ASSESSING SECONDARY SCHOOL GRADUATES’ ENROLLMENT INTOTECHNICAL AND VOCATIONAL EDUCATION COURSES IN COLLEGES OFEDUCATION IN ABIA STATE.

Abstract

The main aim of the study was to assess secondary school graduates enrollment into technical and vocational educations courses offered in Colleges of Education for employment creation in Abia State. Literature was extensively reviewed in relation to technical and vocational education courses of Colleges of Education, youth unemployment in Abia State and its specific objectives. The study made use of descriptive survey research design. Four research questions guided the study while the population for the study was made up of 600 secondary school graduates who participated in the 2023 West African Senior Secondary School Certificate Examination, W.A.S.S.C.E. across the three educational zones ofthe State. The questionnaire was structured to elicit the opinion of the respondents on the item statement based on a 4-point rating scale. Data collected were analyzed using mean, percentage and standard deviation. The respondents whose age ranged from 13 to 19 years belonged to all the religion in Nigeria. Most of them were not willing to choose any of the TVE courses offered in Colleges of Education as a career. While some students had a positive perception towards TVE course, others didn’t. The socio-demographic characteristics and family background, Parental status, background, perception and strategies significantly had a high influence on both the male and female graduates’ willingness to choose a TVE course as a career. The study recommended parents and teachers’ stimulation of students’ interest in TVE courses, provision of scholarship to TVE students, employment and grants to TVE graduates of Colleges of Education for employment creation.