Investigation on secondary school students’ choice of aquaculture as an entrepreneurial study in Abeokuta South, North and Odeda LGAs, Nigeria.

Abstract

Despite the increasing demand for fish and fishery products globally, a significant gap exists in the supply of qualified aquaculture professionals due to students' low interest in pursuing aquaculture as a career. This study investigated Secondary School Students' choices an perceptions of aquaculture as an entrepreneurial study in Abeokuta South, North, and Odeda Local Government Areas (LGAs), Nigeria, aiming to address the need for improved career preparation and interest in this vital sector. The study selected three Secondary Schools randomly in each LGA, amounting to a total of nine schools. Furthermore, 30 students were selected from each school, making a total of 270 respondents. The students were introduced to aquaculture practices and trained on several aspects of the course, both theoretically and practically. The training period lasted for 4 weeks after which students were given questionnaires to assess their perception of aquaculture as an entrepreneurial study. Data retrieved were subjected to standard statistical analyses. Results revealed that 68% of respondents were aware of entrepreneurial studies as part of the school curriculum, 30% had previous knowledge of aquaculture as viable entrepreneur, 75% identified limited access to practical resources as key barrier to adopting aquaculture as a carrier and 80% suggested that incorporating hands-on training and field visit to aquaculture farms could improve implementation of aquaculture as an entrepreneurial study in schools. Comparative analysis among the LGAs revealed notable differences. Students in Abeokuta South LGA exhibited the highest awareness level (75%) when compared with 30 and 35% recorded in Abeokuta North and Odeda LGAs respectively. Inference from the survey revealed that Secondary School Students in Southwest Nigeria were exposed to entrepreneurial concepts at a minimal extent. However, efforts should be made by NGOs, government and private organizations to support this movement.