Empirical studies carried out by various authors in
clothing and textiles indicated that there are hindrances to teaching and
learning of the course both in secondary school and tertiary institutions in
Nigeria. Their views are as discussed below.
Lemchi (2001) stated that the
problem of students poor performance in clothing and textiles could be
attributed to the teacher in Nigeria, especially in secondary school or
tertiary institutions, clothing and textiles is taught prophetically without
serious efforts on the part of teachers to make the students proficient in the
course. This implies that availability of teachers who can teach the subject is
inadequate.
Iyere (2002) stated that inadequacy
of equipment in the clothing and textiles laboratories is a major problem. The
implication of these inadequacies is that teachers and students concentrate on
the theoretical aspect of the course.
In some cases, the equipment such as
sewing machines and clothing accessories provided is not properly taken care of
by school authorities.
Ozioko (2006) outlined some school
conditions that hinder creativity in students of clothing and textiles to
includes presence of large classes where
regimentation is essential instead to effective practical exercises, the belief
of teachers that creative students are hard to manage and their work harder to
grade; teachers strong emphasis on limitation rather than innovation.
Discouragement of anything outside
the prescribed pattern; instructional strategies that do not engage students in
experimental learning but limit them observe, interpret, analyze, make and
consider consequences; teachers strategies that do not contextualize learning
to provide students reflection over an extended period of time; and teachers
not serving as facilitators allowing students to construct their knowledge
through learning application, action review and reflections.
Inadequate
funding remains a strong militating factor in the provision of study materials
such as textbooks and journal materials, and teachers. In many cases, some
textbooks and journals provided are out dated while others are perhaps of
foreign background and may not actually meet the local needs of students and
teachers in teaching and learning of clothing and textiles. Adejuyigbe and
Bolaji (2011) identified the problem of teaching and learning of technological
and vocational courses in Nigeria to include: teachers poor attitude towards
practical aspects of vocational and technological subjects; wrong use of
teaching methods by teachers in teaching, parent perception and attitude
towards their children’s choice of vocational courses as career, non-provision
of part time teachers or resource persons to teach vocational subject shortage
and incessant transfer of vocational and technological teacher, contribute to
students not understanding the subjects, inadequate provision of laboratory
equipments and machineries, non continuity of technological and vocational
education in Nigeria; and failure of the government, curriculum developer and
policy makers to introduce vocational and technological subject into compulsory
courses in the school system in Nigeria.