Perception of Keys in Building, Developing and Maintaining Partnerships in Quality Agricultural

Perception of Keys in Building, Developing and Maintaining Partnerships in Quality Agricultural and Chemistry Education Teachers’ Preparation in North Central, Nigeria

By

1Ochu, Alfred O.

Department of Agricultural Education,

Federal University of Agriculture,

Makurdi, Nigeria

and

2Ochu, Augustina N.O.

Department of Science Education,

Federal University of Agriculture,

Makurdi, Nigeria

Abstract

Worry about the declining quality and access to education / TVET due to upheavals, which undermines societal development, prompted the search for remedy. The survey study was guided by six specific objectives and null hypotheses. Data was collected from 5,631 subjects, using questionnaire and interview schedule. Collected data was analyzed using percentages, mean, analysis of variance (f-ratio) and Spearman’s Rank Order Correlation (rs). The result shows among others that: (a) the subjects were highly aware of the necessity for promoting and sustaining effective TVET partnerships. (b) they identified the keys in building partnerships in equality Agricultural and Chemistry Education teachers’ preparation; and (c), they identified the constraints militating against the building, development and maintenance of effective partnerships in quality Agricultural and Chemistry Education teachers’ preparation in North Central, Nigeria. The results possess significant implications in promoting and sustaining effective TVET partnerships for societal development.

Keywords: Perception, Agricultural Education, Chemistry Education, Teacher Preparation

________________________________________________________________________

1. Professor of Agricultural Education

2. Associate Professor of Science Education Chemistry

Introduction

Education is a vital instrument in the transformation of any society. Have Nigeria past and present political leadership done everything practically possible to alleviate the suffering of the masses (through poverty, diseases, shelter, and hooliganism, religious and political conflict)? (Okonta, 2013); does the society cater for the large army of the unemployed and under-employed youths and adults ?; and does the nation possess any form of social security welfare packages for the teeming citizens of more than one hundred and forty million people? (Obeka, 2002). Perhaps, questions on issues of these nature and more, continued to traumatize a significance proportion of the country’s population, settled in the six geopolitical zones of the nation namely - North East , North West, North Central, South East, South West and South-South . Indeed, a situation where corruption, crimes, poverty, youths restiveness, insurgency, human trafficking, terrorism, natural disaster such as floods, soil erosion, oil spillage and pollution, desertification and so on, coupled with socio-political, ethnic and religious conflicts (Ochu, 2012) saturate the society, constitute a source of worry and embarrassment to a large proportion of law-abiding citizens. This calls for prompt action.

It has been recognized, however that education is the live-wire of industries, agricultural developments, scientific accomplishments, socio-cultural engineering mechanisms, the foundation of moral and ethical regeneration and the focal point in the revival of the society’s ailing economy (Baikie, 2009 and Ochu, 2010). According to Busari and Paulley (2010) harnessing, proper development, good management and maintaining partnerships are appropriate mechanisms for promoting sustainable quality education in any society. Perhaps, the worry and anxiety about the declining quality and access to education and / or Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) in Nigeria due to upheavals, which undermines societal development, have been of concern to many Nigeria leaders, scholars, educators, vocational / career teacher educators, career counselors and administrators.

Moreover, it has been recognized that no nation rises above the level of its education, and no National Education System grows beyond the quality and status of its teachers (National Policy on Education, 2008). In consonance with the above perception, the Federal Government of Nigeria has accorded worthwhile recognition and acceptance of the global clamors and clarion call for Education of All (EFA), as a relevant instrument of socio-cultural, political, scientific and technological mobilization and economic transformation agenda. This largely agrees with the set objectives of providing the citizens with free education to all school age children for the first nine years of schooling, in order to ensure optimum compliance with the Education for All and the Millennium Development Goals (Federal Government of Nigeria, 2004). The need for quality teachers seem very imperative.

