Africa Journal of Technical and Vocational Education and Training

Skills and Knowledge Assessment Study for the Jua Kali Sector in Kakamega Town: Towards Implementing Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) in MMUST-TVET Institute

2023-05-10T19:37:08+00:00

The Kenya National Qualification Authority (KNQA) defines Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) as the process used to identify, assess, and certify a candidate’s knowledge, skills, and competencies acquired in non-formal or informal learning, such as work or life experiences, against prescribed standards or learning outcomes. Despite the launch of RPL by KNQA in 2021, its implementation in Kenya, especially Western region, has generally been slow. This study was therefore conducted to: i) To identify key non-formal and informal economy-driving industries with uncertified skilled workers in, ii) To determine the level of need for RPL by Jua Kali workers; iii) To identify the possible RPL processes and nomenclature suitable to MMUST in relation to CBET and, iv) To identify the level of awareness on RPL among stakeholders. The study was done through questionnaires. The first was a needs assessment study targeting eleven ‘Jua Kali’ sectors in Kakamega town. These were Mechanical, Electrical, Welding, Masonry, Plumbing, Hotel Services, Carpentry, Textile/Dressmaking, Berber Services, and Hair and beauty services Sectors. The study involved 157 workers spread across the eleven sectors. The study found that 77.7% of the respondents have no certification to prove their competency in the work that they do. A majority (88%) of the respondents would like their skills and knowledge gained informally to be assessed and certified by a recognized institution. Also Out of these, 80.6% reported that their institutions have never been involved in the RPL process and 58.3% reported that their institutions have enough trained personnel to implement RPL. Findings also indicate that there is high level of RPL need among the workers at 88%. While reviewing literature from the KNQA, the study found a well laid down policy and guidelines for RPL implementation suitable for MMUST TVET Institute. It further exposes the low awareness on RPL among stakeholders. The study concludes by emphasizing the need to create effective awareness among RPL possible candidates, implementors and policy makers The study recommends aggressive and effective awareness creation among the ‘Jua-Kali’ traders in the twelve non-formal and informal trade areas as well as among the key stakeholders. Establishing an RPL centre in MMUST TVET Institute was deemed highly necessary to accommodate the 88.5% ‘Jua-Kali’ traders in Kakamega town, who are willing to have their skills and knowledge assessed and certified.

Application of Models in Teaching Modern Agricultural Engineering Practices:A Case Study of Laikipia North Technical and Vocational College

2023-05-10T19:36:39+00:00

The efficiency and effectiveness of various teaching methods are key in the teaching and learning process. Teaching Agricultural Engineering requires high-cost machines and equipment normally accessible only on commercial farms. While the use of conventional approaches in teaching Agricultural Engineering is routine, this study establishes whether innovative approaches would yield higher efficiency and effectiveness in teaching. Two groups of learners are taught using one method, either conventional (lecture) or innovative (application of low-cost physical models) and are this study’s focus. The learners under similar conditions attempt standard examinations post-teaching. Results show that learners taught using the conventional method have a relatively larger gap of 71 % between the highest and the least score and a mean score of 51.65 %. In addition, a majority of the learners in the conventionally taught group score between grades C plain to B Plain and thus are defined as Transitory Learners. Learners exposed to the innovative teaching methods scored higher with the highest score being 95 % and the least score being 45 % thus translating to a gap of 50%. Financially, innovative methods are affordable due to the absence of recurring costs such as power, printing, and internet connection costs. In conclusion, Teachers of Agricultural Engineering ought to adopt innovative approaches to teach modern agricultural engineering practices. Further policies and sensitization activities by institutions are also necessary to ensure teachers expose the transitory learners in their classes to models that reinforce learning. On the research front, the availability of models for use in cases of learners with special needs awaits.

