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.
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