In deed, perception is concerned with a particular way of understanding or thinking about something. According to Rundell (2004) it is the ability to notice something by seeing, hearing, smelling and so on. It is the organization, identification and interpretation of sensory information of individuals and/or group in order to represent and properly understand the environment. It stresses on the ability to comprehend the true nature of something – an idea, a belief or an image one has as a result of how one see or understand something. Agricultural Education is concerned with the preparation and supporting of individuals or groups for careers in agriculture and to build awareness and develop leadership for the food, fiber and natural resource systems of the society (National Association of Agricultural Educators, 1998). It emphasizes on the teaching learning of agriculture, natural resources and land management through hands on experience and guidance to equip the learners for entry-level jobs or to further education to prepare them for advanced agricultural jobs in the society. According to Myers and Dyer (2004) the role of teacher preparation (education) programme and the demand placed upon those programmes are changing. The preparation of individuals for teaching in middle school and high school Agricultural Education Programmes (Anderson, Barrick & Hughes 1992) still remains the focal points of most Agricultural Education programme for sustainable development.

Nonetheless, Chemistry Education refers to the study of the teaching and learning of Chemistry in all Schools, Colleges and Universities. According to Miller (2004) Education Chemistry in particular and Science Education in general focus on helping students to gain an understanding of as much of the established body of scientific knowledge as is appropriate to their needs, interests and capacities. It develops learners’ understanding of the methods by which this body of knowledge has been gained and the grounds for confidence in it (knowledge about science). Learners participation in practical work in the teaching-learning of Chemistry Education contributes to the learning of science concepts (Miller, 2009), encourage students to gain in science process skill, scientific attitudes and attitudes to science (Johnstone & Al-Shuaili, 2001).

Furthermore, Teacher Preparation (Education) is concerned with policies and procedures designed to equip prospective teachers with knowledge, attitude, behavior and skills they require to perform their tasks effectively in the classrooms, schools and the wider community (Okojie, 2009). Teacher preparation focal points is the preparation of staff for a professional role of teaching aimed at inculcating knowledge, skills and relevant attitude to the learners for sustainable development of the community. It ensures initial training, induction – process of providing training and support, and teacher development of continuing professional development (CPD). Importantly teacher preparation, with its connotation of preparing staff for a professional role as a reflective professional seem most acceptable. The alternate concurrent model is also adopted, whereby a learner simultaneously studies both one or more academic subject, and the ways of teaching that subject, leading to a combined bachelor’s degree and teaching credentials to quality as a teacher of that subject.

However, concern associated with the perception of keys in building, developing and maintaining partnerships in quality Agricultural and Chemistry Education Teachers’ preparation have been recognized as one of the mechanisms vital to the scientific, cultural, political, social and economic development of the society ( Stoecker, 2002 and Nwigwe, 2011 ). According to Onyido (2002) the challenge associated with quality teachers preparation for sustainable development should focus on the establishment of ways to build, develop and maintain partnerships (Eraut,2001) with appropriate stakeholders in the communities (Stoecker, 2002) so that the products of the educational system could be acceptable to the society’s labour market and the environment. A situation where the general public and employers of labour express disgust, dissatisfaction, unqualified disenchantment over the quality of the products of the country’s tertiary establishment (Esomonu, 2002 and Ochu, 2010), constitute serious embarrassment to the educational / professional stakeholders and custodians of the National Education System. These underscores the necessity for this study.

According to Museveni (1996) societies that do not take education very seriously especially, Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET), Science and Technology, will either remain as slaves, surviving at the mercy and sufferance of others or will perish altogether. In order to build communities responsive and capable of internalizing TVET, Science and Technology Education, efforts must be geared towards building, developing and maintaining partnerships (Anugwa, 2006 and Idachaba, 2006). Okoro (1993), Mahdi (1997) , Furco (2002) and Kelloggs (2003) respectively, reported that the radical liberating potentials inherent in education particularly Technical Vocational Education and Training and Science and Technology, coupled with the awareness creation and the elevation of human consciousness for the socio-economic transformation (Mangvwat, 1998), could be successfully actualized through building, developing and maintaining partnerships. According to Adetunji (2010) and Agboola (2012) due to the rising population of the unemployed and under-employed citizens in many developing sub-Saharan Africa such as Ghana, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Togo, Senegal, Benin Republic and so on, it is imperative for the National Education System managers, operators and stakeholders to articulate mechanisms for building, developing and maintaining partnerships for qualitative education of the citizens. On the basis of this background the purpose of the study and specific objectives were stated.

