Leadership Styles: A Vital Force for the Management of Vocational and Entrepreneurship Education for National Development

Abstract

Vocational education has a great impact on entrepreneurship as vocational education is expected to emphasis the teaching of entrepreneurial skills and ways of thinking to prepare employees and would-be entrepreneurs. This paper examined the different leadership styles and draw out their implications for the dispensation of vocational entrepreneurship education in Nigeria for national development. Vocational entrepreneurship education has not been fully recognized in the country over the years and in effect it has been difficult to have adequate number of leaders in the few vocational institutions in the country. The success of vocational and entrepreneurship education is largely dependent on the quality of its leadership. It is regrettable to see that vocational and entrepreneurship education is fraught with problems which militate against its ability to produce adequate number and quality of skilled manpower required in our country. The paper identified shortage of funds and materials, staff is grossly inadequate and unqualified, problems of secret societies and drug addiction among students’, poor implementation of entrepreneurship curriculum, poor supervision and inspection of programme in Nigeria schools, the way leadership of schools literally reacts to and manage schools’ crises and the management and administration of vocational and entrepreneurship education to mention but a few out of its inherent problems. The paper suggested that the top and lower management cadres must be committed to work for the realization of the objectives of vocational and entrepreneurship studies at all levels. Also, it is necessary for the leadership to develop their own management skills and learn to adapt the right leadership style in order to win the cooperation of difficult individuals. Keywords: Leadership Styles, Management, Entrepreneurial Studies, Vocational Education, National Development DOI: 10.7176/EJBM/14-8-11 Publication date: April 30 th 2022