Exploring STEM-TVET integration in technical colleges: middle leaders' experiences

The need to prepare students with 21st-century skills has led to global educational reforms, including integrating Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) into Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET). This study explores how middle leaders in Nigerian technical colle...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Sulaimon Adewale, Nurudeen Babatunde Bamiro, Ntokozo Dennis Ndwandwe
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Academy of Cognitive and Natural Sciences 2025-08-01
Series:Educational Technology Quarterly
Subjects:
Online Access:https://acnsci.org/journal/index.php/etq/article/view/946
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1850043695510847488
author Sulaimon Adewale
Nurudeen Babatunde Bamiro
Ntokozo Dennis Ndwandwe
author_facet Sulaimon Adewale
Nurudeen Babatunde Bamiro
Ntokozo Dennis Ndwandwe
author_sort Sulaimon Adewale
collection DOAJ
description The need to prepare students with 21st-century skills has led to global educational reforms, including integrating Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) into Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET). This study explores how middle leaders in Nigerian technical colleges perceive and implement STEM-TVET integration. Using a qualitative approach, 15 purposively selected middle leaders from government-owned technical colleges in Lagos, Nigeria, comprising heads of departments, vice principals, and year tutors, were interviewed. Semi-structured interviews captured their experiences and insights, and data were thematically analysed using NVivo software. Three themes emerged: (1) Middle leaders' conceptualisation of STEM-TVET integration and its benefits, (2) Systemic barriers to effective implementation, and (3) Strategies for sustainable enhancement. Findings indicate that while STEM-TVET integration enhances employability, innovation, and critical thinking, barriers such as outdated curricula, inadequate teacher training, and infrastructural deficits hinder progress. Improvement strategies include human capital development, innovative funding models, policy localisation, and societal reorientation toward STEM.
format Article
id doaj-art-2bb4d7c0dff94539973e84c0b24ec150
institution DOAJ
issn 2831-5332
language English
publishDate 2025-08-01
publisher Academy of Cognitive and Natural Sciences
record_format Article
series Educational Technology Quarterly
spelling doaj-art-2bb4d7c0dff94539973e84c0b24ec1502025-08-20T02:55:10ZengAcademy of Cognitive and Natural SciencesEducational Technology Quarterly2831-53322025-08-0110.55056/etq.946Exploring STEM-TVET integration in technical colleges: middle leaders' experiencesSulaimon Adewale0https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2271-7443Nurudeen Babatunde Bamiro1https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8298-8275Ntokozo Dennis Ndwandwe2https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7149-2397 University of South Africa Lagos State University University of South Africa The need to prepare students with 21st-century skills has led to global educational reforms, including integrating Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) into Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET). This study explores how middle leaders in Nigerian technical colleges perceive and implement STEM-TVET integration. Using a qualitative approach, 15 purposively selected middle leaders from government-owned technical colleges in Lagos, Nigeria, comprising heads of departments, vice principals, and year tutors, were interviewed. Semi-structured interviews captured their experiences and insights, and data were thematically analysed using NVivo software. Three themes emerged: (1) Middle leaders' conceptualisation of STEM-TVET integration and its benefits, (2) Systemic barriers to effective implementation, and (3) Strategies for sustainable enhancement. Findings indicate that while STEM-TVET integration enhances employability, innovation, and critical thinking, barriers such as outdated curricula, inadequate teacher training, and infrastructural deficits hinder progress. Improvement strategies include human capital development, innovative funding models, policy localisation, and societal reorientation toward STEM. https://acnsci.org/journal/index.php/etq/article/view/946STEM-TVETmiddle leaderstechnical collegesdeveloping country
spellingShingle Sulaimon Adewale
Nurudeen Babatunde Bamiro
Ntokozo Dennis Ndwandwe
Exploring STEM-TVET integration in technical colleges: middle leaders' experiences
Educational Technology Quarterly
STEM-TVET
middle leaders
technical colleges
developing country
title Exploring STEM-TVET integration in technical colleges: middle leaders' experiences
title_full Exploring STEM-TVET integration in technical colleges: middle leaders' experiences
title_fullStr Exploring STEM-TVET integration in technical colleges: middle leaders' experiences
title_full_unstemmed Exploring STEM-TVET integration in technical colleges: middle leaders' experiences
title_short Exploring STEM-TVET integration in technical colleges: middle leaders' experiences
title_sort exploring stem tvet integration in technical colleges middle leaders experiences
topic STEM-TVET
middle leaders
technical colleges
developing country
url https://acnsci.org/journal/index.php/etq/article/view/946
work_keys_str_mv AT sulaimonadewale exploringstemtvetintegrationintechnicalcollegesmiddleleadersexperiences
AT nurudeenbabatundebamiro exploringstemtvetintegrationintechnicalcollegesmiddleleadersexperiences
AT ntokozodennisndwandwe exploringstemtvetintegrationintechnicalcollegesmiddleleadersexperiences