Technical and Vocational Education in Nigeria: Issues, Challenges and a Way Forward

Abstract

Technical education, as enshrined in the Nigerian national policy  on education, is concerned with qualitative technological human resources development directed towards a national pool of skilled and self reliant craftsmen, technicians and technologists in technical and vocational education fields. In Nigeria, the training of technical personnel has witnessed many challenges ranging from policies which have no beaming with our problems, curriculum that has little or no relationship with workplace and social needs, embezzlement of fund meant for education development purposes, lack of teacher motivation, inadequate facilities, inadequate funding, brain drain, poor staff training , bribery and corruption. This paper intends to critically examine some of the issues, challenges and way forward of technical, vocational education and training(TVET) in Nigeria and to suggest ways of improving the teaching and learning of technical and vocational education with greater interest and enthusiasm.