Abstract
The major purpose of the study was to assess the skill development programmes in woodwork and building trades offered to special needs learners in vocational rehabilitation centre in South West of Nigeria. The study employed a survey research design. The population of the study consisted of 216 respondents made of 131 woodwork and 85 building teachers, teaching woodwork and building trades in 12 vocational rehabilitation centre. Six research questions were answered and five null hypotheses were tested at 0.05 level of significance. Mean standard deviation and percentages were employed to answer the research questions; t-test was used to test the null hypotheses. A questionnaire containing 162 items was designed and used for data collection. A five point rating scale was used for the purpose of collecting data for the study. The instrument was subjected to face validation by three lecturers from Department of Vocational Teacher Education, University of Nigeria, Nsukka and two directors from Ministry of Sport and Social Development in Oyo and Lagos states. The reliability coefficient of the instrument for the study was 0.793 using cronbach alpha reliability tests. It was found out that: (1) the contents used for the training in woodwork and building trades are appropriate to a great extent. However, in view of teachers who hold contrary opinions contents planners should understand and improved the perceived areas; (2) the methods adopted by teachers in delivery of lesson should be through practical and active involvement of rehabilitees, to include discussion, project and demonstration teaching methods; (3) the most important facilities are inadequate like current books and periodicals in library, health clinic, machines and materials which marred the effectiveness of the programme.(4) among major constraints militating against effectiveness of programme are; employment of rehabilitees not guaranteed after graduation, lack of funds on the part of rehabilitees to start their business after graduation and improper integration of rehabilitees by social agencies ;(5) suggested strategies that could be used to improve skill programme in woodwork/building trades include enabling environment, provision of necessary facilities and rehabilitees being properly assisted. The implication of the study to all stakeholders of skill development in vocational rehabilitation centre- federal, states and local government, administrators in rehabilitation centre, teachers, special needs learners and NGO is that if the strategies of improving skill programmes are adopted, the needs of special needs learners and the macro society would be achieved. It was recommended that skill development programmes in rehabilitation centre should be well funded by government and NGO through Ministry of sports and social development to help address the problems of inadequate facilities and necessary services. To enhance the objective of vocational rehabilitation centre, effective monitoring team should be set up to monitor the activities of vocational rehabilitation centre in order to ensure effective implementation of skill development programmes in woodwork and building trades.
CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION
Background of the study
The vocational rehabilitation for special needs learners is a Federal Government established center that has a special mandate to positively transform and empower the lives of people living with disabilities who are often described as the physically challenged, handicapped, or disabled. Rehabilitation centers were purposely designed to tackle the emerging problems of street begging and destitution. The rehabilitation centers cater for the vocational needs of its clients (special needs learners). Special needs learners are rehabilitated and made to live independent and productive lives through the acquisition of various vocational skills. (Kolajo, 2006)
Special needs learners are viewed by Sokale (1999) as those having significant difficulties in coping with children of the same age, they could be referred to as the hearing impaired, emotionally disabled, blindness, deafness, hardness-of-hearing, mental retardation, limb deformity, maladjustment, partial-sightedness or malformation. Special needs learners are categorised as sets of people who may not benefit fully from the regular or formal education obtainable in primary, secondary and tertiary institutions. They are people (learners) who are described as disabled, impaired, or handicap to a certain extent and as such they cannot benefit maximally in the regular educational setting. Their exceptionality might have resulted from misfortune experienced before or after birth.
The term disability, impairment and handicap are interchangeably used to describe individual with special needs, though the three terms are not synonymous. For instance impairment according to Ozoji (1993) is physical disorder, abnormality, malformation or dysfunction, damage, defect, imperfection, deviation and any other
shortcoming of the various structures affecting the organs of the body. Disability according to Okeke (2001) is the loss or limitation of the ability to take part in the normal life of the community in an equal level with others due to physical and social barriers. Handicap occurs when disability interferes with the normal functioning of an individual. Handicap refers to barriers, difficulties, or problems that place limitations on the individual’s capabilities expected of him in the society.
Rehabilitation according to O’Toole (1991) is combined effort and coordinated use of individual to the highest possible level of functional ability. Onwuchekwa (1984) explained that vocational rehabilitation involves physical restoration, emotional rehabilitation and economic resettlement. Vocational rehabilitation describes finding self or paid employment for rehabilitees, supporting their families and providing tools for them. Vocational rehabilitation therefore refers to all concerted effort at equipping special needs learners with necessary skills of functioning productively on a vocation of choice. A vocation is a job which one does for a living, for giving service to others as needed. It is obvious that skills enhances employability and productivity as well as sustain competitiveness in the global economy.
