VOCATIONAL AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION: A TOOL FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT IN NIGERIA

Abstract

According to the National Policy on Education (NPE), it is defined Vocational and Technical education (VTE) as that aspect of education that leads to the acquisition of practical and applied skills as well as basic scientific knowledge. In this sense, it forms a practical segment of education that involves skill acquisition. The paper discussed the concept of VTE, its objectives as well as relevance of vocational and technical education towards sustainable development. It also discussed the challenges of VTEand came up with some recommendations in order to achieve sustainable development in Nigeria among which are: government should provide an enabling environment for graduates of higher institutions to practice what they have learnt in school (i.e the skills they have acquired). This can be made possible by providing them a sort of grant for take-off and that Skills acquisition proficiency should be a pre-requisite for graduation in higher institutions. In other words, any graduating student that has not mastered skills in any vocation should not be allowed to graduate.