5.2. Data presentation phase 1: Aspirant barristers
5.2.1. Demographic information
5.2.1.2. Educational background of the aspirant barristers
Data in this section provides information on the educational background of the aspirant barristers at the university level and investigates their level of preparation for training at the Law School.
Data in question 2b asked respondents to indicate if they had any degree other than law.
Responses in table 2b below show how many respondents had qualifications other than a law degree. Only 4% of the aspirant barristers had degrees other than law while 94% of the
respondents indicated that law is their first degree. Degrees other than law included Bachelor’s degrees in education, political science and mathematics. Two percent of the aspirant barristers did not respond to the question while 98% responded.
Table 2b: Other types of degrees obtained by aspirant barristers
Response Number %
Yes 22 4%
No 483 94%
No response 10 2%
Total 515 100%
N=515
In question 2d, respondents were asked to indicate how well they thought the university had prepared them for vocational training at the Law School.
Table 2d: Level of vocational training at university
Level Number %
Very well prepared 196 38%
Well prepared 184 36%
Average 100 19%
Poorly prepared 14 3%
Not at all prepared 4 1%
No response 17 3%
Total 515 100%
N=515
From the findings, 38% felt that they were “very well prepared”, 36% were “well prepared”, 19% felt they were averagely prepared while 3% felt that they were “poorly prepared” and 1%
said they were “not prepared at all”. Ninety seven percent responded while 3% did not respond to the question.
An analysis of the listed universities in question 2a from which the aspirants graduated indicate a combination of the types of universities by which higher education institutions are categorised in Nigeria; that is, first, second, third generation universities as well as state and privately owned universities (See chapter two section 2.2.1). Twenty seven universities located across the various states of Nigeria were listed. From the list of the universities, it is noted that the highest percentages of aspirant barristers were graduates of Olabisi Onabanjo University (12%),
followed by Madonna University and University of Benin (9%), Bayero University, Kano (7%) and University of Maiduguri (6%). The expansion of universities in Nigeria have necessitated accompanying reforms in the curriculum and teaching methods of these institutions particularly in the provision of high-level skilled personnel aimed at developing the economy. However, a lack of provision of adequate modern facilities, inadequate funding and poor library resources, among other factors, have often been cited as some of the hindrances towards guaranteeing quality assurance in the university system in Nigeria (Ajayi & Ekundayo, 2008: 218).
5.2.2. Skills acquired at university and level of application by the aspirant barristers
The two questions in this section, questions 3a and 3b, were designed to investigate skills training and application at university. In question 3a, respondents were asked to indicate which of the outlined skills they felt they had developed proficiency in as an undergraduate student, while question 3b requested them to indicate the skills they felt they had not developed proficiency in as an undergraduate student. The essence of the questions was to establish a link between skills training at the university and to ascertain the extent to which skills are transferred to the workplace context. From the questionnaire, it is noted that even though the two questions are separate, the variables in the questions are the same. Consequently, the data cited for both questions are presented in one table for purposes of analysis and comparison. Respondents were invited to tick more than one option for both questions, not all of total number of respondents (515) responded to the question.
Table 3a/3b: Skills proficiency at the university (3a); Lack of skills proficiency at the university (3b)
SKILLS 3a*
Number (%) No
response 3b Number (%)
No response
Writing skills 363
(71%) 147
(29%) 297
(58%) 213
(42%) Oral and written communication skills 308
(60%)
202 (40%)
281 (55%)
229 (45%)
Critical thinking 303
(59%) 207
(41%) 271
(53%) 239
(47%)
Legal research skills 295
(58%) 215
(42%) 275
(54%) 235
(46%)
Analytical skills 272
(53%) 238
(47%) 272
(53%) 238
(47%)
Problem solving skills* 251
(49%)
258 (51%)
268 (53%)
241 (47%)
Evaluative skills* 230
(45%) 279
(55%) 237
(47%) 272
(53%) 6Total N=510
Analysis of the data in the first column of the above table, reflecting responses to question 3a shows respondents felt that their writing skills enjoyed the highest proficiency rate at 71%, communication skills at 60% and critical thinking skills at 59%. Evaluative skills show the lowest level of proficiency in question 3a at 45%. Even though writing is shown to have a higher proficiency rate in question 3a, the corresponding column for question 3b shows a high number of respondents also felt that they lacked proficiency skills in writing at 58%. Similarly, data also shows oral and written communication skills (55%), critical thinking skills (53%) and legal research at 53%. It is noted that data from the responses seem contradictory in suggesting that the aspirant barristers felt they were proficient at the university in the outlined skills in question 3a but still lacked proficiency in the same skills in question 3b as indicated by the close margin of differences of percentages in the two questions. It can therefore be suggested that the
instrument was insufficiently sensitive to probe this point; more data may be needed to clarify this issue. Data also suggests that the aspirants were unable to sufficiently determine the level of applicability of their graduate skills to the work place considering that the duration of the
attachment was short.
6The total column reflects the varying response rate. In cell 3a, there were 510 responses to most questions but 509 responses to these two skill questions (indicated by asterisks).
5.2.3. Perception of the importance of legal skills training of aspirant barristers during the