Dr. Benjamin Onoriode Irikefe is the author of the 1,072-page book on skill acquisition titled, “Handbook of Skill Acquisition Training and Empowerment Programmes.” He was the Statement Chairman at the First Presidential Retreat on National Security and a Member of the Presidential Panel on National Security (2001/2002). He has attended numerous academic and professional programmes at the University of Ibadan; Federal University of Technology, Owerri; Business School Netherlands amongst others. He is the Managing Consultant of Scotchville Industrial Consortium Limited, a firm commissioned by Nigeria’s Federal Government to provide Skill Acquisition Trainings to both Ex-Militants & Non-Militant Youths and persons.
Websites: www.scotchville.com.ng ǀ www.skillacquisitionhandbook.com
TVET: A Platform for Combating Violent Crimes and Volatile Activities in Nigeria
This paper posits the use and deployment of TVET as a deliberately structured platform for stemming-down the commissioning, perpetuation and proliferation of myriads of criminalities across Nigeria, especially among the youths. It has been established that the instrumentality of TVET especially in the form of short-term vocational training, provision of vocation-specific starter packs and post-training support can go a long way in abating unwholesome activities in communities. It has also been proven that skill acquisition training and empowerment programmes are a vital platform for taming pervasive unemployment, burgeoning poverty, escalating insecurity and the destabilisation of communities in countries like Nigeria. It was found out that due to the dearth of vocational skills among the youth populace, some of them retrogressed to the
commissioning of various heinous and horrendous crimes as a means of survival. These crimes include armed banditry, commercial hostage-takings & kidnappings, contract killings & assassinations, armed robberies, sponsored riots, criminalized agitations, internet frauds, thuggery, trafficking in illegal arms, faking of goods, services and products, livestock rustling, blackmailing, sponsored protest marches, illegal bunkering, sea piracy, oil facilities vandalisation, setting up & operating illegal crude oil refineries, extortions, collection of illegal levies and so on. For effectiveness, the TVET implementation strategies entail vocation-specific training, entrepreneurship development training, applicable soft and life skill training, training in the usage & application of vocation-specific starter packs, the actual provision of starter packs and post-training support. The paper also advocates the teaching and learning of vocation specific trades (VSTs) or micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) alongside and within conventional academic curriculums so that graduates can get what to eke out living with, after graduation.
KEYWORDS: TVET, skill acquisition, violent crimes, volatile activities.