The Chartered Institute of Personnel Management of Nigeria (CIPM) has urged its accredited study centres to improve the quality of their lecture delivery and embrace more facilitative teaching methods. This call to action was made during the 2025 Study Centre Coordinators’ Forum hosted by the Institute.
Speaking on behalf of the President, the Registrar of the Institute, Ms. Oluwatoyin Naiwo, FCIPM, thanked centre operators for their ongoing efforts in supporting students and encouraged them to leverage technology to enhance engagement. She also reassured them of CIPM’s continued support, “within the bounds of the law.”
A key highlight of the forum was a presentation by guest speaker Dr. Emmanuel Bassi, MCIPM, who explained the evolving role of study centre facilitators, who are expected to guide, rather than lecture, students. “Facilitation is not about having all the answers,” Bassi said. “You are not an answer provider, but rather a tour guide who brings the group to find the answer themselves.”
He emphasised that effective facilitation “is a mindset, framework, and way of being,” adding that it involves “guiding groups to achieve their goals through structured processes, active participation, and skilled communication.”
He also highlighted key behaviours of effective facilitators, such as the ability to “do a group evaluation,” “debrief after the meeting,” “put yourself in their shoes,” and “lead discussion but not dominate.”
Team Lead for Professional Examinations, Samuel Eviewho, MCIPM, echoed the importance of competence in facilitation. He emphasised that all study centres must ensure that at least 20% of their facilitators are CIPM members with relevant HR experience. He also called on centres to be more strategic and innovative in attracting new students.
Feedback from students was also shared by centre coordinators, along with responses and corrective actions taken by the Institute. Deputy Registrar Mr. Gbenga Odetunde, ACIPM, addressed concerns about exam preparation materials. He noted that CIPM “hardly repeats” past questions, cautioning that such questions should be seen only as guides. “Students are strongly encouraged to rely on the official study course packs and other recommended study materials,” he said.
He further urged study centres to report any issues with course packs and pledged that CIPM would provide a summary analysis of examination performance to guide improvement.
As part of the forum’s closing highlights, CIPM recognised study centres that demonstrated exceptional commitment and performance in preparing students for the Institute’s professional examinations. Awards were presented to centre coordinators for their remarkable efforts and contributions.
The Babs Associates emerged as the Overall Best Performing Centre, earning top recognition for excellence in student preparation. Career Rocket was named the Second Best Performing Centre, while FWS Associates secured the position of Third Best Performing Centre.
These awards underscored CIPM’s continued drive for academic excellence and its appreciation for study centres that go above and beyond to deliver high-quality support to students.