Influence of Gender on Career Choice in Home Science Education Programmes in Kenyan Universities

2023-05-10T19:36:02+00:00

Career aspirations of students may be largely shaped by gender and would make choices on careers to pursue based on the established social orientations. Besides gender, other factors like availability of employment opportunities, guidance and counselling and personal interest in a given field could be important factors driving students to a given university programme. The objective of this study sought to establish the influence of gender on choice of careers in Home Science Education programmes in Kenyan Universities. The study was guided by the Social Cognitive Career Theory that explores how career choices are made. This study used the Convergent Parallel mixed method design. The study was conducted in Uasin Gishu and Kiambu counties in Kenya that have universities with programmes that train Home Science educators. Purposive sampling technique was used to select two universities offering the Home Science Education programmes. The 2 Heads of Department were purposively selected while the 254 students were conveniently selected. Data was obtained using questionnaire, interview schedule and focus group discussion guide. Quantitative data was analyzed and presented using graphs. Qualitative data was analyzed thematically then used to compare with that of quantitative data. The findings of this study reveal that gender played a minimal role among the respondents. The study recommended that policy makers and all stakeholders should offer civic education and sensitization that Home Science Education programme is not a feminine programme. There is need to deliberately showcase men who have ventured and thrived in Home Science and Home Science related careers.

Development of a New Model for an e-RPL System Quality Evaluation: A Case Study of Kenya Technical Trainers College

2023-05-10T19:35:25+00:00

The education sector just like any other formal sectors has been largely affected by the emergence of new forms of technology, which present both opportunities and challenges. Quintessentially, many educational institutions have embraced the use of technology from a one-dimensional aspect of the prospects of technology in the formal learning while disregarding the challenges presented in integrating the use of technology in teaching and learning in non-formal and informal settings. Specifically, educational institutions have disregarded the role of embracing quality in the design and implementation of eLearning systems in the non-formal and informal education systems. Adopting a quantitative approach, this research aims at evaluating the development of a new model of enhancing quality in the design of electronic Recognition of Prior Learning (eRPL) system in the informal education setting by modifying the eLearning Quality Framework (EQF). Questionnaires were used to collect data from a total of 140 students enrolled at Kenya Technical Trainers College (KTTC) in order to establish the determinants of quality in eLearning systems for eRPL. Descriptive statistics and weighting factor analysis were undertaken on the data collected. Results from the analysis indicate that quality in eLearning is mainly determined by the following; content design, eLearning system quality, learner experiences and social support, technology factors, assessment and evaluation and institutional factors. In terms of importance it is recommended that the designers should put more emphasis on providing the following quality parameters in the eLearning system; up-to-date content, supported by multiple mobile devices, offers easy navigation of learning experiences, offers and is available on a 24/7 hours basis, has the ability to accurately store assessment data and ensures that the service provider has enough resources to implement eLearning. It is recommended that future research should focus on exploring how interactive and intelligent emerging technologies such as Internet of Things, Virtual Reality and Artificial Intelligence can be infused in the design of quality and responsive eRPL systems.

Teaching Factory Concept in TVET

2023-05-10T19:34:53+00:00

The Teaching Factory concept in technical and vocational education and training (TVET) is an innovative approach to instruction that seeks to provide students with hands-on, project- based learning experiences in a simulated industrial setting. The goal of this research is to examine the feasibility and effectiveness of the Teaching Factory concept in TVET by exploring its benefits, challenges, and limitations. A survey questionnaire was administered to a sample of industry partners, parents, faculty and students to gather information and opinions about the Teaching Factory concept. The survey results revealed that the participants had a general understanding of the concept and viewed it as a valuable approach to instruction. They identified the main benefits of the Teaching Factory concept as providing students with practical skills, preparing them for the workforce, and fostering innovation and creativity. The survey results also revealed that the main challenges and limitations of the Teaching Factory concept are the high cost of equipment and infrastructure, the lack of trained personnel, and the difficulty of integrating the concept into existing curriculum. In addition to the survey, case studies of successful Teaching Factory implementations in TVET were also analyzed to assess the outcomes and impact of the concept. The case studies showed that the Teaching Factory concept was effective in providing students with practical skills and preparing them for the workforce. It also showed that the concept was successful in fostering innovation and creativity, and engaging students in their learning. The results of this research suggest that the Teaching Factory concept in TVET is a feasible and effective approach to instruction. However, the implementation of the concept requires addressing the challenges and limitations identified in this research, such as high costs and the need for trained personnel. Further research is needed to explore the long-term impact and effectiveness of the Teaching Factory concept in TVET.

