INNOVATIONS IN SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY AND MATHEMATICS EDUCATION IN NIGERIA by Ebele C. Okigbo, Nneka R. Nnorom, Ernest O. Onwukwe (fantasy novels to read TXT) 📕

youths that can be empowered in their areas of specialization. Empowering the youths for sustainability demands the adoption of well structured economic strategy. One sure way of planned strategy is through education, especially science education.

 

Many Nations of the world adopted youth empowerment scheme through education. This is because Education is viewed as the aggregate of all processes by which a child or adult develop for abilities, attitudes and other forms of behaviour that add value to his society (young and Sazam, 2006).Igbuzo, (2006) noted that empowerment is a legacy a country can give to her citizen.  Countries like United States of America, Latin America and China among other Nations adopted Science Education as a means of empowering their citizens especially youths. Young (2006) noted that 53 member Nations of the common wealth of Nations including Nigeria have all adopted Action plan for youth empowerment to cover certain number of years including years (2007 – 2015).As a response to Global Emerging goals for eliminating poverty and hunger, Nigeria as a Nation, adopted youth empowerment scheme in 2006 as a way of meeting up with challenges of the National Economic Empowerment Development Strategies (NEDS). Some of the objectives of NEEDS include value re-Orientation, job creation and poverty alleviation among others (Obioma 2006). One sure way in which Nigeria has responded to the achievement of these strategies is by adopting Education reforms.

 

Mostly Science and technology curriculum was reformed at basic and post basic Education levels in such a way as to assist in the achievement of the new emerging goals. If the reformed science and technology curriculum is fully implemented, youths will be empowered to assist in reducing socio economic problems facing the Nigeria - Nation especially issues as poverty, starvation and hunger, as well as unemployment. The importance of science and technology education in youth development and empowerment cannot be over emphasized. Through science and technology education, youths can be trained and exposed to use of skills and creativity through the incorporation of science process skills in science and technology classrooms. It is expected that a well planned Science and technology education will provide scientific skills and knowledge for youths to learn crime detection, through use of finger prints, acquisition of vocational and scientific skills which could be used for mechanized Agriculture that will lead to improved varieties of crops that is capable of providing better yield to boost food supply. Massaquoi (2009) stated that science education populated society can produce scientist who could apply scientific knowledge to socio economic advancement. He further stated that a well structured science education can contribute to food security through the application of fertilizer, improved varieties of crops and mechanized Agriculture to increase food production accessibility, preservation and storage.

 

Statement of Problem  

Despite the effort Nigeria is making to improve the amount of resources and rapid economic progress the country has tried to achieve, poverty, hunger and starvation have remained deeply rooted in the country. Unemployed youths roam the streets. The most worrisome is the under utilization of skills to improve food production. Records show that the inadequate post harvest technology and poor distribution of food constitute to poverty and hunger prevalent in many Nigerian communities. If the situation continues unchecked, there is tendency that hunger, starvation and poverty level will increase more, and this can lead to a lot of problems including youth restiveness. It is against this background that the researchers seek to assess the views of young Pre-Service Science Undergraduates on the way forward towards improving food security and sustainability in our community using science and technology education as a tool for empowerment.  

 

Research Questions

The following two research questions guided the study.

1:                To what extent do the pre-service science teachers perceive science and Technology Education as a useful tool for empowering youths to foster food security?

2.                To what extent do male and female pre-service science teachers differ in their views on strategies to be used for empowering youths through science education for effective achievement of food security?

 

Hypotheses

Two null hypotheses guided the study ab 0.05 level of significance.

Ho1:  There is no significant difference in the views of male and female Pre-Service science

Teachers on the use of science and Technology Education as a means of empowering youths to foster food security.

 

Ho2:  There is no significant difference between the mean rating of Male and Female pre-

science teachers on the strategies for empowering the youths through science and technology Education to achieve food security.

