Abstract
This study focused on Mechanisms for enhancing the competencies of the building technology education students in the universities in South-East Nigeria as the solution to the persistent problems of craftsmanship in the building industry. Seven purposes of the study were formulated for this study. In line with these purposes of study, seven research questions guided the study. The study adopted a survey research design. The area of the study is South-East Nigeria, with a concentration on Anambra, Ebonyi and Enugu States, are states in the zone that offer to build technology education programmes at their universities. The population for the study is made up of 82 respondents who comprised 45 building technology teachers in the technical colleges, 25 third and final year building technology education students and 12 building technology education lecturers in the universities. The population was not sampled because of the smallness. Structured questionnaire (instrument) with 165 items were employed for data collection. The instrument for data collection was validated by five experts from Imo State University and Federal University of Technology Owerri. The reliability of the instrument was obtained by single administration of the instrument to group of respondents from Akwa Ibom technical colleges and University of Uyo. The reliability coefficient was calculated with Cronbach Alpha which yielded internal consistency for the entire instrument as alpha 0.85. Total of 82 questionnaire copies were administered to respondents in their various institutions with the help of three research assistants who worked with the researcher. And a total of 75 questionnaires which represented 92% were collected back for analyses. The data collected were analyzed with mean and standard deviation in relation to the research questions. The results of study identified that 26 mechanism cluster of upgraded building production academic programme (X 4.01 ), 22 items in cluster of adequately managed human resources ( X 4.11 ), 21 items in cluster of value adding regular staff capacity building system (3.97), 22 items in cluster of adequately maintained structures with functional system support (4.14), 21 cluster of improved funding system (4.28), 20 items in cluster of Information Communication Technology (ICTs) compliant programme (4.03) and 25 items in cluster of adequate work site current technology updated facilities (4.22) were accepted as mechanisms for enhancing the competencies of the building technology education students in the universities. However, the study showed that a cluster of adequately managed human resources (3.21) one items in cluster of adequately maintained structure (2.53) five items in cluster of improved funding system (2.80) and one items in cluster of updated facilities (2.9) were not accepted as mechanism that will enhance the desired competencies. The hypotheses tested at 0.05 level of significance had all the calculated F-ratio were less than the table F ratio. The hypotheses of no significant differences on the mean rating of the three groups of respondents on mechanisms for enhancing the competencies of the building technology education students in the universities were upheld. From the major findings, recommendations such as inclusion of practical courses, increasing programme duration from four to five years, updating of curricula, ensuring adequate staffing; admit qualified students, ensure ICT compliant programme to students through new practical computer building drawing courses, provision of sufficient updated structures and facilities were made. Finally, suggestions for further research on the study were equally included.