Skill is the ability to do or perform an activity that is related to some meaningful actions, works or jobs. In contributing to this, Okorie (2000) points out that to develop a particular skill is to show the habit of thinking, acting and behaving in a specific activity in such a way that the process becomes natural to an individual through constant practice. Skill development requires the actual muscular movements of the fingers, hands, arms, and other parts of the body, in coordination with the eye and sometimes the ear. Such movements are involved in the use of tools, instruments, machines and materials.
The Federal Republic of Nigeria (FGN) (2004) made provisions for pre- technical and vocational skills for balanced theoretical framework in terms of practical approach. The policy was highly emphasised by educators because it lays emphasis on the importance of self-reliance and a better use of preparation for human resources relevant to the national needs. The policy states that in accordance with the prevailing government policy to provide equal educational opportunities for all children, rehabilitation services shall be provided in order to ensure adequate education for all special cases, and a diversified and appropriate curriculum for all the beneficiaries. Rehabilitation services were organised to place rehabilitees in jobs, helping them to cope effectively with their environment and to function as independently as possible.
Presently the rehabilitation centre is under the auspices of the Federal Ministry of Sports and Social Development, (Rehabilitation Department). It is however, a joint venture project between the Federal Government of Nigeria and State Governments, with state governments running the affairs in the centre. The fundamental objective of rehabilitation centre is to guarantee for special needs learners an enabling environment and opportunities for the total development of their human potentials by providing training facilities for placement and after care workers. The rehabilitation centre according to Federal Ministry of Sports and Social Development (2000) is aimed at developing the capacities of special needs learners to meet the challenges of disability and contemporary living and to ensure the attainment of satisfactory life, which would allow them to make their maximum contributions towards the development of the nation. The specific objectives of the centre are to:
i. Ensure effective management of crisis situation of special needs learners;
ii. Ensure provision of relief materials to trainees in the institution;
iii. Ensure an appropriate training for special needs learners to reduce dependency;
iv. Ensure diligent follow-up to facilitate subsequent rehabilitation of the handicap in form of placement and after care visits;
v. Make available to special needs learners adequate physical, social and mental health care facilitates;
vi. Promote the provision of adequate and accessible recreation, and sporting facilities for the trainees; (Federal Ministry of Sport and Social Development,
2000)
The rehabilitation center provide two-year vocational training programme to enable special needs learners (adults and adolescents) from all over the federation to acquire vocational skills in auto mechanics, battery charging, vulcanising, car wash, mechanical engineering crafts, fabrication, welding, machine fitting, Electrical installation and maintenance, refrigeration and air-conditioning, radio, television, and electronic servicing, building, plumbing, painting and decorating, carpentry and joinery, wood machining, furniture design and construction. The programme commences annually with adjustment training of rehabilitees in physical orientation, mobility and skills of daily living. These skills are vital for integration of special needs learners into family and society. (Nwadinigwe and Anumoye, 2005).
Woodwork/building trades specifically are the source of concern. Woodwork and building trades are highly needed in the economic development; they are demanded in construction industries. Professionals could set up their own business. These trades include building construction, plumbing and fitting, painting and decoration, carpentry and joinery, furniture and cabinet construction, upholstery.
Effective skill development in addition to functional equipment requires experienced teachers/instructors.
Vocational rehabilitation center organise seminars and workshop on topics connected with the welfare and rehabilitation of special needs learners and prevention of handicap conditions. (Nigeria Society for the Blind (NSB) 2001) The vocational center that provide these services are: vocational training centre for the blind, Oshodi, Nigeria farmcarft centre for the blind, Ikeja, Nigerian armed forces resettlement centre, Oshodi, Vocational rehabilitation centre. Ikorodu Lagos State, Vocational rehabilitation centre Moniya, Nigerian training for the blind and Vocational training centre both in Ogbomoso, Oyo state, and the School for the handicapp, in Ijebu-Ode; Ilaro; Shagamu and Abeokuta in Ogun State.
Trainees that complete skill programme in any trades will be presented with certificates and testimonials, which usually take places in December of every year. To enable rehabilitation centre follow up the progress, resettlement and integration of ex- trainees, placement and aftercare services tours are carried out by the center’s social welfare workers in order to monitor the resettlement and integration of ex-trainees.
Assessment according to Okoro (2000) is the appraisal of the worth or value of a thing or action and making of appropriate decisions on the basis of such appraisal. Assessment is viewed by Wikipedia (2006) as the systematic determination of merit, worth and significant of something (evalued) or someone (an evaluee), if provided as feedback and integrated into instruction, will help the learners to stimulate growth and form new habits. Through assessment all relevant information about individual to be rehabilitated would be obtained and it will help to describe an individual at a particular point in time, also assessment provides an objective means of monitoring progress of individual over time. It will further help to capitalise on the
strength of the person or woodwork/building trades being assessed and minimise the impact of his/ its weakness in effort to produce expected behaviour or activity.
