May 2015 Vol. 3 No.5

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Johnson AO
Macauley A

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Original Research Article

Agriculture as a career option for senior secondary school students in the southern province of Sierra Leone

^1*Adlyn Omojowo Johnson, PhD, ²Adolphus Johnson, M.Sc and ³Augustine Macauley

¹Head of Department of Teachers’ Education, Njala University, Sierra Leone.
²Agricultural Extension and Rural Sociology, Acting Head of the Department of Agricultural Extension, Njala University
³Njala University, Sierra Leone

*Corresponding Author’s E-mail: adlynjohnson@yahoo.com

Accepted February 02, 2015

Abstract

Agriculture is the career that seventy percent of Sierra Leoneans do for a living. Most of them are farmers and are living in the rural areas engaged in subsistence farming. Agricultural Science is a subject that is studied at the secondary school level and it is anticipated that it should become a compulsory subject so that it continues to be highly regarded by the educated young as a career to be followed to provide food for its populace. The objectives of this study were: to find out senior secondary school students’ demographic characteristics; their perception of agriculture as a career and to determine the factors that influence decisions to choose or not to choose agriculture as a career. The study population was 120 students, with an equal number of the two sexes, from schools in the urban and rural areas in Bo district, Southern Province of Sierra Leone. These students were at the highest form of secondary education because this is where decisions are made as to career choices leading to either studying at tertiary institutions or employment. The major findings of the study were that students are prepared to study Agricultural Science as a subject because they perceive it as a subject that is easy to pass at WAASCE. However, many do not want to pursue Agriculture as a career. Some of the reasons advanced are: Agriculture is not a lucrative profession; it leads to one being a farmer and also makes one live in the rural settings. It is recommended that affirmative policies be undertaken by the government to move agriculture from subsistence farming to commercial farming. Also, professionals in all branches of Agriculture sensitize students on its importance as well as on the benefits of undertaking Agriculture.

Key words: Agricultural Science, Career options, Education, Senior Secondary School, Sierra Leone