



































Contents


American International Journal of Social Science Research 

Vol. 1, No. 1; 2017 

Published by Centre for Research on Islamic Banking & Finance and Business 

 

52 

 

 

The Role of Business Education in Restructuring the Funding of 

TVET for Sustainable Economic Recovery in Nigeria 
 

 

Suleiman Lukman
1
, Saidu Mansur Adam

1
, Dahiru Usman Jibrin

1 
& Buba Umar

1 

 

 
1
Department of Vocational and Technology Education, Faculty of Technology Education, Abubakar Tafawa 

Balewa University, Bauchi,Bauchi State, Nigeria. 

Correspondence: Suleiman Lukman, Department of Vocational and Technology Education, Faculty of 

Technology Education, Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, Bauchi,Bauchi State, Nigeria, E-mail: 

luckmansuleimanwase@gmail.com 

 

Received: September 13, 2017     Accepted: September 15, 2017     Online Published: September 24, 2017 

 

 

Abstract 

Over the years different researches have made emphasis on funding TVET, however this research is ambitious 

on finding the roles played by business education in restructuring the funding of TVET for sustainable economic 

recovery, in doing that, the concept of business education was discuss by different school of thought, the current 

status of TVET in the Nigerian context was also explain on how the acquisition of formal technical education is 

possible from secondary to tertiary levels of the country’s 9-3-4 education system.The legacy of under-funding 

from the past brought the need for providing the policy for restructuring the funding of TVET in the Nigerian 

system of education. Business education played an important roles in reframing the funding of TVET where ten 

(10) roles have been pointed out in the research means for restructuring the funding of TVET programme for 

sustainable economic recovery in Nigeria. 

 

Keywords: Business Education, Funding, Technology Vocational Education and Training, Economic Recovery. 

Introduction 

1. Introduction 

The major challenge facing Nigeria today is slow economic development, prevalence of poverty, and ignorance 

on how to empower citizens with education that will help them to become self-reliant. The nation is also 

searching for how best to engage the teeming population of youths in Technology Vocational Education and 

Training (TVET) skills. Onderi, Ajowi&Malala (2014) define TVET as an educational programme that involve 

the study of technologies and sciences in relation to general education, that are supported by acquiring 

awareness, knowledge, skills and attitudes relating to occupations in various sectors of economic and social life. 

TVET is one of the essential driving forces and a necessary condition for a country’s economic, social and 

cultural development (Amkombe, 2009). TVET plays such a role as it strengthens and increases the productive 

and creative capacity of human beings (Aliyu 2013). Business education is the type of education will provide a 

tools for generating knowledge, raising living standards, and enrichment of educational goals as well as boosting 



The Role of Business Education in Restructuring the Funding of TVET for Sustainable Economic 

Recovery in Nigeria 

Lukman et al. 
 

 

53 

 

the nations’ economic activities. However, the funding of TVET in the Nigerian institutions of learning is facing 

a serious problems, this is because the programme require the development of skills for the production of 

technocrats and handicrafts men and women that will serve as an engine for sustainable economic growth in 

Nigeria. Hence, the financing of the TVET programme is quite inadequate, despite the fact that Business 

Education plays a vital role inTVET funding which is crucial for employability in every nation and serve as the 

hub for skills provision. 

2. Concept of Business Education 

Business Education is the education for acquisition and development of skills, competencies, attitude and 

attributes which are necessary for efficiency of the economic system (Aliyu, 2013). It is an intellectual and 

vocational preparation of people for earning a living in a contemporary industrial and business environment. 

Adeshina (2007) viewed business education as the training system that encourages the beneficiary to acquire the 

skills that fit into the world of work. Business education is part of the field of education that deals with business 

expansion both for specialized occupation uses and for general use (Ouala, 2000). According to Magnus 

(2007)business education is the aspect of vocational education that provides institutions for the preparation of 

office occupation such as secretary, typist, book-keeper, data processor, word processorand computer analyst. In 

a nutshell the term business education has been regarded by many as a mere technology especially in Nigeria. 

