Economic Reform Orchestra And Technical Manpower Development: Educational Finance Challenges In Nigeria

The study examined economic reform issues in Nigeria since 1986 and the impact on technical manpower development in Rivers State in particular. Two sets of structured questionnaire were used to elicit responses from target respondents who ultimately comprised 105 instructors and 340 final year students in the four government-owned technical colleges in the state. The outcome of parametric inferential statistical analysis clearly indicated that Nigeria's economic reforms have not yet impacted positively on technological manpower development. The experiences so far have been very negative to a high extent and primarily due to misapplication of funds/logistics and malad ministration of laws/processes. The imperative recipe underscores urgent review of the reform, with emphasis on sustainable enhanced funding of technical manpower development in all states of the Nigerian. Rivers State, like many others, is still educationally disadvantaged within the Nigerian society and has every reason to desire quick intervention in this regard within the context of the national economic empowerment and development strategy (NEEDS) and millennium development goals (MDGs). Journal of Research in National Development Vol. 4 (1) 2006: pp. 74-8