Revamping Agricultural Education Programme for Economic Development and Self reliance Through Practical Teaching in Bayelsa State

This study investigated the revamping of agricultural education programmes for economic development and self-reliance through practical teaching in Bayelsa State. Three objectives, research questions and hypotheses guided the study. The descriptive survey design was adopted, with a study population of 242 Agricultural Science teachers across the nine educational zones of Bayelsa State during the 2024/2025 academic session. A structured questionnaire on a 4-point rating scale (Strongly Agree to Strongly Disagree) was used for data collection. The instrument was validated by experts, and reliability was established with a Cronbach’s Alpha coefficient of 0.79. Questionnaires were administered directly with research aides, and 162 were retrieved, representing 67% of the total population. Data were analyzed using mean and standard deviation for the research questions, while an independent t-test was applied to test the hypotheses. The findings revealed that revamping curriculum content, instructional methods, and extension services significantly improved the role of agricultural education in promoting self-reliance and economic development. The hypothesis testing showed no significant gender differences in respondents’ ratings. It was recommended that curriculum reforms, ICT-driven teaching strategies, and revitalized extension services be prioritized to strengthen agricultural education in Bayelsa State.