E-Learning Readiness and Perceptions of Trainers towards Teaching Skills-Based Courses among TVET Institutions in North Imenti Constituency, Meru County, Kenya

2023-05-10T19:34:09+00:00

With the emergence of COVID-19 coupled with the advent of the digital era, face-to-face learning has been challenged in addressing the learning and teaching needs of both trainees and trainers. Online learning has been adopted to address this unique challenge, however, teaching skills-based courses online has not been explored. Therefore, the current study investigated eLearning readiness and perceptions of TVET trainers to teach skills-based courses in North Imenti Constituency, Meru County. The study adopted a cross-sectional descriptive design to conduct the investigation among 177 TVET trainers who were selected using proportionate sampling from two TVET institutions and a simple random sampling was done within each institution. A semi-structured consolidated, Likert-scale, digital questionnaire was sent by online platforms, that is, email and WhatsApp to solicit data on elearning readiness and perceptions and the competency of teaching skills-based courses online. Data was downloaded from google drive, exported to SPSS, coded, cleaned and transformed. The five-Likert scale was compressed into dichotomous variables. Descriptive statistics such as means, standard deviations, percentages and inferential statistics, that is, logistic regression was performed to get associations. Most of the respondents were young (65%), employed by PSC (61.0%), and were not ready to teach online (75.1%), however, a few of them (33.9%) were enthusiastic. The enthusiastic respondents were 2.6 times (OR= 2.573, p = 0.006) more likely to be competent in teaching skills-based courses online as compared with those whose perception was neutral. One in three trainers had a positive perception and one in two trainers was competent in teaching skills-based courses online, however, three in four trainers were not ready for the same. The Ministry of Education should develop training and sensitization packages for TVET trainers on ICT integration in education, e-learning and effective change management.

Enrolment Management in Higher Learning Institutions: Student Retention Prediction

2023-05-10T19:33:01+00:00

Student retention has become one of the most important priorities for decision makers in higher learning institutions (HLI). The increasing competition for students among tertiary institutions has resulted in a greater emphasis on student retention. Improving student retention starts with a thorough understanding of the reasons behind the attrition. In an effort to address this issue, the study used student demographic and institutional data along with several business intelligence (BI) techniques and analytical tools, to develop prototype to predict likelihood of student persistence or dropout with the goal to identify factors that can be used to identify students who are at risk of dropping out of tertiary institution program. This study used classification models generated using Waikato Environment for Knowledge Analysis (WEKA). The model was built using the 10-fold cross validation, and holdout method (60% of the data was used as training and the remaining as test and validation). Random sampling techniques were used in selecting the datasets. The attribute selection analysis of the models revealed that the student age on entry, parent occupation, health of student and financial variables are among the most important predictors of the phenomenon. Results of the classifiers were compared using accuracy level, confusion matrices and speed of model building benchmarks. The study shows that identifying the relevant student background factors can be incorporated to design a business intelligence system that can serve as valuable tool in predicting student withdrawal or persistence as well as recommend the necessary intervention strategies to adopt, leading to better education efficiency and graduation rate.

A Role for TVET in Organizational Training and Development

2023-05-10T19:40:46+00:00

Individuals and organizations alike derive benefits from training and development, making the money and time a valuable investment. Thus, on one side is the survival of every organization depending first and majorly on the employees who are the organizations’ most significant asset and as such must be trained and developed; and on the other side is a TVET system that is today steadily emerging from the shadows of negative public perceptions and an era of being a neglected educa tion sub-sector to finally becoming the mainstream pathway of education and training system in many developing countries. Throughout this oftenchallenging journey, TVET systems have accumulated a vast volume of experience over time that organizations and industry can tap into for own employee training and development programmes. This paper therefore reviews relevant literature to define the meaning of training and development in the context of an organization, and whereas most definitions of the two terms have, in the process of defining them, had them mixed up with one another, this paper draws a clear distinction of the two meanings with a table that shows the activities involved in each terminology. The paper discusses the role that TVET systems can play in organizational training and development of many developing countries especially in Africa that are now fully embracing an industry engaged TVET system (Employer-Led TVET system) and the opportunities therein for TVET systems and organizations. The paper then recommends for development of a regulatory framework that can guide and regulate the entire process from start to end; and a national monitoring system to support the organizational and industry training and development by the TVET systems

