Page 1 of 8

Journal for Studies in Management and Planning

Available at

http://edupediapublications.org/journals/index.php/JSMaP/

ISSN: 2395-0463

Volume 03 Issue 02

February 2017

Available online: http://edupediapublications.org/journals/index.php/JSMaP/ P a g e | 131

Gender Issues in Competency Acquisition by Agricultural

Students in Colleges of Education in Nigeria

Ndomi, Benjamin Moda1 & Omodara, Adebayo Ahmed2

1Vocational Education Department, Modibbo Adama University of Technology, Yola, Nigeria

2Agricultural Education Department, Federal College of Education, P.M.B. 1041. Zaria, Kaduna State

Nigeria

ahmedodara@yahoo.com

Abstract

It is a general belief that Agricultural

Education is a masculine discipline; this

has been established from researches as

pointed out by low enrolment of female in

the course across secondary to tertiary

institutions in Nigeria. Hence two specific

objectives translated to four null

hypotheses were formulated to ascertain if

male or female acquired more

competencies in Colleges of Education

Agricultural Education. This study was

delimited to Agricultural Education in

North West Geopolitical Zones of Nigeria

which has 12 Colleges of Education

(Federal and State). Descriptive survey

research design was adopted in the study.

A sample of 303 students randomly

selected from a population of 1412 NCE

III forms the respondents. The study was

carried out with an instrument developed

by the researcher inline with five point

rating scale of Very high (5), High (4),

Moderate (3), Low (2) and Very low (1)

competency. The instrument was validated

by experts while the internal consistency

was 0.98 using Cronbach Alpha

coefficient. Data was analyzed using t-test

independent of SPSS 20. The findings of

the study showed low enrolment of females

in Agricultural Education and there were

no significant differences in the level of

competency acquired by both male and

female students in the four competencies.

It was recommended that female should be

encouraged to enrol in Agricultural

Education.

Keywords: Gender issues, Competency

acquisition, Agricultural

Education, Colleges of

Education

Introduction

Women constitute about half of the

population of the Nigeria State and are

known to play vital roles as mothers,

producers, managers, community

developers/organizers etc (Makama,

2013). Despite this, education of women in

African society did not receive significant

attention which has lead to the second

class status assigned to women in society.

Women are relegated to mere agents of

domestic engagement at home with

considerable reproductive roles. This

apathy arising from gender inequality has

affected education in Nigeria. As a result,

the male have dominated Nigerian schools

from basic to tertiary level (Omoregie and

Abraham, 2009). According to United

Nation Education Scientific and Cultural

Organization (UNESCO, 2003), records

have it that literacy rate for Nigerian girls

and women was 47% while that of their

male counterpart was 53%. UNESCO data

further stated that girl’s enrolment was

lower in the North with Bauchi State 39%,

Katsina State 27% and Sokoto State 15%.

This was also supported by Abara (2014)

Page 2 of 8

Journal for Studies in Management and Planning

Available at

http://edupediapublications.org/journals/index.php/JSMaP/

ISSN: 2395-0463

Volume 03 Issue 02

February 2017

Available online: http://edupediapublications.org/journals/index.php/JSMaP/ P a g e | 132

who reported that in eight Northern States,

over 80% of women are unable to read

compared with 54% for men. 70% of

young women aged 20 – 29 years are

unable to read and write while only 3% of

females complete secondary school in the

region.

Gender issues arise when the

relationship between women and men,

their roles, privileges, status and positions

are identified and analyzed. Gender issues

arise where inequalities are shown to exist

between people purely on the bases of

their being a female or male. Gender

inequality according to Ekpe, et al. (2014)

refers to a situation where women and men

have equal conditions for realising their

full human rights and potentials; are able

to contribute equally to national, political,

economic, social and cultural development

and benefit equally from the results. It

entails that the underlying causes of

discrimination are systematically identified

and removed in order to give men and

women equal opportunities. However,

gender continues to play a major role in

determining who goes to school, how well

they do and how far they progress. Being

female is negatively associated with

enrolment, attainment and performance in

the educational system (Akinbi and

Akinbi, 2015).

