BRIDGING THE IMPLEMENTATION GAP IN TECHNICAL VOCATIONAL EDUCATION AND TRAINING POLICY FOR NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Abstract

This paper examines the implementation gap in Technical Vocational Education and Training policy from the National Policy of Education which is broader in scope than the TVET policy. In spite of several efforts by government through her different policies to make the Nigerian educational system more functional, there are still growing concerns among education stakeholders and industrialist that graduates from our Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) educational institutions lack adequate practical background and relevant job related skills for employment in industries. It was discovered through literatures that gap exist in the implementation of TVET specifically in areas that formulates skills development policies to engage all stakeholders in: setting a common vision of the skills system that a country aims to build; facilitating an alignment with national development framework and coherence with other policies; proposing coordinated and planned actions and reforms for improving outcome and impact of training; clarifying institutional arrangements for the skills system; anchoring existing good practices; and pledging political and collective will and commitment while clarifying roles and responsibilities of stakeholders as declared by International Labour Organization (ILO). Therefore, from the reviews, ways on how to bridge these gaps were proffered among others which includes the re-definition of TVET and deliberate implementation framework for TVET and the target group.