Training Opportunities and Youth Participation in Development Agenda in Kenya

2023-05-10T19:30:49+00:00

Youth participation in county development projects continues to worsen, even though they form the majority of the population. The reasons as to why youth have been reluctant to be engaged in development agenda and are pushed to periphery of decision making despite their massive numbers has escalated debate among scholars and researchers on what determines youth participation in development projects. The study examined the influence of training opportunities on young people participation in county development agenda with the particular focus on the rationale for their participation behaviors. The target population was 2000 youths with sample size 333. Explanatory survey research design was used to show cause effect relationship between training opportunities and youth participation. Structured questionnaires were used and researcher tested validity of instruments by discussing them with experts. Reliability was tested using cronbach alpha for consistency of data. Test / retest technique was done during pilot testing to test reliability of research instruments. SPSS was used for data analysis, presentation done using tables for easier communication of findings. The study findings revealed a positive high correlation between training opportunities and youth participation in Development projects (R= 0.79). This further showed that training opportunities positively influenced youth participation in development projects in Kakamega County. In conclusion, training increased youth participation in development agenda in Kakamega County. From the study results, it was recommended that government formulates policy measures and programs that champion creation of training opportunities for youth so as to involve them in development projects. This study will mitigate existing different and conflicting opinions on the training opportunities and youth participation in development.

Exploring the Employment Transition of TVET Students: A Case Study of the Safaricom Foundation Scholarship Program

2023-05-10T19:29:53+00:00

In Kenya, youth unemployment is a major problem. It is linked to gender, geographic area, educational attainment, and socioeconomic status, according to recent evidence. Over 80% of youth from Kenya's lowest wealth quintile are unemployed at a given time. To combat this current problem, the Safaricom Foundation, developed the Safaricom Foundation Scholarship Program (SFS). The initiative fo cused on the most marginalized youth, who are defined based on evidence. In partnership with two civil society groups, 40 training institutions were selected for to equiping 1027 youth aged 15–28 years, including young mothers and those with disabilities (PWDs), with trade skills and training them in life skills and employability competencies. They were then to be placed in internships and linked to job opportunities both formal and informal. This paper thus explores how Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) students transit right from enrolment to the job market. The paper utilizes data collected from the Safari com Foundation sponsored institutions since 2020. A descriptive cross-sectional study design was adopted for this study. The paper sought to open up discussions and offer solutions on the challenges facing youth in transitioning to jobs while focusing on two questions (i) What are the completion and employment rates of the SFS students enrolled in the program? (ii) What are the barriers to accessing employment? The study used a cross-sectional study design in finding out the transition rates of the Safaricom Foundation Scholarship trainees. Findings indicate that most of the TVET students had the competences and were able to meet the job market demands through support from various stakeholders. However, there was still low transition rates of students to job employment compared to the students that graduated from TVET institutions. This calls for a concerted effort among key education stakeholders on the mentorship of students on course selection for a plausible outcome. In light of the challenges TVET graduates face in transitioning from institutions to the workforce, stakeholders should help them with industrial attachments, employment agencies, income-generating units at the institutions, institutionalindustrial links, self-employment, start-up capital, tools a nd materials for self-employment, and training. TVET graduates should employ these tactics and consider the skills as important since they enable self-employment or formal work.

Secretarial Skills and the Challenges of Youth Unemployment in Ogun State, Nigeria

2023-05-10T19:28:57+00:00

The issues of unemployment in Nigeria have become a source of concern to collective authority and citizens in general. The study examined secretarial skills and the challenges of youth unemployment in Ogun State, Nigeria. Three research questions guided the study. A descriptive survey research design was adopted. A total of 278 undergraduates of Olabisi Onabanjo University, Tai Solarin University of Education, F ederal Polytechnic Ilaro and Abiola Moshood Polytechnic represented the sample size of the study. Researchers developed questionnaire tagged: Secretarial Skills and Youth Unemployment Questionnaire (SSYUQ) with 0.84 reliability coefficient which was used for data collection. Research questions 1 and 2 were answered using descriptive statistics of mean and standard deviation while research question 3 was answered through multiple regression analysis. The findings of the study revealed that there are significant predictors causing youth unemployment in Ogun State which include high rate of graduates’ turnout, lack of employability skills, lack of selfreliance skills, inadequate of entrepreneurial skills, collapse of manufacturing industries, unstable electricity supply and lopsided curriculum design and implementation. Possession of secretarial skills such as communication, analytical/research, flexibility/adaptability/managing multiple priorities, multicultural sensitivity/awareness, planning/organizing, result-driven, problem-solving/reasoning/creativity, interpersonal, innovation, self-improvement and information and communication technology skills could help an individual in solving the challenges of unemployment in Ogun State and that about 66% of the va riance in youth unemployment was accounted for by the linear combination of the secretarial skills. The study recommends among other things that the government and management of tertiary institutions in Ogun State should provide more funds to the department of Secretarial Administration or Business Education in order to provide better working condition for the staff and the needed materials for instruction delivery. More of the secretarial administration instruction should be based on practical aspect as this will better open eyes of the students towards the benefits of the programm e for solving youth unemployment.

