Role of Mechanical Technology Education in Curbing Cyber-Crimes Among Youths in Rivers State
Keywords:
Mechanical Technology Education, Welding, Fabrication, Fittings, CybercrimeAbstract
This study examined the role of Mechanical Technology Education in curbing cybercrime among youths in Rivers State, Nigeria, with emphasis on welding/fabrication and fittings. A descriptive survey research design was adopted for the study. The population comprised 28 Mechanical Technology Education lecturers and instructors from Ignatius Ajuru University of Education and Rivers State University, Port Harcourt. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire based on a five-point Likert scale. The instrument yielded a reliability coefficient of 0.87 using the Pearson Product Moment Correlation method. Mean and standard deviation were used to answer the research questions, while a t-test was employed to test the hypotheses at a 0.05 level of significance. Findings revealed that welding/fabrication contributes significantly to reducing cybercrime through skill acquisition, self-employment, and innovation, while fittings contribute moderately through the promotion of technical competence and industrial productivity. The study further revealed no significant difference between the mean responses of lecturers and instructors. The study concluded that Mechanical Technology Education is an effective tool for youth empowerment and cybercrime reduction. It recommended the integration of ICT skills into the curriculum and stronger governmentindustry partnerships to enhance youth employment opportunities.
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