Technical Education and the Drive for Improved Human Capacity Building in Nigeria

The study focused on technical education and the drive for human capacity building in Nigeria, with specific emphasis on developing template that addresses poverty, unemployment and inequality in our society. The broad aim is to assess the quality and relevance of technical education in Nigeria. However, one of the specific objectives includes identifying the factor contributing to reasons why graduates from Nigeria’s tertiary education. This objective is obviously core to our investigation and research. No doubt, absence of technical education and skills acquisition has plethora consequences in many sectors of the economy, and unemployment, poverty and inequality have been linked to lack of skills acquisition by youths especially for a country that want growth and development. Knowledge based economy is driven by techniques, talent, skills, innovation and technology. We have adopted primary source of data collection to enable qualitative and robust analysis of data, discussion of findings and ensure robust recommendations. Two theories were adopted for intellectual interrogation. Human capital theory {by Garry and Theodore} and Constructivist theory {by Jean and Lev}. These theories emphasized the need ensure teaching and learning processes focus essentially on skills acquisition programmes. While human capital development theory on the one hand examined the consequences of vocational education in human capital development, ignoring other sectors of the economy, constructivist theory emphasizes of the implications of human capital development on all the sectors of the economy and suggests constructive measures of combating the inequality, poverty and unemployment in our society. The study found that, rise in unemployment from graduate from tertiary education weaken the social fabrics, nation norms, identity and norms, thereby creating backlash and retrogressive mood in the growth and development of tertiary education in Nigeria. Arising from the discussions so far, the study recommends that, vocational training and skills acquisition should not be treated with outer levity. Emphasis should be intentional and consideration.