The wide gap between the skill needed and those skills provided presents a dilemma, as the vast majority of trainees are not receiving the needed services from rehabilitation center, which makes them experience great difficulties in securing and retaining jobs hence making their becoming economic independent difficult. This was attributed to not being given a level of technical skills consistent with their vocational capabilities. This unfortunate outcome occurs despite frequent proclamation that one of the most fundamental tenets of education is to develop to the maximum degree possible, the abilities of all children.
There is therefore, an urgent need to assess skill programmes in woodwork/building trades offered to special needs learners as it will assist to determine the extent to which the values and objectives of the skill programme have been attained and to also establish better kinds of skills, services, facilities and how it could be improved to meet the need of rehabilitees. This will facilitate their being employed; develop their personal and social skills and functions as independent as citizens. To this end, this study is designed to assess the skill development programmes offered in woodwork/building trades to special needs learners in vocational rehabilitation centre especially in South West Nigeria.
Statement of the Problem
Skill development programmes offered in woodwork/building trades to special needs learners in vocational rehabilitation centre should be regarded as a channel through which they can be integrated successfully into the society. The most remarkable integration is achieved when special needs learners acquire the necessary skills for gainful employment from rehabilitation centre. Giwa (1996) averred that
work to special needs learners is not only a means of making a living but also a means of personal fulfillment, self actualisation, self satisfaction and personal integrity.
Unfortunately, against the agitation of successive Nigerian government to guarantee special needs learners an enabling environment and opportunities for total development of their human potential, the skill programmes have not been encouraging. Olubela (2003) Observed that most rehabilitees who have gone through existing system of rehabilitation services become more handicap than what they were before entering into the system. She pointed out that it appears that the involvement of rehabilitees in practical skills has been greatly neglected. She emphasised that rehabilitees who are exposed to manual training will likely be more useful in their job than those who are not. The inability of vocational rehabilitation centre to effectively rehabilitate special needs learners with practical skills demanded for gainful employment in its programme will therefore likely result to unintended consequences like armed robbery, ritual killings, car theft and other vices.
However, if skill programmes offered in woodwork/building trades to rehabilitees is to ensure that skills imparted are aimed at developing the capacities of rehabilitees to meet the challenges of disabilities and contemporary living, then proper assessment should be carried out to determine the extent to which the values and goals of skills programmes have been achieved. Thus, helping rehabilitees to stimulate growth and form new habits that will assist them through practical training.
Purpose of the Study
The purpose of this study is to assess the skill development programmes in woodwork/building trades offered to special needs learners in vocational rehabilitation centre in South West Nigeria. Specifically, the study determines:
1. The appropriateness of the contents of the programmes used for training in woodwork/building trades for effective skill development in vocational rehabilitation center for special needs learners.
2. The suitability of instructional methods used for training special needs learners in woodwork/building trades in vocational rehabilitation center.
3. The adequacy of training facilities and equipment used for woodwork/building trades in vocational rehabilitation center for skill development programmes.
4. The adequacy of various hand tools used for woodwork/building trades in vocational rehabilitation centre for skill development programmes.
5. Constraints to the effectiveness of skill development in woodwork/building trades in vocational rehabilitation center to special needs learners.
6. Strategies that could be used for improving skill development programmes in woodwork/building trades offered to special needs learners in vocational rehabilitation center.
Significance of the study
The findings of this study will be of significance to the following: Government both Federal, States and Local; Administrators in vocational rehabilitation center, Woodwork and Building teachers who teach special needs learners in rehabilitation centre, the Ministry of Youth and Social Development, Non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and international organisations, vocational technical education, parents of rehabilitees and special needs learners who are passing through various vocational skills in rehabilitation centre. It also provides literature input in the field of vocational technical education and vocational rehabilitation.
The findings of this study will be of immense benefit to Federal, States and
Local Government and their agencies in rehabilitation centre. Determining the
appropriateness of the contents of the programmes used for woodwork/building trades identified by this study will guide the government and their agencies to plan and restructure the curriculum contents of woodwork/building trades and implement properly in such a way as to benefit special needs learners who should be rehabilitated by the practical skills acquired from the training.
Furthermore, the findings of this study will be of immense benefit to woodwork/building teachers in rehabilitation center. Assessment of the suitability of instructional methods will assist teachers because they could use the identified and recommended instructional methods and models to teach and effect instructions purposefully and create friendship environment. This approach will also benefit rehabilitees who will as a result of new instructional methods acquire useful practical skills with less difficulty.
Similarly, the findings of the study will assist the administrators of rehabilitation center in improving skills development programmes for effective rehabilitation of special needs learners. Determining the adequacy of training facilities, tools and equipment used for woodwork/building trades in rehabilitation centre identified by this study will guide administrators in updating the skills of personnel to use available facilities, effective formulation of strategies for acquiring, distribution and use of necessary training facilities, tools and equipment for effective rehabilitation of special needs learners. Also the findings will enable the administrators to identify and plan strategies for placing rehabilitees.
