Policy Implementation Challenges in Technical and Vocational Education in Nasarawa State

This study examines the challenges encountered in implementing technical and vocational education policy in Nasarawa State, North Central Nigeria. Nigeria's policy environment for technical and vocational education is characterised by ambitious national frameworks that frequently encounter significant implementation barriers at the state level. In Nasarawa State, the convergence of limited institutional capacity, political volatility, and resource scarcity creates a complex implementation landscape. A descriptive survey design is adopted, engaging 50 education policy officers, 30 institutional administrators, and 20 teachers from technical institutions in Lafia, Keffi, and Akwanga local government areas. A structured interview guide and policy document analysis examine policy design quality, communication channels, resource provision, monitoring mechanisms, and stakeholder participation. Thematic analysis and frequency distributions are used for interpretation. Findings are expected to identify poor policy communication, inadequate funding releases, weak accountability mechanisms, and limited grassroots stakeholder ownership as the primary implementation challenges. The study also explores how political transitions disrupt policy continuity. Recommendations include strengthened policy communication cascades, school-level policy implementation champions, independent monitoring bodies, and multi-year resource commitment frameworks. This study contributes to educational policy implementation research in North Central Nigeria and provides an analytical framework applicable to VTE policy review and reform planning in Nasarawa State and comparable Nigerian states. Keywords: policy implementation, technical education, Nasarawa State, VTE policy, challenges