Title:
MULTIPLE PROJECTS WORKING ANIMAL HUSBANDRY AND ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE OF SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS FOR SUSTAINABLE NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT IN NIGERIA.

Authors:
Ernest Onwukwe, Blessing Ijioma, Chibuike Nwachukwu, Sylvester Ozioko

Abstract:
The very many negative notions of the Nigerian education system together with many seemingly plausible suggestions offered by the academic community must have resulted in reforms in the education industry generally and in the curricula in particular. One of such reform is the “reintroduction” of entrepreneurial education in the curriculum. Trade Subjects are made compulsory at the secondary school level. Every graduating secondary school student must offer at least one trade subject: Animal Husbandry, Fishery, Garment Making, Data Processing, Tie and Dye, are but a few examples. Some scholars agree that the most important aim of introducing entrepreneurship education is to break the cycle of poverty that has ravaged the citizenry for decades. Since science as well as trade subjects are now offered in secondary schools, will effectively engaging students in projects enhance achievements and enrollment in a technology subject like Animal Husbandry? Quasi-experimental design was adopted to answer this question. Sample of 492 students were used. ANCOVA, t-statistics and chi square were used to test research hypotheses. Results show that students who carried out specific projects scored significantly higher mean values than those who did not, that involvement in more specific projects in the same school session enhanced students’ achievement than less specific projects. Increasing specific projects did not result in increased enrollments of students significantly among gender. Schools should involve students in experiential teaching and learning strategies like projects for sustainable national development.