Vocational and Technical Education: A Functional Education for Sustainable Development in a Global Turbulent Era (Published)
Vocational and technical education is a programme that prepares occupational fields for effective participation in the world of work for promoting environmentally sound, sustainable development and for alleviating poverty. This study examines the concept of vocational and technical education (VTE), the principles of functional education, and areas/branches of VTE. The study also look into various ways in which vocational and technical education is a functional education which will be a way out at this turbulent period. Recommendations are given that there must be a continuous review of the curricula and high caliber teachers and qualified lecturers must be employed, the educators should be encouraged and allowed to go for in-service training and upgrading themselves academically and be acquainted with the latest technology development. Non-governmental organizations, and local communities should be called upon to support the government and school authority in funding the programme.
Keywords: Sustainable Development, Vocational and Technical Education., functional education
Problems of Insufficient Practical Equipment: A study through Technical and Vocational Education in Bangladesh (Published)
The purpose of this study is to demonstrate the most important problems of technical and vocational education with eager explanation due to insufficient practical apparatus in technical and vocational institution in Bangladesh. Technical and vocational education aims at implementing empirical and practical action in education and profession. But the problems in practical education are getting bigger day by day due to lack of adequate practical equipment in technical and vocational institutions in Bangladesh. This present study is a study of the problems of teaching in practical education at technical and vocational education in Bangladesh in order to find out some useful means with the help of which science teachers especially teachers of practical subjects can effectively teach about practical in the classroom and students can study superior technique. There have some problem of practical teachers, classroom, practical apparatus and textbook of practical. The researcher has identified the problems of teaching practical and recommended probable remedial measures about the problems. The Research work was done according to the method of qualitative and quantitative or somehow mixed. The study was conducted on a random sample of 270 respondents in technical and vocational institutes in Sirajganj district. Questionnaires were used to collect data from the students and teachers to assess the situation of practical equipment in technical and vocational education of Bangladesh. In this study, the researcher concludes that the problems identified here are more or less all over Bangladesh and tried to solve the respective problem. Finally, the researcher wants to conclude that the concerned authorities will take the necessary steps to solve the problems of practical matters of the technical and vocational institutes in Bangladesh.
Keywords: Problems, Vocational and Technical Education., insufficient, practical apparatus
Bridging the Skills Gap of Graduates of Technical Colleges and the Industries in Nigeria (Published)
The skills gap that exist between the graduates of technical colleges and the industries has limited the employability of the graduates of technical colleges in Nigeria to the advantage of expatriate skilled manpower who have taken over the jobs that are available for the teeming Nigerian youth population. The causes of the skills gap have been traced to poor funding, inadequate infrastructure and facilities in the technical colleges to poor partnership between the industries and the technical colleges amongst several other causes as numerated in the main write up. Consequently, the following recommendations are therefore proffered in order to bridge the skills gap between the graduates of technical colleges and the work places:
- A strong career orientation must be inculcated in the minds of the students of technical colleges on the relevance of general education in improving their basic skills
- Technical Colleges should maintain a close link with the industry for technical co-operation and mutual benefits
- Technical Teachers Training should be expanded to increase the capacity of instructors and teachers of technical colleges
- Training and grant opportunities available within non-governmental and international organization should be taken advantage of by the technical colleges
- Independent technical boards and commissions should be established at the various states to oversee the operations of technical colleges instead of allowing them as appendages of the general ministries of education.
Keywords: Technical Colleges, Vocational and Technical Education., skill gaps
Impact of Vocational and Technical Education on Livelihood Sustenance and Economic Development in Nigeria: The Art Workshop Experience (Published)
The focus of this study is basically on the impact that vocational and technical education has on livelihood sustenance and Economic development in Nigeria, using the art workshop training centres as a case study most especially the one established by the Nigerian foremost printmaker: Bruce Onobrakpeya in his home town at Agbarha-Otor, in Delta State of Nigeria. The vocational and technical education opportunities were divided into three broad categories the first is the training offered in private institutions under the entrepreneurship programmes, the second is the training established by governments through formal tertiary institutions such as: the Polytechnics and Colleges of Education and the third is the training sponsored by non-governmental organizations (NGOs), private individuals and/or religious organizations-the art workshop experiments organized in Nigeria at Oye-Ekiti, Osogbo, Ile-Ife, Lagos and Agbarah-Otor fall under the last category. It has been observed that the non-payment approach adopted by the organizers under the third category has been making vocational training programmes more effective, efficient, competitive, flexible and responsive in any community where they are being organized. The conclusion is that the organizers of vocational/art-workshop centres in Nigeria have been focusing on how to satisfy the basic physiological needs of the participants while training, mentoring and motivating them for self development and self fulfilment.
Keywords: Art Workshop, Development, Economic, Livelihood Sustenance, Vocational and Technical Education., self-development
VOCATIONAL AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION: A VIABLE TOOL FOR TRANSFORMATION OF THE NIGERIAN ECONOMY (Published)
Vocational and technical education has been integral part of national development strategies in many societies because of the impact on human resource development, productivity and economic development. It holds the key to national development of most nation’s. However, despite its contribution to societal and economic development, Nigerian leaders have not given this aspect of education the attention it desires. This could be one of the reasons for the nation’s underdevelopment. This paper attempts to examine the concept of vocational and technical education, objectives of vocational and technical education, image of vocational and technical education in Nigeria, the importance and role of vocational and technical education in economic development and challenges of vocational and technical education in Nigeria. The paper concludes that through vocational and technical education youths as well as adults will be trained to acquire skills, attitude and knowledge which are needed for the economic growth of our nation. The paper therefore recommends that the nation must invest copiously in education with particular attention given to vocational and technical education.
Keywords: Economic Development, Nigeria, Skill Acquisition, Vocational and Technical Education.