**5. Structural comparison of STEM education and TVET in Nigeria education system**

It is pertinent to note that STEM Education, TVET, and pre-vocational studies are interrelated as broad areas. The interrelationship provides an advantage for collaboration. Both broad areas have many things in common: Some courses in STEM Education are offered in TVET. The areas of interrelatedness are discussed generally in line with the basic education curriculum. The interrelationship is presented in tables. It is also pertinent to consider the interrelatedness based on the most recent structure of STEM Education and TVET (either pre-TVET) under the 9-year compulsory universal basic education, 3-year post-basic education, and post-senior secondary education.

Comparison of STEM Education and TVET (either pre-TVET) under the 9-year compulsory universal basic education

**Table 1** identifies the interrelatedness between the two broad and very important areas of the entire education. Therefore, both STEM Education and TVET at the basic education level are interrelated. The integral objective of these academic programmes at the basic level is to equip learners with basic skills for progression to post-basic education level with interest in TVET, which covers other related areas such as STEM offered in technical colleges, Vocational Enterprise Institutions (VEIs) offered through collaborations, and National Vocational Qualification Framework (NVQF). Again, a concise comparison of STEM Education and TVET under the 3-year post-basic education is necessary at this stage. The structure of TVET at the post-basic education is largely merged. Thus, FRN [6] maintained that TVET should cover the following: Technical Colleges and Vocational Enterprise institutions and National Vocational Qualification (NVQF). In other words, TVET is broadened at the Post-Basic Education Level to cover vocational subjects, technical subjects, science subjects, engineering at the foundational level, and, of course, mathematics. Some related areas may not necessarily be done in formal setting but regulated and formalised for certification under VEIs and NVQF. The provisions of Nigeria's National Policy on Education on these educational aspects, according to FRN [6], are described in a tabular form and presented in **Table 2**.

The analysis in **Table 2** shows the interrelatedness of the components embedded in TVET, which includes technical/technology education and other related programmes such as VEIs and NVQF. This means that TVET is the umbrella academic programme and can be delivered using formal and informal approaches. This implies that TVET and associated areas highlighted in **Table 2** have the cardinal objectives for training for skills acquisition.


#### **Table 1.**

*Comparison of STEM education and TVET (either pre-TVET) under the 9-year compulsory universal basic education.*

A comparison of STEM Education and TVET under post-senior secondary education reveals that tertiary education in Nigeria is complex, with different types, levels and ownership. These include universities, polytechnics, mono-technic and colleges.


#### **Table 2.**

*TVET under the 3-year post-basic education and related vocational programmes.*

Again, within each type of institution, there may be variation based on programmes and regulatory bodies. For the purpose of this research, colleges of education and universities are modelled for comparison between STEM Education and TVET. College of Education in Nigeria has the following categories: Traditional College of Education, College of Education (technical) and Distance Learning. The uniqueness of STEM Education and TVET at the college of education and university levels is based on the fact that STEM Education is offered in faculty domains, namely: STEM Education in the Faculty of Education/Vocational Technical/Technology Education; STEM Education in the Faculty of Sciences; and STEM Education in the Faculty of Engineering.

In most cases, courses offered under the auspices of TVET are offered in cognate faculties. For instance, courses offered in Technical Education are offered in Engineering; those offered in Agricultural Science Education are offered in the Faculty of Agriculture and Forestry, among others.

Again, in most tertiary institutions in Nigeria, Technical Education (a major component of TVET), according to Federal Republic of Nigeria [10], has various areas of specialisation such as Automobile Technology; Building Technology; Electrical/ Electronic Technology; Metalwork Technology; and Woodwork Technology.

Similarly, Business Education, another major component of TVET, has areas of specialisation such as Accounting, Office Management, Marketing, and Management found in other cognate faculties such as management sciences and business administration, among others. Home Economics Education as an aspect of TVET that has options in Textile and Clothing, Food and Nutrition, and Home Management are also in other cognate departments.
