Illegal Oil Bunkering Activities: Implications on Women in Technology Education in South-South Zone of Nigeria.

Well-meaning individuals have raised serious concern on the proliferation of illegal oil bunkering activities in South-South zone of Nigeria due to its impact on the economy, environment, security and educational development of individuals living in that zone. This is evident in high rate of poverty, insecurity, criminality, tension, acquisition of sophisticated weapons and increase in the number of dropout from schools, especially in tertiary institutions. The study therefore, examined the implications of illegal oil bunkering activities on women participation in technology education in South-South zone of Nigeria. It focused on women interest, enrollment, participation and acquisition of technical skills through technology education programmes offered in universities at the undergraduate level. The study adopted survey research design. The population of the study comprised 104 women educators in technology education programmes in South-South Nigerian Universities. Findings from the study revealed that woman educators in technology education agreed that illegal bunkering activities influenced women interest, participation and acquisition of technical skills through technology education programmes to a great extent. The study concluded that, the proliferation of illegal oil bunkering activities in South-South zone of Nigeria exerts negative influence on women interest, enrollment, participation and enthusiasm in technology education. Keywords: illegal oil bunkering, women, interest, technical skills, technology education