Challenges and Prospects of Teaching Selected Work Skills

The purpose of this study is to: explain the interpretation of the WSs curriculum by different education stakeholders; assess the WSs teaching context in Teacher Colleges (TCs); assess the teaching-learning process in primary schools; identify the challenges teachers face in teaching selected skills; identify intended and unintended outcomes of teaching selected skills from WSs and estimate the costs of training a pupil in selected skills per annum. A multiple case study research strategy was adopted by this study. Data were collected using questionnaires, interviews, observation and documentary review. This study collected data from 240 respondents. The study found that the key education stakeholders had varied interpretations on WSs. It was also revealed that the teaching of WSs in primary schools varied and superficial, such that the primary school leavers gained very little in selected skills. Furthermore, the teachers who taught the subject were too few, and, they lacked expertise and teaching equipment; they did their work without appropriate knowledge to do so.