This article reviews the evidence base for a range of contemporary, student-centred curriculum design methodologies, including inquiry-based learning (IBL), problem-based learning (PBL), project-based learning (PjBL), challenge-based learning (CBL), place-based learning and competency-based education (CBE), and considers their applicability to the design of a contemporary undergraduate criminology degree. Drawing on systematic reviews, meta-analyses and recent empirical literature, the article evaluates the theoretical underpinnings, andragogical benefits and structural limitations of each approach. It situates these findings within the requirements of the Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education Subject Benchmark Statement for Criminology (QAA, 2022), which explicitly positions research and critical enquiry as foundational to the discipline and calls for curriculum designs that embed equality, diversity and inclusion, education for sustainable development, and professional partnership. The article argues that no single methodology is sufficient on its own and that a principled hybrid model, drawing selectively on the strengths of each approach, offers the most coherent and evidence-informed basis for criminology curriculum design. Implications for degree revalidation, staff development, assessment design and partnership are discussed.
This article examines the curricular articulation of the Teaching Practice Unit (Práctica Docente, PD) in three Higher Institutes of Teacher Education (ISFD), managed by the Province of Córdoba (Argentina). It is organized around three analytical levels -horizontal, vertical and inter-institutional- and it draws on a qualitative, descriptive-interpretive study: documentary analysis, interviews with two members of the provincial curriculum team and five school principals, and a survey of nine PD instructors. Results show specific devices for horizontal articulation (integrative workshops and seminars), vertical articulation (spiral progression and complementary regulations), and a relationship with partner schools that participants themselves describe as still developing. Limitations, including the absence of partner schools' voices, and the relation to recent provincial curricular changes are discussed.
Researchers have explained the emigration of Nigerian teachers, popularly termed japa, mainly through low remuneration and insecurity, while giving less attention to access to professional development and career progression. This study examined the professional development and career opportunities available to Nigerian nursery and primary school teachers in Nigeria and abroad, and how these are linked to the decision to migrate. A mixed-methods design was adopted. The study analysed the quantitative responses from 384 teachers in Nigeria and 20 teachers in the diaspora using means, standard deviations, and percentages. The study also thematically analysed semi-structured interviews with eight teachers (four in Nigeria and four in the United Kingdom and Canada). Teachers in Nigeria reported some exposure to professional development, but only 44% agreed that it was sufficient and 39% that it was affordable, although they indicated that most came from private schools and external organisations rather than from government. Teachers abroad reported greater access to professional development, often free and mandatory, and 80% agreed that they did not feel limited in their career advancement. However, only 40% agreed that they had experienced better career growth, and the interviews showed that visa conditions and the absence of Qualified Teacher Status confined some teachers to support roles. Professional development and certifications also functioned as a pathway to migration: the interview revealed that two of the teachers in Nigeria were preparing to leave through courses and certification, and three of the four teachers abroad had migrated in order to study. The findings suggest that limited professional development operates as a push factor and that certifications provide the route out. It was recommended that affordable and sustainable professional development should be provided for teachers in Nigeria.
Although classical poetry is central to Chinese language education, how poetry learning is linked to writing development has rarely been characterized empirically. This one-year longitudinal study followed 1,920 students in Grades 3–6 from 48 classes in 12 primary schools across four waves and applied a four-level growth model (measurement occasions nested within students, students within classes, and classes within schools). The cognitive load components were indexed provisionally by NASA-TLX subscales, and results that depend on their distinction are interpreted as preliminary. Eight confirmatory tests were controlled with the Holm procedure and all remaining analyses were reported as exploratory with Benjamini-Hochberg control; a random-intercept cross-lagged panel model examined within-person lagged associations, which inform rather than establish the ordering of the modeled associations; and the 12-school highest level was examined with leave-one-school-out refits, a wild cluster bootstrap, prior sensitivity analyses, a school fixed-effects model, and a calibrated Monte Carlo simulation. Intrinsic (β = −0.41) and extraneous (β = −0.49) cognitive load were negatively and germane cognitive load (β = 0.45) positively associated with writing ability (Holm-adjusted p < .001), and schema construction, imagery processing, and emotional resonance carried statistical indirect associations totaling 0.587 (76.2% of the total association). The interaction of teaching method with cognitive load ( γ = 0.47, Holm-adjusted p = .011) was retained under all small-cluster sensitivity analyses, whereas the interactions with grade and class environment were exploratory and the school-level variance component was imprecisely estimated, and writing ability followed a mildly decelerating quadratic trajectory ( π 2 = −0.17 points per wave², Holm-adjusted p < .001). With imputation, centering, model reselection, refitting, and BLUP computation confined to the training folds, prediction for new students in the sampled classes and schools reached R 2 = 0.847 and RMSE = 4.28, meeting the preset RMSE target, whereas three-band accuracy (80.3%) fell short of the preset 85% target, and prediction for unseen classes and schools reached R 2 = 0.768 and 0.656. The findings characterize the multilevel associations between classical poetry learning and writing development and support instructional recommendations restricted to the confirmatory results.
