Teaching Technical and Vocational Education and Training in Nigerian Schools for Economic Empowerment of Youths

Abstract

Persistent youth and graduate unemployment in Nigeria has intensified the need for education that connects schooling with practical competence, employability, and self-employment. This article examines the role of technical and vocational education and training (TVET) in the economic empowerment of youths, with particular attention to the conditions that shape its teaching in Nigerian schools. A conceptual review approach was adopted, drawing on the scholarly literature, policy-oriented sources, and institutional materials cited in the original manuscript. The literature was organized around the meaning and forms of TVET, pathways from skills acquisition to youth empowerment, major teaching and implementation constraints, and strategies for improving delivery. The review shows that TVET can strengthen occupational competence, entrepreneurship, self-reliance, and productive participation when practical instruction is adequately supported. However, poor funding, overcrowded practical classes, inadequate or obsolete facilities, outdated curricula, weak adaptation to technological change, insufficient staff development, shortages of qualified instructors, and poor remuneration reduce its effectiveness. The findings indicate that youth economic empowerment depends not simply on the existence of TVET programmes but on the quality and relevance of their delivery. Strengthening funding, facilities, curriculum renewal, teacher development, and technology-responsive instruction is therefore essential for translating school-based TVET into sustainable employment and wider economic development.