Promoting National Development in China Through TVET: Lessons for Nigeria

Abstract

Prior to the commencement of the economic reforms in China in the late 70s, China’s economy was beleaguered by policies that kept it poor, stagnant, unitarily rigid and isolated from the rest of the world. However, the country has, in recent years, emerged a global economic power, the second largest economy in the world and the global leader in manufacturing, merchandising and impressive foreign exchange reserves. The country’s rise to global economic limelight within a period of three decades, which has been generally described by global economic analysts as one of the greatest economic success stories in modern age, has continued to be a subject of puzzle to the developed world and a source of inspiration to the developing countries of the world. Although more attention has been paid to economic factors, such as large-scale capital investment and rapid productivity growth as factors responsible for the rapid economic growth of China, but behind these economic factors is the national strategic skills training system adopted and maintained by the Chinese government to complement the economic measures. The strategies adopted in the design and administration of TVET delivery as part of the country’s development programme complemented the various measures taken towards the realization of the economic reform embarked upon by the Chinese government. This paper explores the context of Chinese TVET delivery system and identifies the key reforms and strategies employed by authorities in China to promote national development through TVET and the relevant inspiration from the experience for the development of skills training system in Nigeria, the largest economy in Africa, which has been entangled in continuous struggle with under-development, low productivity, unemployment, under-employment, as well as the vulnerability of youths to sponsors of violent extremism due to unemployment-triggered poverty.

Keywords: TVET, China, Nigeria, Unemployment, Development