TUITION FEE, GENDER AND DEMAND FOR TECHNICAL EDUCATION IN NIGERIA: ANY NEXUS?

Abstract

This study investigated the relationship between tuition fee  and demand for technical education on one hand, gender and demand for technical education on the other in Oyo State, Nigeria. The research employed a descriptive survey design. The target population was 3,641 across the five faculties of The Polytechnic, Ibadan from where 364 respondents were randomly selected. The research instrument “Tuition Fee, Gender and Demand for Technical Education Questionnaire (TFGDTEQ)” was used to collect data from students of The Polytechnic, Ibadan. The instrument was pilot tested and validated with 0.75 Chronbach alpha coefficient. The data was analysed with the use of Pearson Product Moment Correlation Coefficient to examine whether any relationship exists between each of tuition, gender of the respondents and demand for technical education in Nigeria. The result of the study revealed that tuition fee was statistically significant with demand for technical education(r = 0.554, df = 351, p<0.05). However, there was no significant relationship between gender of the respondents and demand for technical education (r = 0.008, df=351, p>0.05). The study recommended that technical education tuition fees should be affordable in such a way that people would not see technical education as one that is meant only for the poor and indigent students. In addition, technical education should be made to be gender friendly in that there should not be discrimination against any gender in terms of courses available in the technical educational institutions and the employment opportunities after the completion of the studies.