RHEMA UNIVERSITY JOURNAL OF MANAGEMENT AND SOCIAL SCIENCES

This study examines the benefits and challenges of implementing technical and vocational education programmes in Rivers State. Technical and vocational education equips learners with practical skills, entrepreneurial abilities, and knowledge that support employability, self-reliance, and economic growth. Despite its importance, implementation challenges often undermine expected outcomes, creating a gap between training and labour market demands. A descriptive survey design was used to investigate teachers’ and students’ perceptions across four Government Technical Colleges and seven Government Craft Development Centres. A sample of 532 respondents was selected using proportional stratified random sampling, and data were collected through a validated questionnaire, interviews, and documentary review. Mean scores and percentages were used to answer the research questions, while z-test and t-test statistics tested the hypotheses at the 0.05 level of significance. Findings showed that respondents agreed that TVE provides essential benefits, including functional education for self-reliance, preparation for adulthood, economic development, creativity, risk management, and skill acquisition. These align with national and international views on TVE as a tool for youth empowerment and industrial development. However, the study also revealed several challenges, notably inadequate funding, lack of equipment and materials, insufficient qualified manpower, negative societal perception, and low student interest. These obstacles restrict programme effectiveness and hinder students’ ability to acquire relevant practical skills. Hypothesis testing indicated no significant differences in perceptions between students of technical and vocational institutions, and between teachers across the two school types. The uniformity of responses suggests that the benefits and challenges are systemic across institutions. These insights underline the need for targeted interventions to strengthen programme delivery, improve facilities, enhance public perception, and support students in acquiring employable skills.