Availability of Instructional Facilities for Teaching Brick/Block Laying and Concreting in Technical Colleges in Rivers State

Abstract

The study examined the availability and utilization of instructional facilities for teaching 
brick/block laying and concreting in technical colleges in Rivers State. Four objectives, four 
research questions and four hypotheses guided the study. A descriptive survey design was 
adopted for the study. The population of the study was 235 respondents consisting of 8 
instructors and 227 students. This was also the sample size of the study since the population 
was within a manageable range. A 60-items 4 -point rating scale was used for the study, mean 
and standard deviation were used to analyze data collected and z-test was used to test 
hypotheses at 0.05 level of significance. The instrument was validated by two experts in the 
department of vocational and technology education, Rivers State University. The instrument 
had a reliability coefficient of 0.83 derived using Cronbach's Alpha reliability. The Findings 
revealed that, instructors and students are of the opinion that, availability of hand tools, 
equipment and consumables for teaching of brick/block laying and concreting in technical 
colleges in Rivers State are to a low extent. Based on the findings, it was recommended among 
others that Government should adequately fund and provide instructional facilities in the 
technical colleges: instructors should maximize the use of available instructional facilities in 
technical colleges; student should take seriously their practical classes; school administrators, 
instructors, workshop attendants and students should cultivate adequate maintenance culture 
for instructional facilities; Funds earmarked for instructional facilities should be judiciously 
expended for such. Stakeholders should ensure there is constant power supply to technical 
colleges. Government should ensure they recruit more instructors and students into technical 
colleges.