Nnadiebube Journal of Education

Philosophy, traditionally regarded as the mother of all knowledge and the queen of the sciences, provides the foundational and critical framework for every discipline, including education and its vocational dimensions. African philosophy in the same vein is discilinary movement embedded within the love of African wisdom. Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) is frequently approached from policy and economic perspectives; however, its philosophical foundations remain underexplored within African contexts. This paper argues that TVET is inherently philosophical because it presupposes particular understanding of knowledge, appreciation of human nature, grasp of work and disposition towards community. Drawing from classical philosophy of education, UNESCO’s global TVET frameworks, and African philosophical traditions, particularly communalism and indigenous apprenticeship systems, the study advances an African philosophy of TVET rooted in holism, praxis, communal sustainability and epistemic decolonization. The researcher concludes that re-grounding TVET in African philosophical thought, informed by African Philosophy of Education, however, elevates it beyond technical skill acquisition toward a transformative model of human and communal development.

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