Evaluation of Technical Skill Improvement Needs and Maintenance of Motor Vehicles among Colleges of Education Automobile Technology Teachers In North-West, Nigeria
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.64348/zije.2026588Keywords:
Technical Skills improvement needs, maintenance, motor vehicles, automobile TeachersAbstract
The rapid acceleration of technological advancements within the global automotive industry has introduced sophisticated electronic, computerized, and mechatronic systems. Consequently, many conventional skills possessed by automobile technology teachers in Colleges of Education (COE) across North-West Nigeria have become obsolete. This study identified the critical technical skill improvement needs of automobile technology educators to establish targeted retraining strategies for professional competence. Utilizing a descriptive survey research design, data were collected using a validated 134-item structured questionnaire operating on a 5-point Likert scale. The research instrument demonstrated high internal consistency with a Cronbach's Alpha reliability coefficient of 0.86 during pre-testing among 15 non-population educators. Data were gathered from a total population of 239 automobile technology educators across seven North-Western states (Jigawa, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Kebbi, Sokoto, and Zamfara), comprising 63 formally trained teachers and 176 educators with informal apprenticeship backgrounds. Research questions were analyzed using mean statistics and standard deviations, while null hypotheses were tested using independent sample t-tests at the 0.05 level of significance. Findings revealed significant skill deficits in advanced auto-electrical and electronic principles, sensory diagnostic procedures, automated scan tool operations, and integrated circuit evaluation. Strategic recommendations emphasize national curriculum restructuring, continuous professional development workshops, and formal trade registration to align educational delivery with modern automotive industry standards.
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