SKILL LEARNINGS AND ENTREPRENEURIAL START-UPS: THE POSITIVE OUTCOME OF 2022 ASUU STRIKE AMONG VOCATIONAL AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION STUDENTS
Keywords:
ASUU Strike, skill learnings, entrepreneurial start-ups, vocational and technical educationAbstract
The 2022 ASUU strike in Nigerian public universities, typically viewed as an impediment to academic progress, may unexpectedly yield positive outcomes among Vocational and Technical Education (VTE) students. This study examined the impact of the prolonged strike on the emergence of start-up ventures and intensified skill-learning outcomes among VTE students. Utilizing qualitative research methods, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 36 final-year VTE students from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, who had participated in the industrial work experience and teaching practice. The strike period, characterized by a pause hiatus in traditional academic activities, provided students with enough time, which they channeled into entrepreneurial initiatives and self-directed skill development. The findings reveal that the strike duration inadvertently became a catalyst for innovation, fostering a culture of self-driven learning and practical application of skills among VTE students. This unforeseen positive outcome highlights the adaptability and resilience of these students in leveraging disruptions for constructive purposes. The implications underscore the need for educational policies that support entrepreneurial mindsets and flexible learning approaches within VTE curricula, although limitations exist in the universality and long-term sustainability of the observed positive outcomes.
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