STRENGTHENING THE ROLE OF VOCATIONALAND TECHNICAL EDUCATION IN SUSTAINABLE INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT OF RIVERS STATE

DR. EKE, FELIX CHIMA
Abstract
The economic competitiveness of a country depends on the skills of its workforce. This inturn
depends upon the quality of the country’s education and training systems. Vocational and
technical education provide knowledge, develop skills and inculcate attitudes, which are
necessary for entry into and progressin occupations. It is perceived as one of the crucial elements
in enhancing economic productivity. As stool for addressing the economic, political and social
crises that are threatening the socio-economic stability of many nations; schools should prepare
and supply future workforce with appropriate knowledge and skills to enhance productivity and
therefore promote economic growth and development. Rising unemployment, inadequate
skilled workforce, high dropout rates, and the changing demographic nature of the workforce has
placedthe issue of vocational and technical education on the education reform agenda. Thus, a
broad based education is required in the new economic environment where vocational and
technicaleducation is expected to produce knowledgeable, skilled and motivated workforce. A
review of the current state of vocational and technical education and its perceived roles in
sustainable industrial development if successfully strengthened and adapted in South-Eastern
Nigeria wasexplored. It was recommended that government and her agencies need to be more
proactive rather than reactive in responding to human resource needs through the allocation of
adequatefundsto upgrade, expand andmaintain vocational and technical education.
Keywords: Strengthening, Vocational, Technical Education and Sustainable Industrial
Development.

Introduction
Vocational and technical education prepare trainees for jobs that are based on manual or
practical activities, traditionally non-academic, and totally related to a specific trade, occupation
or vocation. It is sometimes referred to as technical education as the trainees directly develop
expertise in a particular group of techniques or technology. Vocational and technical education
may be classified as teaching procedural knowledge, which may be at the secondary or postsecondary level and can interact with the apprentice system (Wikipedia, 2011).