ABSTRACT

The study investigated community involvement in the administration of vocational education for self-reliance in technical secondary schools in Abia state. Descriptive survey design was used for the study. The area of the study is Abia state. Four research questions and two hypotheses guided the study. A sample size of 110 respondents comprising 33 teachers and 77 parents of students in technical secondary schools in Abia state were drawn through the use of simple random sampling technique from a target population of 1100. A 4-point rating scale questionnaire with face and content validity ascertained by three experts from; Measurement and Evaluation, Education Administration and Planning and Education Curriculum Studies in the college of Education in Michael Okpara University of Agriculture Umudike and a reliability coefficient of 0.81 as a measure of internal consistency was obtained through Cronbach Alpha method. The 110 copies of questionnaires was administered with the help of three research assistants. Research questions were answered using frequency count and mean ratings, while the hypotheses were tested using t-test at 0.05 level of significance. The result of the fmdings revealed low extent of community involvement in funding vocational education for self-reliance in technical secondary schools in Abia state, low extent of community involvement in providing land space for vocational education in technical schools in Abia state, low extent of community in providing manpower required for vocational education in technical education in Abia state. Based on the findings, recommendations were made on community involvement in the administration of vocational education for self-reliance in technical secondary schools in Abia state. That government, private organization and other stakeholders in the field of Education should be involved in funding of vocational education for self-reliance in technical schools to enhance effective Administration, that the government should promote teaching of Vocational -4 Technical Education subjects by employing and paying the teachers as at when due, that the government should release funds for workshops and seminars for teachers and the community too should be involved in funding workshops and seminar for the teachers and among others.