 

Method

The study adopted a descriptive survey design as it provided the researchers the opportunity of sampling opinion from a significant representative number of respondents in the Area of the study. The study was carried out in two colleges of Education in Anambra State which includes Pre-service science student teachers of Nwafor Orizu College of Education, Nsugbe and students of Federal College of Education (Technical) Umunze. The population of the study comprised all the third year students obtaining certificate on National Certificate in Education (N.C.E) totalling 1200 students. The sample was drawn from six departments that make up the School of Sciences in the institutions used for the study. Through random sample 60 students were drawn from the six departments of each of the selected institution giving a total of 120 samples. The sampled departments include Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Integrated Science, Mathematics and Computer Science.

 

The instrument for data collection was a questionnaire on youth empowerment strategies through science and Technology Education (YESTSTE) for food security. YESTSTE was a 20 item structured questionnaire of four point scale. The weighting of the responses are Strongly Agree(SA) – 4, Agree(A) -3, (D) Disagree, 2 and (S D)Strongly Disagree 1.The instrument was validated by three science Educators in the department of Biology, Physics and Chemistry and One Chief Lecturer in measurement and evaluation all from Nwafor Orizu College of Education, Nsugbe. The validation established the face and content validity of the instrument considering the research questions and the structure for the items. Their suggestions guided in the production of the Final draft of the items. The rehability was established through split half. 20 copies of the questionnaire were administered to 200 level Pre-service Science students in Nwafor Orizu College of Education Nsugbe who were not part of the sample for the study. A rehability index of 0.085 was established using correlation co-efficient. 120 copies of questionnaire were distributed to the respondents by the researchers and the research assistants from each of the two institutions. The respondents were instructed to fill the questionnaire on the spot. They were allowed 40 minutes to fill the questionnaires which were later retrieved for statistical analysis.

 

Mean and standard deviation were used to answer the research questions while t-test was used to answer the hypothesis. Any mean score from 2.50 and above indicated that the pre-service teachers agreed to the items on the list. But any mean rating below the criterion mean of 2.50 indicated that pre-service science teachers disagreed to the listed items.

 

Results

The result of this study was presented according to research questions and hypotheses

 

Research question 1: To what extent have male and female pre-service science teachers perceived science and technology Education as a useful tool for empowering youths to foster food security?

 

Table 1: Perception of Male and Female pre-service teachers on Science and Technology Education as a useful tool for empowering youths for food security.

Male Female

 

S/N

Item Statement

Mean

SD

Mean

SD

 

Science and technology education contributed to food security through the following:

 

 

 

 

 

Provision of required machine for mechanized agriculture

3.45

0.58

2.72

1.08

 

Provision of food processing and preservation to prevent wastage of food

3.79

0.99

2.20

1.01

 

Food storage devices can be achieved through science and technology education.  

3.61

.068

3.63

0.62

 

Provision of skills and techniques required for erosion control

3.10

0.74

3.30

0.08

 

Through science and technology education, youths are taught technical knowhow on application of mechanized Agriculture.  

2.43

0.75

2.54

0.54

 

Through the knowledge of chemistry, chemicals and active ingredients for making fertilizer are learnt.

3.00

0.74

2.60

0.86

 

Through the knowledge of science and technology, biology students are taught healthy Agricultural Practices that can enrich the sod such as crop  rotation  and shifting cultivation  

3.50

0.64

2.92

0.74

 

Knowledge of genetics provides useful knowledge about hybridization to improve varieties of crops  

2.82

0.87

3.74

0.83

 

Through vertinary studies youths can be exposed to skills and techniques of caring for live stock to achieve better yield  

3.26

0.92

3.20

0.62

 

With the knowledge of ICT, Pre-Service teachers can be equipped with the knowledge of using internet to source for better conditions to achieve better agricultural practices and also pick better species of plants and animals for better yield  

3.21

0.48

2.57

0.92

 

Knowledge of chemistry helps to regulate the use of fertilizers and other Agro chemicals to avoid pollution to water bodies so as to less Eutrophication.  

