Bridging the Theory-Practice Gap in Vocational Teacher Education in Kwara State

This study examines strategies for bridging the theory-practice gap in vocational teacher education programmes in Kwara State, North Central Nigeria. Vocational teacher education must produce graduates who are competent in both pedagogical theory and practical trade skills, yet a persistent gap between these domains has been identified as a chronic weakness of Nigerian technical teacher preparation programmes. A mixed-methods concurrent triangulation design is used, drawing survey data from 150 teacher education students and 40 programme lecturers at two colleges of education and a state university in Ilorin, Offa, and Oke-Ero local government areas. A theory-practice integration scale and a practical competency assessment are administered. Structural equation modelling examines the relationship between programme design factors and theory-practice integration outcomes. Focus group discussions with student teachers provide qualitative depth. Findings are expected to reveal that the gap is most pronounced in workshop management, assessment design, and adapting theory to practical instruction contexts. Institutional factors including limited workshop time, insufficient trade placements, and the dominance of theoretical lecturers in practical courses are anticipated as key contributors. Recommendations include a structured practicum model with mandatory industry embedding, team-teaching between academic and industry professionals, and periodic curriculum audits for theory-practice balance. This study contributes to vocational teacher education reform research in North Central Nigeria and provides a practical framework for improving professional preparation quality. Keywords: theory-practice gap, vocational teacher education, Kwara State, teacher preparation, technical education