Strategies for Implementation of Agricultural Science Curriculum in Imo State School System: Imperatives for Occupational Skills Acquisition by Students

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 three Education
Zones of Imo 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.