| dc.description.abstract | The purpose of this study was to establish factors influencing student’s
acquisition of vocational skills in vocational training centers in Igembe and
Tigania districts of Meru county Kenya. The specific objectives of the study were:
To establish the influence of provision of physical facilities on acquisition of
vocational skills in vocational training centers; to determine how students
attitudes influences acquisition of vocational skills in vocational training centers;
to establish the influence of availability of a qualified academic and professional
staff on acquisition of vocational skills ;and to establish the influence of managers
administrative experiences on acquisition of vocational skills in youth vocational
training centers. The study employed descriptive survey design and targeted six
vocational training centres in Tigania and Igembe districts of Meru County,
Kenya. The study therefore targeted 51 students 30 teachers and 12 managers.
The study adopted stratified sampling procedure for students. For teachers and
managers, the study adopted census method, since the sample was too small. The
study relied on questionnaires and checklists for data collection. The findings of
the study revealed that lack of physical resource in youth vocational training
centers has an adverse influence on acquisition of vocational skills. The study also
revealed that students had negative attitudes towards vocational courses offered in
these institutions and were forced to join these institutions by their parents. The
study established that most of the tutors in these institutions were certificates and
diploma holders and lastly most of the institutional heads and their deputies had
less then three years of administrative experience. Others findings of the study
were that majority of the learners were dropping out of vocational training
centres before completion of their studies. Also captured in this study was that
learners were performing poorly in end of course examinations. The study
concluded that various factors such as lack of facilities, negative attitudes towards
vocational training, lack of qualified professional staff and lack of administrative
experience in managers influenced student’s acquisition of vocational skills.
Based on the findings, the study recommended that government of Kenya should
focus on improving infrastructural facilities to vocational training centers.
Government should also embark on employment of full time qualified teachers to
vocational training centers to improve on skill acquisition. Study also
recommends that teachers to be taken to refresher courses to keep abreast on
contemporary issues on skill acquisition. | en_US |
