Abstract

Vocational and Technical Education has been an integral part of national development strategies in many societies because of its impact on human resource development, productivity and economic development. It holds the key to national development of most nations.  However, despite its contribution to societal and economic development, Nigerian leaders have not given this aspect of education the attention it desires. This could be one of the reason for the nation’s underdevelopment. This paper attempts to examine the concept of vocational and technical education, objectives of vocational and technical education, image of vocational and technical education in Nigeria, the importance and role of vocational and technical education in economic development and challenges of vocational and technical education in Nigeria.  The paper concludes that through vocational and technical education youths as well as adult will be trained to acquire skills, attitude and knowledge which are needed for the economic growth of our nation. The paper therefore recommends that the nation must invest copiously in education with particular attention given to vocational and technical education.

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Abstract

This paper assessed the impact of social media on the core objectives of distance education among universities in Enugu state, Nigeria. The paper adopted a descriptive survey research design. The population the study is 213 (126 tutors and coordinators from university of Nigeria, Nsukka and 87 from Enugu State university of Science and Technology, Enugu State). A researcher-developed questionnaire was used for data collection. The reliability of the questionnaire was ascertained using Cronbach Alpha statistics which yielded an overall reliability coefficient of 0.74. Data collected was analyzed using mean and standard deviation. Results of the showed among other things that: social media has impact on providing effective alternative pathway to wider opportunities in education through distance education; has impact on providing life-long learning among universities. Based on the findings of the study, conclusion was made and various recommendations were put forward as well.

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Abstract

Traditional education has been conceived as an outdated and old way of training individuals in the society as a result of modernity, globalization and civilization. Nigeria as a nation that use education as a tool to achieve its national goals cannot afford to abandon its traditional way of educating its people for its merits that needs to be revisited. As long as education is conceived as cultivation of the natural powers of the mind for acquisition of skills through training and instruction, traditional education has a pride place in view of its collective and social activity, multidimensional nature in character and long-life process. Traditional education is philosophically founded based on preparationism, functionalism, communalism, perennialism and holisticism that are still relevant to Nigerian education system today. Despite its conservativeness, informal nature and rigidity the authors made a philosophical examination of African traditional education and recommend that, the School Curriculum in all learning institutions in Nigeria should be revisited critically to reflect the traditional aspirations of different ethnic groups found in Nigeria, Apprenticeship system of training young people should be revisited to produce persons who can take pride in their daily activities, Emphasis should always be on worthwhile activities of individual person even if it makes no meaning to others.

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Abstract

This paper examined education as a tool for poverty reduction in Nigeria: Poverty has been identified as a state of not having enough materials possessions or income for a person’s basic need. Poverty can have diverse psychological, social, economic and political causes and effect. There is a saying in America “One is poor only if he chooses to be”. This paper has presented some vital courses of poverty and effect of poverty in the society such as lack of decent home, poor food, hunger, mental health and lack of portable drinking water. Consequently, education as a tool for poverty reduction affects the society in many positive ways, among which are; inculcation of morality and ethics, acquire employment opportunities, finance management, management of household responsibilities, promoting good health and well-being. The paper therefore, recommended among others that government and its relevant agencies should embark on public enlightenment campaign to create awareness and understanding of the importance of education in Nigeria.

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Abstract

This study was carried out to identify poverty reduction through Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) in Nigeria. It reviews the significance of TVET, discusses poverty and its effects as well as the impact of poverty on TVET. The study addresses the factors affecting implementation of TVET programmes and it also explores how TVET can be used as a tool in reducing poverty and enhances development in Nigeria. The study also recommends that in order to combat the scourge of poverty in Nigeria; government should review vocational education policy to strengthen the development of the Nation.

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Abstract

The unemployment situation in Nigeria is a major driving force for extreme poverty, which leads to all sorts of social vices. This paper observed that the reason for this state of affairs is as a result of a dysfunctional educational system, a fall out from our past flawed colonial and immediate post-independence era. The paper sees the traditional education system as a functional education which promoted skill that makes the individuals self-reliant and productive. The traditional education was no doubt integrative, because it combined physical training with character building and manual activities. This paper examines the concept of education, so as to have a veritable background of bringing out the positive role of education in the society and the concept of poverty was looked at as a major theme of the study. This is because the paper aims at combating poverty through functional education which is believed could help to promote skill acquisition and wondered why the 6-3-3-4 system of education was abandoned in spite of its lofty ideals. This paper believes that through functional education, qualitative manpower would be increased which will create employment possibility and could enable individuals to live as responsible members of the society. The paper came to the conclusion with some recommendations for poverty reduction through functional means, such as; increase in the percentage of fund allocated to education, education in Nigeria laying emphasis on skill development, citizens cultivating the habit of entrepreneurial education, parents developing skills consciousness in their children, the revival of the 6-3-3-4 system of education which should be made more functional. Finally, the paper recommended government commitment to teachers’ welfare and supervision/monitoring of education programmes.

