An Analysis of Technical Education Programmes in Nigeria: A Study of Nasarawa State Polytechnic, Lafia 2001-2007

Since the 80s Nigeria has been struggling to build a solid base for economic development and growth, which has seen little success. Our technical institutions, especially the polytechnics are only for the theoretical training which does not respond effectively to the needs of our socioeconomic development nor our changing national environment. This absence of an indigenous capacity to conduct basic and applied research work in emerging areas of science and technology has continued to engender the culture of backwardness and total dependence on foreign industrial/consumable goods in Nigeria. This study therefore sought to examine the role of the Nigerian state and the economy in the area of technical education, as well as those problems that led to poor industrial growth which clearly showed the inability of the sector to produce the required technical experts who can man the sector. This study therefore is an investigation of the policy direction of technical education in Nigeria with specific reference to Nasarawa State Polytechnic, Lafia and the impact it has on the technical education in Nigeria generally. The elite theory was also employed in the study due to the fact that it exposes the role of the elites and how state power is used to destroy the economy. As for method of data collection, both primary and secondary methods were utilised, with emphasis on the secondary methods. Findings on the study indicate that the combined impact of the socio-economic crises and the negative tendencies of the elites has exposed Nigeria as reckless, irresponsible and insensitive state. On a whole, the work has concluded that Nigeria cannot afford to lag behind others in Africa, and therefore, a very high priority must be accorded to technical education.