3. Current Status of TVET in Nigeria 

TVET varies from one country to another.Technology Vocational Education(TVE) students are trained at 

different levels in different types of institutions of learning such as polytechnics, enterprises and apprenticeship 

training centres. In Nigeria, the acquisition of formal technical education is possible from secondary to tertiary 

levels of the country’s 9-3-4 education system. At post-secondary/ tertiary levels, technical and vocational 

institutions such as polytechnics, monotechnics and universities, have been designed meant to enhance nation’s 

TVET for sustaining and recovering the nation’s economy. The duration of school based TVET is between three 

to five years, depending on the nature of the institution and model. However, formal TVET in Nigeria are 

currently operating in environment that is characterized by inadequate financing, andit must be recognized that 

TVET is expensive which as a result many students will not be able to afford the required training materials 

without support from government and or to find a way on how the programme will finance itself during the 

training process(Adhiambo, 2015). Even though subvention to training institutions particularly polytechnics has 

been increased and government support also increased due to the tireless effort of Tertiary Education Trust Fund 

(TETFund), Educational Trust Fund (ETF) and so forth. It is still grossly inadequate because unit costs are 

necessarily higher in TVET institutions due to the expensive training equipment and costly training materials 

that are wasted during practical lessons (Amodu, 2011).  

4. Policy for Restructuring the Funding of TVET 

One of the common complaints from those working in TVE system is lack of suitable equipment or poor 

facilities, and legacy of under-funding from the past. Since then and even now there was no separately defined 

budgets for TVET, despite the substantial increase in the budget allocated to the education sector, TVET is still  

inadequate to meet the required demand. As a sequence many of the TVET are unable to purchase the necessary 

materials and equipment to deliver quality TVET programs. Hence, improved facilities are more than just 

increase level of funding, attention has to be given tolacking issues such as how resources are allocated, 

managed and utilized, and more needs to be done to identify cost recovery strategies and what can be done to 

raise revenue level in a suitable manner.    



The Role of Business Education in Restructuring the Funding of TVET for Sustainable Economic 

Recovery in Nigeria 

Lukman et al. 
 

 

54 

 

TVET programme shouldbeflexible to the changing demand in the labour market by applying new training 

technologies and provide opportunities for employees to engage in continuous professional development, 

life-long learning and emerging new training programs such as business education. This will make TVET an 

important form of education which triggers a discussion on whether the current internal financing made by 

government is sustainable and other types of financing should be considered or not. 

The possibility of cost sharing with those who benefit from TVET (employers, trainees and their families or the 

society at large) will have to be considered by the government. Under this TVET policy, funding mechanism are 

being examined either unilaterally oriented (financed by one stakeholder i.e state, trainee, employer) or are 

based on co-financing/cost sharing model (e.g apprenticeship programs, dual programs, employer training 

incentives scheme) this will lead to a funding mechanism of TVET that is both innovative and sustainable 

(Okwelle, 2015).  

5. Roles of Business Education in Funding TVET in Nigeria 

According to Okolocha (2012) the roles of business education in funding TVET in the Nigerian institutions of 

learning are as follows:  

 Business education helps to expand access in generating fund in the Nigerian institution of learning in 

the area of TVET training and certification. 

 It provides flexible training for crafts-men and women that enables both full-time and part-time 

participation in which utilization of acquired skills could accumulated the revenue generated over time. 

 It upgrades the existing workforce by admitting more trainees that serves as a key tools for poverty 

eradication and national development. 

 It provides work-based learning experiences and strengthen career awareness which in turn mitigate the 

rate of unemployment in the country. 

 It helps schools in building success-oriented colleges and career cultures that empower students’ 

creativity and innovation. 

 It helps educators align curriculum and readiness standards with business needs that attract students to 

look for admission into the TVET programme. 

 It provides equipment and financial assistance to modernize classrooms, workspaces, and laboratories. 

