Alleviating Poverty Through Vocational Education: The Nigerian Experience

Abstract

The paper examined the poverty situation in Nigeria and in some African countries. The population of Nigerians surviving on less than one dollar a day was calculated to be 70.2 percent. Nigeria has other socio-economic peculiarities such as inflation and corruption. These have worsened the incidence and level of poverty in Nigeria. Vocational education even though it prepares individuals for gainful employment, it has had little or no positive impact on the poverty status of Nigerians. Graduates of vocational schools undergo further training before they are employed in industries or companies. Those who open their own businesses make meagre income as such, they have not been able to raise their living standards. The paper concludes that well-articulated vocational education policy and programmes will assist in employment generations and poverty reduction in Nigeria.

Keywords: Alleviating Poverty, Vocational Education, Nigerian Experience

Journal of Technology and Education in Nigeria Vol. 10 (2) 2005: pp. 10-14