Blessing Onyeka Onyiorah

Graduate employability has become a critical priority for higher education institutions as labour markets evolve and persistent skills gaps continue to challenge graduate transitions into work. However, empirical evidence remains fragmented on how institutional governance, career counselling, and skills training jointly shape employability outcomes. This systematic review synthesised empirical studies published between 2015 and 2025 examining these institutional determinants of graduate employability in higher education. Following PRISMA 2020 guidelines, a systematic search was conducted in Scopus and Web of Science Core Collection. After screening and eligibility assessment, 19 empirical studies were included in the final synthesis. Study quality was appraised using the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool (MMAT), and findings were synthesised through narrative thematic synthesis due to heterogeneity in research designs and employability outcome measures. The synthesis shows that skills-training interventions provide the strongest and most consistent evidence of employability, particularly through work-integrated learning, internships, placements, and industry-aligned project-based learning. These approaches were consistently associated with improved work readiness, competence development, and self-efficacy. Institutional governance also emerged as a central driver of employability outcomes by shaping curriculum responsiveness, enabling sustainable university–industry collaboration, and strengthening accountability through policy and accreditation pressures. In contrast, career counselling interventions were poorly represented and rarely evaluated as standalone programmes, indicating a substantial evidence gap despite their relevance to career identity formation and the development of employability capital. Overall, the findings confirm that graduate employability is a multidimensional outcome shaped through the interaction of governance systems, skills development strategies, and career support structures.

This study was carried out to assess the teachers’ pedagogical content knowledge and experiences on Business Studies students’ in secondary schools in Enugu Education zone. The study employed three specific objectives for the study. Three research questions guided the study and three hypotheses were tested at .05 level of significance. The study adopted descriptive survey design. The research was carried out in secondary schools in Enugu Education zone. The population of the study was 94 (69 females and 25 males) Business Studies teachers in public secondary schools in Enugu Education zone. The entire population was used for the study due to its manageable size, hence census sampling technique was used. The instrument used was a structured questionnaire titled: Impact of Pedagogical Content Knowledge on Students Outcome in Business Studies (PCKSOBSQ). The instrument was validated by three experts: two experts from Business Education and one from Measurement and Evaluation from Enugu State University of Science and Technology, Enugu. The reliability of the instrument was determined using Cronbach Alpha co-efficient to determine the internal consistency of the instrument. The coefficient was 81, indicating that the instrument was reliable for use in data collection. Data collected were analyzed using mean for the research questions and standard deviation to determine the closeness of the responses while t-test was used to test the hypotheses at .05 level of significance. Findings of this study revealed that teachers knowledge of the subject matter, teaching strategies, and experiences impacted on the learning outcomes of Business Studies students in secondary schools in Enugu Education zone. The study concluded that teachers’ pedagogical content knowledge and experience play a significant role in students’ learning outcome at any level of education either positively or negative. Based on the findings of the study, the researchers made the following recommendations amongst others: the State Government and Ministry of Education should employ qualified and registered Business studies teachers in secondary schools to teach Business studies and also provide instructional materials and conducive learning environment for secondary schools students.

The study examined the influence of debt and risk management skills on the management of Small and Medium Scale Enterprises (SMEs) in Umuahia metropolis, Abia State. Two research questions and two hypotheses guided the study. The study adopted a descriptive survey research design. The entire population of 180 SME owners/managers in Umuahia metropolis, Abia State, Nigeria were used for the study. Therefore, census sampling technique was adopted because the entire population is manageable. The instrument for data collection was a 14-item structured questionnaire developed by the researcher, titled "Influence of Debt and Risk Management skills on management of Small and Medium Scale Enterprises Questionnaire (IDRMSMEQ). The designed instrument was validated by three experts in Business Education and Measurement and Evaluation. A reliability coefficient level of 0.80 was obtained. Data obtained were analyzed using descriptive statistics of mean for the research questions, standard deviation to determine the closeness and homogeneity of the responses and an independent t-test at a 0.05 level of significance to analyse the hypotheses. The findings revealed a high influence of debt and risk management skills on the management of Small and Medium Scale Enterprises (SMEs) in Umuahia metropolis, Abia State and that there was no significant difference in the debt and risk management skills of experienced and less experienced SME operators/managers. There is empirical evidence showing that debt and risk management skills have high influence on the management of Small and Medium Scale Enterprises (SMEs) in Umuahia metropolis, Abia State, there is need for proper awareness and implementation for a better management of Small and Medium Scale Enterprises (SMEs). Recommendations were made, one of which is that government agencies, financial institutions and educational bodies should organize continuous financial literacy training programmes for both experienced and less experienced SME operators to enhance effective financial decision making and sustainable business growth.

This study investigated senior secondary school students’ understanding of and attitudes toward nanotechnology-enhanced green materials and sustainability, with a focus on their exposure to artificial intelligence (AI)-driven service-learning experiences. Anchored in a descriptive survey research design, the study targeted 232 students from three purposefully selected ICT-equipped schools in the Nsukka Education Zone of Enugu State, Nigeria. These schools were chosen for their access to AI-based learning platforms and the integration of environmental education topics across relevant subjects. Data were collected via the Students’ Knowledge and Attitudes toward Nanotechnology-Enhanced Green Materials and Sustainability Questionnaire (SKANSQ), which was developed through a literature review and expert validation. The instrument demonstrated high reliability, with a Cronbach’s alpha coefficient of 0.83. The questionnaire measured students’ knowledge, attitudes, exposure to AI tools and service-learning activities, and perceptions of how these experiences influenced their understanding of sustainability concepts. Descriptive statistics, means and standard deviations, were employed to address the research questions. The findings revealed that while students reported a moderate level of knowledge and demonstrated generally positive attitudes toward sustainability and green innovations, their actual exposure to AI-supported learning and community-based service-learning projects was relatively low. The results suggest a gap between curricular intentions and the practical implementation of experiential and technology-enhanced learning strategies. This study underscores the need for schools and policymakers to promote more deliberate integration of AI tools and service learning into science and environmental education to better prepare students for global sustainability challenges.