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THE IMPACT OF VOCATIONAL CENTRES IN THE ATTAINMENT OF SELF-RELIANCE FOR WOMEN

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

Empowering women has become a frequently cited goal of development intervention (Ugwoke, Onomereroso and Abidde, 2014). In the 1970s when women empowerment was first invoked by the Third World feminist and women organizations, it was explicitly used to frame and facilitate the struggle for social justice and women equality through a transformation of economic, social and political structures at national and international levels (Bisnath & Elson, 2003). The need to empower women seems to center on the fact that women have potential to contribute to the development process but are constrained by some factors that render them powerless. While the reasons for any particular woman’s powerlessness (or powerfulness)are many and varied, it may be necessary to consider what women have in common in this respect. The common factor is that they are all constrained by their reproductive responsibilities, societal norms, beliefs, customs and values by which societies differentiate between them and men (Mosedale, 2005). These constraints are shaped by male dominated social structure (patriarchy), high rate of poverty among women, and gender division of labor.

Nevertheless, focusing on the empowerment of women as a group requires an analysis of gender relations, that is, the way in which power relations between the sexes are constructed and maintained. In patriarchal societies like Nigeria, men have ultimate authority over material resources in the household, such as land and cash crops, and over the labor of women and other household members. Women having no direct access to land and cash crops or men’s labor, must request these resources from their husbands or from other males in the household to whom they are obligated (Adams & Castle, 1994). Women’s level of education, poverty and men’s attitude towards women have over the years posed a serious threat to women’s participation in development. It is obvious that the level of education and economic conditions of women most often determine their level of participation in decision making both at family, community, state and national levels. There is generally an unequal burden of domestic maintenance and childcare responsibilities allocated to women as compared to men. Male dominance in sexual relations, with its consequence on women’s lack of control over their sexuality in many societies has denied women right to determine the number of children they want. They have a low decision making power as compared with men. The prevailing patriarchal ideology, which promotes values of submission, sacrifice, obedience and silent suffering often undermines the attempts by women to assert themselves or demand for share of resources and rights (Garba, 1999).

Vocational technical education is defined by different authors in different ways. 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 haphazard. 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. The statement explains that all education is vocational so that the individual may serve happily and far as it 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, (2000) 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, social, 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 onto factors that will help learners and all stakeholders in vocational technical education to be practical and not only theoretical in their approach to making vocational technical education meaningful and life-long.

Skill acquisition in technical and vocational education involves the mastery of practical skills and knowledge in any vocational and technical field of study. Skill acquisition in the Nigerian educational system could be through technical and vocational education. This is done through teaching, training, retraining, practical experience and on-the-job training (Uzoka and Bayode,2010).

Technical and vocational education is the education that provides the skills, knowledge and attitude that lead to the production of individuals who are resourceful and productive (Ndagi,1998). Technical and vocational education emphasizes skills, knowledge and attitudinal acquisition for productivity and self-reliance. Individuals that are self-reliant can also be classified under entrepreneurial cadre because he/she is self-employed and a manager of his/her own organization. Oladebo (1988) stated that the importance of technical and vocational education cannot be over emphasized as it enables acquisition of skills and development of attitude and knowledge which will enable young people to play their part in the business community and help them to be self-reliant. Technical education empowers and prepares an individual to achieve its full potential for contribution to a better quality life. Onwuka (2000) pointed out that through technical education an individual is empowered to develop capabilities and values for the benefits of the individual and that of the society. Entrepreneurial, technical and vocational education can be acquired in a formal way of education. Although there are three existing forms of education: formal and non-formal education. Formal education is the process of training and developing people in skill, mind, and knowledge, character in a structured and certified programme. It is mainly classroom-based and provided by trained teachers. Teaching materials and methods are advanced in formal education as compared to informal or non-formal education. In this study, the researcher treated entrepreneurial, technical and vocational skills in the formal education system to assist the unemployed personnel to acquire the required skills and knowledge to enable them to perform in their assigned duties in the world of work. Hornby (2010) stated that individuals can acquire education through the process of teaching, training and learning especially in institutions to improve knowledge and develop skills. It follows therefore that every individual including the emotionally challenged needs acquisition of skills and knowledge in order to develop their potentials (Anike, 2014).

