Disposition of Secondary Students towards Charcoal Production in Ibarapa North Local Government Area of Oyo State

Abstract

The study assessed the disposition of secondary school student towards charcoal production. A multistage sampling technique was used to select 225 respondents from six secondary schools in the area. Information was elicited from the respondents with the aid of a questionnaire, information collected was analyzed using descriptive (Frequency, percentages, tables and mean) and inferential (chi-square and T-test) statistical tool. The result of the study shows that there is no gender bias in the involvement in the charcoal activities as 50.7% are males, with mean age of 17 years and household size of 8. The result also revealed that 68% of the students are involved with an average period of 4 years while 35% reported their parents are also involved and make an average of N8, 754 on monthly basis. On the activities they are involved in the findings revealed that they are involved in different activities with transportation being the major one while the need to make more money (49.4%), being common occupation in the community (48%) and the prestige associated with it (41.3%) as the major influencing factors of their involvement. Their disposition was largely indifferent (88%) as revealed by the study as many of them are involved just to get the benefit without considering the effect on them. The result of the T-test (t-value 4.117, p=0.000 at P< 0.005) reveals significant difference in the disposition of those involved and those not involved while the chi-square analysis also showed significant relationship between sex(χ² = 29.874, p = 0.000), household size(χ² = 17.472, p = 0.002) and parental involvement (χ² = 8.855, p = 0.012) at p < 0.05. The study therefore concluded that the students are involved and are indifferent in their disposition to charcoal production and recommend that there is a need for proper orientation of the student in relationship to their involvement while inculcating teaching on environmental sustainability.

Keywords: Charcoal, Youth, Disposition, Oyo state, Ibarapa and Involvement