TREND AND INTEREST IN VOCATIONAL SKILL ACQUISITION AMONG THE SECONDARY SCHOOLS STUDENTS FOR SELF-RELIANCE IN UYO, AKWA IBOM STATE, NIGERIA

The study examined the trend and interest in vocational skills acquisition among the secondary school students for self-reliance in Uyo Local Government Area, Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria. Four research questions were raised with two hypotheses formulated. Ex-post facto research design was adopted. The population consisted of 3500 senior secondary three (SS3) students from which sample of 906 students were derived using two stage sampling approach consisting of proportionate and simple random sampling technique. Data were collated using Interest in Vocation Skill Acquisition Scale (IVSAS) designed by the researcher. The IVSAS was faced validated by experts and content assessment reliability calculated using Cohen's Kappa statistics which resulted to the estimate of 0.83. The collated data were analysed using mean and the percent. The hypotheses were tested with t-test. Results revealed that majority of the respondents were male (63%) from separated parents (53.5%). Results indicated a low trend of students' interest in vocational skills acquisition (SIVSA) (x̄=1.54) with 57.6percent showing a very low extent IVSA. The results equally showed that though the mean of male (x̄=1.76) was greater than and different from that of the female respondents (x̄=1.30) as well as that of the respondents from separated parents (x̄=1.92) greater than that of the married (x̄=1.69), the t-test analysis showed p-value of 0.084 and 0.970 respectively, indicating the difference between respondents' IVSA of male and female as well as those from the married and separated parents is not significant. It is concluded that the process of promoting the dwindling (low level) interest of the students in VSA depends not on the students' gender or parents marital status but greatly on the consistent engagements in practical sessions which can only be possible when VS facilities are available and adequate as well as when vocational skills instructors that are professionals with competence to improvise instructional facilities as well as inculcate the students with viable vocational skills are available in schools. It is therefore recommended that Akwa Ibom State government and corporate individuals should provide vocational workshops with basic instructional facilities and equipment in schools. This will promote consistent practical session that could spark students' interest for effective self-reliance.