An individual is said to be self-reliant when her/she can depend less on other people and his family in the management of her human and material resources. The citizens will be self-reliant when they have possible cause to access and utilize the essentials of life which includes good food, clothing, shelters, medication, transportations, and functional education (Ofoye, 2010)

A self-reliant individual must be enterprising, he/she is enterprising when there is attributes of verbal skills for selling, dominating, leading, conceives himself as a strong, masculine leader, avoids well defined language or work situations requiring long periods of intellectual efforts, is extraceptive, differs from the conventional types in that he prefers ambiguous social tasks and has a greater concern with power status, and leadership, is orally aggressive (Okorie, 2000).

Vocational preferences, include business executive, buyer hotel manager, industrial relations consultant, manufacturers, representative, master of ceremonies, political campaign manager, real estate salesman, restaurant workers, speculator, sports promoter, stock and bond salesman, television producer, travelling salesman and entrepreneurs that are self-reliant (Okorie,2000).

Many strategies had also been put in place to empower women, politically, economically and educationally in Nigeria. These strategies according to Okeke (1995) include widening women’s access to education, encouraging their full participation in the cash economy, getting women to participate in politics and reviewing laws on status of women.

The Third Millennium Development Goal (MDG) focused on the promotion of gender equality and empowerment of women. The United Nations Millennium Projects Task Force on education and gender equality has outlined seven strategic priorities to achieve the Goal 3 of the Millennium Development Goals. These include: strengthening opportunities for secondary education of girls while meeting commitment to universal primary education; guaranteeing sexual and reproductive health and rights; investing in infrastructure to reduce women’s and girls time burdens; guaranteeing women’s and girls’ property and inheritance right; eliminating gender inequalities in employment by decreasing women’s reliance on informal employment, closing gender gaps in earnings and reducing occupational segregation; increasing women’s share of seats in national parliaments and local governmental bodies; and combating violence against girls and women (International Centre for Peace Research on Women, 2005 Report).

1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

Women’s population of 108.09 million constitutes almost half of the entire country’s population, of 140 million (National Population Commission, 2022). This numerical strength has not been translated to equal treatment in the society. Apart from numerical strength, women seem to have great emphatic potentials to evolve a new economic order, thereby helping in accelerating social and political development and consequently transforming the society into a better one. Disparities still exist between men and women in education, employment and income opportunities, control over assets, personal security and participation in the development process (Rahman & Naoroze, 2007). This may be as a result of lingering constraints including poor economic condition of Nigerian women, lack of adequate legislation and policies to support the rights of women, unequal access to education, limited access to land, lack of assertiveness among women. Level of education, income level, and men’s perception on the need for women’s participation in development have been viewed as determining factors in women’s participation in development processes.

1.3 OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY

The main objective of this study is to determine the impact of vocational centers in the attainment of self-reliance for women

Specific objectives include;

1. To investigate the relationship between the Women’s empowerment initiatives available to women in Niger State and their participation in vocational education for self-reliance.

2. To explore the relationship between the educational qualifications of women in Niger State and their participation in vocational education for self-reliance.

3. To examine the relationship between the income levels of women in Niger State and their participation in vocational education for self-reliance.

1.4 RESEARCH QUESTIONS

1. What is the relationship between the Women’s empowerment initiatives available to women in Niger State and their participation in vocational education for self-reliance?

2. How does the educational qualification of women in Niger State influence their participation in vocational education for self-reliance?

3. What is the impact of income levels on the participation of women in Niger State in vocational education for self-reliance?

1.5 Research Hypotheses

Hypothesis i

H0: There is no significant relationship between the Women’s empowerment initiatives available to women in Niger State and their participation in vocational education for self-reliance. 

H1: There is a significant relationship between the Women’s empowerment initiatives available to women in Niger State and their participation in vocational education for self-reliance.

Hypothesis ii

H0: There is no significant relationship between the educational qualifications of women in Niger State and their participation in vocational education for self-reliance. 

H1: There is a significant relationship between the educational qualifications of women in Niger State and their participation in vocational education for self-reliance.

Hypothesis iii

H0: There is no significant relationship between the income levels of women in Niger State and their participation in vocational education for self-reliance. 

