2.5. Training Facilities in Agriculture

Schools: Primary schools sometimes maintain a vegetable garden or a rice field and support 4-H club activities in connection with the extension service. Some secondary schools teach vocational agriculture. The impact is negligible and the current effort is a waste of resources.

Booker Washington Institute: This is a vocational upper secondary school for grades 9-12 offering 4 year courses in several crafts including agriculture. Most of the extension aids are graduates from this institution. The training is rather theoretical and suffers badly from the lack of teachers. Many subjects of the curriculum cannot be offered because of shortage of staff. Teaching is based on American College textbooks which are not at all suitable. Currently, 56 students have enrolled in agriculture. After graduation, their pay is about $ 50 60 per month, 1/2 or 1/3 of that of graduates in other crafts, and this causes frustration among the students. An early re-appraisal of the curriculum against requirements of jobs available is necessary and would probably include a reduction of the training period.

Extension Training Center: Attached to the College of Agriculture, this Center has been set up in 1969 at the University farm and is curren-service training, lasting from 2 weeks to 6 months, to the aids as well as to other persons, like peace corps volunteers. For the future, the training of farmers is also planned.

College of Agriculture and Forestry: The Agricultural College was founded in 1962 and merged, in 1967, with the older College of Forestry. Four year programmes lead to a B.Sc. in agriculture and forestry. In 1971, 75 students were enrolled for agriculture and 54 for forestry.