Pay to download STRATEGIES FOR IMPROVING MAINTENANCE OF LABORATORIES AND EQUIPMENT OF VOCATIONAL AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION FOR EFFECTIVE SERVICE DELIVERY IN TERTIARY INSTITUTIONS
Abstract
This study was conducted to identify the strategies for effective and efficient maintenance of laboratories and equipment in vocational and technical tertiary institutions for the desired goal in teaching and leaning. Survey design was employed in the study. Two research questions and two null hypotheses were used. The population was made up of 115 vocational and technical education lecturers and technologists in tertiary institutions in Delta State. The instrument used for data was a questionnaire which was validated with a reliability coefficient of 0.86. The arithmetic mean were used to answer the research questions while the t-test was used to test the hypotheses at 0.05 level of significance. The findings revealed that there is poor maintenance culture in vocation and technical education laboratories and equipment in tertiary institutions. The study identifies the purpose of maintenance and came up with strategies/recommendations on how to promote good maintenance culture for effective service delivery in vocational technical education in tertiary institution in Delta State of Nigeria.
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
Over the years Nigeria as a nation has been making effort to be advanced and industrialized like other nations in the world, in terms of robust economy, science and technology as well as high standard of living. In countries like United States of America. Great Britain, China and Germany, there are massive industrialization, advanced science and technology, massive employment and high income per capital as well as reduction in poverty rate among the populace. Against this background, Nigeria in 1987 decided to introduce vocational and technical education into the National Policy on education as a road map to socio-economic greatness.
Vocational and technical education is an educational training which encompasses knowledge, skills competencies, structural, activities, abilities, capabilities and all other experiences acquired through formal, on the job or off the job which are capable of enhancing recipients and creating opportunity for securing job (Okolocha, 2006). The Federal Republic of Nigeria (2004) outlined the goals of Vocational and Technical Educa tion (VTE) in the National Policy on Education document as follows:
To be able to achieve this goal of vocational technical education, there must be adequate instructional facilities such as laboratories and equipment for the teachings and learning of vocational and technical education skills, knowledge and competencies at the tertiary level. vocational and technical education include training in engineering such as Electrical, Mechanical, Welding and Fabrication, Agricultural, science laboratory, computer science, other courses include office technology, food technology hospitality, business administration, accountancy etc. These courses are taught at colleges of education, polytechnic and universities.
Since these courses require high level of practical skills acquisition, there is need for functional workshops or laboratories. Laboratories in VTE may not be properly financed or funded, but there is a need for appropriate maintenance culture to be practiced in the laboratory for sustainable acquisition of practical skills. This study, therefore, intends to identify the strategies for improving maintenance of laboratories and equipment of vocational and technical education for effective service delivery in tertiary institutions.
Statement of the Problem
One of the principal roles of vocational technical education institutions is to promote skill acquisition among the youth through training. This is a sure step towards achieving the goals of vocational technical education. Skill acquisition leads to self-reliance and self employment among graduates of vocational technical education. Uzoagulu (1993) opined that manipulative skills can not be effectively impacted theoretically and that laboratories, equipment and tools are very much required in the training for practical skill acquisition.
Ogbuanya (2004) observed that the government in realization of the importance of tools, equipment and laboratories in skill training and scientific knowledge has provided funds for tools, equipment and laboratories at the secondary and tertiary institutions in Nigeria.
Inspite of the huge financial commitment of government in the provision of laboratories, tools and equipment, Anyakoha (1992) stated that these equipment, tools and laboratories lack maintenance. The unfortunate and regrettable state of equipment tools and laboratories have been attributed to inability of the operators to apply preventive and total maintenance culture as at when due, on the equipment tools and laboratories. This paper intends to address the problem of poor maintenance culture in vocational technical education institutions at the tertiary level.
The problem of this study is therefore to identify the required strategies that will enhance and promote high maintenance culture of laboratories, workshops and equipment in vocational technical education at tertiary level.
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