PARENTS' PERCEPTIONS OF AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION FOR THEIR CHILDREN: IMPORTANCE, AWARENESS, AND CURRICULUM IMPLICATIONS IN BIU LGA, BORNO STATE

This study investigates parents’ perceptions of the importance of agricultural education for their children in Biu Local Government Area, Borno State, where agriculture plays a central role in the community’s livelihood. Adopting a quantitative descriptive survey design, the research targets parents and guardians of primary and secondary school students from both urban and rural communities. A total of 250 participants will be selected using a stratified random sampling technique, based on factors such as location, educational background, and occupation. The study aims to assess how parents perceive the value of agricultural education for their children, with a focus on determining the level of importance they attach to it, identifying key agricultural topics they consider essential, and understanding the benefits or concerns they associate with integrating such topics into the school curriculum. It also seeks to examine how demographic factors such as education level, occupation, and location influence parental attitudes, as well as to assess parents’ awareness of and engagement with existing agricultural programmes in schools. Data will be collected through a structured questionnaire, validated by experts and pre-tested to ensure reliability. The instrument will cover demographic information, perceived value of agricultural education, preferred agricultural topics, and awareness of school-based programmes. Questionnaires will be distributed via schools and community gatherings, with ethical considerations such as informed consent and confidentiality strictly observed. The collected data will be analyzed using SPSS, employing both descriptive statistics (frequencies, percentages, means) and inferential statistics (t-tests, chi-square tests) to identify patterns and relationships. The study aims to provide insights that can inform curriculum development, promote parental engagement, and support sustainable agricultural education in the region.