ABSTRACT
This study examines the assessment of the effectiveness of vocational programmes for women empowerment in Burutu Local Government Area of Edo State . The primary data were collected from 516 member of 100L-400L students in the Department of Adult and Non-Formal Education, University of Benin, Benin city. Edo State. 225 respondents were selected using Simple Random Sampling technique, Four research questions were raised to guild the study. The instrument was validated by 3 experts from the Department of Adult and Non-Formal Education, Faculty of Education. The research design adopted for this study was descriptive survey design. A sample size of 150 respondents were selected randomly using proportional allocation method from the total numbers of the entire population with a structured questionnaire designed with a modified Likert Scale Method made up of Strongly Agreed, (SA), Agreed, ( A) Disagreed (D) Strongly Disagreed (SD) and it was made up of two sections of which section A contains the socio demographic data of the respondent and the section B contains the research questions to guide the study. The instrument was validated by the researcher and 2 expert lecturers from the department of Adult and non-formal Education. The data collected were analyzed using frequency and simple percentages. After analysis the study brought about the following findings: that respondents generally expressed a positive perception of vocational educational programmes tailored for women's empowerment in Burutu, Delta State, that participation in vocational education was associated with significant socio-economic benefits for women, including increased household income, improved living standards, and poverty reduction, that various challenges hindered the effective implementation of vocational educational programmes for women in Burutu, including inadequate funding, limited access to training facilities, and societal expectations, that while some vocational programmes like computer literacy and fashion designing were well-established, there was a notable gap in offering diverse skill-building opportunities such as tie and dye, interior decoration, and jewelry making. This Study recommended that policymakers should allocate more resources to vocational education programmes for women in Burutu, ensuring adequate funding for training facilities, equipment, and support services. Stakeholders should expand the range of vocational education programmes available to women in Burutu to include a wider variety of skills such as tie and dye, interior decoration, and jewelry making. Efforts should be made to challenge societal expectations and cultural norms that limit women's access to vocational education and skill-building opportunities. Stakeholders should establish comprehensive support services for women participating in vocational education programmes, including transportation assistance, childcare facilities, and mentorship programmes.
