TVET and Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities: Opportunities and Challenges (Published)
Independent living and access to decent means of living for persons with disabilities has the concerns of many governments and disabled people organizations for years. With science and technology taking the center stage in global approaches to development, new widow of opportunities is open for TVET education. The principal rationale for the systematic literature review was to examine the opportunities and challenges of inclusive TVET, share knowledge to spark and inspire processes that will usher rapid growth from all directions.A systematic review of the literatures using information collected from different sources was actuated. Different search engines were used and only peer-reviewed articles published after 2000 were selected except extracts perceived to be of fundamental mileage to the study. Inclusive TVET presents lot of opportunities that include self-reliance, acquisition of social and survival skills, improved job prospect, promotion at workplaces, wining employers’ trust and confident, national economic growth and reduction in governments’ spending on persons with disabilities, better health conditions, empowerment, competitiveness and self-employment, effectiveness and efficiency at workplaces. Notwithstanding, there are challenges which can be catalogued into attitudinal barriers, institutional barriers, environmental barriers, economic barriers, social barriers, political barriers, and cultural barriers. To conclude, the findings indicate great opportunities and more if the major constraints are addressed urgently.
Keywords: Challenges, Empowerment, Persons With Disabilities, TVET, opportunities
Attitudes of Youth-Trainees towards Technical, Vocational Education and Training in VETA Institutions in Arusha City, Tanzania (Published)
This study investigated the attitudes of youth trainees towards technical and vocational education and training (TVET) in VETA institutions in Arusha City in Tanzania. It was guided by two research questions: i) what is the rate of youth enrolment in TVET in VETA institutions in Arusha City? ii) what are the attitudes of the trainees towards the offered courses? The study employed a cross-sectional research design. The sample had 130 trainees, 15 trainers and 3 programme coordinators making 148 total participants. Data collection was done using questionnaires, interview and document analysis guides. Data were analysed statistically and thematically. Results also show that, enrollment is very high based on the institutions’ admission capacities and a majority of trainees has positive attitudes towards the offered TVET courses and perceive them beneficial. The study concludes that, the youth-trainees enrollment rate meets the admission capacity by 100% and the trainees’ attitude towards TVET is positive in the studied VETA institutions. This study recommends for more sensitization and advertisement of TVE to the public for skilling of many youths possible.
Keywords: Arusha City, Attitudes, Enrollment, TVET, VETA, Youth-trainees
Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) As a Panacea for Poverty Reduction in Enugu State (Published)
This paper examined Technical and vocational education (TVET) as a panacea for poverty reduction in Enugu State. Three research questions and three null hypotheses guided the study. The study adopted survey research design. The population for the study comprised 364 respondents made up of 330 registered entrepreneurs and 34 TVET teachers teaching in TVET institutions in Enugu State. A sample size of 150 respondents made up of 116 registered entrepreneurs and 34 TVET teachers was utilized for the study. Researchers’ developed and validated questionnaire was used as an instrument for data collection. Data analysis was done using mean, standard deviation and t.test statistics. The findings of the study revealed that TVET has a well-structured and packaged programme that can equip the recipients’ with the employability skills for world of work and poverty reduction. However, there are lots of challenges hindering TVET for achieving its potentials in poverty reduction. Arising from the findings of the study, the researchers concluded that TVET is a panacea for poverty reduction in Enugu State. The recommendations among others were that TVET institutions should provide training materials for TVET students in all the programmes for poverty reduction in Enugu State and also, there should be adequate funding of TVET by the government for provision and maintenance of equipment.
Keywords: Poverty Reduction, TVET, panacea and Enugu State.
An Appraisal of the Development and Functioning Of Vocational Education and Training in Nigeria (Published)
Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) programmes in Nigeria is yet to be understood by the members of the society and that accounts for their negative attitude of relegating it to the background despite its potentials and undeniable evidence of its’ products and services. The programmes are in different categories and levels but are characterized by the practical components which cut across all the different levels. The historical research method was adopted for the study using primary and secondary data. The study reveals that technical vocational education and training programmes have been in vogue from the pre-colonial era to date. It was the main training programmes available before the advent of colonialism and introduction of western education in Nigeria. TVET programmes in Nigeria is not meeting the needs of the society and the paper advanced what should be done to bridge the need gap as the way forward.
Keywords: Industries, Skills, TVET, trainees, trainers
Soft Skills Preparation as Panacea for Self-Employment for Tvet Technician Graduates in Kenya (Published)
The main aim of the paper was to assess how effect of soft skills on self-employment among Technical and Vocational Education and Training technician graduates in Kenya. The specific soft skills investigated in this study were practice time management, solve problems, work independently, interpersonal skills, communication skills, decision making skill, creativity/innovations and adaptability on self-employment among TVET graduates. This study was based on pragmatic research paradigm using embedded research design. The study targeted 527 technician graduate from TVET institutions in Uasin Gishu county Kenya. Simple random was used to select 320 sample size. Quantitative data analysis was done using descriptive statistics and inferential statistics. The interview transcripts were analysed using thematic analysis. Multiple Regression analysis was done to test hypothesis. Findings showed that TVET institutions did not inculcate soft skills content required for survival in self-employment. The generic skills tested were ranked from highly perceived as good to the least good: time management, ability to solve problems, ability to work autonomously, interpersonal skills, communication skills, decision making, creativity and innovative skills, and adaptability. However, despite time management being ranked the highest it had no effect on self-employment. Regression results revealed that ability to solve problems, ability to work independently, interpersonal skills, adaptability and creativity and innovations have a positive and significant effect on self-employment.
Keywords: Communication Skills, Self-employment, Soft Skills, TVET, Time Management