STUDENTS’ PERCEPTION OF SECONDARY SCHOOL AGRICULTURE: A CASE OF MERU CENTRAL DISTRICT, KENYA

The purpose of this study was to determine students’ perception of secondary school agriculture. The study specifically sought to determine how students perceive the usefulness of secondary school agriculture. The study also determined the relationship between perception of secondary school agriculture and student’s gender and their parent’s residence. Proportional stratified random sampling was used to select 400 agriculture students from, provincial, district and private schools of Meru Central district, Kenya. The study employed an ex post-facto design in data collection using questionnaires. Beside descriptive statistics, t-test of independent samples was used in data analysis. Results indicated that students perceive agriculture as a useful secondary school subject. Agriculture student’s gender and their parent’s residence had no significant relationship with their perception of secondary school agriculture. It was concluded that students had positive perception of agriculture. However, it was recommended that efforts should be made by agriculture teachers to improve and maintain the positive perception of the subject.