The massive penetration of digital transactions among adolescents presents real financial vulnerability due to low understanding of Islamic economic contracts and ethics. Conventional fiqh learning is often isolated in textual normative memorization without honing students' critical reasoning skills against contemporary realities. This study aims to comprehensively analyze the implementation of the Problem-Based Learning (PBL) model in the learning of Fiqh Muamalah and its impact on strengthening students' critical reasoning and sharia financial literacy on digital economy issues. The research design adopts a qualitative approach with a bounded system case study at SMK Darul Musyawirin Cirebon. The research participants include Fiqh Muamalah teachers, vice principals for curriculum, and grade XI students who are directly involved in the learning cycle. Data collection was carried out through semi-structured in-depth interviews, classroom participatory observations, and review of learning portfolio documentation. Data analysis was carried out cyclically through an interactive model of open coding-based data reduction, presentation of thematic matrix data, and conclusion drawing and verification that were validated through source triangulation, member check, and trail audit. The results of the study revealed that organizing learning through the stages of authentic problem orientation (such as paylater, online loans, and digital investment), legal literature investigation, intergroup discussion-rebuttal dialectic, and value reflection succeeded in transforming students' mindsets from textual-reproductive reasoning to contextual-analytic based on postulates. Students showed a surge in competence in distinguishing murabahah margins from time-based interest, identifying the elements of riba, gharar, and maisir, and compiling simple legal arguments of istinbath al-ahkam. In addition, the structural understanding was internalized into behavioral financial literacy that encourages transaction prudence and verification of sharia legality. This instructional model proves that the integration of real issues of the digital economy into the PBL syntax effectively bridges classical fiqh doctrine with modern challenges, while offering a transformative pedagogical framework for vocational Islamic education curriculum.
The authenticity of Islamic Religious Education in elementary schools faces significant contemporary challenges, shifting from transformative character building toward mechanical cognitive memorization. This study aims to re-actualize the core principles of authentic moral learning through a mindful, meaningful, and joyful paradigm tailored for elementary school students. Using a literature study approach with critical-qualitative analysis, this research examines classical and contemporary pedagogical frameworks to synthesize an integrated moral education model. The findings indicate that mindful learning enhances students' self-awareness and spiritual presence, meaningful learning connects religious doctrines with daily life experiences, and joyful learning fosters intrinsic motivation and emotional well-being. Synthesizing these three elements restores the authenticity of IRE, transforming moral learning from rigid doctrinal instruction into a living, transformative spiritual and ethical experience.
Despite the integration of Earth Sciences into Moroccan secondary education, geology teaching faces multiple obstacles. This study provides a multi‑dimensional analysis of curricular, didactic, epistemological, linguistic, and ideological barriers. Using a mixed‑method design, we analysed official curricula (2007–2025), six textbooks, 47 articles, and surveyed 120 Life and Earth Sciences teachers. Results show that geology accounts for only 17% of total instructional time and is absent from three of seven major streams. 78% of teachers feel unprepared to teach geological time, 65% never use physical models, and only 12% of schools organise field trips. In French‑medium sections, 65% of students score below 50% on geology assessments (vs. 41% in Arabic sections). 72% of students confuse human and geological time scales. We propose evidence‑based remedies: curriculum restructuring (25% of LES time), mandatory field trips, physical modelling, ICT integration, and teacher training in conceptual change approaches.