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Abstract

The success or failure of any educational system in the world largely depends on the teachers, for they are seen as the hub of educational system. There is therefore no doubt that the services of teachers in schools are indispensable and critical to the nation’s future, and the kind of individuals required of the society. Apparently, the issue of teacher-student relationship has become a prominent concern across various levels of education in Nigeria, in recency; specifically taking a conscientious view at the gargantuan record of failure of students, attitudes and exposure of graduates, directionlessness of the National Policy on Education, amongst others. The methods employed in this study include speculative, analytical and prescriptive methods. These methods were employed for the purpose of reflection, clarification of words and concepts, and prescription. The study further attempted an analysis of ‘In Loco Parentis’, semantically – for justification of meaning and clarification of purpose. The study argued for inclusion among teachers, students, parents, administrators, members of the community, and further stressed that education must be seen as what is worthwhile to those who are committed to it, that is, teachers, parents and learners. Also, the process and end-process of education must be seen as ‘meeting of minds’ and ‘personal encounter’, as rightly argued by R. S. Peters and Martin Buber.

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Abstract

One of the most prevalent problems in Nigeria is unemployment. It is a major cause of the high rate of crimes in Nigeria. On this note, this paper analyzed and highlighted the need to implement fully the secondary school curriculum on technical and vocational education as they are documented in the National Policy on Education. This paper also advocates that; (a) vocational courses that are studied in the vocational institutions, colleges of education, polytechnics and universities begin from upper basic class/primary and secondary schools. (b) Nigerian indigenous education, which is, skills acquisition/trades like carpentry, tailoring, plumbing, welding, soap making, barbing, weaving, painting, farming, carving, hair plaiting, dress making, gold washing, pottery making, dyeing etc be incorporated in the school curriculum and should have their roots and be studied from upper basic class/primary to secondary, up to university level. (c). Skills acquisition/trades introduced recently in the NYSC camp be equally integrated in the school system and be studied in the formal school setting. This paper among others discusses the danger and effects of unemployment in Nigerian society hence suggested that enough teachers should be trained and retrained to handle skill acquisition or trades to curb the problem of unemployment. Again, there should be collaboration between the universities, colleges of education and polytechnics in the promotion of technical studies in Nigerian institutions.

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Abstract

The paper focuses on peacebuilding education for children during ethnic conflict. During protracted violent conflict, school environments play a key role in children’s psychological, social, and emotional wellbeing. Therefore, the paper looks at the relationship among ethnicity, education, conflict, and peacebuilding. It also focuses on children’s ethnic socialization and distinguishes peacebuilding education from peace education. The paper further dwells on the nature and dynamics of violent ethnic conflict and education for peace programmes. In addition, the paper discusses the negative and positive faces of education in ethnic conflict and the goals of peacebuilding education. Guiding principles for peacebuilding education and guiding principles and the roles of external actors were discussed. Finally, the paper looked at ethnicity, peace education, conflict and peacebuilding; early childhood development and peace; educating former fighters; challenges of youth employment; education reform, and physical violence in schools.

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Abstract

This paper examined the state of security in Nigeria and its implications for education and by extension sustainable national development. Insecurity in Nigeria has reached alarming proportions as it is gradually becoming synonymous with the country. There are militant and secessionist groups in the south, and terrorists and armed bandits in the north. This situation has been fuelled by the increasing rate of unemployment and poverty, porous and unsecured borders, corruption and bad governance, lopsided distribution of wealth and development, as well as weak judicial system, among others. These have profound effects on the literacy rate, reduction of female enrolment and destruction of educational facilities or their conversion to centres for internally displaced persons. The implications of insecurity for the socio-economic development of Nigeria include loss of investment opportunities, political instability, brain-drain, production of uneducated and half-baked graduates to man the various sectors of the nation’s economy, etc. As part of measures to mitigate the ugly trend, some recommendations among others were made, such as formulation of policies to enhance the security architecture and promote job creation, strengthening of the judicial system to make it more effective, and improving on the standard of governance by entrenching the culture of probity and accountability.

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