Repositioning Agricultural Education in Nigerian Secondary Schools: The Case for Introducing Horticulture and Gardening as a Crop-Based Trade Subject

Nigeria's educational reforms introduced 34 vocational trades which were added to secondary schools, but only Animal Husbandry and Fishery were included. Crop production, which accounts for over 90% of agricultural growth and employs 70% of the workforce, was not included. This left agrarian schools without relevant, affordable options and resultant low enrolment. This study therefore explores the opinions of stakeholders about the introduction of Horticulture and Gardening as a crop-based trade subject in Senior Secondary Schools in South-South Nigeria. Sixty Agricultural Science teachers from six states (Delta, Edo, Bayelsa, Rivers, Akwa Ibom, and Cross River) participated in a qualitative study utilizing Focus Group Discussions. The Phenomenological Qualitative Research Approach was used to assess the data. Findings reveal that most teachers are aware of the current vocational subjects, but many schools do not offer them because of a lack of funding and staff. A crop-based trade subject is widely supported by participants, who point to the great market demand for fruits and vegetables, plenty of fertile land, and less startup costs. The most popular choice was Horticulture and Gardening since it provided useful skills, chances for self-employment, and advantages for food security. Funding, flooding, theft, and inadequate infrastructure are among the difficulties noted, but they are not as serious as those associated with animal-based trade subjects. In order to align secondary education with regional agricultural requirements and national development objectives, the study recommended that the Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council (NERDC) and curriculum planners create a Horticulture and Gardening curriculum, train teachers, and provide resources.