ABSTRACT
This dissertation is specifically designed to assess the relevance of Universal Basic Education [UBE] school textile weaving programme to youth’s empowerment in lmo State. The samples for the study were drawn from youths who dropped out from some primary and junior secondary schools in the three educational zones of the state. Moreover a review of related literature was done to establish a theoretical background for the work, towards explaining the concept art education and the objectives of the UBE programme in Nigeria. The study looked at the challenges of the implementation of the UBE school vocational programmes with regard to Fine and Applied Arts Education in general and Textile Weaving in particular. The researcher then argued that textile weaving/ dyeing has not been given its rightful environment, thus suggesting that local experts [in weaving/dyeing] be given opportunities to demonstrate their skills in schools. The major aim of mobilization stratagem for the UBE weaving programme should be value orientation, skills acquisition and good work ethics in favour of education among the youths as schooling no longer leads directly to employment. Conclusions were drawn and suggestions proffered.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Title page 1
Appoval Page ii
Certification iii
Dedication iv
Acknowledgements v
Abstract vi
Table of Contents vii
List of Tables x
CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background of the study 1
1.2 Statement of the problem 4
1.3 Purpose of the study 5
1.4 Scope of the study 6
1.5 Significance of the Study 7
1.6 Research Questions 7
1.7 Research Hypotheses 8
CHAPTER TWO: REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE
2.1 Meaning of Assessment 9
2.2 Relevance of UBE in relation to the Acquisition of appropriate Skills in Textile 11
2.3 Effective Training in Weaving, Thus Capacity Building of the Individual 15
2.4 Coping skills provided by UBE weaving programme 17
2.5 Influence of UBE in interpersonal relation among youths and the society 23
2.6 Provision made by Government for the running of Skill Acquisition Centres 25
2.7 Summary of literature review 29
CHAPTER THREE: RESEARCH DESIGN AND PROCEDURES
3.1 Research Design 31
3.2 Area of the Study 32
3.3 Population of the study 32
3.4 Sample and Sampling Technique 32
3.5 Instrument for Data Collection 34
3.6 Validation of Instrument 35
3.7 Reliability of the Instrument 35
3.8 Administration of the Instrument 36
3.9 Method of Data Analysis 36
CHAPTER FOUR: DATA PRESENTATION AND ANALYSIS
4.1 Analysis concerning Research Question 37
4.2 Analysis concerning Research Question 2 39
4.3 Analysis concerning Research Question 3 40
4.4 Analysis conceming Research Question 4 41
4.5 Analysis concerning Research Question 5 42
4.6 Analysis concerning Research Question 6 43
4.7 Analysis of Data concerning Hypothesis l 44
4.8 Analysis of Data concerning Hypothesis 2 45
4.9 Analyses of Data concerning Hypothesis 3 46
CHAPTER FIVE: INTERPRETATION AND DISCUSSION OF RESULTS
5.1 Discussion of Findings 48
5.2 Education Implication of the Study 53
5.3 Limitation of the Study 55
5.4 Recommendations 55
5.5 Suggestions for Further Studies 56
5.6 Conclusions and Summary of the Study 57
References 59
Appendix I 64
Appendix II 68
Appendix III 70
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background of the Study
Over the years, the Nigerian Educational System has witnessed severaldeliberate and sustained changes in response to societal needs and directions. Suchchanges are imbedded in the National Policy on Education, which was firstpublished in 1977 and subsequently revised in 1981, 1998 and presently 2004. Thisdocument contained the structure of the 6-3-3-4 system of education. In section 7articles 39 through 54 of the policy, one notice some bias for science, technologyand vocational education as the best option for applying education for service tothe needs of Nigerian. The National policy on education [NPE 2004] emerged as aworking document with lofty aims and objectives. Section three of the policy forexample refers to primary education as the key to success or failure of the wholeeducational advancement, including preparation for trade and craft of the locality.Meanwhile, teaching at this level shall be practical, exploratory and experimental[FGN 2004].
