Title: Evaluation of Human and Infrastructural Resources for Building Trades Training in Urban and Rural Vocational Education Centres in Delta State, Nigeria.
Authors: ORHU, Augustine, Prof. Umunadi, Ejiwoke Kennedy, Prof. Odu Kennedy Oji
Volume: 9
Issue: 8
Pages: 52-57
Publication Date: 2025/08/28
Abstract:
This study evaluated the adequacy of human and infrastructural resources for building trades training in vocational education centres across Delta State, Nigeria, with emphasis on disparities between urban and rural centres. Guided by two research questions and two hypotheses, the study adopted a descriptive survey design. The population comprised administrators, trainers, and workshop attendants in state-owned vocational education centres offering building trades. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire developed with reference to the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) resource checklist. Descriptive statistics (mean and standard deviation) were used to answer the research questions, while independent samples t-tests were employed to test the hypotheses at the 0.05 level of significance. Findings revealed that both human and infrastructural resources were generally inadequate, with rural centres more severely affected. Trainers and workshop attendants in urban centres rated human resources as significantly more adequate than those in rural centres. Similarly, administrators in urban centres reported higher adequacy of infrastructural facilities than their rural counterparts. The null hypotheses were rejected, confirming significant urban-rural disparities. The study concludes that these resource gaps threaten the quality and equity of vocational education in Delta State. It is recommended that government intensify recruitment and deployment of trainers to rural centres, prioritize equitable distribution of infrastructural facilities, strengthen public-private partnerships to support resource provision, and establish effective monitoring mechanisms to ensure compliance with NBTE standards.