 It provides financial guidance and advice that minimizes unaffordability of students as a barrier to 

TVET programme. 

 It trains and imparts the necessary skills that leads to the production of craftsmen, technicians and other 

skilled personnel that became enterprise and self-employed that enhanced the competitiveness of firms 

and to improve productivity 

 It enables our young men and women in obtaining the required technological skills and qualification 

needed in the work force. 

To restructure the role of business education TVET funding system will better address the students’ training 

needs which will serve as a driving force for improving skills acquired and enhanced employability 

(Okolocha2012). Continued emphasis on financing “soft skills” in training programs through a strategy 

ofintegration of employability concepts into the teaching and learning process will help in restructuring the 

TVET programme (Afeti, 2015). It will be very important for all business education unit in the country to enact 

a policy by making it mandatory for all business education students to put into practice the skills they have 

acquire before graduation so that creativity and revenue generation will enhanced.Afeti (2015)further said that, 



The Role of Business Education in Restructuring the Funding of TVET for Sustainable Economic 

Recovery in Nigeria 

Lukman et al. 
 

 

55 

 

the major challenge facing TVET in Nigeria is the inadequate financing of the programme by government which 

as a result creates mismatch between skills, knowledge and attitudes acquired by the learners. Sharing a similar 

view, Tilak (2003) said that government need to increase funding to support the sector, while educational 

institutions need to utilize the resources that is been allocated to them to deliver flexible and demand driven 

training and employers need to contribute to the development of national skills standards. Government should 

support development of national TVET policies and strategies, capacity building in TVET sector, identifying 

and disseminating best practices in TVET and encourage TVET advocacy initiatives by Funding TVET research 

and advocacy (Okolocha, 2012). However, it must be accentuated that acquisition of skills is not sufficient to 

bring economic development, it is a prerequisite, but a lot more needs to be executed by eradicating poor 

governance, poor economic policy, corruption, and adequate financial support and infrastructural facilities must 

have to be put in place before the much needed economic development can be achieved. This can actually 

reduce the efficiency of the job market in absorbing and producing quality graduates which consequently affect 

the nations’ economic recovery. 

There is urgent need to ensure the vision of TVET of inclusive and quality education for all that promote 

life-long learning needed for all women and men for inculcating affordable and quality technical and vocational 

training in the Nigerian tertiary education.Hence, adequate financial support is not accompanied with the 

training programme (Kamau, 2013). Moreover, the non-formal TVET in Nigeria that is imparted to young boys 

and girls by self-employed artisans and technicians is pervasive. Ajibola andJumoke, (2012) reiterated that, 

achieving sustainable economic development through technical and vocational education and training requires 

collective and serious efforts and strong commitments to financing and supporting the artisan and technicians on 

the part of parents/guardians, educational institutions/training providers, employers and government. Parents 

should support their children to choose and finance their vocational training and reject the perception that TVET 

is for less academically endowed.  

TVET has fuelled the engine of economic growth and productivity in Nigeria and other western industrialised 

nations. As markets become increasingly an avenue for global competitiveness, governments are intensifying 

pressure on national TVET systems to produce more highly skilled and employable workers, this can only be 

achieved through sustainability and visionary policiesthat gives more attention to funding of TVET programs 

(Okolocha, 2012). Therefore, Nigeria as a nation will have to empower TVET and must make specific 

contribution to the implementation of new policy relating to funding of TVET programs and or research and 

development that willsupported the way on how to effectively finance the TVET programs. 

Moreover,Ambuke (2009) said that financing TVET could be the best weapons for fighting poverty and the 

numerous associated vices plaguing the nation’s productive and self-employment. This will give rise to the 

quality and needed skills that will help the teeming youths to become self-reliant and also mitigate the over 

dependence on government. 