Community Participation Model for the Re-Electrification of Railways in South Africa and its possible impact on Youth Unemployment

2023-05-10T19:27:15+00:00

This paper looks at Community Participation (CP) in large infrastructure projects particularly in South Africa directed at the South African rail network. In recent years there has been increased theft of railway infrastructure including the rail track equipment and overhead equipment. This paper firstly looks at the definition of the term CP and its importa nce especially when considering the current trends of youth unemployment, inequality and poverty in the region. Secondly the paper looks at the possible reasons for the theft of the rail infrastructure and possible areas of community involvement. Thirdly the paper looks at possible ways in which unemployed artisans, technicians and engineers could be involved in the re-electrification of the network which is defunct in some regions of the country. The author also considered the reasons why community members would participate in activities related crime, vandalism and destruction when they would possibly need to be transported by the same rail network at relatively cheaper costs (as opposed to minibus taxis and public busses) and added convenience. The general public is also aware of the movement of supplies (foods and products) and commodities which are transported by freight rail and form an integral part of the national rail network. The paper also looks at the brief history of community participation in general with some references within the country and from the USA and then looks at approaches used in India where CP in the rail network is encouraged. Focus is then directed towards possible CP implementation in the South Africa rail network. Later, a pragmatic model of CP is proposed for the re-electrification of the South African rail network, hoping that such a model could be used to impact youth unemployment with regards artisans, technicians and engineers who are currently in need of practical work experience and related job opportunities. Finally, recommendations are proposed to extend the scope of CP with a view to include some planning and design aspects of projects that with the help of the higher education and TVET sector could possibly reduce the negative impacts of youth unemployment.

Effects of Food Prices on Dietary Intake of Pre-Primary Children in Low Income Peri-Urban Households in Uasin Gishu County, Kenya

2023-05-10T19:25:47+00:00

Unpredictable fluctuations in food prices have direct impact on household’s income, which negatively affect dietary intake while raising the risk of malnutrition. The objective of the study was to determine the food price effects on dietary intake of pre-primary children in low-income peri- urban households in Eldoret municipality. A descriptive survey was used with a sample size of 399 low-income households. A structured questionnaire was used to collect data from caregivers. Majority of the respondents, 282 (70.6%) were married. About 279(69.9%) had tertiary level education. Most (140(35.2%)) of the households had a monthly wage above Kenya Shillings (KShs) 21000, KShs 16000-20000 at 103(25.8%) with only 15(3.7%) having wage of KShs 1000 to 5000. Majority of households 257(64.6%) had more than 4 members. About 332(83.2%) of the households consumed 3 meals a day. Only 174 (43.6%) of the households consumed snacks during the day. Over half of the respondents, 334 (83.60%) had made major changes in their dietary intake over the past one year. Majority 375 (94.3%) significantly increased intake of staple foods while reducing the number of meals taken a day 280 (70.2%) as a result of increased food prices. Household head unemployment, increased household expenditure and decline in food supplies from friends and relatives all indicated a statistically significant association with the quality of dietary intake (p-value=0.00). Linear logistic regression analysis showed that change in the food price negatively affected the dietary intake at p=0.446. Furthermore, decrease in food supplies from friends and relatives led to decrea sed quality and adequacy of diet taken by the households and vice versa (p-value<0.05). From the findings, food prices affected the dietary intake of pre-primary children in low-income households. The study recommends that the government should cushion the populace against hunger by giving money monthly to low income and vulnerable household to enable them meet their dietary needs. It should also enforce existing policies that protect consumers against unpredictable food price spikes in the country.

