ABSTRACT

 The study was carried out to examine the extent of utilization of farm facilities for skill acquisition among agricultural science students in senior secondary schools in Abak Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State. The study was supported by four research questions and four hypotheses were formulated and tested at 0.05 level of significant. The study adopted descriptive survey research design, the population of the study was I 899 which comprises of 1860 agricultural science students and 39 teachers. The sampie size for the study was 228 derived using simple random sampling techniques. The instrument for data collection was the use of questionnaire. The instrument was face validated by three experts from the Department of Agricultural/Home Science Education. The reliability of the instrument was 0.84 which was conducted using Pearson Product Moment Correlation Coefficient after a test-retest was conducted. The method of data collection was through the administration of 222 research questionnaires to teachers and students in the study area after which 222 copies was retrieved completely filled and used for data analysed. Mean and standard deviation were used to answered the four research questions while t-test analysis techniques was adopted to test the four hypotheses. The results of the finding shows that: Facilities were not adequately available for impartation of agricultural skills to students in senior secondary schools, the use of farm facilities by teachers of agriculture for skills acquisition by students in senior secondary schools of Abak Local Government Area was very low due to inadequate farm facilities and the constraints to utilization of farm facilities for acquisition of agricultural skills among students in senior secondary schools were lack of availability of necessary facilities and equipment; lack of school farm in secondary schools; shortages of competent and committed agricultural science teachers; lack of regular teachers retraining programme and challenges of poor educational funding. Based on the findings, it was recommended that: Government and other stakeholders in education should enrich the teaching/learning environment by providing the needed facilities such laboratories. school farm, workshop and others tools and equipment for demonstration and practical's. This would encourage the activt: participation of students and enhance skills acquisition needed for employment in the field of agriculture.