This
observation agrees with the views of Agwubuike (1985) that “the
curriculum is adequate but were remained a significant shortcoming in
the resources for its implementation. Ajaila (1985) in a study on The
Educational resources for effective teaching of vocational agriculture
in secondary schools†revealed that the nation is witnessing
unprecedented high-level youth unemployment even with great number of
students that offered agriculture in the school certificate
examinations. Nwabuisi (2003) reported dearth of instructional resources
for teaching agriculture at vocational level in the secondary schools.
Harping on the various limitations of the curriculum, Uwadiae (2003)
observes that most schools have been unable to teach for the acquisition
of occupational skills rather than knowledge needed to pass prescribed
examinations. This has been blamed on absence of enabling environments
due to poor infrastructural facilities in school. Speaking on
instructional methods for effective occupational skills acquisition,
Okorie (2009) recommended ‘guided discovery’ as very potent. In another
opinion, Olaitan and Uwadiae (2003) emphasized “learning –by- doingâ€.
They were of the view that If the primary objective of the secondary
level agriculture curriculum is to equip students with occupational
skills, the recommended approach to teaching and learning should be
learning- by- doing and nothing more, The attainment of the objectives
of senior secondary vocational agriculture in schools depends on how
well a teacher is able to present the learning experiences to the
students.
The Nigerian society is dynamic and in the face of these
changes, new and better ways of planning and prosecution of learning
experiences must be explored. It therefore behooves on the teacher who
implements the ‘taught curriculum’ (Akusoba, 1995) to up- date his
ideas, methods and experiences and to effectively ensure full
integration of worthy “old practices†and experiences into new paradigms
in the new world order (Amadi, 2002). In line with the above, Olaitan
(1986) avers that: the acquisition of the desired experiences by the
students depends on how effective the teacher is able to present the
learning experiences to them. The effectiveness of any teaching depends
on the teaching strategies used. Implementation of practical subjects
like agriculture should set the students for productive life and make
tangible contributions to the sustainable community livelihoods.
The 9-3-4-education model was conceived to re-orientate and reorganizes
our value system in the world of work. Consequently, non-acquisition of
requisite occupational skills in identified areas would inadvertently
result in the production of ill-equipped labour force .The new
curriculum signify a complete departure from the old bookish model
inherited from the Colonial masters it requires teachers who possess
requisite knowledge, skills, attitudes and competencies. The
effectiveness of any teaching is relatively a function of teaching
styles, methods and strategies which were employed in the process. Quite
regrettably, there is dearth of professionally qualified teachers of
agriculture in the school system. Nwabuisi (2002) in a study on
resources for teaching and learning agriculture science in Lagos State
Junior secondary schools reported a low teacher/student ratio of 1:60.
In a later study conducted in Taraba state, Amadi (2010) also reported a
low teacher/student ratio of 1:58, which is just a marginal improvement
on Nwabuisi’s.
Though as reported by Amadi, (2010) there are more
qualified teachers of agriculture these days, the imbalance stems from
the population explosion since every student is expected to offer the
subject. Amadi’s (2001) study further revealed more importantly that the
skill content of the agricultural programme for the senior secondary is
too comprehensive to lend itself to meaningful coverage within the time
space of three years. Olaitan (2006) maintains that in a bid to cover
the prescribed content, the teachers teach at a tremendous speed, which
negates proper articulation by students. Further, Olaitan (2006) points
that it does seem that host communities of some secondary schools as
stakeholders do not realize or appreciate the magnitude of their
responsibilities towards the teaching and learning of agriculture.
Position of Agriculture in School Curriculum evidence from available
literature shows recognition of secondary school agriculture as one of
the subjects which is geared towards economic and social realities of
the day due to its capacity to generate employment, [ Bennell, (2007),
Several
scholars as early as 1970 through to the 1990s and beyond
(Psacharopoulos, 1985; McMahon, 1999 & World Bank, 2009) have
recognized the need for school agriculture to harness the energy, skills
and aspirations of youths towards the world of work, that the basic
goal of our National Policy on Education is to make education both
functional and utilitarian. Ikeoji (1999) reported that vocational
education is borne out of the need for the system to make its products
useful to themselves.
Observation has shown that as laudable as the
objectives of agricultural and vocational education in Nigeria are it
may be impossible to achieve them due to poor delivery process of the
programme and inappropriate method of evaluating the performance of
students in vocational agriculture at the senior secondary school
(Ikeoji, 1997, 1998). Martin and Odubiya (1991) reported that the
primary role of vocational agriculture teachers has always been to help
students to learn knowledge and skills in agriculture. Several lapses
associated with the organization of vocational agriculture in secondary
schools in Nigeria have also been identified. The curriculum objectives
have been found to be too broad; there is the inability of the policy to
state general aim of vocational education (Olaitan, 1992; Egbule, 1998;
Obi, 2005). Other lapses include inability to identify areas where
practical skills are to be developed (Obi, 2005), unspecified evaluation
system (Egbule, 1998, Ikeoji, 1998); cases of duplicated topics and
poor programme delivery system (Egbule, 1998); lack of instructional
aids and materials for vocational agriculture delivery; lack of means
and ability to provide recommended guest lecture visits and excursions
(Obi, 2005, Olaitan, 1997).
