Agricultural Education for Sustainable Growth, Entrepreneur Skills, and Self-Reliance

Agricultural Education for Sustainable Growth, Entrepreneur Skills, and Self-Reliance

Chapter One

The major objective of this study is to investigate into how entrepreneurship skills and self-reliance are being promoted through Agricultural Science education from the viewpoints of youths of colleges of education in Kaduna State, Nigeria. More importantly, this study intends to achieve the following objectives:

To investigate the opinion of male and female people on promoting entrepreneurship skills and self-reliance through Agricultural Science Education in Kaduna
To find out the opinion of people on promoting entrepreneurship skills and self-reliance through Agricultural Science Education in Kaduna
To find out the differences in the opinion of people in the Federal College of Education Zaria and College of Education Gidan-waya on promoting entrepreneurship skills and self-reliance through Agricultural Science education in Kaduna

CHAPTER TWO

REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE

This chapter reviews various studies on promoting entrepreneurship skills through Agricultural Science education. It aims at finding out what other researchers have done in the problem under discussion to serve as a guide to the current research. This chapter among other things discussed in the following sub-headings:

Theoretical Framework

A theory according to Yamah (2009) is an explanation, idea, opinion based on thought, observation and reasoning which has been tested or confirmed as general principle explaining a large number of related facts. In other words, it can be seen as an intellectual tool that does a number of things or functions viz:

It helps to analyze or organize our knowledge
It asks significant questions and guides formulation of priorities in the design of research
It enables us to apply the nature of scientific inquiry in an orderly manner
It enables a scholar to relate knowledge in his field to that of other
It enhances our ability to understand and explain reality in a satisfying

The purpose of theoretical framework is to provide a sort of “plank” on which the study rests. It is a reference point to which the study must conform.

Structural Functionalist Theory

This theory is also known as equilibrium theory. The protagonists of this theory are Radcliff Brown, Malinowski, Durkheim, Herbert Spencer and Parsons. The Functionalist theory is a sociological paradigm that originally attempted to explain social institution as a collective means of fulfilling individual biological needs. Later, the theory came to focus on the ways in which social institutions in the society fulfill social needs, particularly social stability.

In this context, the functionalist theory provides understanding of the functional importance of education as a means of solving social problem (unemployment) in order to regulate and create new social order (Job creation). Considering Herbert Spencer‟s concept of function as originated from the functionalist school of thought (Perrin, 1976). Society function the way it does based on interdependent relationships that exist among the various social institutions that make up that society. Thus, the society is likened to human body whereby each part functions for the continuous regulation of the whole body. Spencer tends to draw comparison between the society and the human body arguing that any attempt to understand any part of the body organ must be done relating to the other part of the body because they all function to contribute towards the maintenance of the whole system. In the same vein, the various social institutions exist and persist based on the essential functions they perform in the society. In other words, to understand a component of society, one must ask, what is the function the various institutions such as educational in society perform?

A complete answer could be quite complex and require a detailed analysis of the history of education, but one obvious answer is that education prepares individuals to enter the work force and therefore maintains a functioning economy.

In addition, functionalist theory was adopted by this study due to the rise in unemployment among graduates resulted to increased social vices which constitute a serious challenge to our educational, socio-economic stability of our society. However, in order to have a harmonious co-existence of all sectors of society, the present global dynamics of the environment requires innovative education that will revolve around needs of the youths, communities and employers of labour (entrepreneurship education). Hence, functional skills imparted to learners will enable them to use their skills and initiatives to create wealth for self-reliance so that product of our school system could contribute their own quota for the attainment of a well balanced, stable and developed society.

CHAPTER THREE

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

Research Design

The study adapted descriptive survey method. This is a research method that describes a given state of affairs at a particular time. This method was adopted because it allows researchers to examine the interrelationship among variables to develop explanatory inferences (Wimmer and Dominick, 2006). Similarly, survey research was considered appropriate for collecting and analyzing data. This is in line with assertion of Mmaduakonam (2004) which stated that the survey research is a critical examination of events, objects, subjects or ideas with the intent of providing exact information about the conditions of such phenomena. According to Olayiwola (2010) this research design permits the gathering of information through the use of questionnaires and interviews from a population based on appropriate sampling techniques.

Population of the Study

The population of this study consisted of Agricultural Science Students who are in 2^nd and 3^rd year of NCE at Federal College of Education, Zaria and Kaduna State College of Education Gidan Waya Kafanchan in Kaduna State. The two levels of NCE II and III comprises of male and female students and are selected because they have more knowledge of Agricultural Science education than new NCE I students. The population of the two groups of both colleges is two thousand one hundred and eighty six (2,186) NCE Agricultural Science student.

