Abstract
This paper reports on some of the factors that draw back effective teaching of technical subjects at high school level. The study was necessitated by the massive donation of textbooks in other subject areas by UNICEF in its Zimbabwe Education Transition Fund. The fund was targeted at reducing student to textbook ratio to 1:1 in all subjects. The researchers sought to establish the resource status of secondary schools in the field of Technical Education. Focus was on the availability, relevance, adequacy and state of material resources (books, tools and equipment) and quality of human resources based on qualification and teaching experience. The study included twenty randomly selected high schools in Harare, with Heads of Departments acting as chief respondents. The study was delimited to two subject areas namely; Agriculture and Building Studies. Data was collected using predominantly close-ended questionnaire, with most items weighted on a 5-point Likert scale. Windows SPSS statistics 17.0 was used for data analysis. The main findings, among others included; inadequately qualified teaching personnel, inadequate textbooks, tools and equipment, obsolete tools and equipment and a rather weak support of technical subject departments by school heads. The study calls for the responsible ministry and corporate world to assist in the funding of technical subjects, as these are considered the panacea to a country’s unemployment burden.
Highlights
This paper reports on some of the factors that draw back effective teaching of technical subjects at high school level
The study was necessitated by the massive donation of textbooks in other subject areas by United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) in its Zimbabwe Education Transition Fund
Technical and Vocational Education (TVE) has emerged as one of the most effective human resource development strategies that African countries are embracing in order to train their workforce
Summary
Technical and Vocational Education (TVE) has emerged as one of the most effective human resource development strategies that African countries are embracing in order to train their workforce. TVE is defined as that aspect of education which is a skill acquisition-oriented form of training, based on application of mathematics and scientific knowledge in a specific field for self actualization and development (Puyate, 2008). It can be defined as an educational process that involves the study of technologies and related sciences and the acquisition of practical skills and knowledge aimed at discovering and developing an individual for employment in various sectors of economic and social life (Boateng, 2012). More often technical subjects receive less attention compared to the so-called essential subjects
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