Implementing Competency-Based Education and Training in Technical Colleges: A Realistic Approach to Producing Workforce for Sustainable Development

Abstract

This study focused on how the implementation of Competency-Based Education and Training (CBET) in Technical Colleges would help in producing skilled workforce for sustainable industrial development. Two research questions and two null hypotheses tested at .05 level of significance guided the study. The population of this study consisted of 168 TVET trainers in all the twelve Government Technical Colleges and Federal Science and Technical College (FSTC) in Anambra State. A purposive sampling technique was used to select 84 TVET trainers from six Technical Colleges including FSTC, Awka (56 Technical Teachers and 28 Instructors). A 24-item structured questionnaire tagged “Competency Based Education and Training Skills Questionnaire” (CBETSQ) was used for data collection. The instrument was validated and the reliability coefficient was established at 0.80 using Cronbach Alpha technique. Mean and standard deviation were used to answer the research questions while t-test statistics was used to analyze data from the null hypotheses at .05 level of significance. The study revealed among others, that TVET trainers have limited awareness and understanding of CBET concept hence they showed little knowledge of its use. Some challenges such as inadequate human and material resources occasioned by inadequate funding were found. It is therefore recommended that TVET Trainers and students should be inducted into CBET with adequate resources so as to enable Technical College graduates contribute to the national and industrial development of Nigeria.