Empowering Female Undergraduates with Technical and Vocational Education Training Skills (TVETS) to Overcome Social Economic Challenges in Tertiary Institutions in Rivers State
Ukata, Philip Festus1
1Department of Office Technology and Management, Captain Elechi Amadi Polytechnic, Nigeria
Silas-Dikibo, I. Deborah2
2Department of Office Technology and Management, School of Business and Administrative Studies, Captain Elechi Amadi Polytechnic, Nigeria
Abstract
This study, titled “Empowering Female Undergraduates with Technical and Vocational Education Training Skills (TVETS) to Overcome Socioeconomic Challenges in Nigeria,” was prompted by the insufficient focus on women’s education. The study was led by two research topics and formulated three null hypotheses. A descriptive survey research design was employed. The population consisted of 79 TVETS lecturers, and a census sampling technique was utilized. A questionnaire with four response alternatives was employed for data collection and evaluated by three specialists. The instrument’s dependability was determined using Cronbach’s alpha, resulting in coefficients of 0.80 and 0.81. The mean was employed to address the study issues, while one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and t-tests were utilized to evaluate the null hypotheses at a significance level of 0.05. The findings indicated that female undergraduates necessitate empowerment in technical and vocational education training skills to effectively surmount socioeconomic problems, and the imperative for such empowerment is significant. It was determined that if female undergraduates are sufficiently equipped with technical and vocational education training skills in tertiary institutions, they will attain the necessary employability skills to secure job, generate income, and address socio-economic concerns. It was advised that Nigeria should sufficiently finance TVETS to provide its female residents with lifetime, in-demand skills for the evolving workforce. Funding must be steady, maintained, and potentially derived from several sources beyond government handouts to ensure sustainable national growth.
Keywords: Empowering, female undergraduates, technical and vocational education training skills, social economic challenges.
Impact Statement
The study, “Empowering Female Undergraduates with Technical and Vocational Education Training Skills (TVETS) to Overcome Social Economic Challenges in Tertiary Institutions in Rivers State”, has impacted positively by revealing that if female students received high-quality training in (TVETS) areas like Technical skills, Agricultural skills, Domestic skills and ICT skills, social-economic challenges such as poverty, armed bandits, kidnapping, youth restlessness, hooliganism, prostitution, early marriage, and high levels of marginalisation faced by female undergraduates will be solved. The study also impacted positively by revealing that there will be a very high degree of success of over-coming social-economic issues by equipping female students with (TVETS) with emphasis on employment opportunities, wealth creation, and poverty alleviation among others. Furthermore, the study has impacted by providing a remedial data for stakeholders to handle the social economic challenges identified as recommendations, and filled a gap in the body of knowledge as well served a source of information to new researchers in different areas.
About The Author
Philip Festus Ukata is from Isiodum Town in Andoni Local Government Area of Rivers State, Nigeria. He is a holder of Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Education with specialty in Secretarial Administration Option from Rivers State University of Science and Technology, Master of Education in Business Education from Rivers State University and Doctor of Philosophy in Business Education with Domain in Office Technology and Management from Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Anambra State, Nigeria. Dr. Philip has Diploma in Computer, including seven (7) other related technical certificates of his degrees such Advanced Digital on Statistical Package for Social Sciences, Basic Digital Skill Training, Desktop Publishing and Web Design Fundamental, Entrepreneurship Instructor, Health Safety and Environment Competency Development, General Health.
Dr. Philip is a certified teacher with skills in teaching below, average and above age learners. He is currently a lecturer at the department of Office Technology and Management, Captain Elechi Amadi Polytechnic, Rivers State Nigeria. He is a member of the following eight (8) different professional bodies; 1. Teacher Registration Council of Nigeria, 2. Association of Vocational and Technical Education of Nigeria, 3. Association of Business Educators of Nigeria, 4. European Centre for Research Training and Development, UK, 5. Institute of Strategic Management of Nigeria, 6. Association of Business Specialists and Entrepreneurs of Nigeria, 7. National Agency for Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons and Other Related Offences, and 8. Fellow, Institute of Policy Management Development, Nigeria.
He has diligently as a single and co-author published fifty-three (53) articles in learned local, national and international journals with over 70 percent of them accessible in Google Scholar and Researchgate. He has ten (10) chapters of books contributions, and five (5) single author books, two were sponsored by Federal Government of Nigeria (Tertiary Education Trust Fund, TETfund). One of his books had been translated into French, German, Italian, Spanish, Dutch, Polish, Portuguese and Russian) (Selling Online). He has twenty-seven (27) presented conference papers to his credit, attended six (6) workshops and have presented five (5) keynote papers in the recent times. He has 17 years educational industry experiences, lectured educational related courses for over ten years, conducted three (3) major research in the related areas, and have won two research (2) grants from Federal Government of Nigeria (Tertiary Education Trust Fund, TETfund) in 2022 and work as a team member for two research grants. He is an Editorial Board member of five (5) online and offline journals and a Blinded Peer Reviewer of fifteen (15) different journals. Furthermore, Philip Festus Ukata has won seven different awards.
He has served in the following eleven different positions as a Peer Reviewer, Port Harcourt Polytechnic Academic Research Journal, Editorial Board Secretary, Port Harcourt Polytechnic Academic Research Journal, Member Journal Committee, Sch. of Bus. & Admin. Studies, Depart. of Office Tech. & Mgt. Evaluation and Accreditation Team Member, PORTPOLY/OTM Department Paint Making/Painting Coordinator, Member, OTM Studio Evaluation and Report Committee, Examination/Results Computation Officer of Office Technology & Mgt. Depart, Entrepreneurship Book Resource Person for Port Harcourt Polytechnic, Entrepreneurship Liaison Officer, Library Officer for Office Technology and Management Department and Departmental Secretary of Office Technology and Management Department.
Outside the Polytechnic, Dr. Philip Festus Ukata as been promoted to the post of Christ Ambassador by Brotherhood of the Cross & Star (BCS), Financial Secretary, Association Business Educators of Nigeria, Rivers State, Administrator, Elelenwo Bethel of the Brotherhood of the Cross and Star from 2019 till date with track records, Chairman General Fellowship, Elelenwo Bethel of the BCS, General Secretary, Association of Brotherhood Academic Scholars, Rivers State Chapter, President, National Agency for Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons &Other Related Offences, President, Association of Brotherhood Academic Scholars, Rivers State University of Science and Technology, General Secretary, Isiodum Development Committee, General Secretary, Isiodum Development Association, President, Isiodum Decent Committee of Friends, General Secretary, Isiodum Youth Council and General Secretary, Andoni Area of the Brotherhood of the Cross and Star. Because of great passion for humanity, Dr. Philip Festus Ukata suretied and Guaranteed 25 newly admitted students of different tribes worth (N 1, 375,000.00) who had no money to pay their school fees and were restricted from writing examination during the 2022/2023 academic session, and the students were allowed. His Excellency, Christ Ambassador Philip Festus Ukata is a High Priest and an Administrator of high repute with track records in Brotherhood of the Cross and Star. He is married to Blessed Mother Itoro Philip Festus Ukata with two children.
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