Published Article

The ultimate goal of teaching-learning process in vocational/technical education is to ensure that technical potentials, attitudes and skills are appropriately channeled by professionally qualified teachers to the students using tools/equipment as effective aids. This study identifies and examines the weaknesses and success strategies of tools/equipment utilization in vocational/technical institutions in Nigeria. An instrument which comprised of 80 items entitled “Weaknesses and Success Strategies of Tools/Equipment Utilization in Vocational/Technical Institutions in Nigeria” (WSCTEUVTIN) was developed to evaluate 65 randomly selected public-owned technical institutions in Nigeria using professionally qualified technical/vocational teachers as respondents with mean, standard deviation, factor and correlation analyses used as analytical tools. These study findings revealed budgetary problems, obsolete machines/spares, internal disputes or conflicts, and insufficient programme planning duration were identified as major weaknesses while effective risk/uncertainties management plan, improved technical personnel capabilities and efficient orientation/standard compliance, transparent government commitment/support were equally identified as major success strategies necessary in the effective and efficient utilization of tools/equipment in technical institutions in Nigeria. The study further indicated significant correlations between variables which constitutes weaknesses and the success strategies of tools/equipment utilization. The outcome of the study could be of significant value to stakeholders in education department/agencies/parastatals on concise modalities and approach of securing and utilizing sophisticated tools/equipment in technical/vocational workshops for the development skilled manpower nationwide.