Effective Management of Tertiary Education in Nigeria as a Panacea to Good Governance and National Security

Tertiary education is widely accepted in Nigeria today as a form of investment in human capital development that yields economic benefits and contributes significantly to the nation’s future wealth and development by increasing the productive and consumptive capacity of the citizens. Tertiary education equips the individual with relevant knowledge, skills and attitudinal orientation required to progress in one’s chosen career in life and contribute meaningfully to the economic growth and security of the nation, through purposeful governance. Ironically, tertiary education in Nigeria today is facing myriads of problems. Effective management of the tertiary education entails that the administrators of the tertiary institutions must identify these critical problems and harness judiciously available resources towards alleviating them. Effective management of tertiary education in Nigeria as a panacea for good governance and national security depends greatly upon the quality and quantity of all resources earmarked for this level of education, by all its stakeholders as well as prudential management of the resources.

PROFESSIONALIZATION OF TEACHING THROUGH FUNCTIONAL TEACHER EDUCATION IN NIGERIA

This paper specifically focuses on professionalization of teaching profession through functional Teacher Education in Nigeria. The first part of the paper examines the concept of teaching, professionalization and functional Teacher education in Nigeria. The second aspect examines the strategies for professionalization of teaching in Nigeria. The third aspect focuses on the problems of professionalization of teaching in Nigeria. The paper is concluded with the implication of professionalization of teaching through functional teacher education

A Viable Entrepreneurship Education as an Antidote for Eradication of Poverty and Unemployment Among Youths in Nigeria

Nigeria is passing through a period of uncertainty and pervasive economic recession which has further aggravated the problem of poverty and unemployment among Nigerian youths. These jobless youths take solace in all form of atrocities and social vices that pose a serious threat to sustainable development of the nation. This research took a cursory look at the concepts of poverty, youth unemployment and viable entrepreneurship education. It highlighted the lofty objectives of viable entrepreneurship education in Nigeria. The various factors responsible for poverty and youth employment in Nigeria were identified. Attention was also directed to the role of viable entrepreneurship education in eradicating poverty and youth unemployment in Nigeria. Based on the findings, it was recommended, among others, that the curriculum of educational institutions in Nigeria should be more pragmatic and have built-in-job training programmes which would enable all students to acquire relevant entrepreneurial skills required for self-employment, job and wealth creation and poverty eradication

Practicable Vocational and Entrepreneurial Skills Acquisition for job Creation and Poverty Alleviation Among Nigerian Youths

Purpose:  This study examined the concepts of poverty, youth unemployment and vocational and entrepreneurial skills acquisition. It also identified the various factors responsible for poverty and youth unemployment in Nigeria. It highlighted the rationale for Nigerian youths to acquire vocational and entrepreneurial skills for self-reliance, income generation, wealth creation and employment generation for others.   Theoretical Framework: The aim of  vocational and entrepreneurial skills acquisition is to make it practicable in order to drive and deliver the purpose of job creation and poverty alleviation among Nigerian youths. Making it more practicable achieves the driving force to creating economic values and creative business engagements by Nigerians. The focus also provides job opportunities for the teeming Nigerian youths, channels their future to productive activities and turn to make poverty and unemployment to be things of the past if the practicability is achieved through entrepreneurial activities.   Design/Methodology/Approach:  The study adopted the mode of conducting literature review and conceptualization of the variables and x-rayed the  reasons for poverty and unemployment and deepen how the social problems can be identified and reduced to the barest minimum in Nigeria.   Findings: Our findings revealed there is serious poverty and unemployment in Nigeria. It as well suggest that it is of valuable and useful direction to promote practicable skills acquisition among Nigerian youths and that the curricula of Nigerian educational institutions should be more pragmatic and have built-in-job training programmes that would enable students to acquire relevant practicable vocational and entrepreneurial skills required for self-employment, job and wealth creation and poverty alleviation. While all stakeholders should be actively involved in the funding of vocational and entrepreneurship education.   Research, Practical & Social implications: This study in its focus contributes to a better understanding of the important role being played by entrepreneurial skills acquisition in achieving practicable vocational skills and to develop entrepreneurial attitudes of Nigerian youths  that will form the economic growth of the country through their engagements and make them employers of labour through their acquired practicable vocational skills acquisition to better the society. This study also contributes to a better understanding of the causes of the menace which therefore proffers solution to tackling the problem of poverty among Nigerian youths through the provision of a viable, robust, comprehensive and practical-oriented vocational and entrepreneurship education.  It also expressed how the collective responsibility of all prominent Nigerians could be keyed-into supporting entrepreneurship programmes in Nigeria in the area of funding of vocational and entrepreneurship education in Nigeria which both Government at Federal, State and Local Government levels and the Non-Govermental Organisations (NGOs).   Originality/value: The added value of this study provides insights on how vocational entrepreneurial skills acquisition programmes can be practicable effective in a way to structure the future of Nigerian youths and citizens for productive economic activities. It is as well sought how poverty and unemployment can be reduced and make citizens focus for economic growth and self-dependence businesses

Youth Empowerment Programmes Through Entrepreneurial Skills Acquisition for Self-Reliance in Ondo State, Nigeria: An Appraisal

Purpose: The study appraised youth empowerment programmes through entrepreneurial skills acquisition for self-reliance in Ondo State, Nigeria.   Theoretical framework: The conceptual framework was developed based on an extensive literature review to establish the relationship between youth empowerment, entrepreneurial skills acquisition and self-reliance. This framework serves as a guiding structure for the study, determining the way out of the virulent, devastating, torturing, and continuous  menace of poverty and unemployment bedeviling the youths of Nigeria and proffer lasting solution through entrepreneurial skills acquisition for self-reliance.   Design/Methodology/Approach: The study adopted empirical research approach. Data was gathered from four hundred and fifty participants drawn from six Entrepreneurial Skills Acquisition Centres in three Local Government Areas of Ondo State. The collection of data was by the means of a questionnaire that was structured and well-validated titled Entrepreneurial Skills Acquisition for Job Creation Questionnaire. Descriptive and inductive statistics were used for the data analysis.   Findings: The outcome revealed that many jobless school leavers and graduates in Ondo State were completely ignorant of training opportunities provided by Ondo State Government due to inadequate publicity of the programmes. The Entrepreneurial Skills Acquisition Programmes were not sufficiently funded; most of the Centre buildings were dilapidated and poorly maintained; while the resource persons at the Centres were grossly inadequate and poorly motivated. The acquired entrepreneurial skills have been helping the recipients to set up small-scale business enterprises for self-employment and reliance.   Research, Practical and Social implications: The study contributes immensely and shows that it is no more contestable that in Nigeria today, the acquirement of appropriate entrepreneurial skills will greatly assist the jobless school leavers and tertiary educational institutions graduates in ameliorating the problem of unemployment and poverty and also lessen the several crimes and social vices commonly committed by most youths of Nigeria. The Nigerian youths who have acquired entrepreneurial skills will undoubtedly decide properly on the business enterprise to embark upon and how to seek initial financial assistance to put it in progress.   Originality/Value: The conceptual framework of the study, its empirical research approach, incomparable modality, and practical recommendations contribute to the existing body of knowledge on youth empowerment programmes through entrepreneurial skills acquisition which champions the reduction of unemployment and poverty in Nigeria. It as well  providing valuable direction for stakeholders in  building a supportive creativity in the educational system