Assessment of Administrative Capacity of Technical College Principals in Benue State

This study assessed the administrative capacity of principals in technical colleges in Benue State, North Central Nigeria. The administrative effectiveness of college principals is a critical determinant of institutional performance, student outcomes, and staff morale in vocational education settings. A descriptive survey design was employed, collecting data from 40 principals, 200 vocational instructors, and 20 state education supervisors across eight technical colleges. Instruments included the Principal Administrative Capacity Index (PACI), which covered dimensions of strategic planning, financial management, staff supervision, community relations, and quality assurance. Findings revealed that principals demonstrated adequate capacity in routine administrative tasks such as timetabling and disciplinary management, but showed significant deficits in strategic planning, budget management, and quality assurance implementation. Only 22 percent of principals held formal training in educational management, with the majority having been promoted on the basis of teaching experience alone. The study recommends that the Benue State Government require a minimum qualification of a diploma in educational administration for all technical college principal appointments, establish a mandatory induction and refresher training programme, and develop a principal mentoring scheme pairing newly appointed leaders with experienced administrators. These findings highlight the urgent need for systematic leadership capacity building in vocational education management in North Central Nigeria. Keywords: administrative capacity, technical college principals, Benue State, vocational education management, leadership.