CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

Background of the study

The survival of any nation depends largely upon the premium attached to the education of its citizens. Education whether basic or technical is the corner stone of the technological, political, economic development and stability of any nation. Umar and Magaji (2010), state that education is one of the fundamental based on which the prosperity and future of a nation lies. Without education a country or nation cannot achieve its social progress and prosperity nor would its dignity and future be convincible. If any country is to developed technologically, socially and economically it has to invest a lot in education.

Education is the totality of life experience that people acquire and which enables them to cope and drives satisfaction from living in the world. This is because it enables them to achieve social competence and optimum individual development. It is on this premises that is believed that the quality of a nation’s education is proportional to the level of its prosperity Owuamam (2005). From the beginning of time, man has strived to improve his way and quality of life. The cavemen discovered how to make and use of tools, developed logical sequence for activities and evolved processes that added to his life, the totality of the use and application of his knowledge skills tools and materials constitute what we today describe as technology. Technology comes from Greek word, technology, technical skills or craft and “logia”- the study of something or the branch of knowledge of discipline Emetaron (2004).

Although, education as a single word encompasses all learning experiences as experienced by man vocational and technical education is in a place of its own, because it’s unique in the sense that vocational and technical education may be refereed to as education for life and education for earning a living. The policy governing the present and future development of technical and vocational education in Nigeria is embodied in the national education (2004) which defined vocational education as “that aspect of education which leads to accusation of practical and applied skills as the basic scientific knowledge.              

Federal republic of Nigeria (FGN 2004) defined  technical and vocational education as a comprehensive term refereeing to those aspects of the educational term refereeing to those aspects of the educational process involving in addition to general education. The study of technologies and related science and acquisition of practical skill, attitude, understanding and knowledge relating to occupation in various sections of economic and social life. In a broad sense, vocational and technical education is that part of total experience of an individual to learn successfully to carry on a gainful occupation enyekit, E.O and Enyenilli (2007). According to Okoro (1993) vocational and technology. Education provides the skill knowledge and attitude necessary for effective employment in specific occupations.

Fafunwa (2002) emphasized that the introduction of vocational and technology education is a valuable instruction for national technological development Fafunwa further stated that the specific objective of the post primary school level of education are to develop in the post primary are to develop in the students manipulative skill (manual dexterity) invention, respect for dignity of labour and above all healthy attitude towards things technical. It is not gain saying that technology cannot be brought, borrowed or even transferred because technology is a culture that has to be developed. Omoifo and Awanbor (2002) started that the new national policy on education has all the necessary requirements for taking Nigeria into the future technologically, socially and morally develop nation. If the policy is well coordinated and implemented it will lay a solid basic this is because its main focus is self reliant of an individual and a nation at large.

The existing system of education 6-3-3-4 started with building of workshops and procurement of equipment for secondary school for teaching and learning in technical subject. Vocational and technical education existed before western education. This can be seen as indigenous trade and craft skills practice among Nigeria. Example weaving, dyeing, blacksmithing, lather work, pottery and beads marking among other. In the event of western education, there were two main reasons why missionaries established schools and provided education and provided education beyond elementary stage. There were need for the missionaries for teachers and preachers and need of the colonial government for clerks. The early secondary schools were grammar founded after the English school system. No technical or vocational were originally established, missionaries were reluctant to established, missionaries were reluctant to established vocational and technical institutions in Nigeria.

Also they preferred the grammar school education, this can be regarded as a means of avoiding manual works which was laborious. The development of vocational and technology education was slow in Nigeria because of the attitude of the missionaries government and Nigeria towards it Akinsolu (2004).

The objective of vocational and technical education according to FRN (2004) is to:

i.             Provided trained manpower in the applied sciences, technology and business particularly at craft and technical levels.

ii.            Provide the technical knowledge and vocational skill necessary for agriculture, commercial and economic development.

iii.           Give training and import the necessary skill to individual who shall be self- reliant economically electrical installation and maintenance work as part of technology education plays a vital and important role to the growth and development of any organization either private or public sector. Electrical installation maintenance practice work is one of the trades offered in technical college. It is a vocational that exposes students to skills.   

According to Asiyai (2012) electrical installation maintenance practice isa programme introduced by way practical exercise, the maintenance of electrical system and circuits electrical installation, inspection and test procedure. National Board for technical education (NBTE) (2004) electrical craftsmen are expected to test, diagnose, survive install completely repair any fault on electrical machine and equipments using the manufacture’s manual. In the report of NBTE (2004) the aim  of electrical installation and maintenance practice is to give training and import the necessary skill leading to the production of craftsmen, technicians and other skills personnel who will be enterprising and self reliant.

Statement of the problem

Despite the effort of government and non governmental agencies in enhancing the educational development in Nigeria, the Niger state ministry of education, report (2015) shows that the academic performance of students in electrical installation and maintenance work in some selected technical colleges in Niger state has declined greatly. It was also observed that failure of students in electrical installation and maintenance is been so high in Government technical colleges Eyagi Bida Government Technical College Minna in the recent years. If this is not check mated, our science and technology related subjects graduates from technical colleges may not be employable and those who may further in their university education may experience difficulties because of their background. Consequently, our educational system will not attain its objective of producing qualified and competent product in electrical installation and maintenance work trade, industries will lack technicians who would help in the maintenance and production process in our local industry.

Purpose of the study

The general purpose of the study is to determine the factors responsible for failure of the students in electrical installation and maintenance work examination in the selected technical colleges, Niger state, specifically, the study tends to:-

-      Determine the students related factors responsible for failure of students in electrical installation and maintenance work in technical colleges.

-      Determine teachers related factor responsible for the failure of students in electrical installations and maintenance work in technical colleges in Niger state.  

-      Determine the availability of resources for teaching electrical installation and maintenance work in government technical colleges in Niger state. (government technical college Eyagi Bida, and government technical college Minna).

-      The problems encounter by the students in learning of electrical installation and maintenance work 

Significant of the study

This research is an attempt to identify the basic factors that are responsible for student’s failure in electrical installation and maintenance work in Niger state. The result of the findings would be of benefit to students, technical teachers, curriculum planers as well as the community and society at large. And also, solution and recommendations from the findings of the research  could be used for the enhancement of effective teachings of electrical installation and maintenance work. The Niger state government would benefit from the results immensely in tackling the problems of unemployment which resulted to “Kalare Gang’ in the state it would also, serves as sources of revenue to the state government when technicians pay their taxes.

Research questions

1.   What are the students related factors responsible for student failure in electrical installation and maintenance work?

2.   What are the teacher’s related factors responsible for student’s failure in NABTEB in government technical colleges Niger state.

3.   What are the available resources for teaching and learning electrical installation and maintenance work

4.   What are the problems encountered by students in learning electrical installation and maintenance work?

Scope of the study/Delimitation  

The scope of the study will cover some selected technical colleges in Niger state: which are: government technical college Eyagi Bida, Government technical college Minna and Sulieman Barau technical College Suleja. The study is delimited to factors responsible for failure of students in electrical installation and maintenance work in the selected technical colleges, Niger state.

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