Professional Development Needs of Vocational Education Teachers in Federal Capital Territory Abuja

This study identified the professional development needs of vocational education teachers in secondary schools within the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, North Central Nigeria. Sustained professional development is essential for equipping vocational teachers with contemporary pedagogical skills, updated technical knowledge, and competency-based assessment capabilities. A needs assessment survey design was employed, with 240 vocational teachers sampled from 24 public secondary schools across the six area councils of the FCT. The Teacher Professional Development Needs Assessment Questionnaire (TPDNAQ), a 50-item validated instrument, was administered. Results identified significant development needs in areas of ICT integration in instruction, competency-based curriculum delivery, practical assessment design, and industry-aligned content updating. Only 28 percent of teachers had attended any professional development programme in the preceding two academic years. Older teachers and those in rural area councils demonstrated stronger development needs. The study recommends that the FCT Education Secretariat design a structured annual professional development calendar for vocational teachers, establish subject-specific professional learning communities, and partner with Abuja's technical institutes and industries for workplace-based teacher refreshment programmes. These findings provide a foundation for a systematic professional development framework applicable to vocational education management across urban Nigerian settings. Keywords: professional development, vocational teachers, FCT Abuja, needs assessment, teacher training.