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Community skills centers as a means to rural economic development: An analysis of the Obollo Afor Community Skills Center model in Anambra State, Nigeria
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to analyze the social demand for community skills centers in rural Anambra State in terms of the extent to which clients and advocates (in particular, trainees, program planners, and rural residents) perceived the centers as an effective means of providing the necessary skills and attitudes that would enable rural residents to solve the problems of unemployment and poverty. Twenty trainees currently enrolled at a community skills center, six program planners (designers of community skills centers), and 45 rural residents participated in the study. Three research data gathering techniques were employed: (1) an examination of literature on the community skills centers, (2) a rating instrument administered to all participants, and (3) a structured interview of six respondents. The research questions were tested by analysis of variance of the statements on the rating instrument. The main themes in the interviews were reported. The conclusions and recommendations of the study were: (1) The trainees, program planners, and rural residents did not differ significantly in their responses to the subscale of items on the rating instrument. The seventy participants appeared to be relatively homogeneous. (2) The community skills center was an effective means of developing skills and attitudes appropriate for financially rewarding self-employment, thereby reducing poverty in rural Anambra State. (3) It was necessary to receive the input of the rural residents in Anambra State in the planning, operation, funding, and evaluation of the community skills center. (4) Anambra State government needs to design a clear policy to guide the operation of the community skills center. (5) It was necessary to guarantee the continued existence of the community skills center. (6) A more efficient utilization of program resources was necessary. (7) Staff development projects were needed at the community skills center. (8) It would be necessary to constantly evaluate the community skills center and implement needed changes.
Subject Area
Adult education|Continuing education|Bilingual education|Multicultural education|Cultural anthropology
Recommended Citation
Okonkwo, Ifejika Ugbukwu, "Community skills centers as a means to rural economic development: An analysis of the Obollo Afor Community Skills Center model in Anambra State, Nigeria" (1989). ETD collection for University of Nebraska-Lincoln. AAI8918559.
https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/dissertations/AAI8918559