ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT/EMANCIPATION

Where is Nigeria in the long history of vocational and technical   education? While career education has continued to thrive in many societies, it is unfortunately an area that is neglected in Nigeria a. No wondered why things are not working as they should in Nigeria!   The neglect of vocational education is rubbing the nation of the contribution their graduate would make on the economy; the graduates could establish small –scale businesses   and employ the youths that roam the  streets. It is, therefore, socially injurious to neglect this important area or look down on its   graduates. the  society need competent   auto mechanics  and truck drivers,
carpenters, plumbers, electrons  and computers, database, web and network technicians, bookkeepers, and clerks, medical technicians and nursing assistants (and other personnel in  this category)  to function well. These are some of the skills in short supply in  Nigeria. The  half –baked roadside mechanics in the society often cause  more damages to vehicles when they are contracted to service  them.   And  because of poor training some of the commercial drivers on the road and  nurses assistants in the hospitals have sent many people to their early death. Given these facts, it is a disservice to the society to neglect vocational   education.  The  current preoccupation with university education in Nigeria  is counterproductive, as not everyone needs a  university education. It also reduces economic opportunities for students who  are more oriented toward  work than academic

Millions of Nigerian youths are n  secondary (high )  school,  but some of them would not graduate. They could drop out along the way and others would not go  beyond high school. Because of paucity of data, it is difficult  to  put a figure on high school dropout  rates in Nigeria, but is suffices to say  that the graduation rate is not impressive (specially the boys for  some  reasons). Given the general neglect of education and the resultant frequent l strike actions, etc many of those who enter the university may not obtain  a degree, because post –secondary education could   drag out for  years. But who would employ them if  everyone became  a university graduate? Would  the   needs  of the  society be met? Nigeria  needs competent technicians to   maintain its infrastructure- NEPA  plants and telephone circuits and lines,  roads and  bridges, etc. in many societies, graduates of vocational  and  technical institutions are highly skilled entrepreneurs, but   the society  does  not seem to encourage the youth to take this route. Unfortunately, those who influence education policy in  the society (legislators,  educators,   the   media, etc)  appear to feel that graduates of technical / vocational institutions  are not equal to university graduates. This attitude reflects on the   employers preference for regular university graduates and the pay  disparity between vocational/technical  and university  graduates 

The neglect of  technical and vocational  education may  have contributed to the  high unemployment and rising poverty among  the  youth because many   of them lack the basic job skills. They are struggling with the challenge   of  acquiring “  employability” skills because the society is focused mostly on   formal university education . But  investment in skill training and trade  schools is a  worthwhile social investment. The  graduates  would become  small business owners and employer of  labour;  this is the case in  many societieis where small businesses are the highest employers of labor. High  school students in Nigerian should be made  to gain knowledge of workplace culture  and values along with general education competency. This would provide them a variety of skills to manage small –scale   businesses and   to  gain employment after graduation. The current social and   economic  changes in the world  have  altered the conditions and structure of  employment and employers now require their  employees to posses some  technical skills.   those who could not go beyond elementary   school (high  school/ university graduates who lack job skills) are facing enormous  challenges because they are unqualified to secure a decent job 
That is why the introduction of enterprannel  sure acquisition is  a welcome programme.  it has been well documented that Nigeria higher institutions (due to many years of neglect ) alack the tools to give students the skill employers need,   and this  situation seems  to apply to graduates in all disciplines. there   should therefore be some form of genuine school –work –based learning  incorporated in  some  studies as part of the national economic  development  strategies. the  development of  apprenticeship scheme would give new graduates some work skills and experience. Thus university education should encompass economic, educational, and social objectives.

One possible approach to reverse this trend would be to increase funding for technical and vocational  education and make it affordable to enable the  youths acquire  the necessary skills for jobs and self-employment. As a  policy, high schools in  every  local   government areas should be  made to set  up technical  and vocational center  where the youths could learn some trade. Some of the so- called  “expatriate  engineers”  who are being aphid unimaginable amount of dollars to build the roads and bridges in Nigeria l are graduates of technical  and vocational colleges, yet, Nigeria looks down on her graduates of vocational and technical education! Perhaps, this is one of the main reasons for  the low interest in  technical schools. As  the vanguard of No  25 , 2004  noted, about one percent (1%) of the resources (if not less)  for secondary education is  channeled towards technical and vocational skills in the  country.     
RELEVANCE OF TEVE
Nigeria youths a facing myrid challenges in terms of sustainable employment, poverty alleviation, war against social vices and economic emancipation/empowerment. This Myrid of problems can only be solved by the TVE relution expressed below:

SUSTAINABLE EMPLOYMENT

WAR AGAINST SOCIAL VICES 

POVERTY ALLEVIATION

POVERTY ALLEVIATION

ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT AND EMANCIPATION

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