DETERMINANTS OF PRIVATE COSTS OF NONFORMAL VOCATIONAL TRAINING PROGRAMMES OF NATIONAL DIRECTORATE OF EMPLOYMENT (NDE) IN THE SOUTH EAST GEO-POLITICAL ZONE OF NIGERIA

This study determined the private costs of non-formal vocational training programmes of National Directorate of Employment (NDE) in South East Geo-political Zone of Nigeria. The main purpose of the study was to identify the components and establish the monetary value of private costs incurred by trainees in non-formal vocational training programmes as well as identify variations in the unit private costs in non-formal vocational training programmes based on selected variables. The pertinent questions raised include: what are the components and determinants of private costs in non-formal vocational training programmes in South East geo-political zone; could the unit private costs of non-formal training programmes be determined by specific cost driver. Eight research questions were raised that guided the study. The total population for the study comprised 3913 trainees from 311 non-formal vocational training institutes of the five States consisting of Abia, Anambra, Enugu, Ebonyi, and Imo. A sample of 1176 trainees from 95 training institutes was randomly selected for the investigation. The researcher employed a descriptive survey and Ex-post-facto research design. Two instruments on assessment of private costs in Non-formal Vocational Training Programme (PRICOVTRAP 1 & 11) were designed and administered to the selected sample of trainees and the institutional heads respectively. The questionnaire ‘PRICOVTRAP P was used to capture data on trainees' socio-economic status, financial assistance from agencies, trade undertaken by trainee and values of expenditures on the non-academic variables required for the study per annum, while ‘PRICOVTRAP IP was used to harvest data from the heads of institutes regarding the annual expenditures of the trainees on the academic variables in the process of their training. The validity indices of the questionnaires were established through consensus-based assessment by experts and yielded 0.72 and 0.88 respectively. The split half method of establishing reliability was adopted and the calculated coefficients of 0.85. and 0.94 respectively were achieved for the two instrument. The obtained data were analysed using descriptive statistics employing percentages and averages, with the formula for Unit Private Cost computation: Unit Private Cost = Total Private Cost . The Number of Respondents findings showed that the annual total private cost of non-formal vocational training programme was N378.993.780.00: academic costs constituted 21.64% while non-academic costs constituted 78.36%. And the annual average unit private cost for non-formal vocational training programmes stood at N322,273.00. It was discovered that about 33% of the training institutes were located in rural locations. The study also established that the costs of major variables: types of institute, location of institutes, nature of trades, gender of trainees, and the cost items: transportation, midday meals/snacks, tools/equipment, accommodation, tuition/agreement, and utilities, among others, contributed to higher unit private costs of trainees. The finding showed that National Directorate of Employment does not make sufficient and adequate provisions for assistance of the recruited trainees. With high unit private costs, the non-formal vocational training programmes of NDE in South East geopolitical zone of Nigeria will not attract much participation and there could be likelihood of high dropout rate. Based on the findings, the researcher recommended, among others, that the NDE in conjunction with the policy makers should review the mode of the assistance; monthly allowances, and stipends given to the trainees to help reduce their unit private costs.