Influence of Gender on National Poverty Eradication Programme (NAPEP) Capacity Acquisition Scheme (CAS) Graduates on their Ability to Acquire Tailoring Skills for Entrepreneurship

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate Gender Influence on graduates of National Poverty Eradication Programme (NAPEP) capacity Acquisition Scheme (CAS) on their ability to acquire Tailoring Skills in Ogun and Osun States in Nigeria. The study adopted an expost facto research design. The target population consisted of 2,396 graduates who were trained between 2003-2007 when the programme was functional. A multistage sampling technique was adopted to select a sample size of 484 respondents. A structured questionnaire consisting of eleven (11) item statements were utilized. The data gathered, were analysed using means and standard deviation for the research question while the t-test was used to determine the level of significance for the hypothesis tested. Findings revealed that gender had no influence on graduates’ abilities to acquire tailoring skills. Furthermore, gender had no influence male students’ abilities to acquire tailoring skills as six (6) out of the eleven (11) items had mean below 2.50. For females, gender influenced their abilities to acquire Tailoring skills as six (6) out of eleven (11) items had scores above 2.50. Finding also showed gender influence on NAPEP Capacity Acquisition Scheme among urban graduates on their abilities to acquire tailoring skills for entrepreneurship than the rural graduates. Based on the finding, it was recommended that skills training which is a way out of the harsh economic and poverty eradiation is gender inclusive, therefore cultural and societal prescription of specific roles for males/females should be discouraged.