Exploring Senior Secondary Students’ Perceptions and Interest in Agricultural Science Education: A Case Study in Benue State, Nigeria

Shishi Mkulega Christopher*

This study examined the perceptions and interests of Senior Secondary Students regarding agricultural science education in Benue State, Nigeria. Four research questions guided the study, and four hypotheses were tested at the 0.05 level of significance. The study adopted a survey design. The population was 400 respondents. The sample of 200 respondents, which comprised senior secondary students it was drawn purposively from the population. The instrument used for data collection was a questionnaire titled: Students’ Perceptions and Interest in Agricultural Science Education Questionnaire (SPIASEQ), which was structured by the researchers from the literature review and used for data collection. The instrument was validated by three experts. The internal consistency reliability coefficient of the questionnaire was determined using Cronbach’s alpha (α). The reliability coefficient of 0.71 was obtained. The data collected were analyzed using percentages to answer research questions, while the Chi-square was used to test the null hypotheses at a 0.05 level of significance. Findings from the study were, students should be encouraged to improve conditions within the agricultural science education profession through the provision of incentives for those who choose this field as a career. Scholarships should be offered to students who have selected agricultural science as a career path, particularly those engaging in mechanized agriculture practices, by the government, organizations, and individuals. There should be an emphasis on integrating practical and theoretical methods within the course curriculum to enhance the learning experience. Hence, schools and educators should provide vocational guidance and clear explanations regarding the relevance of agricultural science education as a professional choice to students. This is vital for encouraging students to have positive attitudes toward agriculture science education and training-retraining of teachers for adequate competencies for the implementation of agricultural science education activities at senior secondary schools. Besides, these will enable production for efficient graduates for self-reliance and job empowerment in Benue State and the nation at large.

Keywords:

Published on: Sep 30, 2025 Pages: 45-51

Full Text PDF Full Text HTML DOI: 10.17352/2455-815X.000228
CrossMark Publons Harvard Library HOLLIS Search IT Semantic Scholar Get Citation Base Search Scilit OAI-PMH ResearchGate Academic Microsoft GrowKudos Universite de Paris UW Libraries SJSU King Library SJSU King Library NUS Library McGill DET KGL BIBLiOTEK JCU Discovery Universidad De Lima WorldCat VU on WorldCat