Evaluation of the Implementation of Technical Education Undergraduate Curriculum in Nigerian Universities

Abstract

<title>Abstract</title> The purpose of this study was to evaluate the implementation of the technical education undergraduate curriculum. A descriptive survey design was adopted. The study population comprises 60 postgraduate and undergraduate students from three tertiary institutions offering technical education courses in Nigeria. This population serves as the sample, including 30 postgraduates and 30 undergraduates, with 10 samples drawn from each institution. The instrument used to collect data for this study was the “Evaluation of Technical Education Programme Undergraduate Curriculum Implementation Questionnaire (ETEPUCIQ).” The questionnaire was divided into three parts: A, B, and C. Part A contains demographic information, while Part B includes items related to the products of the technical education undergraduate curriculum. Part C contains items regarding the implementation of the technical education undergraduate curriculum in achieving the goals of the technical education program. The items were designed using a modified scale: Very High Extent (VHE), High Extent (HE), Moderate Extent (ME), Low Extent (LE), and Very Low Extent (VLE), which were coded numerically as 5, 4, 3, 2, and 1, respectively. Twelve copies of the questionnaire were pretested twice to ascertain the reliability of the instrument. Responses from the pretest were correlated using the Pearson Product Moment Correlation formula, yielding coefficients of 0.71, 0.82, and 0.78 for the three institutions. Sixty instruments were administered and personally retrieved by the researcher. The instruments were scored and analyzed using mean statistics. The study reveals, among other findings, that the undergraduate curriculum did not effectively impact its graduates. Graduates are unable to secure jobs even after completing the program, and they struggle to deliver quality products and services despite being exposed to the technical education curriculum. Additionally, they have difficulty performing complex tasks without supervision. The study also indicates that the implementation of the technical education undergraduate curriculum is not meeting the goals of the technical education program. School workshops and laboratories lack modern facilities, teaching methods for technical education courses are not practically oriented, and engagement in practical lessons is minimal. The study recommends that the curriculum used for vocational technical education at both secondary and tertiary institution levels should be practical-oriented. Furthermore, the curriculum taught in vocational institutions should be reviewed to meet the demands of the labor market.