Purpose of the Study

The purpose of the study was to examine the perception of the keys in building, developing and maintaining partnerships in quality Agricultural and Chemistry Education Teachers’ preparation in North Central, Nigeria. The specific objectives of the study were to:

a. ascertain the degree of awareness of the subjects on the need for promoting and sustaining effective Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) partnerships in North Central, Nigeria;

b. determine the perceived reasons in promoting and maintaining effective partnerships in quality Agricultural and Chemical Education Teachers’ preparation in North Central, Nigeria;

c. identify some keys in building partnerships in quality Agricultural and Chemistry Education Teachers’ preparation in North Central Nigeria;

d. ascertain the ways in developing sustainable partnerships in quality Agricultural and Chemistry Education Teachers’ preparation;

e. ascertain some approaches in maintaining effective partnerships in quality Agricultural and Chemistry Education Teachers’ preparation; and

f. identify the constraints militating against the building, developing and maintaining effective partnerships in quality Agricultural and Chemistry, Education Teachers’ preparation in North Central, Nigeria.

Null Hypotheses:

The null hypotheses of the study were:

a. Ho1 - there is no statistical significant difference in the perceived mean score responses of the subjects in ascertaining the degree of awareness on the need for promoting and sustaining effective TVET partnerships in North Central, Nigeria;

b. Ho2 - there is no statistical significant difference in the perceived mean score responses of the respondents in the determination of reasons in promoting and maintaining effective partnerships in quality agricultural and chemistry education teachers’ preparation in North Central, Nigeria;

c. Ho3 - there is no statistical significant difference in the perceived mean score responses of the subjects in identifying some keys in building partnerships in quality Agricultural and Chemistry Education teachers’ preparation in North Central, Nigeria;

d. Ho4 - there is no statistical significant difference in the perceived mean score responses of the subjects in ascertaining the ways in developing sustainable partnerships in quality Agricultural and Chemistry Education teachers’ preparation in North Central, Nigeria;

e. Ho5 - there is no statistical significant difference in the perceived mean score responses of the respondents in ascertaining some approaches in maintaining effective partnerships in quality Agricultural and Chemistry Education teachers’ preparation in North Central, Nigeria; and

f. Ho6 – there is no statistical significant variation in the perceived mean score responses of the subjects in identifying the constraints militating against the building, developing and maintenance of effective partnerships in quality Agricultural and Chemistry Education teachers’ preparation in North Central, Nigeria.

Method

Design

Descriptive survey design was adopted. This was because data were obtained from a number of subjects, perceived to be accurately representative of the entire population at a given period (Nwagu, 2005), used in describing the characteristics of the concerned group.

Population

The population was seven thousand and thirty nine (7,039) subjects comprising: (a) Category One, made up of Agricultural and Chemistry Education Teacher Educators and Teacher Education Administrators in tertiary institutions (Colleges and Universities), representing the Teachers Preparation Stakeholders in North Central, Nigeria, and (b) Category Two, made up of Teachers’ Employer Staff Members and Employers’ Management Executives in the public and private sector establishments – Federal, State and Non-Governmental Organizations in North Central, Nigeria, representing Teacher Employers Stakeholders. List of the subjects were obtained from the establishments identified in North Central, Nigeria. The subjects possess a minimum of Bachelor degree (B.A, B.Sc, B.Ed) in their disciplines, with cognate experience of between ten to twenty five years. A good proportion (78.23per cent), of the Teachers’ Education Administrators and Employers’ Management Executives possess master’s degree, whereas more than fifty per cent (57.82%) of the Teachers’ Education Administrators and Employers’ Management Executives possess Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D) degree in their disciplines. The ratio of the respondents in Category I is 1:6 of Administrators and Teacher Educators, while in Category II the ratio was 1:2 of Management Executives and Employers’ Staff members. The ratio of Category 1 and Category II respondents was 1:4.

Sampling Technique and Sample

Systematic and stratified sampling techniques were adopted in sampling the subjects. In Category I respondents, the entire Agricultural and Chemistry Teacher Educators and Teacher Education Administrators identified in the various tertiary institutions based on the available staff lists from the establishments in North Central, Nigeria, constituted the sample. In Category II respondents, seventy five per cent of the Teachers’ Employer Staff Members and Employer Management Executives were sampled based on a comprehensive list realized from their various establishments in North Central, Nigeria. The study population and sample is presented in Table 1, with a total sample size of 5,631 subjects.

Table 1: Distribution of the Study Population and Sample