To this end, the federal government set up a national educational policyimplementation committee to translate the policy into workable blue-print thatwould guide the bodies whose duties it would be to implement the policy. Thecommittee was also to develop monitoring system for the educational plan as itevolved. If the educational programme had been implemented correctly, the resultwould have been poverty reduction, employment generation, wealth creation and empowering of people through education.
It must be noted that the Federal Governments committed effort through thenewly introduced UBE programme was to transform all aspects of the nation’s life.It was also to empower the youths who have been plagued with unsatisfactory endresult of students’
low academic performance which necessitated massive drop-outrate of both primary and junior secondary school especially in Imo State. This callsfor some serious reflections on the appropriateness of our academic programmes atall levels of our educational systems.
Parents and guardians on their own part seem to have been complaining silentlyabout the non performance of their children/wards and the quality of education.Some of the problems seem to be attributed to wrong choice of careers imposed byparents/guardians. Again, some of the students, when choosing careers neverconsider their ability. It seems that what they usually consider is prestige, money,social status and the syndrome that all their mates are in the university. Afterfinding themselves in the wrong careers, unemployment problem sets in. Theybecome unemployed because they have not acquired any requisite skill andtechnological know-how needed to perform tasks in those chosen careers areas.What is however worrisome is that the variety of learning experiences beingprojected through our educational system seem to have fallen short of expectations.But how effective the educational scheme will be depends on various reasons.
[a] The planning and implementation of the scheme.
[b] Its immediate relevance to the society or community to which it is offered.
[c] The teachers
[d] The school environment.
It seems that our educational system is being operated in context which isprofoundly different from those for which they were established. The initialeducation and training, which were regarded as adequate equipment for futureworking life, turned to be inadequate to the present circumstance. The curriculumimplementation served its purpose, but the recent collapse of the education systemshould provoke at the very least a serious questioning. Possibly, a wholesometransformation of the philosophy and goals of education as it had failed to reckonand cater adequately for the peculiar needs and aspirations of most Nigerianyouths. Ntagu [2003] observes that many children go to school without knowingwhat they are supposed to do and leave school without any idea of their potentialsand what type of job or career they should pursue. Many therefore have little or nounderstanding of themselves and their environment. Many also leave or abandonschool and end up in the streets. All these show that the individual child was notprepared enough by the school/society, to live effectively in his environment.There is the need to help young people especially the youths to understandthemselves in terms of their abilities, interests, value, beliefs and potentials. Theyshould be assisted to acquire skills that would enable them cope with the differentcircumstances or situations they may encounter later in life. This is because ourcomplex society requires not just basic skills but an unprecedented level of lifecoping skills for self—employment.
This study therefore, assesses UBE textile weaving programme as afunctional education given to the youths outside the formal school system as anopportunity to be useful citizens. It will further encourage the youths to live in theirenvironment, thus; inculcating job and wealth creation through textile weavingentrepreneurship and enterprise. It will also produce a new generation of youthleaders who were schooled and skilful in textile weaving and who would employthemselves if government fails to do so.
Without doubt, a vocational choice is developmental and it should beginearly in the life of the child. Moreover, if the gains of the 6-3-3—4.system ofeducation are not to go down the drain, serious efforts should be made to sustainsuch cultural activities as weaving of fabric and other life coping skills ofoccupational activities within the UBE programme in order to cater for thedifferences in talents, opportunities towards providing the youths with vocationalskills where necessary for their future roles. This will be done by training andimparting the necessary skills (for example, textile weaving skills) to the youths inorder to be economically self-reliant.