Feed Intake and Feed Conversion Efficiency of Growing SEAG Fed on Mature Green Pods of Acacia brevispica, A. mellifera and A. tortilis Processed Differently as Supplements

2023-05-10T19:25:04+00:00

Kenya has about 52 speciesof acacia which possess tannins. Little effort has been made toprocess the acacia species pods to add value to their nutritional potential. It is in this aspect that the study intended to assess the Feed Intake (FI) and Feed Conversion Efficiency (FCE)of growing Small East Africa Goats fed on mature green pods of Acacia brevispi ca, melliferaand tortilis processed differently as supplements in Emining ward within Mogotio SubCounty in Baringo County, Kenya A total of 20 bucks 4-5 months old weighing 12kg±1.05 were purchased. They were blocked according to their live weights and randomly allocated tofive treatments in a Randomized Complete Block design. Deworming was done prior to datacollection. The five treatments were; T1 (fresh mature green pods of Acacia sp. Untreated, T2(green Acacia sp. pods - shade dried for 48 hours), T3 (green pods of Acacia sp sun dried for48 hours), T4 (green pods of Acacia sp. soaked in wood ash mixed with water for 48 hours, and T5 (negative control-basal diet of Rhodes grass Hay-Chloris gayana mixed with wheat brand (3:1)). All the bucks in all the treatments were fed on the same basal diet of 400grams. FI was recorded daily and Average Weight Gain taken fortnightly for a period of threemonths. Data obtained was fed to Stratigraphic Centurion XVII and subjected to Analysis of Variance. A. tortilis pods processed differently was taken in large amounts when processed in alkaline (416.50±6.50 gm, (p<0.05). Initial weight of the SEAG did not differ prior to feeding(p>0.05). For control, Shade dried, Sun dried and Alkali treatment, A. tortilis ponds resultedto the highest weight (p<0.05). Bucks fed on Acacia tortilis- alkali-treated-pods resulted in best Average Daily Gain (p<0.05). Highest FCE was recorded in Acacia tortilis treated in alkali p<0.05) which had the lowest FCR. In conclusion based on the results of the current study, Acacia tortilis showed the overall best performance in most of parameters tested. Toreduce the harmful effects of tannins in tanniniferous forages, the alkali technique of tanninreduction in acacia species pods should be used.

Antioxidant and Antibacterial Bio-functionalization Properties of Cotton Fabric Dyed with Acetonic Extracts of Prosopis Juliflora using Bio-Mordants

2023-09-05T02:24:07+00:00

Natural dyes have been taunted as a potential alternative to their often-hazardous synthetic counterparts due to their degradability, non-toxicity and eco-friendliness. In addition to their dyeing properties, natural dyes are equally known to have medicinal properties such as antimicrobial and antifungal activities. Prosopis juliflora, commonly referred to as Mathenge, is a noxious weed listed by International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) among the most unwanted plants. In Kenya, the plant has adverse effects on livestock and the environment. The aim of the study, was to develop biofunctionalized fabric with antioxidant and antibacterial properties that can be used for their medicinal properties using natural dyes extracted from P. juliflora. The objectives of this study, were to evaluate the effects of biomordants on the dyeing properties of the extracts of P. juliflora and to evaluate the antioxidant and antimicrobial textile finishing properties of the natural dye on cotton fabric. The bio-mordants used were tannic acid and mango bark. The antioxidant activity of the dyed cotton fabric was determined by use of 2,2 -diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radical (DPPH) method whereas the antimicrobial properties of the dyed fabric, were done against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus strains of bacteria using the absorbance method. The use of bio-mordants increased the color strength from 0.63 to 0.76 and 0.79 for mango bark and tannic acid respectively. On the other hand, P. juliflora dyed fabric , equally showed antioxidant properties of 69.4 %, with the dye imparted on the fabric, showing potent antimicrobial reduction abilities of 64.34 % and 66.72 % against E. coli and S. aureus, respectively, to the fabric. Therefore, from the results, it can be concluded that P.juliflora dye, is suitable for use as a natural dye with potent antimicrobial properties hence it can be used for the development of medicinal fabric.

