RELEVANCE OF TECHNICAL AND VOCATIONAL EDUCATION IN NIGERIA (TVE)

ABSTRACT

The paper is a theoretical but pragmatic assessment of the relevance of TECHNICAL AND VOCATIONAL EDUCATION IN NIGERIA (TVE). Technical and vocational education (TVE) has been an integral part of national development strategies in many societies because of its overwhelming impact on productivity and economics development.  Despite its contributions the leaders of Nigeria, have not really given this aspect of education the  
  attention it deserves. This is one of the many reasons for the nation’s underdevelopment.  Driving from the experiences of developed nations, this   paper focuses on the dearth of skilled technical manpower in Nigeria and argues that technical and vocational education holds the key to the national development and make recommendation of remedial actions

INTRODUCTION

Technical education “is a planned program of courses and learning experiences that begins with exploration of career options, supports basic academic and life skills, and enables achievement of high academic standards, leadership, preparation for industry- defined work, and advanced and continuing education. And vocational education and training “ prepares learners for careers that are based in manual or practical activities, traditionally non-academic and totally related to a specific trades, occupation or vocation”. In other words, it is an “education designed to develop occupational skills.” Vocational and technical education gives individuals the skills to “live, learn and work as a productive citizen in a global society”.   

The provision of vocational and technical schools has long history. Before the industrial revolution (between) 170 and 1830) the home and the “apprenticeship system “ were the principal sources of vocational education. But societies were later forced by the decline of handwork and specialization of occupational functions to develop institutions of vocational education   (Duffy, 1967).  Manual training that involves general instruction in the use of hand the Columbia Enydopedia 2001 tools was said to have developed initially in Scandinavia (C 1866) the Columbia  (2001). However vocational education became popular in the elementary schools in the United states after 1880 and developed into courses in industrial training, bookkeeping, stenography, and allied commercial work in both public   and private  institutions. As  noted some of the early private trade schools in the united states include cooper union (1859)  and Pratt institute (1887) , the  Hampton institute (1868)  and Tuskegee institute (1881). THE agricultural High school (1888) ,  the agricultural high school (1888)  of the university of Minnesota was the first regularly established public vocational secondary school that introduced extensive  public instruction in agriculture 

The   number of public and private vocational schools has greatly increased in the united states since  190. There was an impetus  vocational education  during world war ii (1939-1945) when the armed services had great need for technicians that the civilian world could not supply. there was a further upsurge on vocational training for the servicemen’s readjustment act of  1994 ( the .I  Bill of rights), which  allowed world war development  training  Act (1962,  the  vocational educational Act (1963) , and  the vocational education  amendments (1968)  and  Carl  D. Perkins  vocational and applied technology Act (1984) . these  programs help to improve the nations workforce and ensure  the vocational training is a available  for economically  (and  physically challenged youths. 

The united states is not the only society that appreciates skills acquired through vocational and  technical  education. the  Dutch school system is said to pay attention to  “high standards in mathematics and the provision of vocational education at ages 14-16 for a third of all pupils, and widespread vocational education at 16+. And secondary (high) schools in many other development conscious nations have vocational training for lifelong trade together with general academic studies. For instance, India and the “Asia Tigers” could not have become what they are without massive investment in technical education. However, because of recent changes in world economy many vocational and technical schools have shifted emphasis to training in the computers and information technology.

While technical and vocational has continued to thrive in many societies Nigeria has neglected this aspect of education. Consequently, the society lacks skilled technicians: bricklayers, carpenters, painters and auto mechanics, laboratory and pharmacy technicians, electrical/electronic technicians and skilled vocational nurses, etc). the hospitals are no longer a place where people go to get their ailments treated, but a place they go and die. Tales abound of how people die during surgeries and out of minor ailments. And the half-baked roadside mechanics in the society cause more harm to vehicles when contracted to service vehicles, and because of poor training some of the commercial drivers have sent many people to their early death. The shabby performance of Nigeria’s house builders (mason/bricklayers. Etc) is no longer news. For that individuals with important projects now use competent projects now use competent technicians from neigbouring countries. This is not to mention the havoc the poorly trained technicians have caused in the power sector. Nigeria’s spotty electricity supply is the greater bottleneck to national development. And toiling all day in the field with knives, hoes, shovels would not feed the nations 150 million people. Mechanized farming requires technical skills that could be obtained in technical and vocational schools.

Every facts of the economy has been affected by lack of skilled technicians. The financial sector lacks technicians to regulate the banks and a develop financial software to properly tackle the rising fraudulent activities in the banking sector. Without security development in impossible in a society; no nation can sustain its democracy if the citizens lack confidence in the police. The police violate the citizens human and civil rights and lack forensic laboratory and fingerprint technicians to conduct criminal investigations. And because of lack of tools to track down criminals there was a shameful episode recently in the society where the police paraded a goat/sheep as a thief. It is only in Nigeria that a human being could transform into an animal. And due to poor training military officers are known to beat up the citizens who challenge their powers; the case of Miss Uzoma Okere and some naval officers is a case in point the danger posed by environmental pollution and fake drugs is alarming; the less educated in the society lack the skill to manage AIDS, cancer and diabetes among other serious health problems. 

The neglect of technical education is socially and economically injurious because it is robbing the nation the contributions the graduates would make on national development., for that Nigeria is today wearing the toga of poor state.
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