True cost of empty workshops: How underfunding TVET stifles economic growth

By Ayeni Olubunmi Grace

A country’s economic development relies on skilled technical professionals—the builders, technicians, and engineers who construct and maintain essential infrastructure.

Yet across many Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institutions, practical workshops sit under-equipped or filled with obsolete machinery.

Chronic underfunding in vocational education is far more than an institutional shortfall; it is an economic drag.

When vocational institutions lack operational budgets for consumable materials and modern tools, instruction inevitably shifts from hands-on practice to pure theory.

Students learn complex technical concepts on paper rather than mastering them with equipment.

This disconnect leaves graduates unprepared for immediate workplace integration, widening the skill gap in vital industries like construction, electrical installation, and manufacturing.

The consequences ripple across the economy. Industries struggle to find qualified technical talent, leading to project delays and reliance on external expertise.

Meanwhile, persistent youth unemployment remains high despite strong market demand for practical skills. Underfunded workshops also reinforce unfair societal stigmas, painting technical education as a second-tier path rather than a viable, high-value career choice.

Addressing this shortfall requires treating TVET funding as a high-yield investment rather than an administrative expense.

Governments must prioritize targeted budget allocations for workshop maintenance and practical training. Simultaneously, expanding public-private partnerships can incentivize industry leaders to donate modern machinery, fund apprenticeships, and help design market-aligned curricula.

An empty workshop costs far more in lost economic potential than the investment needed to equip it. Modernizing vocational facilities equips youth with practical self-reliance, fuels local industry, and builds a sustainable foundation for long-term national development.

Grace, Master’s Student,
Tai Solarin University of Education, Ijebu Ode, Ogun State