The study aimed to analyze the impact of implementing instructional sequences on strengthening the teaching of Spanish Language and Social Sciences at the primary level in Regional 02, San Juan, Dominican Republic. A quantitative approach was adopted, using a non-experimental, cross-sectional, descriptive design. The participants comprised 498 individuals, including 463 teachers and 35 district-level educational specialists. Structured questionnaires were administered, and the data were analyzed using frequencies and percentages. The results revealed a favorable assessment of the implementation of instructional sequences, particularly regarding the progressive organization of activities, activation of prior knowledge, student participation, oral and written production, and learning monitoring. Teachers also perceived improvements in lesson planning, organization, and assessment practices. However, district-level specialists identified areas requiring further consolidation, particularly the alignment between planning and classroom practice, the correspondence between activities and learning evidence, the use of educational resources, and pedagogical support. Challenges related to available instructional time and the need to make adaptations during implementation were also identified. It is concluded that instructional sequences have a favorable impact on strengthening teaching, although their consolidation requires systematic monitoring, teacher training, and contextualization of instructional proposals.
Microteaching is one of the courses that plays an important role in preparing prospective Islamic Religious Education (PAI) teachers to possess competencies that meet the demands of the teaching profession. This study aims to examine the urgency of microteaching in preparing professional PAI teachers through the development of pedagogical, professional, social, and personal competencies. The study employs a qualitative approach using library research. Data were obtained from various literature sources, including books, scientific journals, research articles, and academic documents relevant to microteaching and teacher professionalism. Data collection was conducted through documentation studies, while data analysis employed content analysis techniques. The findings indicate that microteaching serves as a means of bridging theory and teaching practice, training basic teaching skills, developing self-reflection abilities, and enhancing students' readiness to face field practice and the professional world. Furthermore, microteaching makes a significant contribution to the development of pedagogical, professional, social, and personal competencies among prospective PAI teachers. Its successful implementation is supported by lecturer guidance, the availability of learning facilities, and student motivation, although challenges remain, including limited time, nervousness, and differences between simulated situations and actual classroom conditions. Therefore, optimizing microteaching through the use of innovative methods, educational technology, constructive feedback, and continuous practice is necessary to produce professional, competent PAI teachers who are prepared to face the challenges of education in the modern era.
Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) are an essential mechanism for collaborative professional learning of teachers. However, evidence remains limited on the specific activities secondary school Biology teachers engage in within PLCs and their perceived contribution to competence-based teaching in Tanzania. This study investigated the PLC activities conducted by secondary school Biology teachers in Dodoma City and their perceived contribution to competence-based teaching practices. Social Constructivist Theory guided the study. A cross-sectional survey design was adopted, and data were collected through a structured questionnaire from 103 Biology teachers in 60 randomly selected public and private secondary schools and analysed using descriptive statistics. The key findings show that teachers engaged mainly in practice-oriented activities: collaborative lesson planning (83.5% of respondents) and peer observation (52.4%) were the only activities reported by more than half of the teachers, whereas setting and reviewing goals (21.4%) and action research and inquiry-based learning (16.5%) were the least practised. Teachers rated the contribution of PLC activities to competence-based teaching as great on all six indicators (M = 3.99–4.18). The strongest contributions were in preparing competence-based lesson plans integrating lessons into real-life situations and involving students in classroom activities, while formative assessment received the lowest, though still high, rating. These findings imply that PLCs benefit learners by helping teachers deliver more learner-centred, contextualised, and participatory lessons, which are the classroom conditions through which competence-based learning and academic performance are improved. The study recommends strengthening inquiry-oriented PLC activities, particularly action research and the collaborative analysis of assessment evidence, so that PLCs can more fully support learners’ achievement.
This study examined the challenges and opportunities experienced by elementary teachers in the new normal education in the Third Congressional District of the Schools Division of Iloilo, Philippines, during the school year 2021–2022, as a basis for developing an instructional training program. Anchored on the Volatility, Uncertainty, Complexity, and Ambiguity (VUCA) framework, the study employed a descriptive-correlational research design involving 60 elementary teachers. Data were collected using a researcher-modified questionnaire and analyzed through descriptive statistics, the Mann–Whitney U test, and Spearman rho correlation. Findings revealed that teachers experienced a moderately challenging level of difficulties (M = 2.68), primarily involving limited internet connectivity, health safety concerns, insufficient technological devices, and financial constraints. Conversely, respondents reported a high level of opportunities (M = 3.85), particularly in professional learning, personal development, technological adaptation, and learner engagement. No significant differences were found in challenges and opportunities when respondents were classified according to age, sex, and civil status. However, a significant negative relationship was established between challenges and opportunities (rs = −0.453, p < 0.001), indicating that greater challenges were associated with fewer perceived opportunities. Based on these findings, a five-day instructional training program focusing on technological competencies and digital instructional applications was proposed. The study supports Sustainable Development Goal 4 (Quality Education) by emphasizing teacher professional development and inclusive instructional practices, and SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure) through educational technology integration. Its sustainability implications highlight the importance of continuous professional development, institutional technical assistance, and adaptable instructional strategies in strengthening educational resilience and sustaining quality elementary education.
