Perceptions of Agriculture Teachers Towards Topics of Environmental Conservation and their Implications to the Teaching of Agriculture, A Case of Ndia Division,Kirinyaga District

Abstract

Environmental conservation in the agriculture curriculum is an area of concern for increased and sustainable agriculture production. Teachers of agriculture have the challenges of implementing teaching topics of environmental conservation to learners and their effectiveness is influenced by their perceptions. The main purpose of this study was to investigate the perceptions of agriculture teachers towards topics of environmental conservation and further determine whether there were any significant relationship between these perception and selected teacher personal characteristics. The study also sought to determine challenges faced by teachers of agriculture in teaching topics of environmental conservation. The study was carried out in Ndia Division in Kirinyaga District. The study used an ex-post-facto research design. The target population included all 57 agriculture teachers in Ndia Division. Data was collected using a questionnaire instrument. The sample for the study was obtained using a combination of simple random and convenience sampling techniques. The instruments were pilot-tested to ensure a cronbach alpha reliability of 0.70 and above to enhance high level of reliability of the findings. Data were analysed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) and the findings were presented using descriptive and inferential statistics. The statistical tests used were the Analysis of Variance (ANOVA), the Pearsons’ Product Moment Correlation and the t-test. The level of significance was set at 0.05. The results were summarized in tables. The results showed that agriculture teachers were undecided regarding their perceptions towards topics of environmental conservation. The study also showed that there was no significant relationship between the teachers’ qualifications, teaching experiences and gender and their perceptions towards topics of environmental conservation. The study also revealed that the teachers were moderately informed on topics of environmental conservation. The study finally revealed that lack of resources and lack of finances were the major challenges faced by teachers of agriculture in teaching these topics. The implication is that resources and finances should be provided to make teachers more effective. The study recommended that the government and other stakeholders should increase provision of resources and funds to make teaching of environmental conservation topics in the agriculture syllabus more effective. in-service courses and programmes targeted to improve agriculture teachers’ perception towards environmental conservation should be organized at both district and provincial levels. The study also recommended that the agriculture training institutions should integrate environmental conservation and sustainable agriculture in their training programmes to make them to have positive perceptions.