Page 1 of 10

Journal for Studies in Management and Planning

Available at http://internationaljournalofresearch.org/index.php/JSMaP

e-ISSN: 2395-0463

Volume 01 Issue 11

December 2015

Available online: http://internationaljournalofresearch.org/ P a g e | 309

Functional Technical Vocational Education and Training

(Tvet): A Catalyst for Youth Empowerment and National

Security in Nigeria

Dr.T. C. Ogbuanya ; Obiajulu Loretta Obierika

1Department Of Vocational Technical Education, University Of Nigeria, Nsukka, Enugu State

2Department Of Building Technology Education, Federal College Of Education (Technical),

Asaba, Delta State

Togbuanya@Yahoo.Com ; Obiloretta@Gmail.Com

Abstract

Training in areas of Technical and

Vocational Education (TVE) is significantly

essential for social, political and economic

development of any nation. The potential role

which Technical Vocational Education and

Training (TVET) plays in providing practical

skills, basic and scientific knowledge and

attitudes which enhance individual usefulness

in the society cannot be quantified. It bridges

the gap between theoretical lessons taught in

the classroom and what is being practiced on

the job. A functional TVET programme is

capable of promoting youth empowerment,

national security and reducing

unemployment situation in the country. Based

on this premise, this paper discussed the state

of TVET and unemployment, the concept of

functional TVET, youth empowerment,

national security, TVET vis-a-viz youth

empowerment and national security, and

Government contribution to youth

empowerment. This paper concluded that

TVET is one of the most important

mechanisms for youth empowerment and

national security.

Keywords: Nigeria, Functional TVET,

Youth Empowerment, National Security.

Introduction

Education remains the best tool to

develop physical, mental and moral capability

of the youth so that he/she can

become a good, industrious and self reliant

individual in the society. UNESCO (2004)

observed that there are over 1 billion young

people between the ages of 15 – 24 in the

world today, which amounts to about 15.4%

of the total world's population. Also Ayuba

(2014) opined that since education is

considered the key to effective development

strategies, TVET must be the master key that

can alleviate poverty, promote peace,

conserve the environment, improve the

quality of life for all, and achieve national

sustainable development. UNESCO (2001)

viewed TVET as a comprehensive term

involving in addition to general education, the

study of technologies and related sciences,

and the acquisition of practical skills,

attitudes, understanding and knowledge

related to occupation in various sectors in

economic and social life. According to

Mclean and David (2009) technical and

vocational education and training (TVET) is

concerned with the acquisition of knowledge

and skills for the world of work, to increase

opportunities for productive empowerment

and socio-economic development in

knowledge, economics and rapidly changing

work environment. Oke, Adenle and

Shobowale (2010) also defined TVET as a

programme designed to impart theory and

practical training skills to the recipient. They

stated that the society needs more people to

Page 2 of 10

Journal for Studies in Management and Planning

Available at http://internationaljournalofresearch.org/index.php/JSMaP

e-ISSN: 2395-0463

Volume 01 Issue 11

December 2015

Available online: http://internationaljournalofresearch.org/ P a g e | 310

establish viable businesses that will help

cushion the adverse effect of mass

unemployment, early retiring of men and

women from services, abject poverty, and

violence.

Technical and vocational education

and training (TVET) has been recognized as

an impetus for economic development both

for the developed and developing countries of

the world. At a time when the shrinking job

market is a global phenomenon, TVET “ for

all” and “ for life” may provide an answer

to the growing unemployment, especially in a

developing country like Nigeria because of its

empowerment ability.

Adenle and Shobowale (2009) pointed

out that TVET exposes the learners to acquire

demonstrative skills that could be

transformed into economic benefits.

Youth empowerment is crucial to

sustainable national security, because when

youths are empowered by equipping them

with employable skills they will be engaged

and will eschew violence and embrace peace.

The term ‘ ’ youth’ ’ varies in its

significance and age range from culture to

culture. It may universally be defined as a

transitional concept. Adenle and Raheem

(2010) viewed youth as a very specific stage

between childhood and adulthood, when

people have to negotiate a complex interplay

of both personal and socio-economic changes

in order to manoeuvre the ‘ transition’ from

dependence to independence, take effective

control of their own lives and assume social

commitments. TVET as a vehicle for the

achievement of youth empowerment and

national security enables the youth to

appreciate the need for work and develop

appropriate attitudes towards work.

TVET can take place either in formal

schools (i.e. through secondary or technical

colleges), and increasingly in post-secondary

institutions or informally by means of

apprenticeship training at workplace and

increasingly by distant learning. Since the

primary objective of TVET programme is to

prepare individuals in a manner that enables

them acquire the necessary skills for paid job

or self employment in a specific occupation;

it has been acclaimed as one of the best

measures to provide employment

(Empowerment) to economically challenged

citizens worldwide. Uddin (2013) stated that

TVET is any form of education whose

primary purpose is to prepare beneficiaries

for gainful employment in an occupation or

group of occupations.

