Technical and Vocational Education as a Tool for Poverty Alleviation in Ethiope East Local Government Area, Delta State, Nigeria

The study is survey research with focus on technical and vocational education as a tool for poverty alleviation in Ethiope East Local Government Area, Delta State, Nigeria. In pursuance of this objective four research questions were raised. Using random sampling technique 240 students in senior secondary school (SS 2) were selected for the study from six randomly selected secondary school in Ethiope East Local Government Area, Delta State, Nigeria. A structured questionnaire titled Technical and Vocational Education as a Tool for Poverty Alleviation in Questionnaire (TVETPAQ) were used for data collection. Research questions were analyzed using frequency tables and mean scores with criterion mean of 2.50 and above were set for acceptance of technical and vocational education as a tool for poverty alleviation. The result of the analysis revealed that vocational and technical education is skill-oriented and employment motivated, and it is very obvious that vocational education is an indisputable means of reducing poverty in our society. This can be achieved through the acquisition of the relevant vocational and technical skills, knowledge and abilities required for work (either paid employment or self-employment) However, the means of acquiring this skills, knowledge and abilities are either lacking or in short supply due to some inhibiting factors. Some of these inhibiting factors to poverty reduction through vocational education and information technology are lack of proper vocational guidance, negative public attitude towards vocational and technical education, inadequate provision of basic infrastructure/facilities/workshops, inadequate funding of vocational education, inadequate and ill-equipped vocational and technical education teachers, and irregular review of the curriculum of vocational and technical education to reflect the realities of modern work environment. However, these problems can be transformed to better opportunities if stakeholders develop a frame work to further widen the prospects of technical and vocational education.