (Virtually the only assignment left to him.)

On the other hand, Mrs. Ebele Anionwu did an almost heroic job of coordinating publicity, registering participants (even finding them hotel rooms), arranging caterers, preparing the facilities, assembling the teaching materials, and handling the finances. It is not an exaggeration to say that the event would have been dramatically damaged without her mature, committed, and energetic influence.

Repairing the Centre In keeping with our commitment to hosting a quality event, we determined early on that we would need to effect many repairs on the Centre in order to make it comfortable for our participants. The Centre had been allowed to fall apart to such an extent that there was neither a working toilet nor a functioning air conditioner in the Centre. (Outside of the Director's office, that is…)

The repairs of the toilets, the lighting, the air conditioners, and the furniture were extensive and, even though we avoided any superfluous expenditures, we spent N52,410 restoring basic functionality to much of the Centre's infrastructure.

While we paid for these repairs out of our receipts, we request that those accounting for this event reimburse the event for such expenses for which the Centre should be responsible.

Finances 
We employed "Bature Said" accounting for this event. In other words, "Bature said" to simply collect the receipts and pay expenses out of receipts. "Bature said" to forget trying to coax the necessary seed funds out of the university bureaucracy and simply provided the pre-training expenses out-of-pocket.

Bature said, "It's easier to beg forgiveness than ask permission."

Bature said, "So what are they gonna do? Fire me?"

Bature takes full responsibility and apologizes adamantly to anyone who takes offense.

Future Recommendations

This event was successful on many levels. The participants report that they are very satisfied with the training they received. The presenters have accomplished a significant milestone in their professions. The Centre staff has experienced a confidence-building exercise. The Centre has a wealth of documentation on its operations. The University of Jos has further established its reputation as a center of IT innovation. Some other Nigerian universities have been given a leg up on their own networking endeavors. The NUC has experienced a training modality that may prove effective for them in the future.

It is recommended that this type of training be offered again in the future.

The papers presented at this year's training should be published on the Internet and the presenters should be encouraged to present them in other forums.

A portion of this year's proceeds should be set aside as seed money for the next training. An amount equal to one-half of this year's training expenses is recommended: N100,000.

If UNIJOS wants "Bature" to return to do the same next year, the interested parties should immediately contact USIS and request a "Professional in Residence" or "Visiting Academic Expert" (or something like that) grant.

The Centre needs to "baby" the current video projector and most certainly should work hard to secure a second before this one gives out.