Determinants of Vocational Education Quality in Public Technical Colleges: Evidence from South West Nigeria

This study investigates the determinants of vocational education quality in public technical colleges in South West Nigeria, focusing on Ogun, Lagos, and Oyo States. Quality in technical education is multidimensional, encompassing instructional effectiveness, graduate competence, institutional governance, and stakeholder satisfaction. Despite numerous quality assurance policies, the specific factors that most significantly determine quality outcomes in this region remain empirically underexplored. The study adopts a mixed-methods design, combining a survey of 300 teachers, administrators, and students with in-depth interviews with 20 education quality assurance officers. A validated quality index instrument measures six quality dimensions. Multiple regression analysis identifies statistically significant determinants. Qualitative data are analysed thematically. Findings are expected to reveal teacher qualification, equipment adequacy, institutional leadership quality, and student-to-facility ratios as the strongest determinants of educational quality. The study also analyses whether institution type (state versus federal) moderates quality determinants. Recommendations include a weighted funding formula that prioritises quality determinants in budget allocation, institution-level quality improvement plans, and annual quality benchmarking reports. The study contributes to technical education quality research in South West Nigeria and provides a composite quality determinants model with broader applicability to similar educational contexts across the country. Keywords: vocational education quality, technical colleges, determinants, South West Nigeria, quality assurance