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Technical and Vocational Education (TVE) refers to education that prepares persons for gainful employment (Finch & Crunkilton 1999). TVE refers to deliberate interventions to bring about learning which would make people more productive (or simply adequately productive) in designated areas of economic activity (e.g., economics sectors, occupations, specific work tasks), TVE has the potential to enhance human capacities and enlarge people choices. In other words, TVE refers to orientation towards the word of work and the emphasis of the curriculum on the acquisition of employable skills.
The World Bank, International Labour Organisation, (ILO), United Nation Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO), and other organisation have recently shown drive towards actively recognising the role of TVE. However, UNESCO who is at the forefront of TVEpromotion had the following objectives of TVE established at the Seul congress (UNESCO, 2000): To provide TVE for all, to orient TVE for sustainable development, to strengthened TVE as an integral component of life long learning. One of the key goals of Education for All (EFA) framework for Action adopted in Dakar, Senegal, in 2000 (UNESCO, 2000) stipulates that the learning needs of all youth adult should be met through access to appropriate learning and long life-skills programme. Since this is basically what TVE does, the linkage between the two thrusts already exists, but must be strengthened and broadened. In the context of this study, Technical and Vocational Education is concerned with the imparting of knowledge, skills and attitudes by teachers who have undergone some training in the art of teaching and production of TVE trades such as Automobile Technology, Electrical Technology, Metalwork Technology,Electrical Technology, and Building Technology and so on in Colleges of Education (Technical). It is also includes acquisition of pedagogical skills in training learners and relating the knowledge, skills and attitudes to them.
The National Commission for Colleges of Education (NCCE) in its 2002 minimum standard approved the following as the objectives of the curriculum for Technical and Vocational Education in Colleges of Education (Technical):
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To prepare teachers with the right knowledge and attitudes/professional competence in TVE;
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To produce teachers who will be capable of motivating pupils to acquire interest in and aptitude for TVE;
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To develop in the student teachers the appropriate communication skills for effective transmission of TVE information to the students in the context of their environment;
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To equip the students teachers with adequate knowledge and ability to establish and be self-reliant; and
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To provide a sound background to enhance further academic and professional progression of the student teacher. To fully achieve the stated objectives of the curriculum of TVE in the Colleges of Education (Technical), the services of competent teachers are required.
Teachers are individuals trained in specific areas of subject matter to equip them with the pedagogical and technical knowledge, skills and attitudes required in training learners. Teachers of Technical and Vocational education pass on knowledge, skills and attitudes in TVE of students through implementation of curriculum.
Curriculum as defined by Onwuka in Olaitan (2003) is a structured series of intended learning experiences through which educational institutions endeavour to realize the hopes of the society. In this study, curriculum is recognized as a body of knowledge in technical and vocational education presented to students who are in training to become teachers in future. Teachers of technical and vocational education in Colleges of Education (Technical) implement TVE curriculum toprepare learners in the area of skills acquisition in imparting the knowledge through teaching.