Challenges and Proffered Strategies in Attaining Quality Technical Vocational Education and Training in Zimbabwean Tertiary Institutions: Evaluating Insider Perspectives | Chapter 2 | An Overview ofD Literature, Language and Education Research Vol. 5

 

Zimbabwe has made significant efforts to promote Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) to enhance graduates’ employable skills and boost economies. TVET is defined as an educational process that focuses on the acquisition of practical skills, and an understanding of technologies and related sciences necessary for employment in a particular occupation or trade. The implementation of TVET is on the premise that students develop the requisite skills necessary to increase their employability and for the development of the economy through entrepreneurship. In Zimbabwe, TVET is incorporated into two levels of education: secondary and tertiary, to come up with an education system that mitigates poverty through the creation of employment. The study sought to ascertain the challenges and proffered strategies for attaining TVET programmes in Zimbabwean tertiary institutions. A qualitative approach was used, and a case study design was employed. Two research questions guided the study. The data collection instruments were interviews, document analysis and focus group discussions. The participants were selected through purposive sampling. The study revealed the following challenges: lack of TVET training facilities, poor teaching methods, poor funding, deplorable facilities, and routine assessment of students' competencies. The following strategies were proffered: deliberate continual professional development of TVET lecturers, provision of adequate training facilities, and mobilisation of the requisite financial resources. This study concluded that a workable quality assurance mechanism should be put in place, and the TVET Line Ministry should monitor and supervise the training process to ensure that graduates are adequately prepared for the needs of the industry. It was recommended that the central government, policymakers, and all TVET providers should deliberately focus on strengthening quality assurance in all the TVET tertiary institutions.

 

Author (s) Details

Abigirl Mawonedzo
Department of Art Design and Technology Education, University of Zimbabwe, Zimbabwe.

 

Wilson Banda
Department of Educational Foundations, University of Zimbabwe, Zimbabwe.

 

Please see the book here:- https://doi.org/10.9734/bpi/aoller/v5/1887

Bridging Higher Education Skills for Transformation in Southern Africa | Chapter 10 | Quality Assurance Practices for Transformative Higher Education in Southern Africa

A gap exists between acquired skills and the labour market in Africa. This chapter aimed to bridge the gap between learning outcomes and real-world skills to achieve Aspiration 1 of the African Union Agenda 2063. This chapter unveiled forms of assessment that are summative and formative in tertiary institutions. It also identified examinations, quizzes and projects or take-home assignments as examples of continuous assessment commonly used in assessing students in tertiary institutions, though they are associated with unethical practices in various tertiary institutions. The chapter marked the importance of feedback loops, curriculum evaluation and modification and the much-needed quality assurance in the teaching and learning process. The author used documentary analysis and online platforms to gather information. It was then discovered by the author that feedback loops are missing in tertiary institutions, which might have an impact on the promotion of innovation and creativity skills to achieve the African Union Agenda 2063.

 

Author (s) Details

Kunatsa Gilbert
Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education, Zimbabwe.

 

Please see the book here:- https://doi.org/10.9734/bpi/mono/978-93-49729-81-0/CH10

Post-COVID-19 Recovery: Public Relations in Nigerian Tertiary Institutions | Chapter 2 | Contemporary Research in Business, Management and Economics Vol. 7

 The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic and the prolonged economic lockdown to limit the spread of the virus have affected all sectors of the economy. The educational sector in particular was badly affected by the pandemic as schools were closed and educational activities seized to move on. It is estimated that at the peak of the pandemic in 2020, about 1.6 billion students in 180 countries (including Nigeria) had been affected by school closures worldwide. In Africa, school closures were implemented as early as February 2020 affecting more than 250 million students, adding to about 100 million out-of-school children before the pandemic. However, the decision to reopen the schools for academic activities to move on has placed a heavy burden on the management process among various school administrators. How Public Relations which is part of the management of every organisation is useful in achieving the desired objective of the process remains very crucial. Anchored on the Stakeholders Theory and Excellence Theory of Public Relations, the data was sourced through relevant existing conceptual, theoretical and empirical secondary data and were analysed using themes and synthesis analytical techniques. The chapter revealed that apart from community relations, media relations, counselling, employee relations, and students’ relations among others, the use of Public Relations can go a long way to engage communities in reopening plans; help in targeting resources to where they are most needed; getting children back to school; making school environments safe; and recovering learning loss and building back better, which is a deliberate policy for school reopening and recovery from the COVID-19. It concluded that Public Relations in the recovery process of tertiary institutions from the COVID-19 lockdown is very necessary. However, inadequate involvement of the Public Relations Unit in the decision-making process on school recovery, excessive management influence on the operations of the unit, lack of funds, lack of professionals to handle the unit among others can limit the success in the application of public relations in the recovery process among Nigerian tertiary institutions. While involvement of public relations in the strategic management decision; synergy or collaboration between Public Relations Units, management teams, and other stakeholders; designated office for public relations; integration of Public relations function; use of professionals as PR officers; and equipping of public relations units with modern tools were recommended as key in achieving desired success in public relations practice in school reopening and recovery

 

Author(s)details:-

 

Prof. Dominic Shimawua
Department of Public Administration, Veritas University, Abuja, Nigeria.

 

Dr. Kusugh Ternenge
Department of Mass Administration, Veritas University, Abuja, Nigeria.

 

Please See the book here :- https://doi.org/10.9734/bpi/crbme/v7/192

Innovation Capability and Strategic Agility: Contributory Role on Firms’ Resilience among Tertiary Institutions in Nigeria | Chapter 4 | Modern Perspectives in Economics, Business and Management Vol. 6

 The goal of this research is to look into the relationship between innovation, strategic agility, and company resilience in Nigerian higher education institutions.

Design/Methodology/Approach: A descriptive research methodology was used with a sample size of 492 senior management responders from chosen tertiary institutions, with analysis and hypothesis testing conducted using SPSS and structural equation modelling (SEM).

Findings: The authors discovered that in Nigerian tertiary institutions, innovation and strategic agility predict a firm's resilience. The positive and major path presented by innovation dimensions in connection to resilience comprises the willingness of management of Nigerian tertiary institutions to embrace innovation as well as the ability to respond to changes quickly and effectively. As a result, university administrators are more likely to pursue creative endeavours such as modernised technology-based teaching materials and methodologies, as well as active and productive research creation, in order to improve performance.

Top management personnel responsible for decision-making and strategy planning should engage in inventiveness to exploit business resilience potential, according to the findings of this study.

Originality/Value: This research adds to the scarce literature on post-secondary education by presenting a model and empirical evidence on innovation as a process driving resilience capability across Nigerian tertiary institutions.

Author (S) Details

Banji Rildwan Olaleye
Department of Business Administration, Faculty of Management Sciences, Federal University Oye, Ekiti, Nigeria.

Ahmad Herzallah
Department of Business Administration, Faculty of Business & Economics, Al-Quds University, Palestine.

Oluwaseun Niyi Anifowose
Department of Business Management, Faculty of Business and Economics, Girne America University, Cyprus.

View Book :- https://stm.bookpi.org/MPEBM-V6/article/view/3406