AVAILABILITY AND UTILIZATION OF INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS FOR TEACHING AGRICULTURE IN SECONDARY SCHOOL IN WUDIL LOCAL GOVERNMENT KANO STATE NIGERIA

Utilization of instructional material for effective teaching and learning of Agricultural science is indispensable. The teaching of Agricultural Science in Nigerian secondary schools needs to be properly handled. Agriculture contributes to the nation’s economic development, hence, the need to be taught thoroughly if it is to meet the educational and economic development. More so, Agricultural Science is one of the subjects in Junior and Senior Secondary Schools; and as a vocational subject, it cannot be taught effectively without the use of appropriate instructional materials (Ajayi, 2018). The curriculum content of the senior secondary school levels consists of three major concepts of production, protection and economics. Learning by doing was emphasized in the curriculum so that the students should be able to produce food and other agricultural products for themselves and their community. A series of activities were suggested in the curriculum to ensure the development of psychomotor skills in agricultural science by the students. The program further recommended that: each student be guaranteed adequate equipment, farm space, farm structures and regular supply of fertilizers and animal feeds. In addition to having a farm, each school should keep at least two farm animals. Students’ achievement should be continuously assessed through various forms of tests and during field and laboratory practical and individual assessment should be carried out for activities in crop production while group assessment be restricted to performance in animal production activities. Hence for effective and positive production in any 1establishment, there must be enough working tools to be used by the personnel (Oyedun, 2020). The teacher alone cannot provide all the needed condition for an effective teaching and learning process, other supporting materials should be provided. The students learn better when most of the senses are appealed to the instruction and use of instructional materials in agriculture science education has added a new dimension in the positive promotion of the teaching and learning process. It provides the much need sensory experiences needed by the learners for an effective and meaningful behavioral change.