Mechanisms for improving manpower production in Vocational and Technical Education

Abstract

This study was designed to identify mechanisms for improving the quantity and quality of manpower production in vocational and technical education in Kogi state. Four research questions and hypotheses guided the study. Thestudy was carried out in Kogi state of Nigeria and the areas of study specifically are technical colleges, secondary schools, polytechnics and industries. Population of the study comprised two hundred (200) technology education teachers and seventy - five industrial personnel drawn from the area of study. A 30 - item questionnaire was used tocollect the relevant data. The research questions and hypotheses were analyzed using mean standard deviation and t-test statistics. The hypotheses were tested at 0.05 level of significance. The results from the data showed that technology teachers and head of technical departments and units from the industries shared similar views with (30or 73. 4%) of the mechanisms proposed. Specifically, it discovered that there is no strong tie between industries andtraining intuitions, students industrial work experience scheme is haphazardly organized, the training facilities and entrants into the training institutions are poor and the administration of these training institutions were left in the hands of non-vocational educators. Based on the findings, it was recommended, that government should immediately conduct a national survey on manpower needs in vocational and technical education, remunerations of technical teachers should he reviewed urgently; industries should go into partnership with training institutions indrawing tip a training programmes and government should liaise with industries to ensure the remittance of 5% oftheir annual profit for the development of technical education.