TEACHER TRAINEE ATTITUDES TOWARDS AGRICULTURAL SCIENCE EDUCATION IN THE UPPER EAST REGION OF GHANA

The study explored the extent to which gender, parental occupation and courses offered in the senior high school influenced the study of Agricultural Science. It also sought to identify the attitude of students towards Agricultural Science, determine the factors that influenced attitude of students towards the study of Agricultural Science and the possible ways to improve student's interest in Agricultural Science. Convenience sampling technique was employed to draw a sample of 120 respondents for the study. Descriptive cross-sectional survey design and a five- point Likert -type scale questionnaire was used to collect data from respondents in Gbewaa College of Education at Pusiga District and St. John Bosco's College of Education at Navrongo, both in the Upper East Region of Ghana. The results indicated that there was no significant difference in male and female students' attitudes towards the study of Agricultural Science in the colleges. There was also no significant difference in attitude of students with farm background and those without a farm background towards the study of the subject. Again, there was no significant difference in attitude for those who studied Agricultural Science and those who did not study Agricultural Science at the Senior High School level. Thus, the study revealed that the respondents had favourable attitudes towards Agricultural Science in general. However, the lack of teaching learning materials, low motivation, inadequate practical lessons and poor government support were the major factors that influenced student's attitude towards Agricultural Science programme. Thus, the study concluded that Government of Ghana through the Ministry of Education and Ghana Education Service (GES) should help provide teaching and learning resources to our schools to help teachers make lessons interesting and meaningful to students. Also, it has been recommended that Ghana Education Service and its stakeholders in agriculture should embark on a massive campaign to sensitise the general public on the importance of Agricultural Science.