Incorporating Traditional Vocational Education into Nigerian Educational System: Problems and Prospects
Dr. (Mrs.) Akanbi, Grace Oluremilekun

Abstract
This paper discusses the problems and prospects of incorporating traditional vocational education into the Nigeria educational system. It looks at the traditional education with functionalism as its main guiding principle before the introduction of western education which was purely theoretical because its aim was religious. It examines how functionalism cave-in, in the face of new education that provides white-collar jobs thereby eroding the economic value of the traditional vocations. The paper also looks at the relevance of the 1969 Curriculum Conference, which was convened to overhaul the education system and make it more relevant to the need of the society. The outcome of the conference was the 6-3-3-4 system of education which incidentally included some traditional vocations and raised peoples’ hope that children will become self-reliant. However, its implementation failed because there was no partnership that works between the school and the community. But in the face of dwindling white-collar jobs and the rising unemployment, the writer is suggesting ways by which these traditional vocations could be incorporated into the educational system. The paper recommended among others that; master craftsmen/women should be brought to school to teach the students some of these vocations to impart the skills that will make them to become self-reliant.

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