ABSTRACT

 The study was carried out to determine the availability and utilization of land laboratory for effective teaching of agriculture in secondary schools in Ughelli South LGA of Delta State of Nigeria. Four specific objectives and four research questions were developed to guide the study. The study adopted a survey research design. The population of the study was 84, and the sample size was 84 respondents comprising of 30 principals and 54 teachers of agriculture. A questionnaire of forty-eight (48) items was developed from the research questions and was used to collect data from the respondents. The questionnaire was validated by three experts. The reliability of the Instrument was established using the test re-test method of reliability using Pearson products Moment Correlation Coefficient to determine the correlation coefficient. Eighty-four (84) copies of the questionnaire was administered to the respondents and the result was analyzed using mean and standard deviation to answer the research questions and t-test statistics was used to test the hypotheses at 0.05 level of significance. From the findings, the study revealed that the school land laboratories such as arable crop farm, vegetable farm, poultry farm and fish farm are available in the secondary schools, whereas pineapple orchard, ornamental plant garden, plantain plantation, banana plantation, goat farm, rabbit farm and snail farm are not available; 3 were available to a high extent, 8 were available to a low extent, I was available to no extent; 3 were utilized to a high extent, 7 were utilized to a low extent, while 2 were utilized to no extent; Inadequate fund, lack of suitable land, inadequate farm inputs, lack of farm facilities, lack of farm facilities, poor management of land laboratory by the users, etc. were found to be the challenges associated with the utilization of the school land laboratory. Based on the findings of the study, the recommended among many that all stakeholders (federal, state, local government and even school management) in the school system should work together and make it a priority to ensure the establishment of a functional school land laboratory in the school as this will help to allow for more effective and efficient teaching of agriculture in the school; the farm facilities, tools and equipment needed for effective utilization of the school land laboratory should always be provided for both the teachers and students; teachers should place emphasis on practical activity in every part of agriculture so as to bring about balance in the availability and utilization of school land laboratory.