CHAPTER FOUR

DATA AND PRESENTATION, ANALYSIS RESULT AND DISCUSSIONS

Introduction

This chapter presents the data analysis including its discussion of results. The major objective of the study is to determine the views of youths on promoting entrepreneurship skills and self-reliance through Agricultural Science Education in Colleges of Education in Kaduna state. The International Business Machine (IBM) was used in data computation and analysis. The first section deals with the demographic variables of the respondents while the second section presents answers to the research questions using arithmetic means and standard deviations. The third section presents and interprets the null hypotheses by means of inferential statistical technique of Independent t-test samples. All hypotheses are validated at 0.05 alpha level of significance. The fourth section outlined the major findings of the study and the last section discusses the findings of the study using authorities to support the findings.

CHAPTER FIVE

SUMMARY, CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

Introduction

This chapter treated summary of the research, conclusions on the basis of the findings of the research. Further, some practical recommendations were put forward based on the findings of the study. It also presents suggestions for further studies and outlines the contributions of the study to knowledge advancement.

Summary

The study is titled „Promoting Entrepreneurship Skills and Self-Reliance through Agricultural Science Education among Students of Colleges of Education in Kaduna State, Nigeria. The study was guided by three objectives, three research questions and three null hypotheses. The study used male and female students of NCEII and NCEIII from FCEZ and KSCOE Gidan- waya Kafanchan, Kaduna state.

The study used structural, functionalist and need for achievement theories to serve as a plank and a backing to the study. Furthermore, related empirical studies were reviewed citing similarities and identifying differences with the current study. The review further identifies some of the gaps between the current study and those reviewed which the current study seeks to fill.

Furthermore, the chapter three contains research methodology and survey research design was used. The study used purposive sampling technique to pick sample from the students in the study area. The study also used a questionnaire titled “Agricultural Science Questionnaire on Promoting Entrepreneurship Skills and Self-reliance” (SOSQPESS) as data collection instrument. The instrument was validated by supervisors and statisticians for content and face values. The study pilot tested the instrument and it was certified as statistically fit for the main work.

The study used independent sample t-test statistics to test the study‟s null hypotheses and the mean, standard deviation to answer the research questions raised by the study. In the chapter four, after data analysis, the study discovered the following major findings:

There is no significant difference in the mean opinion scores of males and females youths on promoting entrepreneurship skills and self-reliance through Agricultural Science education in Kaduna State;
There is no significant difference in the mean opinion scores youths on their views in promoting entrepreneurship skills and self-reliance through Agricultural Science education in Kaduna state;
There is significant difference in the mean opinion scores of Federal and State COE students on promoting entrepreneurship skills and self-reliance through Agricultural Science Education in Kaduna

Conclusions

Based on the findings of this study, it is concluded that Agricultural Science Education as a school subject which primarily focuses on inculcating relevant knowledge, attitudes and values as well as functional skills which serves as a veritable instrument for enhancing self-reliance and entrepreneurship among youths in the state. It further justifies the need to strengthen entrepreneurship education through Agricultural Science education in order to create and maintain an entrepreneurial culture, attitude and drive within the youth for national development.

Recommendations.

Based on the findings of the study, it is recommended as follows:

Agricultural Science curriculum should be regularly reviewed to cover all emerging aspect of self – reliance among
Adequate Instructional resources should be provided by the government in order to enhance entrepreneurship skills and self-reliance acquisition among
There is the need for government and Non – government Organizations (NGOs) to create a more enabling environment for students to inculcate entrepreneurship culture as well as ensuring their access to finance, mentorship and other basic needs that would enhance their capacities to achieve a successful career in entrepreneurship for sustainable socio-economic development of the

REFERENCES

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Agih, A.A. & Arikawei, A.R. (2011). Aligning Entrepreneurship Education with Available Endowments in Institutions of Higher Education in Nigeria for sustainable Development. Journal of Issues in Professional Teacher Education (Maiden Edition,).
Akpomi. E.M. (2008) Entrepreneurship Among Graduates to be of Business/Management Faculties & Economic Development in Nigeria. European Journal of Economics, Finance and Administrative Sciences. No. 14.
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Consortium for Entrepreneurship Education (2004). National Content Standards for Entrepreneurship Education. Ohio, Columbus. Retrieved on 28^th August 2009 from www.entre.ed.org/standardstoolkit/neac.htm. Asian Journal of Business Management, 3(3).
Corbin, H. (1983). NERDC: Agricultural Science Methods for Teachers, Lagos. NERDC Series. Danladi, E.N. (2005). Agricultural Science Perspectives in Nigeria, Vol. 1, Nimo, Anambra: Rex

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