RELEVANCE OF AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION IN THE SECOND CYCLE LEVEL OF EDUCATION IN THE GREATER ACCRA REGION

ABSTRACT Though it is government policy to modernize the agricultural sector and make it a catalyst for rural transformation making Ghana an agro-industrialized country, very few students pursue agricultural programme as compared to other programmes at the SHS level. These students who pursues the agricultural programme do not match up to the standard in terms of skill acquisition to meet the job market hence tend to be ‘job seekers’ and end up in other sectors. The main objective of the study was to find out factors that influence the choice of agricultural program at SHS level and the extent to which teaching and learning material or resources influence agricultural skill development. The study employed the survey design, using quantitative analysis. A sample size of 340 was used comprising of 310 students, 15 guidance and counselling coordinator as well as 15 heads of agricultural science department. Questionnaire was the main data collection instrument used. The analysis included tabulation and computation of chi-square test, frequencies and percentages. The study revealed that School Guidance and Counselling (SGC) services provided significantly influenced students’ choice of agricultural program at the SHS level. The study also identified other factors which significantly influenced students’ choice of agricultural program at this level, which include job market, people in the agro-business, BECE result and using the program as a stepping stone. The study further revealed the significance of teaching and learning material or resources in the development of agricultural skills by students. Based on this findings, it has been recommended that, guidance and counselling should be made effective at the JHS level so as to get pupil informed about what pertain at the SHS level especially career choice, more SHS should be encouraged to add agricultural program to their already run program and adequate teaching materials should be provided to enable students develop the requisite skills to meet the job market or even become self-employed.