Assessment of the Effectiveness of Skill Acquisition Centers in Training Youths for Self-Employment in Niger State

Abstract

This paper assessed the effectiveness of skill acquisition centers in training youths for self employment in Niger state. The study was a survey research in which data was collected with the use of a 30 items questionnaire on a population of 158 respondents purposively sampled from National Directorate of Employment (NDE) skill acquisition centers for youths in Minna, Suleja and Bida towns. The data were analyzed using mean and standard deviation on a 4-point scale. While z-test was used to test the null hypotheses at .05 level of probability. Findings of the study revealed that: a number of programmes are put place in skill acquisition centers but faced several challenges in terms of effective implementation. The study found that the small amount of salaries paid to master trainers plus the irregularities and delay in payment reduces motivation to teach skills; poor monitoring, supervision and pedagogical competence in terms of instructional delivery of skills; poor funding and misappropriation of training funds plus disregards to the needs of the informal sector; erratic power supply; poor technical and vocational education level of master trainers or facilitators; and non existence of a standardized document to guide programme implementation, operation and certification; are among the major challenges faced by skill acquisition centers in training youths for self employment in Niger state. The study recommended standardizing programme implementation, operation and certification at skill acquisition centers; developing a concrete and workable curriculum for teaching skills; and adequate funding of NDE youths training programmes at all levels of governance in Nigeria.