PROBLEMS AND PROSPECTS OF TEACHING BREWING SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY IN NIGERIAN UNIVERSITIES (A CASE STUDY OF UNIVERSITY OF UYO)

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

Background of the study

The university should be the citadel of learning and more so the learning of all disciplines with brewing science and technology no left out. Brewing science and technology simply defined is the science of Brewing of beer by steeping a starch source commonly known as cereal grains in water and fermenting the resulting sweet liquid with yeast. It may be done in a brewery by a commercial brewer, at home by a homebrewer, or by a variety of traditional methods.

A crucial problem facing educational planning in Nigeria is paucity of data. Accurate statistical data needed to assess the efficiency of our educational system and make realistic projections are not readily available. For effective academic planning for university education at national or state level, statistics on enrolment, graduate, out-put, academic staff and funding arc essential building blocks. With realistic statistical data on the importance of teaching brewing scienc in universities, more emphasis would be placed on introducing more courses and upgrading courses that has not been given full attention like the brewing science and technology in Nigerian universities and polytechnics.

The importance of brewing science and technology cannot be overemphasized, the teaching of brewing science and technology among Nigerian universities requires a lot of things among which is principally funding. In developing the brewing science and technology in Nigerian universities and polytechnics, interest has to be developed for the discipline and appropriate and conscious measures has to be taken in other to enhance the prospect and if possible eliminate the challenges of teaching brewing science and technology in schools and colleges.

The science and technology of brewing is so important to the socio-economic development of Nigeria that it has to be taken seriously by the Nigerian university commission (NUC) so as to ensure its further development (Okoro 2010).

Statement of the general problem

The teaching of brewing science and technology has not been given its rightful place in the educational space of Nigeria by the Nigerian universities commission. This has done the nations brewing sector more harm than good as foreigners are now been given positions that Nigerians should have occupied in Nigerian brewery companies if we had taken the teaching of brewing science and technology in our Nigerian universities seriously.

Significance of the study

This study would help unravel the major challenges of the teaching brewing science and technology in Nigerian universities with a view to recommending ways of reducing the challenges so as to make the discipline more attractive for lecturers.

Findings from this study would also highlight the prospects of teaching brewing science and technology in tertiary institutions with a view of making more improvement.

Scope of the study

This study is restricted to the University of Uyo in Akwa Ibom state Nigeria.

Objectives of the study

The following are the aims and objectives of embarking on this stuy

• To examine the prospects of teaching brewing science and technology in the university of Uyo.
• To identify the challenges of teaching brewing science and technology in the university of Uyo.
• To evaluate the importance of teaching brewing science and technology in Nigerian universities.
• To recommend ways of improving the teaching of brewing science and technology in Nigerian universities to the government, the Nigerian universities education and other researchers who may be interested in the research.

Research questions

• What are the challenges of teaching brewing science and technology in Nigerian universities?
• What are the prospects of teaching brewing science and technology in Nigerian universities?
• Is the teaching of brewing science and technology in Nigerian universities taken seriously by the Nigerian universities commission?
• What is the magnitude of challenges confronting the teaching of brewing science and technology in Nigeria?
• Is teaching of brewing science and technology important in the economic fortunes of Nigeria?

Research Hypotheses

H0: The challenge of teaching brewing science and technology is low.

H1: The challenge of teaching brewing science and technology is high.

H0: there are no prospects of teaching brewing science and technology.

H1: there are prospects of teaching brewing science and technology.

Definition of terms

• BREWING: Make (beer) by soaking, boiling, and fermentation.
• NUC: The National Universities Commission (NUC) of Nigeria was established in 1962 as an advisory agency in the Cabinet Office. However, in 1974, it became a statutory body and the first Executive Secretary, in the person of Prof. Jibril Aminu was then appointed.

The NUC is a parastatal under the Federal Ministry of Education (FME). The Commission has a Governing Council, currently headed by Professor ShehuGaladanchi and its Executive Secretary is Prof. Julius A. Okojie, who assumed office on August 3, 2006. In its over 47 years of existence, the Commission has transformed from a small office in the cabinet office to an important arm of government in the area of development and management of university education in Nigeria.

• PROSPECTS: The possibility or likelihood of some future event occurring.