Management of Vocational Education Resources in Technical Colleges in Lagos State: Challenges and Strategies

This study investigated the management of vocational education resources in technical colleges in Lagos State, South West Nigeria, with the objective of identifying prevailing challenges and recommending practical management strategies. Effective resource management encompasses the acquisition, allocation, maintenance, and evaluation of human, material, and financial assets in educational institutions, and its quality directly determines programme outcomes. The study adopted a descriptive survey design, targeting 120 college administrators, 200 vocational instructors, and 20 state education officials from eight technical colleges. A structured questionnaire and document analysis of institutional budgets and procurement records served as data instruments. Findings revealed that poor budget planning, absence of maintenance schedules, inadequate procurement processes, and weak accountability frameworks were the dominant resource management challenges. Colleges in less economically active districts reported significantly more severe resource deficits than those in industrial areas. The study recommends adoption of a strategic resource management model tailored to technical education contexts, mandatory training for college principals in educational administration, and annual resource audits supervised by the Lagos State Technical and Vocational Education Board. Public-private partnerships with Lagos's manufacturing and hospitality industries should also be institutionalized to supplement government funding. These recommendations provide actionable guidance for improving institutional governance in vocational education. Keywords: resource management, technical colleges, Lagos State, vocational education, institutional administration.