Abstract Lifelong learning is important for everyone, individually and collectively within institutions and communities. In today’s “learning society”, learning is not just a process driven by the learning system or the social system; it can also be a process in which the learners play an active role. This article focuses on the Erasmus+ project “Empowerment for migrants, from camps to integration” (CAMPLUS) in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRI). Between 2021 and 2022, personal resources management (PRM) training was implemented in three refugee camps in Erbil. The central question driving the project was whether, and how, PRM can transform refugee learners’ ability to define and pursue their developmental goals. This inquiry is rooted in Paulo Freire’s critical pedagogy, which promotes dialogical learning as a means of empowering marginalised learners as agents of their own education. PRM integrates the validation of prior learning (VPL) with personalised pathways, based on the belief that competencies, gained formally, informally or experientially, should be recognised as the foundation for further learning. This approach aligns with Freire’s ideal of critical consciousness, which posits learning as a process of naming, reclaiming and transforming one’s reality. Using a qualitative analysis involving 15 refugees and three trainers, the authors explore how learner agency and institutional affordance combine to create meaningful learning outcomes. The study addresses a key gap in research: how reflective, personalised education can function in settings marked by displacement and limited opportunities.
This study examines linguistic and stylistic over-elaboration in beginner Arabic writing produced during a classroom task permitting generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) and electronic translation. The study emerged from an Arabic language course involving undergraduate accounting students at Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM), Terengganu Branch, Malaysia. Students were instructed to write a simple birthday invitation addressed to friends, using accessible vocabulary and including specified invitation elements. During the review of approximately 100 submissions, the instructor observed recurring instances of vocabulary, courtesy expressions, and sentence formulations that appeared more sophisticated or formal than expected for the learners' proficiency and the task's communicative purpose. Adopting an exploratory qualitative approach, the study draws on these professional classroom observations, supplemented by the direct examination of three available invitation texts. The analysis considers lexical overreach, stylistic over-elaboration, unnecessary syntactic complexity, register mismatch, and learner-level appropriateness. The findings highlight a pedagogical distinction between linguistic correctness and the suitability of written expression for a beginner's level and communicative situation. They also suggest that apparently sophisticated writing should not automatically be interpreted as evidence of independent linguistic proficiency. Because individual tool use and writing processes were not documented, the study does not attribute particular expressions to GenAI or establish causal effects.
Inclusion is a movement that arises from the socio-historical-cultural perception of exclusion and requires strategies to mitigate or eliminate the various barriers that restrict or prevent social participation. The inclusion movement, which gained strength from the end of the 20th century, applies to different social spheres, including literature as a human experience. In this sense, this art form should be addressed in schools from childhood, ensuring both accessibility and the representation of the diversity of cultures, bodies, and subjectivities. This article aims to discuss literary literacy from an inclusive approach, reflecting on its contribution to the development of reading and citizenship. Thus, it uses a bibliographic research methodology, starting from a systematic review of the terms inclusive literature, inclusive children's literature, inclusive young adult literature and accessible literature in the main academic research databases, and then expanded, in an exploratory manner, to related topics. The study focused on understanding what characterizes inclusive literature, considering heterogeneity in theme and/or authorship, as well as access to and accessibility of the book as a cultural object. Additionally, it aimed, through the example of an accessible teaching sequence based on Indigenous literature, to show the applicability of this approach, highlighting the school's role in shaping readers who are more aware and respectful of human diversity. Consequently, the work contributes by showing that inclusive literature, from the perspective of literary literacy, enriches the reading experience by expanding student development through both the aesthetic enjoyment of the work and the formation of civic awareness.
