Agro-information toolkit for improving in-school youths’ willingness to choose agricultural science in senior secondary schools in Rivers State

Abstract

In-school youths’ willingness to take up agricultural science as a subject and eventual involvement in agricultural activities is a cardinal  aspect of agricultural and national development strategies. The study aims at improving in-school youths’ willingness to choose  Agricultural Science in senior secondary schools in Rivers State. Specifically, the study analyzed Senior Secondary School One (SSS1)  Students’ willingness to choose Agricultural Science as a subject for Senior Secondary Certificate Examination (SSCE) before and after  treatment, determine the frequency of male and female SSS1 Students who are willing to choose Agricultural Science as a subject for  SSCE before and after treatment and ascertain the Agricultural Extension implication for improved in-school youths’ willingness to  choose Agricultural Science. A sample of 150 was selected using multistage sampling procedure. Data were analyzed using descriptive  statistics (such as frequency and percentages). Chi-square was used to test the research hypothesis at 0.05 level of significance.17.33%  were willing to choose agricultural science as a subject for SSCE before treatment while 48.00% were willing to after treatment and Agro- information toolkit possess the quality to improve students willingness to choose agricultural science. Secondary school managements  and other agricultural and development stakeholders should expose secondary school students to vital agricultural information early  enough using important instrument such as Agro-information toolkit to enhance their agricultural interest.