1.92

0.52

2.32

0.78

 

Cluster mean

34.09

29.42

 

 

 

The male and female pre-services science teachers differ in their views on the empowering youth through science and technology education to foster food security, in some cases but agreed in most cases.

 

Items 2,5,10 and 11 indicated disagreement in some of the items confirms disagreement of the respondents.

 

Research Question 2: To what extent do male and female Pre-Service Teachers differ on their views on the strategies to empower youths through Science and Technology Education to foster food security?  

 

Table 2: Mean ratings of male and female pre-service teachers on strategies for empowering youths through Science and Technology Education for food security.

 

S/N

Items

Male

MEAN

 

SD

Female

MEAN

 

SD

 

Strategies for enhancing food security are as follows:

 

 

 

 

 

Establishment of yam processing machine and good yam storage system.

3.21

0.95

2.57

0.02

 

Production of scientific equipment for preventing pests, pesticides, such as herbicides.

3.20

0.86

3.01

0.48

 

Establishing a small scale industry for processing Agricultural products

3.09

0.68

2.45

0.82

 

Application of Good erosion control measure to protect soil fertility.

3.45

0.78

2.82

0.75

 

Establishment of fish farming on pond for increased fish supply.

3.18

072

3.27

0.64

 

Establishment of market gardening for raising improved variety of young plants

2.55

0.52

2.18

0.56

 

Livestock farming for increased meat supply and for raising varieties of good species of animals.

2.71

0.88

1.81

0.71

 

Provision of vertinary services to livestock farms

2.55

.048

2.18

0.62

 

Building of silos for storage and preserving grains

2.71

0.61

1.81

0.69

 

Engaging youths as Agricultural consultancy services on the proper use of chemicals, such as fertilizers, herbicides and pesticides.

3.00

0.92

3.18

0.82

 

Formation of co-operative clubs basically for the establishment of food processing industries to increase availability of food and for job creation.

3.10

0.81

2.90

0.77

 

Storage and preservation of food and improved varieties of seed for future use.

2.27

0.53

3.27

0.82

 

Cluster mean

35.02

31.43

 

 

 

From the result in the Table 2 presented, it was discovered that both male and female Pre-Service science teachers rated most of the items high above the criterion mean of 2.50. This indicated that they agreed to a large extent on the stated strategies contained in the items in support of use of science and Technology for empowering youths to achieve sustainable food security in our Nation, Nigeria.

 

Table 3: t-test of mean perception of male and female pre-service science teachers on empowering youth for food security through science and technology Education.

 

Source of Variation

No of

Respondents

Mean

Sd

Df

T-cal

T-critic

Male

60

6.38

2.64

118

2.24

1.96

Female

60

4.94

2.06

 

 

 

 

From the Table 3, t. calculated is 2.24 which is more than t. critical of 1.96. Since t-calculated is more than t-critical, the null hypothesis is of statical significance in the mean response of the Pre-Service Science Teachers. Therefore the null hypothesis is rejected indicating that the male and female Pre-Service Teachers have diverse views on the use of science and technology Education for empowering youths for food security.

 

Table 4: t-test of mean scores of male and female Pre-Service Science Teachers on the strategies for empowering youths through science and technology education for food security.  

 

Source of variation

No of

Respondents

Mean

Sd

Df

T-cal

T-critic

Male

60

5.58

2.34

118

1.66

1.96

Female

60

4.94

2.36

 

 

 

 

Table 4 indicated that t-calculated is 1.66 which is less than t-critical of 1.96 hence the null hypothesis is accepted that there is no significant difference in the mean ratings of male and the means of the female Pre-Service Science teachers on the strategies for empowering youths for food security through Science and Technology Education. On the contrary, male Pre-Service Teachers rated only item 10 low while their female counterparts rated items 4, 5 and 6 low below 2.50 criterion in some of the stated strategies.

 

Discussion

The findings of this study revealed that pre-services science teachers irrespective of gender perceived most of the empowerment roles of science and technology education as well as other strategies listed as a means of empowering youths through science and technology education for food and security in Nigeria. The perception revealed that funding scientific