Traditional statistical models face the challenges of insufficient modeling capabilities and difficulty in interpreting complex, nonlinear, and high-dimensional data. Therefore, this paper combines fuzzy logic and deep learning methods to construct a framework model for identifying key factors for high-quality employment for college students. The model in this paper uses multi-channel encoding technology. We use the attention mechanism to fuse the features obtained from multi-channel encoding and input the self-organizing fuzzy inference structure for regression and classification analysis. The system can transform numerical prediction results into a semantic rule-driven decision-making process, which can significantly improve the model’s modeling capabilities and interpretability for uncertainty. Our experiments were conducted on 5,623 graduates. Experimental results on the data show that our model achieved an average mean square error of 0.831, a coefficient of determination of 0.892, and a classification accuracy of 0.865, which are significantly higher than traditional statistical and machine learning models. The corresponding experiments demonstrate the key role of cross-modal fusion and fuzzy reasoning modules in improving the results. Feature importance analysis shows that factors such as internship duration, GPA, and research participation have a key impact on high-quality employment, which is consistent with expert consensus.
Abstract: Character education in early childhood is often delivered through verbal advice that young children find hard to retain, while their growing exposure to digital screens reduces opportunities to listen to stories told directly by an adult. This community service program aimed to apply pure storytelling, an oral narration that relies on the narrator's voice and body rather than a picture book, to strengthen environmental care and responsibility among kindergarten children. The program was carried out from 30 September to 3 October 2026 at Tunas Harapan II Waru Kindergarten, Penajam Paser Utara Regency, involving about forty-five children and five teachers. The stages consisted of planning, coordination with the school, script and performance preparation, storytelling sessions, evaluation, and dissemination. Data were gathered through participatory observation, oral question-and-answer sessions, short interviews with teachers, and documentation, then analysed descriptively. The story “Misi Pahlawan Bumi” introduced green, yellow, and red bins for organic, inorganic, and hazardous waste. The children followed the story enthusiastically, imitated the voices and movements of the characters, and most of them could name examples of waste for each bin colour. Teachers also gained a practical, low-cost model of storytelling that can be repeated in daily classroom activities. Keywords: character education; early childhood; environmental care; pure storytelling; vocal and gesture Abstrak: Pendidikan karakter bagi anak usia dini masih sering disampaikan melalui nasihat lisan yang sulit diingat anak, sementara meningkatnya paparan layar digital mengurangi kesempatan anak untuk menyimak cerita yang dibawakan langsung oleh orang dewasa. Kegiatan pengabdian ini bertujuan menerapkan dongeng murni, yaitu penceritaan lisan yang mengandalkan suara dan tubuh pencerita tanpa bergantung pada buku cerita, untuk menguatkan karakter peduli lingkungan dan tanggung jawab anak taman kanak-kanak. Kegiatan berlangsung pada 30 September hingga 3 Oktober 2026 di Taman Kanak-Kanak Tunas Harapan II Waru, Kabupaten Penajam Paser Utara, dengan melibatkan sekitar empat puluh lima anak dan lima guru. Tahapan kegiatan meliputi perencanaan, koordinasi dengan sekolah, persiapan naskah dan pementasan, pelaksanaan dongeng, evaluasi, serta diseminasi. Data dihimpun melalui observasi partisipatif, tanya jawab lisan, wawancara singkat dengan guru, dan dokumentasi, kemudian dianalisis secara deskriptif. Dongeng “Misi Pahlawan Bumi” memperkenalkan tempat sampah hijau, kuning, dan merah untuk sampah organik, anorganik, dan berbahaya. Anak-anak menyimak dengan antusias, menirukan suara serta gerakan tokoh, dan sebagian besar mampu menyebutkan contoh sampah untuk setiap warna tempat sampah. Guru juga memperoleh model bercerita yang praktis dan murah untuk diterapkan kembali dalam pembelajaran sehari-hari. Kata kunci: anak usia dini; dongeng murni; olah vokal dan gestur; pendidikan karakter; peduli lingkungan
The digital revolution has fundamentally transformed childhood experience across the globe. In Ghana, rapid mobile internet penetration, the proliferation of low-cost smartphones, and COVID-19-induced remote learning have dramatically intensified basic school children's exposure to digital screens. Emerging evidence links digital screen addiction (DSA) to significant impairments in children's psychological well-being encompassing emotional, cognitive, social, and behavioural dimensions. Yet, school management responses in Ghanaian basic schools remain underdeveloped and largely uncoordinated. This narrative literature review synthesizes global and sub-Saharan African evidence on digital screen addiction and its psychological well-being consequences among basic school children (ages 5–15), critically examines existing school management frameworks, and proposes a School-Based Digital Wellness Management Framework (SBDWMF) for Ghanaian basic schools. A narrative synthesis approach was employed. Literature was sourced from PubMed, Google Scholar, Scopus, PsycINFO, African