Gender Inequality in the Performance of Bricklaying and Blocklaying Practical Skills among Technical College Students in Niger State, Nigeria

Abstract

This study was designed to determine the gender difference in the performance of Bricklaying and Blocklaying practical skills among the National Technical Certificate (NTC) III Boys and Girls in Niger state. Three research questions and three hypotheses guided the study. An experimental research design was employed for the study. The study was carried out in Government Technical College Minna, Federal Science and Technical College, Shiroro, Government Technical College Kontagora and Suleiman Barau Technical College, Suleja. A total of 24 respondents comprising 12 female and 12 male students were used as population of the study. A developed instrument for assessing student manipulative skills in bricklaying and blocklaying practices (IASMSBBP) at technical colleges’ level was used for data collection. The reliability coefficient of the instrument was 0.88 and could therefore serve as a comprehensive instrument for determining the gender difference in the performance of Bricklaying and Blocklaying practical skills among NTC III Boys and Girls students. Cronbach Alpha, Mean and Standard Deviation were used as the statistical tools to analyze the data, while t- test statistic was employed to test the three null hypotheses of the study at 0.05 level of significance. The findings of the study revealed that the male students performed better in bonding task (Flemish bond,) arch construction and construction of fire place and chimney stack task than the female students. It was recommended that Teachers should ensure effective teaching and learning and acquisition of practical skills in bricklaying and blocklaying among the male and female students in order to generate in them the much desired motivation in building technology and thereby increase their aptitude, interest, attitude and ultimately achievement in their practical skills and Females students should work conscientiously to achieve equity for males and free themselves from stereotyping roles.