The study examined the competency of training instructors in vocational education programmes given to inmates of Nigerian prisons in Rivers State. A descriptive survey design guided the study. A sample of 214 vocational instructors was randomly sampled for the study. Three research questions were answered in the study. The instrument used for data collection was a structured questionnaire validated by three experts and its reliability coefficient of 0.83 was established using Pearson Product Moment Correlation (PPMC) coefficient reliability method. Data were analyzed with descriptive statistics of frequency and percentage. It was found that the vocational instructors had varying levels of academic qualifications; years of experience and involved in various vocational training capacity building programmes to improve their competencies as vocational training instructors of Nigerian prisons in Rivers State. Based on the findings, it was recommended among others that vocational training instructors in Nigerian prisons in Rivers State should be selected in terms of competency in academic qualifications to enhance effective vocational training of the inmates. Also, vocational instructors with high experience should be engaged and retained to train others in Nigerian prisons service.

The study examined the competency of training instructors in vocational education programmes given to inmates of Nigerian prisons in Rivers State. A descriptive survey design guided the study. A sample of 214 vocational instructors was randomly sampled for the study. Three research questions were ...