Vocational and Technical Education in Nigeria, 1946-1983

Abstract

The level of unemployment in Nigeria is extremely high. Not less than 23 million youths are jobless in a country with abundant and rich opportunities. One of the reasons for this ugly situation is due to the increasing number of youths without vocational and technical skills. Therefore, the relevance of vocational education in a country such as Nigeria is not in doubt. Ironically, hundreds of youths prefer university education with a false hope of securing white-collar jobs after graduation, while several of them are eager to travel out of the country. This study, therefore, examines a history of vocational and technical education in Nigeria between 1946 and 1983, with a view to understanding the gap between technical education and national development i n N i g e r i a . T h e p a p e r i d e n t i f i e s unemployment as a major challenge hindering national development in the country; and argues that the latter would remain an illusion until technical and vocational education is prioritized. Archival records coupled with other primary and secondary source materials were utilized to carry out the study.