Effectiveness of Vocational Skills Acquisition Programmes of National Open University of Nigeria on Women Empowerment

Abstract

Poverty and gender inequality are some of the problems bedevilling the Nigerian society. The group most affected are girls and women especially those living in the rural areas. These, more often than not, have had early marriages, dropouts of school and become teenage mothers tied down by multifarious responsibilities and cannot attend face-to-face institutions. They also cannot take up regular income-earning jobs. The reasons for this can be traced to illiteracy or 'aborted education', coupled with a lack of vocational skills. This inability to get an education or be trained for a vocation means that girls and women cannot contribute their quota to self and societal development. This study investigated the availability and effectiveness of vocational skills acquisition programmes for women offered by the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN). It also ascertained the effectiveness of the skills acquisition training programmes in empowering women. A sample of 50 open and distance learning female students were randomly selected from six study centres: three in the urban and three in rural areas from five skills acquisition programmes of NOUN's Centre for Lifelong Learning. The main instrument is a researcher-designed questionnaire which was used to gather data. Data gathered were analysed using frequency count and percentage. The findings showed among others that more need-based vocational programmes and massive sensitisation is necessary for the rural populace. It was recommended among others that NOUN should float need-based programmes and set up skills acquisition/community centres in the rural areas.