Implementation of Agricultural Science Curriculum in Taraba State School System: Imperatives for Students’ Occupational Skills Acquisition

Abstract

The inability of secondary school graduates of Agriculture to secure jobs or be self-employed has sustained the perceived generation gap, which has been blamed on the way and manner in which secondary education Agriculture curriculum is implemented. Four objectives were addressed by the study. A total of 200 teachers of Agriculture randomly selected from 298 secondary schools across the Education Zones of Taraba state constituted the study sample. A questionnaire structured on a 4- point rating scale and with stability coefficients of 0.82, 0.76, 0.70 and 0.86 for sections B to E respectively was used in generating data for the study. Findings of the study indicated that some teacher-related factors are necessary for effective implementation of the curriculum among which is teacher’s moral disposition, commitment, and teaching styles were indicated. Use of modular teaching methods, establishment of good school – community relationships and combined use of performance–based test and written test used for the purpose of occupation skills acquisition.

Keywords: Agriculture, education, students, Curriculum, school