According to Gill and Fluitman (2005) there is an urgent need to restructure TVET programmes which should 

be geared towards meeting the market demands.Kamau (2013) said that the funding should primarily focus on 

the knowledge and skills required for industrial development. In a similar view. Harrison and Reddan (2010) 

said that TVET should therefore be in line with the needs and demands of the current industrial development 

needs. Ladipo (2013) emphasized that governments should be one of the key element that have to intervene in 

the funding of TVET programs and also encourage and mobilize stakeholders to invest their resources in TVET 

for nation’s economic growth and development. He further stressed that there is need for cooperation between 



The Role of Business Education in Restructuring the Funding of TVET for Sustainable Economic 

Recovery in Nigeria 

Lukman et al. 
 

 

56 

 

government and various stakeholders to build strong technical and financial support towards reconstruction 

process and reforms of TVET. This can only be done through proper funding of the training programme that 

ensure quality delivery, employability of trainees, improve consistency and management of its training and 

should promote life-long learning so as to make it more attractive to the youths. Adequate training tools and 

equipment such as textbooks and training manuals must have to be provided, qualified instructors with 

experience on training the trainees must have to be adequately remunerated, this will go a long way in 

enhancing the quality delivery in TVET (Maliranta, Nurmi& Virtanen, 2010). 

Wairimu (2009) said that, trainers should be assured of their compensation package before they start training the 

TVE trainees, this will help in providing quality TVET which might ensures acquisition of skills that are related 

to the demands of the current labour market. Harrison andReddan (2010) said that governments should establish 

monitoring agencies for TVET under the ministries of education or as autonomous bodies which should 

coordinate the training activities of TVET on how the funds are been utilized,  these bodies should have 

representation from all pertinent stakeholders, including policy makers in education, public and private training 

providers, civil society organizations and development partners, in compensating their efforts allowances should 

be provided to them as a motivating factor.According to Amodu (2011) The TVET levy has functioned to 

provide a stable and predictable basisto assure financing for the training and has enabled the development of 

astrong national training infrastructure for the nation’s economic growth, development and recovery. These 

targets encourage a vision of TVET that supports the transition towards inclusive and sustainable societies and 

economies. The vision also means that TVET systems will need to develop, transform and adapt to remain 

relevant, despite the priority displayed by the nation and the international community to skills development, 

TVET remains largely underfinanced (United Nation, 2017) 

6. Conclusion 

TVET is one of the key element in nation’s economic development and growth, the role of business education in 

funding TVET will never be over emphasize, this is because business education has contributed a lot in 

restructuring the funding of TVET programs. It is very important for all business education units in the country 

to enact a policy by making it mandatory for all business education students to put into practice the skills they 

have acquired before graduation so that creativity and revenue generation will be enhanced.It must be 

accentuated however that,the acquisition of skills is not sufficient to bring economic development, it is a 

prerequisite, but a lot more needs to be executed in funding TVET by eradicating poor governance, poor 

economic policy, corruption, and adequate financial support.  

Infrastructural facilities must have be to put in place before the much needed economic development can be 

achieved through revitalizing the TVET programme. This can actually reduce the efficiency of the job market in 

absorbing and producing quality graduates which consequently affect the nations’ economic recovery. Parents 

should support their children to choose and finance their vocational training and reject the perception that TVET 

is for less academically endowed. Therefore, Nigeria as a nation will have to empower TVET and must make 

specific contribution to the implementation of new policy relating to funding of the programs and or research 

and development that willsupported the way on how to effectively financed the TVET programs have to be 

carried out and secured in a qualified manner. Financing TVET will give rise to the quality and needed skills 

that will help the teeming youths to become self-reliant and also mitigate the over dependence on government. 

7. Recommendation 

The following recommendations were made: 



The Role of Business Education in Restructuring the Funding of TVET for Sustainable Economic 

Recovery in Nigeria 

Lukman et al. 
 

 

57 

 

 Government should increase its spending on education and training.  

 Government should reduce tuition and other fees of the training programme to attract more trainees. 

 Government should ensure that private enterprises pay for TVET programme 

 Government should provide incentives to private TVET providers 

 Attention should be given tolacking issues such as how resources are allocated, managed and utilized, 

and more needs to be done to identify cost recovery strategies on how to raise revenue in a suitable 

manner.    

