Assessment of the Skill Acquisition Centers in Training Youths for Self – employment in Niger State.

Abstract

This paper assessed the effectiveness of skill acquisition centers in training youths for self-employment in Niger State. The study was a survey research in which data were collected with the use of a 30-item questionnaire on a population of 158 respondents purposively sampled from National Directorate of Employment (NDE) skill acquisition centers for youth in Minna, Suleja and Bida towns. The data were analyzed using mean and standard deviation on a 4-point scale, while z-test was used to test the null hypotheses at.05 level of probability. Findings of the study revealed that a number of programmes are put in place in skill acquisition centers but faced several challenges in terms of effective implementation. The study found that the small amount of salaries paid to master trainers plus the irregularities and delay in payment reduces motivation to teach skills; poor monitoring, supervision and pedagogical competence in terms of instructional delivery of skills; poor funding and misappropriation of training funds plus disregards to the needs of the informal sector: are among the major challenges faced by skill acquisition centers in training youth for self-employment in Niger State. The study recommended standardizing programme implementation operations and certification at skill acquisition centers and adequate funding of NDE youth training programmes at all levels of governance in Nigeria.