Reinforcing University Entrepreneurship Education Programme for Poverty Alleviation in Nigeria

2023-05-10T19:21:16+00:00

The dearth of paid employment has forced governments in Africa to prioritize the promotion of entrepreneurship engagement by citizens. One strategy employed by the Nigerian federal government was to make entrepreneurship education compulsory for all tertiary institution students. The policy has been in place for well over a decade; however the extent of its effectiveness is very much in question, with researches turning in mixed results and many unemployed graduates unwilling or unable to effectively engage in entrepreneurship. The purpose of this study was to examine students’ perception on prospects, challenges and strategies for reinforcing university entrepreneurship education programme for poverty alleviation in Nigeria. The study was carried out in Kwara State University, Malete and Tai Solarin University of Education Ijagun, both in southwestern Nigeria. To achieve the study purpose, descriptive survey research design was adopted. Three research questions guided the study. The population consisted of all full-time undergraduate students of business educati on in the two universities. A census of all 202 students was conducted. A four-point rating scale questionnaire was used to collect data from the subjects. The instrument was validated by experts in the two universities. The reliability test, conducted with test-retest method, yielded a reliability quotient of 0.77 which was considered adequate. Frequency counts and percentage were used to analyze the demographic data while mean and standard deviation were employed to answer the research questions. Research findings showed that many respondents agreed that Entrepreneurship Education has great potentials as an instrument of poverty alleviation and sustainable development. The challenges inhibiting the optimization the benefits of entrepreneurship education in Nigeria included poor funding, and inadequate government support for budding entrepreneurs, among other factors. The findings also showed that entrepreneurship can be strengthened for poverty alleviation through effective programme planning, supervision and evaluation. The researcher recommended that government and other relevant agencies should provide incentives and support to university graduates in their entrepreneurship endeavours.

Influence of African Traditional Sales Enhancer (ATSE) on Utilization of Product Promotion Strategies by Micro-Entrepreneurs in Osogbo, Nigeria: Implications for Sustainable Development

2023-05-10T19:20:10+00:00

The influence of national and ethnic culture on entrepreneurial disposition and practice has long been established in several different cultures across the world. Such cultures often enhance, but sometimes inhibit entrepreneurial success. Previous studies indicate that many micro-entrepreneurs in Nigeria, especially in the southwestern part of the country do not sufficiently employ modern product promotion strategies, even though they are not completely unaware of them. Rather, they prefer to trust in God and other spiritual forces for sales growth and product preferment. This practice has grave negative implications for sales volume, entrepreneurship durability and sustainable development, profitability, and other success metrics. This paper is focused on evaluating the influence of African Traditional Sales Enhancer (ATSE) which is commonly employed by mi cro-entrepreneurs of southwestern Nigeria, on the utilization of product promotion techniques for increasing sales volume. The study employed descriptive survey research design. The sample size for this study comprised 52 micro-entrepreneurs randomly selected among entrepreneurs within the Osogbo metropolis. Structured questionnaire was used to collect primary data from respondents. Relevant works of authorities in related fields were reviewed. Data were analyzed using mean rating and standard deviation. One sample test and regression analysis (Structural Equation Modeling) were used to test the hypothese s at 0.05 level of significance. Results show that there is an inverse relationship between the usage of ATSE and application of product promotion by micro-entrepreneurs, also that employment of ATSE by microentrepreneurs is falsely perceived to increases sales volume. The study recommended adequate education and orientation of micro-entrepreneurs to promote adoption and usage of product promotion strategies. Entrepreneurs should be weaned off the culture of relying on spiritual forces for advancement. Government should come up with policies that will reduce the cost of product promotion in order to encourage usage of product promotion and reduce the level of reliance on ATSE.