Similarly, constraints to effectiveness of skill development programmes offered in vocational rehabilitation centre identified by this study will also be of immense benefits to woodwork/building teachers and social workers. It is expected that the findings will create awareness and check every activities that threaten to
disrupt the activities in the centre which may cause loss of lives and properties. Also, it will help to reduce wastage of resources and time invested in skill development programme. This in effect will help to minimise the frequency of problem in the centre, create an enabling and safe environment, and provide for necessary instructional resources necessary for skill development in woodwork/building trades and consequently improve students learning.
In addition, Federal and State Ministry of Sport and Social Development, will benefit from the findings of this study, strategies for improving skill development programme identified by this study will provide information to the ministry on the need for designing appropriate programme and setting up of an effective monitoring team to monitor the activities in rehabilitation centre. Also, it will assist the authorities to identify and utilize those appropriate managerial and social factors that can enhance skill development in woodwork/building trades offered in rehabilitation centre.
Non-governmental organisation (NGOs) and international organisation (UNDP, UNESCO, WHO) actively involved in vocational rehabilitation of special needs learners would find the findings contained in the report useful in identifying areas of needed assistance. Financial and material assistance could thus be attracted from such organisations since specific areas of deficiency that need improvements would be highlighted. Similarly, the findings generated on strategies for improving skill development in woodwork/building trades will be of immense benefit to parents. It is expected that the findings will sensitise them to be more committed to the training of their children in order to succeed or excel in their chosen career. By stimulate rehabilitee’s interest during training. Thus helping rehabilitees acquire necessary practical skills needed for productive work in the society.
Moreover, appropriateness of contents for effective skill development in woodwork/building trades will also be of benefit to vocational technical education, it is expected that the findings will assist to identify the necessary skill areas where vocational technical education requires to inject better skill development ideas, thereby, assisting in the training of rehabilitees for appropriate skills who will face the challenges of the world of work occasioned by technological advancement. The findings will also serve as literature work in the field of vocational technical education.
Research Questions
The following research questions were formulated to guide the study
1. How appropriate are the contents of the programme used for training in woodwork/building trades for effective skill development in vocational rehabilitation centre for special needs learners?
2. How suitable are the instructional methods used in teaching woodwork/building trades offered to special needs learners in vocational rehabilitation centre?
3. How adequate are the training facilities used for woodwork/building trades for effective skill development in vocational rehabilitation centre?
4. How adequate are the various hand tools used for woodwork/building trades for effective skill development in vocational rehabilitation centre?
5. What are the constraints militating against effective skill development in woodwork/building trades offered to special needs learners in vocational rehabilitation centre?
6. What are the strategies that could be used for improving skill development in woodwork/building trades offered to special needs learners in vocational rehabilitation centre?
Hypotheses
The following null hypotheses were tested at 0 .05 level of significance as part of the study.
H01 There is no significant difference in the mean responses of woodwork teachers and building teachers in vocational rehabilitation centre on the appropriateness of the contents of the programme used for training in woodwork/building trades for effective skill development for special needs learners.
H02 There is no significant difference in the mean responses of woodwork teachers and building teachers on the suitability of instructional methods used for training special needs learners in woodwork/building trades in vocational rehabilitation centre.
H03 There is no significant difference in the mean responses of woodwork teachers and building teachers on the adequacy of training facilities used for effective skill development in woodwork/building trades offered to special needs learners in vocational rehabilitation centre.
H04 There is no significant difference in the mean responses of woodwork teachers and building teachers on the constraints militating against effectiveness of skill development in woodwork/building trades offered to special needs learners in vocational rehabilitation centre.
H05 There is no significant difference in the mean responses of woodwork/ building teachers on strategies that could be used for improving skills in woodwork/building trades offered to special needs learners in vocational rehabilitation centre.
Delimitation of the Study
This study was delimited to vocational rehabilitation of special needs learners in rehabilitation centres in Oyo, Ogun and Lagos States. These are the centre where woodwork/building trades are available for rehabilitees of special needs learners in South West. The study is delimited to appropriateness of the contents of programme used; adequacy of training facilities, suitability of instructional methods, and strategies that can be used for improving skill development programmes offered to special needs learners in rehabilitation centres. The study does not intend to study auto mechanics, electrical electronics and welding fabrication. It is restricted to woodwork/building trades in rehabilitation centres.
This material content is developed to serve as a GUIDE for students to conduct academic research
ASSESSMENT OF SKILL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMMES OFFERED TO SPECIAL NEEDS LEARNERS IN VOCATIONAL REHABILITATION CENTRES IN SOUTH WEST OF NIGERIA.
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