H1: There is a significant relationship between the income levels of women in Niger State and their participation in vocational education for self-reliance.

1.6 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

The findings of the study will benefit Nigerian rural communities and other cultures across the world considering that vocational skills training play a vital role in women empowerment, gender equality and poverty reduction. The great demand for workable models and approaches to combating poverty reduction across the world justify the need for a more robust action and practical responsive approaches. The result of this study will offer one of such workable models to strengthen and consolidate the fight against poverty reduction, gender inequalities and their attendant impacts on societies and women.

Actors in the international community (UN, AU, ECOWAS, NGO, among others) are active stakeholders and at the forefront in the fight against poverty across the world, especially in Third World countries and cultures. The findings of the study will offer them alternative strategies to guide their broad policy direction and responsiveness towards the fight against poverty.

Over the past three decades there has been widespread formation and organization of women movements across cultures dedicated to the fight against growing incidence of poverty, gender inequalities and other political, social and economic constraints faced by women. These movements are constantly searching and probing for new ideas, models and systems desirable in their pursuit of addressing poverty conditions .The findings of the study will benefit such women groups and movements. The study's findings on women empowerment can be explored by the movements.

Education is a continuous phenomenon, and this notion is true because academic faculties and researchers are perpetually in search of new ideas, concepts and solutions to challenges facing humanity across the globe. The findings of the study will ignite academic faculties and researchers, (particularly those preoccupied with women related issues and phenomena), to study critical areas uncovered by the study. Thus, new areas of study may be arrived at. Methodologically, this paper will rely solely on a qualitative approach and some interviews with women who have benefited from women‟s empowerment.

1.7 SCOPE OF THE STUDY

This study focuses on assessing the impact of vocational centers on the attainment of self-reliance among women in Niger State, Nigeria. It examines the role of vocational training programs in empowering women economically and socially, with a specific emphasis on skill acquisition and entrepreneurship opportunities. Data collection will primarily involve surveys, interviews, and document analysis within selected vocational centers and communities in Niger State. The study aims to provide insights into the effectiveness of existing vocational initiatives and identify areas for improvement to enhance women's self-reliance in the region.

1.8 LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY

Limitations of this study, includes potential challenges in accessing comprehensive data due to limited documentation and resources within vocational centers. Additionally, cultural norms and gender biases may affect women's participation and willingness to disclose information during interviews. The study's findings may also be influenced by seasonal variations and economic fluctuations in the region. Furthermore, the generalizability of results may be limited to similar contexts within Niger State, and extrapolation to other regions in northern Nigeria should be done cautiously, considering variations in socio-economic factors and cultural practices.

1.9 DEFINITION OF TERMS

1. Vocational Centers: Institutions or facilities providing practical training and skills development in various trades or professions, aimed at preparing individuals for employment or entrepreneurship in specific industries.

2. Self-Reliance: The ability of an individual to fulfill their own needs and sustain themselves economically, socially, and emotionally without excessive reliance on external support or assistance.

3. Impact: The measurable effect or influence that vocational centers have on the empowerment, skill acquisition, economic independence, and overall well-being of women who participate in their programs.

4. Empowerment: The process of enabling individuals, particularly women, to gain control over their lives, make informed decisions, and assert their rights in various spheres of society, including education, employment, and social interactions.

5. Women: Adult female individuals, typically referring to those who identify as female and may encompass diverse backgrounds, ages, socioeconomic statuses, and educational levels.

6. Attainment: The achievement or realization of a particular goal, outcome, or level of competence, in this context referring to the successful acquisition of self-reliance skills and capabilities by women through participation in vocational training programs.

7. Skill Development: The process of acquiring, enhancing, or refining specific abilities, knowledge, and expertise required to perform tasks or activities effectively within a particular field or industry, often facilitated through structured training programs. 

8. Entrepreneurship: The practice of starting, managing, and growing one's own business ventures or initiatives, involving innovation, risk-taking, and the utilization of resources to create value and generate sustainable income streams.

9. Social and Economic Empowerment: The enhancement of individuals' capacity to participate actively in social and economic activities, exercise control over resources, and contribute to the development and well-being of themselves and their communities.

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