Journals Online (AJOL), and grey literature from the WHO, UNESCO, UNICEF, Ghana Education Service (GES), Ghana Health Service (GHS), and the Ministry of Education. Peer-reviewed empirical studies, systematic reviews, meta-analyses, and policy documents published from 2010 to 2024 were included, with a total of 72 sources forming the evidence base. DSA is prevalent among basic school-age children globally, with pooled prevalence estimates ranging from 19% to 38% depending on measurement tools and contexts. Excessive screen exposure is consistently associated with psychological distress, anxiety, depression, attentional difficulties, emotional dysregulation, impaired self-esteem, peer-relationship deficits, and poor academic well-being. In Ghana, contextual risk amplifiers, including parental digital literacy gaps, absent school mental health services, post-COVID normalization of extended screen use, and fragmented policy, compound the psychological burden. School management frameworks in Ghanaian basic schools are largely inadequate to address DSA, with critical deficits in policy, counselling capacity, teacher training, and parental engagement. DSA poses a mounting psychological well-being challenge for Ghanaian basic school children, demanding an urgent, evidence-informed school management response. The proposed six-pillar SBDWMF offers a practical governance architecture for Ghanaian basic school heads, district education officers, and national policymakers to address DSA comprehensively within the school setting.
At the beginning of the 19th century, the Russian Empire underwent reforms in theological and secular education. This article emphasizes the commonality of the administrative and substantive guidelines of these reforms. The reforms led to the streamlining and development of general education in theological parochial schools. During the reform process, the possibility of initial homeschooling for children, considered equivalent to lower theological education, and mechanisms for final examinations were legalized. The financial situation of parish theological schools was dire, which hindered their development.
In this study, we examine students’ reasons for course non-completion at a large, diverse, public research university in the university system of Georgia. We found these reasons in multiple datasets and used a mixed-methods approach to interpret them. While many studies have framed course withdrawals as rational decisions based on academic or personal factors, this study explores a variety of factors, including both practical and emotional considerations, that shape students’ withdrawal decisions. We analyzed emotional sentiment and reasons for course non-completion cited at the moment of withdrawal (i.e., disclosed on the registrar withdrawal form) as well as at retrospective timepoints (i.e., in a survey and semi-structured interview). At the time of withdrawal, students most frequently cited academic, personal, or mental health struggles as reasons for withdrawal, often expressing negative emotions. In some cases, students indicated the need for immediate crisis intervention. However, retrospective reflections revealed more positive emotions about their decisions and cited poor academic performance and an overall imbalance in their lives as key reasons. These findings highlight the complex interplay between academic challenges and emotional responses in the withdrawal process, suggesting that educators should consider both factors when addressing course non-completion. We also discuss the implications for future research and administrative policy.
Folk Development Colleges (FDCs) are intended to equip young people and adults with practical capabilities for productive work, yet little is known about graduates’ transition from training to self-employment. This study explored how vocational training, entrepreneurship education, and life-skills training were perceived to support graduates’ self-employment in two selected FDCs in Mtwara Region, Tanzania. Guided by Human Capital Theory, it used an interpretivist qualitative multiple-case design. Thirty-six participants were selected purposively: 24 graduates, 10 tutors, and two principals. Data were collected through two focus group discussions and semi-structured interviews, then analysed using reflexive thematic analysis. Participants reported that vocational training developed practical competencies applied in tailoring, agriculture, poultry keeping, welding, food processing and other income-generating activities. Entrepreneurship education strengthened opportunity recognition, business planning, costing, marketing, record-keeping and financial management, while life-skills training supported communication, teamwork, leadership, problem-solving, adaptability and confidence. Experiential learning connected the three training components. However, outdated or insufficient equipment, restricted finance and markets, weak mentorship and industry linkages, limited incubation support and incomplete graduate tracking constrained application. FDC programmes therefore provided complementary preparation for self-employment, but training alone could not ensure enterprise establishment or continuity. Modern resources, sustained practical learning, stronger enterprise-support linkages and systematic graduate tracking are required. As the evidence is context-specific and self-reported, the findings indicate perceived contributions rather than causal effects or verified long-term business sustainability.