However the societal misconception

that TVET is meant for dropouts in academic,

or that it is mere arts and crafts, or typing and

office practice, has made TVET unpopular.

The main objectives of TVET in the National

Policy on Education (2004) is the inculcation

of practical and applied skills as well as basic

scientific knowledge in students for useful

living in the society. Ochu (2006) stated that

TVET of the populace is significant because

it plays the role of transforming the socio- economic status of any nation by inculcating

in the people sound knowledge, practical

skills, attitudes, and understanding with

which they can translate acquired knowledge

into real socio-economic transformation.

Inspite of the stated objective of

TVET in Nigeria, the country seemed

unprepared for it. This statement derived its

relevance from observations in the

educational system especially when you pay a

visit to any educational institution which

offers technical vocational education. In some

secondary schools, technical colleges,

colleges of education (technical),

polytechnics and even universities, workshop

buildings are not in existence let alone

equipment and training materials for

workshop practice. Even where there are

workshops, equipment and training materials,

the equipment are either obsolete or not

functioning at all.

The scenario above is in line with the

observation of Obierika (2014) who stated

that many of the technical/ vocational

institutions lacked workshops and

laboratories, and where workshops and

laboratories are available, there are no tools,

equipment and training materials to carry out

practicals. Where tools and equipment are

available they are obsolete and not at par with

what is obtainable in the real world of work.

Page 3 of 10

Journal for Studies in Management and Planning

Available at http://internationaljournalofresearch.org/index.php/JSMaP

e-ISSN: 2395-0463

Volume 01 Issue 11

December 2015

Available online: http://internationaljournalofresearch.org/ P a g e | 311

There is, therefore, a gap between the

objective of TVET as stated in the National

Policy on Education (2004) and what is

currently obtainable in our institutions. This

state of affairs has resulted in the rising rate

of graduate unemployment.

Gwadabe (2001) defined

unemployment as a situation where a person

is available, willing and able to work but

could not find a job in a government, private

sector or cannot be self-employed. In Nigeria

today employment opportunities have

apparently become elusive to many youths.

This situation is evident in the steady rate at

which graduates roam the streets and the

situation is made worse by the massive rural- urban drift in search of non-existent jobs. The

possession of a certificate from any of our

tertiary institutions can no longer guarantee

success in the job market. Yet each year, our

institutions of learning are turning out an

increasing number of graduates without

employment prospects. Nwosu (2004)

maintained that graduate unemployment is

deleterious to the social and economic health

of a nation.

Gojo (2010) stated that in recent

times, only 40% of graduates of tertiary

institutions across Nigeria are able to secure

paid jobs in public sector after five years of

graduation. This undoubtedly, is

counterproductive to the national security of a

nation. This awkward and monstrous trend

can effectively be stalled through functional

TVET in Nigeria.

It is pertinent to note that the

successful completion of an

effective/functional TVET programme

normally leads to vocational qualification that

is relevant to the labour market and

recognized by the relevant authorities and

employers in the country in which it is

obtained (UNESCO 2007). By implication,

TVET delivery system has the potential to

train and provide the skilled workforce that

the nation needs, and in the process create

employment for the youths, thereby

eradicating poverty, under-development,

technological backwardness and promote

national security (Audu, Karim and Balast

2013). Therefore the concern of this paper is

to discuss how functional TVET will serve as

a panacea for youth empowerment and

national security.

Functional TVET

Functional TVET is an essential tool

for youth empowerment and national security.

Uzuagulu (2004) explained that functionality

has to do with effectiveness, efficiency and

workability of something or organization.

According to him, a functional education

system must be effective in achieving it’ s set

goals. Also Asogwa (2004) stated that the

functionality of a system is the practicability

and usefulness of that system being very

suitable for the purpose it was set to achieve.

TVET as seen by FRN (2004) are

those aspects of the educational processes

involving the study of technologies and

related sciences and the acquisition of

practical skills, attitudes, understanding and

knowledge relating to occupations in various

sectors of the economic and social life.

Therefore, functional TVET is an education

(formal or informal) requiring hand-on- experiences/skills acquired by

students/trainees as a result of their exposure

to the use of tools, machines, equipment and

training materials in workshops and

laboratories while learning a trade, craft or

other practical vocations.

Functional and responsive

TVET is made possible when there is

availability of well built workshops and

laboratories, provision of tools, machines and

equipment that are relevant, training materials

as well as competent instructors to teach the

required skills. Also, provision of constant

electric power supply is needed to power the

machines and equipment. This is because the

availability of workshops, laboratories, tools

machines, equipment, training materials and

competent instructors will not avail much

without electric power supply.

Youth Empowerment

A youth can be regarded as an individual

between adolescent age and adulthood and