New Perspectives on Technical and Vocational Education and Training in Nigeria

Nigeria’s unemployment situation and economic backwardness have always been tied to the nation’s educational system which many believe lacks pedagogical practices, entrepreneurial competencies, and poor competency-based curricula with resultant effect of producing graduates lacking saleable skills to engender self-reliance or paid employment. The thrust of this paper therefore, was to awaken the consciousness of the Nigeria populace especially those who are directly involved in the educational process to this deplorable state of education and to chart the way to ameliorating it. In doing this, the paper reviewed the current problem and issues in Nigeria educational system with particular insight into issues of curricula and professional teacher’s roles in the knowledge based economy. Based on the issues raised, the authors attempted to prove that there is no substitute to technical vocational education and training (TVET) as the education that matters; viable enough in all respects to drive all forces and factors necessary for attaining national greatness and for improved national economy. As a way forward, it was recommended that the Nigerian government should explicitly support and be fully committed to the development and expansion of TVET at all levels and to the strengthening of TVET links with the labour market.