1.2 Statement of the Problem
For the youths to play their leadership roles in the society, they need to bewell educated especially at the primary and secondary school stages. However,there appears to be a general belief that many youths do not attend schools beyondthe primary and secondary schools levels in Imo State. Moreover, during schoolhours, one notices that many youths of school age roam about the streets eitherhawking or getting themselves involved in thuggery, burglary and the like.Emphasis then shified from being well educated to making money by all means.Rather than being in school also, a good number of schools going age youths areengaged as helpers or apprentices at mechanic workshops or several businessoutfits. Some of them who are unfortunate to enter the hands of bad“entrepreneurs” end up being frustrated even the more. At the approach of the endof their serving period as apprentices, their masters could accuse them of one badthing or the other in order to deny them their discharge rights. .Suchdisappointments and the desire to make quick money often lure some of the youthsinto crimes of all sorts.
There is therefore the need to save the fixture generation of Imo state youthsin particular and Nigeria youths in general as many primary and secondary schoolscontinually loose tens of thousands of these youths, who abandon school atdifferent stages. Variables that caused this phenomenon must be identified andsolutions to it sought.
1.3 Purpose of The Study
This study therefore has some pertinent questions to answer;
- i) What provisions in the UBE programme are tailored towards solvingthe problems of youth empowerment?
- ii) How does the UBE weaving programme contribute to youthempowerment in Imo state?
Specifically, the Researcher Intended to:
- Determine the relevance of the UBE programme in relation to the Fine Arts Curriculum (with special reference to textile weaving).
- Determine the effect of UBE textile weaving programme on the youths in their acquisition of appropriate textile weaving skills.
- Identify the perception of the youths who dropped out of primary and juniorsecondary schools on the issue of skills acquisition especially in textileweaving.
- Find out why youths appear not to benefit from life coping skills supposed to be provided by UBE programme.
- Determine how UBE programme influences interpersonal relationshipbetween the youths and the society at large.
- Assess the extent to which the Imo State Government has made provisionsfor the smooth running of the UBE programme in skill acquisition, asregards textile weaving.
1.4 Scope of the Study
This study will assess the relevance of the universal basic education weavingprogramme towards youth’s empowerment in Imo state. The research will cover allthe primary/junior secondary schools dropouts from the three educational zones inImo State comprising Owerri, Orlu and Okigwe educational zones. The study Willfurther cover the weaving process towards empowering the youths withappropriate life coping skills. The Work will be limited to youths who dropped-outof the school system at the primary /junior secondary school levels in Imo State.
1.5 Significance of The Study
A study of this nature is necessary because of the uniqueness of skill acquisition of the development of youths with special reference to textile weaving which provides an understanding of how man cloth himself. The findings will contribute immensely to the contribution of the UBE programme by which the national policyof education is being implemented. The findings will also create awareness, provide interest and imbibe in the youths the rudimentary skills in weaving which will improve the living and social standard of the youths in their environment. The studywill highlight on the UBE programme as a government oriented scheme aim at eradicating illiteracy as well as empowering an individual With appropriate skills to survive in his environment.
Research Questions
- What is the relevance of UBE programme in encouraging the acquisition ofappropriate skills in textiles?
2 To what extent does training in textile weaving programme of UBE affect thelife and efficacy of individuals in Imo State?
- What are the perceptions of youths who dropped-out of primary and juniorsecondary on the issue of skill acquisition especially in textile weavingprogramme?
- To what extent have youths benefited from the life coping skill supposed to be provided by UBE programme?
- To what extent does the UBE programme influence the interpersonalrelationship between youths and the society?
- To what extent has the Imo State government made provision for the smoothrunning of the UBE programme with regard to vocational training (especially textile) in the State?
1.7 Research Hypotheses
The following hypotheses were formulated to guide the study.
- There is no significant difference between the acquisition of appropriateweaving skills in textile by the male in Imo State and their femalecounterparts [p<0.05]
- There is no significant difference between the acquisition of appropriateweaving skills in textiles by the urban youths and their counterparts in therural area [p<0.05]
- The mean opinion of dropout youths from the primary school level does notdiffer significantly with the mean opinion of the dropout youths from juniorsecondary school levels. {p<0.05}
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