Assessment of Curriculum Implementation Challenges in Technical and Vocational Education in Bauchi State

Technical and Vocational Education and Training is critical for Nigeria's skills development goals, but curriculum implementation in TVET institutions faces systemic challenges that vary by region, and characterising these challenges in North East Nigeria informs targeted interventions. This study assessed the curriculum implementation challenges in technical colleges and vocational centres in Bauchi and Tafawa Balewa Local Government Areas of Bauchi State, North East Nigeria. A descriptive survey design was employed, with questionnaires administered to 90 TVET instructors and 20 institution heads. Observation visits supplemented survey data. Results showed that equipment obsolescence was the most pervasive challenge, with 76.7 percent of instructors reporting that workshop machines were more than 10 years old and operationally unreliable. Curriculum content was perceived as misaligned with current industry needs by 68.9 percent of instructors. Instructor professional updating was inadequate, with 61.1 percent not having participated in any industry-linked training in the preceding 3 years. Student-to-equipment ratios averaged 14:1 in mechanical trades, significantly exceeding the NBTE recommended maximum of 6:1. Industry linkage for practical training was operational in only 17.8 percent of programmes. The study concludes that TVET curriculum implementation in Bauchi State is severely compromised by equipment, industry linkage, and staffing challenges. Recommendations include equipment replacement financing, mandatory industry-based instructor updating, and SMEDAN-NBTE partnership models for curriculum-industry alignment.

Keywords: TVET curriculum, vocational education, Bauchi State, curriculum implementation, technical education