Assessment of women involvement and benefits of skill acquisition programmes in Ikwerre Local Government Area of Rivers State, Nigeria

Abstract

The study focused on women involvement in skills acquisition programmes in Ikwerre Local Government Area of Rivers State. Specifically, the study described the socio-economic characteristics of the respondent women, identified the different types of skill acquisition programme, examined the benefits of skill acquisition programmes and determined the constraints to women getting involved in the skill acquisition programme in the study area. Two-stage sampling technique was used to select a sample of 80 respondents. Data obtained were analyzed descriptive and inferential statistics. The results revealed that 35.7% of the respondents had secondary education, 46.3% were married. The respondents agreed that some of the benefits they derived from participating in the skill acquisition programme were poverty reduction (𝑥̅=3.27), improve standard of living (𝑥̅=3.25). The constraints encountered were poor trained personnel (𝑥̅=3.42), lack of government sponsorship (𝑥̅=3.37), the study showed that the major constraints to women’s skill acquisition in the study area were poor trained personnel’s, tribalism, lack of government sponsorship, unfavorable timing, lack of startup fund, location challenges, insecurity, weather challenge, lack of interest and discrimination, and recommended that; rural development agencies should make sure skill acquisition programs are planned accordingly to favour the time schedule of women who have created interest to learn and to be empowered.