 TVET programme shouldbe flexible to the changing demand in the labour market by applying new 

training technologies and provide opportunities for employees to engage in continuous professional 

development and life-long learning. 

 

References 

Adeshina, T. J. (2007). Understanding Business Education. Esonaji Publishers, Micsons Press Zaria.  

Adhiambo, O. M. (2015). Institutional Factors Influencing Participation of Trainers in Public Technical 

Vocational Education and Training Institutes in Kinango Sub-Ccountry, Kwale, Kenya. Journal of 

Education and Learning,, Research Thiesis in Press.  

Afeti, G. (2015). Technical and Vocational Education and Training for Industrialization. Africa Research and 

Resource Forum, African Development Bank Group (2014)  

Akhuemonkhan, I. A., &Raimi, L. (2013). Impact of Quality Assurance on Technical Vocational Education and 

Training (TVET). In Nigeria. Las Vegas, Nevada, United State, African Development Bank Group 

(2014) 

Aliyu, M. M. (2013). Business Education in Nigeria, Trends and Issues, Revised Edition.  

Amkombe. K (2009). Technical, Vocational Education and Training as a Tool for Sustainable Development. A 

synthesis of case studies. Dakar: UNESCO, 76-77.  

Amodu, T. (2011). Revamping Our National Economy through Technical Vocational Education and Training 

(TVET). Available: http: //www.nigerianbestforum.com/blog (Accessed:28 July, 2017). 

Gill U, &Fluitman J. (2005). Vocational education and training reform. Matching skills to markets and budgets, 

New York: Oxford university press.  

Kamau, S. M. (2013). Challenges Affecting the Technical and Vocational Education Training Youths 

Polytechnics in Kiambu County. International Journal of SocialSciences and Entrepreneurship,, 1(5), 

679-687.  

Ladipo, M. K. (2013). Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) as Mechanism for Sustainable 

Development in Nigeria (SD): Banjul conference. 

Magnus, U. (2007). The Meaning and Objectives of BusinessEducation, Retrieved 24/04/2017 from World Wide 

Web.  http://associate dcontent.com/article.  

Maliranta, M., Nurmi, S., & Virtanen, H. (2010). Resources in Vocational Education and Post-Schooling 

Outcomes. International Journal of Manpower, 3(5), 520.  

Okolocha, C. C. (2012). Vocational Technical Education in Nigeria: Challenges and the Way Forward. Business 

Management Dynamics,, 2(6), Organization for Economic & Co-operation Development [OECD]. 

(2006). Policy framework for investment. A review of good practices. 



The Role of Business Education in Restructuring the Funding of TVET for Sustainable Economic 

Recovery in Nigeria 

Lukman et al. 
 

 

58 

 

Okwelle, S., C.  . (2015). Towards Quality Technical, Vocational, Education and Training Programmes in 

Nigeria. Journal of Education and Learning,, 1(4), 21-34.  

Onderi H, J, Ajowi, A. P., &Malala, G. (2014). Restructuring Technical and Vocational Education and Training 

(TVET) For Sustainable Development in Sub-Saharan Africa International Journal of Interdisciplinary 

Research and Innovations, 2(1), 40-45. 

Ouala, E. C. (2000). a handbook on Vocational Technical Education for Nigeria. UrowiluObasi, Pacific 

Publisher.  

Tilak, J. (2003). Vocational education and training in Asia. Journal of Educational Planning and Administration,, 

17(1), 1-16.  

UNESCO. (2017). Financing Technical and Vocational Education Training UN Campus Platz Der Vereinten 

Nationen  

Wairimu, G. (2009). Significance of Technical, Vocational Education and Training in Africa. (1), Africa Dakar 

Conference, Dakar: KM Africa .Post Basic Education Training 

 

 

 

 

Copyrights 

Copyright for this article is retained by the author(s), with first publication rights granted to the journal. 

 

 


