The Constraints of Expanding Access to Technical Education for Socio Economic Inclusion in Rivers State, Nigeria

Abstract

The study examined the constraints of expanding access to technical education for socio economic inclusion in Rivers State, Nigeria. Specifically, the study investigated the material and human resource and pedagogical constraints of expanding access to technical education for socio economic inclusion in Rivers State, Nigeria. Three research questions and hypotheses were answered and tested at a .05 level of significance. The study adopted a descriptive survey design. The population of the study comprised an estimated population of 89 male and 14 female technical education lecturers in Rivers State. The population was manageable, therefore, the entire population was used for the study without sampling. A self-made survey questionnaire was used for data collection. The instrument was structured in the pattern of a Likert 5-point rating scale of agreement. The instrument was face validated by two experts in the Department of technical education in Federal College of Education (Technical), Omoku in Rivers State. The reliability of the instrument was established with Cronbach Alpha Reliability Coefficient, which gave a reliability coefficient of .94. Copies of the instrument were administered and retrieved by the researchers within a week of administration. Mean and Standard deviation were used to answer the research questions and to ascertain the homogeneity of responses. This was presented with bar chart. On the other hand, z-test was used to test the hypotheses. The study found among others that insufficient or aging facilities, lack of suitable equipment or tools, insufficient funding for supplies or facilities, lack of competent lecturers or trainers, inadequate training for lecturers, lack of incentives for lecturers, outdated curriculum or syllabus, insufficient assessment or evaluation methods and ineffective teaching methods and strategies are the material, human and pedagogical constraints of expanding access to technical education for socio economic inclusion in Rivers State. Therefore, it was recommended among others that technical education curriculum should be innovated to include modern skills that will equip students for job opportunities in modern industries.