Federal Republic of Nigeria (2013)

stipulates that every Nigerian child should

have a right to equal educational

opportunities. Yet research studies have

pointed out to inequality in access to

education in favour of male. UNESCO

(2003) and Nwanosike (2005a & b)

pointed out that studies in gender

differences in formal education

participation reflect lower enrolment of

female in agriculture. There also exist

gender stereotyping in the school

curriculum and the academic streaming

process, where certain subjects and courses

such as the Sciences, Mathematics and

other technical disciplines like Engineering

and Agriculture are tagged masculine,

while Secretariat Studies and Home

Economics are tagged feminine, thereby

denying both sexes the opportunities to

benefit from exposure to all subject areas

or wider choices (Makama, 2013).

In the opinion of Egun and Tibi

(2010) who acknowledged that perception,

belief system, existing knowledge,

lifestyle, life goals, needs and drive

influence choice and entrance into

occupations and professions. These

definitely give meaning to human

experience and the manner in which

people think, feel and act within their

environment. One of such areas that have

been so affected by these factors is the

girl-child access to the study of Science

subjects, thereby creating a gap in male- female ratio in Vocational Education,

especially low enrolment and participation

of female in Agricultural Education.

Agricultural Education is one of

the Vocational courses taught at Colleges

of Education leading to the award of

Nigerian Certificate in Education (NCE). It

is a course that emphasized acquisition of

knowledge, abilities and skills toward paid

and self employment for its beneficiaries.

The areas of competency covered by

Agricultural Education like every other

Vocational courses are technical,

methodological, social and individual

competencies (Tippelt and Amoros, 2003).

Technical competency denotes capability

motor skills that cover skills in livestock,

crop and soil and agricultural economics

management. Methodological competency

denotes ability to self inform and

assimilates fundamental learning and

workplace techniques. Social competency

betokens ability to cooperate and

communicate with members of your

immediate community to achieve goals,

while individual competency betokens self

knowledge and responsibility,

Page 3 of 8

Journal for Studies in Management and Planning

Available at

http://edupediapublications.org/journals/index.php/JSMaP/

ISSN: 2395-0463

Volume 03 Issue 02

February 2017

Available online: http://edupediapublications.org/journals/index.php/JSMaP/ P a g e | 133

development of personal interest and life

plans. However, little researches have

focused on measuring students’ level of

competence identified above (Lindner and

Baker, 2003).

Expanding education has been an

objective of education policies in

developing countries over the past two

decades. This is because of the benefits

therein (Akinbi and Akinbi 2015).

Meanwhile, according to Salma, et al.

(2011), one of the aims of establishing

tertiary institutions in Nigeria is to equip

students with necessary competency

(skills, knowledge and abilities) required

for accelerated growth. There is still much

gender inequality in Nigerian education in

spite of all steps taken by the Federal

Government to give equal gender

opportunity to education. The female folks

are still lacking behind in education and

this has much implication in socio- economic status of the female in the

nation. Hence the need to verify the level

of competency acquired based on gender

in Colleges of Education Agricultural

Education within Northwest Geopolitical

Zone of Nigeria.

Objectives of the Study

The specific objective of the study

is therefore to:

1. Determine the enrolment of

students based on gender in

Agricultural Education within the

zone’s Colleges of Education.

2. Determine the level of competency

acquired by students based on

gender in Agricultural Education in

Colleges of Education within the

zone.

Null Hypotheses

The following null hypotheses

were tested at 95% confident level:

Ho1. There is no significant difference in

the level of technical competency acquired

by male and female students in

Agricultural Education in Colleges of

Education.

Ho2. There is no significant difference in

the level of methodological competency

acquired by male and female students in

Agricultural Education in Colleges of

Education.

Ho3. There is no significant difference in

the level of social competency acquired by

male and female students in Agricultural

Education in Colleges of Education.

Ho4. There is no significant difference in

the level of individual competency

acquired by male and female students in

Agricultural Education in Colleges of

Education.

Methodology

Survey research design was

adopted in the study because of its ability

to study large group by collecting data,

analyzing it and drawing conclusion using

representative sample Nworgu 2006). The

study was carried out in 12 Colleges of

Education (COE) within the Northwest

Geopolitical Zone of Nigeria. The study

covered only Part III students of

Agricultural Education because they are

the final year students and have passed

through most courses required to equip

them competently towards being an

effective teachers. They have also gone

through teaching practice and Student

Industrial Works Experience Scheme

(SIWES).

The population of the study was

1412 part III Agricultural Education

students of the 12 COEs located within the

zone. Proportional sampling method was

used in determining the sample size for

each college while simple random

sampling was adopted in selecting the