Availability and Utilization of Steam Educational Resources for Economic Diversification in Federal Colleges of Education Special Oyo

Abstract

Economic diversification is a critical driver of sustainable national development, particularly in resource-dependent economies such as Nigeria, where over-reliance on crude oil has rendered the economy vulnerable to external shocks. Despite the recognised strategic importance of Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics (STEAM) education in building the human capital needed for economic transformation, little empirical attention has been given to the state of STEAM resource provision and utilisation in Nigerian Colleges of Education institutions that are pivotal in shaping teacher quality at the foundational level. This study investigated the availability and utilisation of STEAM educational resources at the Federal College of Education (Special), Oyo, and their implications for teacher preparation and economic diversification. A descriptive survey research design was adopted. The target population comprised all 97 lecturers from the Departments of Science Education, Mathematics Education, Technology Education, and Arts Education. Total enumeration (census) was employed, making all 97 lecturers both the population and the sample, thereby eliminating sampling error. Data were collected using a researcher-developed instrument the STEAM Educational Resources Availability and Utilisation Questionnaire (SERAUQ) validated by subject matter experts and found to have a reliability coefficient of 0.82. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics, including means, standard deviations, frequency counts, and percentages. Findings revealed that STEAM resource provision is inadequate and skewed toward traditional science laboratory equipment and library materials, while critical infrastructure such as digital tools, engineering workshops, arts studios, and reliable power supply are significantly lacking. Utilisation rates were correspondingly low, constrained by poor maintenance culture, absence of institutional resource-management policies, and unstable electricity supply rather than any deficiency in lecturer competence. The study concludes that systemic and infrastructural deficiencies, not lecturer incompetence, are the primary barriers to effective STEAM delivery. It is recommended that the institution pursue balanced investment in STEAM infrastructure, establish a coherent resource-management policy, and strengthen power and ICT systems to fulfil its mandate in human capital development and national economic diversification.