The term vocational education has been variously defined by authorities and authors. In one of such definitions, Ihimekpen and Oseloka (1997) defined vocational education as that aspect of education which is mainly concerned with the preparation of individuals for skilled performance on tasks. It is a form of education, training or retraining which is geared towards making the learner much more productive through improved performance in either paid employment or in self employment. It could take place in organized learning institutions or in non-organized ones.
According to the authors, the main thrust of vocational education is on the application of specialized learning techniques in the realization of both educational and societal objectives. From this definition, vocational education includes personal, vocational, educational and occupational guidance as well as counseling in connection with the training and other instruction directly to an occupation. Victor E. Dike (2006) sees vocational education and training as that which prepares learners for careers that are based in manual or practical activities, traditionally non-academic, and totally related to a specific trade, occupation or vocation. In other words, it is an “education designed to develop occupational skills”.
Vocational and technical education gives individuals the skills to live, learn and work as a productive citizens in a global society. Okoro (1999) defined vocational education as all those experiences whereby an individual learns to carry on successfully, any useful occupation. These experiences may be organized and institutionalized or unorganized and haphazards. Simply put vocational education may be looked at as a series of controlled and organized experiences arranged to prepare a person for socially useful employment. This statement explains that all education is vocation as far as the individual may serve happily on the job and prepares for satisfactory living. In the views of Thompson (2002) vocational education aims at the development of human abilities in terms of knowledge, skills and understanding so efficiently in carrying on the activities in the vocational pursuits of his choice. Winer (2002) in his contribution opined that vocational education is designed to develop skills, abilities understanding, attitudes, work habits and appreciation encompassing knowledge and information needed by workers to enter and make progress in employment on a useful and productive basis. It is an integral part of the total education programme and contributes towards the development of good citizens by developing their physical, socio, civic, cultural and economic competencies. For vocational education to be self reliant and productive, it needs not be operated in a vacuum. It has to be hooked unto factors that will help learners and all stake holders in vocational technical education to be practical and not only theoretical in their approach to making vocational technical education meaningful and lifelong.
These factors according to Ezekiel and Usoroh (2009) are:
i. Appreciation of dignity to work.
ii. Utility and culture in vocational education.
iii. Democracy in vocational education.
iv. Plights of school dropouts.
v. Needs of youths and adults.
vi. Economic of vocational education.
vii. Needs of the society and
viii. Basic rights of the citizenry.
Olaitan (1999) described vocational education as education for work. It can be made available only for those who need it, because they are interested in it and also hope to progressively continue to participate in it. It is meant for those who can profit by it because they hope to sell the skills acquired through occupations and make a living. According to the author, vocational education exposes learners to learn in job related situations using functional teaching models and man environment that depicts real work situations.
According to the authors, the main thrust of vocational education is on the application of specialized learning techniques in the realization of both educational and societal objectives. From this definition, vocational education includes personal, vocational, educational and occupational guidance as well as counseling in connection with the training and other instruction directly to an occupation. Victor E. Dike (2006) sees vocational education and training as that which prepares learners for careers that are based in manual or practical activities, traditionally non-academic, and totally related to a specific trade, occupation or vocation. In other words, it is an “education designed to develop occupational skills”.
Vocational and technical education gives individuals the skills to live, learn and work as a productive citizens in a global society. Okoro (1999) defined vocational education as all those experiences whereby an individual learns to carry on successfully, any useful occupation. These experiences may be organized and institutionalized or unorganized and haphazards. Simply put vocational education may be looked at as a series of controlled and organized experiences arranged to prepare a person for socially useful employment. This statement explains that all education is vocation as far as the individual may serve happily on the job and prepares for satisfactory living. In the views of Thompson (2002) vocational education aims at the development of human abilities in terms of knowledge, skills and understanding so efficiently in carrying on the activities in the vocational pursuits of his choice. Winer (2002) in his contribution opined that vocational education is designed to develop skills, abilities understanding, attitudes, work habits and appreciation encompassing knowledge and information needed by workers to enter and make progress in employment on a useful and productive basis. It is an integral part of the total education programme and contributes towards the development of good citizens by developing their physical, socio, civic, cultural and economic competencies. For vocational education to be self reliant and productive, it needs not be operated in a vacuum. It has to be hooked unto factors that will help learners and all stake holders in vocational technical education to be practical and not only theoretical in their approach to making vocational technical education meaningful and lifelong.
These factors according to Ezekiel and Usoroh (2009) are:
i. Appreciation of dignity to work.
ii. Utility and culture in vocational education.
iii. Democracy in vocational education.
iv. Plights of school dropouts.
v. Needs of youths and adults.
vi. Economic of vocational education.
vii. Needs of the society and
viii. Basic rights of the citizenry.
Olaitan (1999) described vocational education as education for work. It can be made available only for those who need it, because they are interested in it and also hope to progressively continue to participate in it. It is meant for those who can profit by it because they hope to sell the skills acquired through occupations and make a living. According to the author, vocational education exposes learners to learn in job related situations using functional teaching models and man environment that depicts real work situations.
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