TECHNICAL AND VOCATIONAL EDUCATION AND TRAINING, YOUTH EMPOWERMENT, CHALLENGES AND IMPLICATIONS FOR NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Abstract

The study was carried out on Technical and Vocational Education and Training, youth empowerment, challenges and implications for national development, using Warri South, Uvwie and Udu Local Government Areas respectively as the study area.  The population was 1,821 youths whose names and data are registered at the Youth Secretariat in each of the three local government areas, and the sample was 910.  Structured questionnaire validated by experts in TVET and measurement and evaluation was used to collect data for the study.  The reliability of the instrument was determined using the Cronbach Alpha technique which yielded a coefficient of 0.87. Data collected were analysed using a 3 x 4 Contingency Tables to answer the research questions and Chi-square analysis to test the hypotheses at 0.05 level of significance. The study found that there are some challenges such as inadequate funding and inadequate infrastructural facilities confronting TVET with regard to its role in empowering the youths for national development. Other findings include the absence of a level play ground for the youths to be empowered, policies of exclusion instead of inclusion and indigeneity instead of citizenship.  The study, therefore, recommends re-engineering of TVET, provision of adequate funding and the provision of adequate infrastructural facilities for both TVET and the youths for the purpose of skill acquisition, checking of corruption so that the nation can be able to meet the needs of the youths for national development and  reform of TVET curriculum.