Technology Influence on Value Creation among Rural Small and Micro Enterprises in Nyamira County, Kenya. The Moderating Role of Regulatory Policies

2023-05-10T19:18:13+00:00

Technology has become a strategic resource in sustaining competitiveness among firms regardless of their size. However, competition through globalization and strategic alliances are some of the issues underpinning technology adoption among SMEs both in developed and developing economies. The main objective of this study was to examine the moderating role of regulatory policies on technology influence on value creation among rural small and micro enterprises in Nyamir a county, Kenya. The Specific objectives of this study however, was to; examine technology influence on value creation among rural small and micro enterprises in Nyamira county Kenya, and, to determine the moderating role of regulatory policies on the relationship between technology influence and value creation among rural small and micro enterprises in Nyamira county Kenya. The study was anchored on the Resource-Based View Theory. The researcher adopted a cross - sectional descriptive research design. A sample size of 443 respondents was drawn from a tar get population of 1,846 registered small and micro enterprises by use of Yamane, (1967) formula where stratification sampling technique was used. A questionnaire was the main data collection tool. The reliability test was done using Cronbach alpha while the validity test was based on expert’s judgment. Means, standard deviations, and coefficient of variation were used to describe respondents’ profiles. Pearson’s correlation was used to examine the relationship between the study variables while multiple regression analysis was done to test study hypotheses. The findings that 13.6 percent variation was explained by technology (R 2 = .136). The results further indicated that regulatory policies moderated the relationship between technology influence and value creation by 18.9%. This implies that regulatory policies influenced the relationship between technology and value creation among rural small and micro enterprises in Nyamira county, Kenya. The study findings are expected to provoke both the national and county governments in formulating policy insights aimed at empowering SMEs since they are a source of creativity and innovation mostly in social-economic development especially in rural areas.

A Isolated Word Recognizer for the Swahili Dialect Using Sphinx4-Neural Network Hybrid

2023-05-10T19:15:41+00:00

Speech is one of the most effective means of communication. Efforts to develop an automatic speech recognizer for Swahili dialect has faced numerous challenges due to lack of a standardized acoustic model for the dialect. This study aimed at developing an isolated speech recognizer for automatic transcription of Swahili dialect using Sphinx4 – Neural Network hybrid. The objectives of the study was to design and develop a neural network on the front-end module of the Sphinx4 and to compare performance between sphinx4 and sphinx4 neural network hybrid. The study was guided by statistical and probabilistic theory and the theory of linguistics. This study followed a positivist philosophical paradigm and embraced experimental research design. To achieve this, the researcher developed a small corpus of the dialect which contained twenty words. A total of two hundred speech recordings were made from ten volunteers. The words and the volunteers were selected using purposive and convenience sampling methods respectively. Results obtained from both sphinx4 and sphinx4-neural network hybrid were evaluated using descriptive analysis techniques. This study established that a neural network could be integrated with sphinx4. The study also established that sphinx4-neural network hybrid with its neural network trained to an error less than 0.0175 had a performance that was statistically at par with that of sphinx4. The study concluded having established that for isolated word recognition in Swahili, sphinx4-neural network hybrid can be used in place of sphinx4 HMM recognizer. Areas of further study recommended include; using this tool for continuous speech recognition, evaluation of the tool using a larger speech sample, comparative analysis between the tool and others line NICO and establishing ways of improving accuracy of the tool.

Routine Risk Management Strategies in TVET Institutions’ Operations. A Case of Coast Institute of Technology

2023-05-10T19:14:14+00:00

Educational institutions continue to operate in a volatile environment characterized by a myriad of challenges. Furthermore, the institutions are confronted with a future that is marked with uncertainty. The concealed risks are threatening to derail the attainment of the anticipated vision and objectives. Therefore, this demands for a change of strategy in order for the institutions to maintain their focus. Given the limited information on the risk position of educational institutions, this study sought to find out how TVET institutions manage risk in their routine operations. The study used a mixed methods approach to explore the risk management strategies adopted in the implementation of programmes. Data was collected through one-on-one interview with the principal, deputy principal, dean of students, head of department and analysis of relevant documents. This was complimented with a survey administered to the lecturers at the institution. Findings from this study reveal that there was lack of an elaborate risk management framework that could be used to address potential and emerging risks in the institution. Moreover, there was minimal indication of the knowledge of risk management though there were activities that seemed to focus on the identification of risks. The findings from the study were that 72% of the lecturers rated the institution’s approach to management of major risks as poor. The unfamiliarity with risk management strategies made the managing of risks to become a reactive and inconsistent activity. The study recommends that risk management be incorporated in the strategic processes of educational institutions. For this to materialize there is need for continuous professional development of the administrators and the lecturers to upgrade their skills on risk management. The Ministry of Education should also develop a policy framework to support the institutionalization of risk management in the operations of the institutions.