INNOVATIONS IN SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY AND MATHEMATICS EDUCATION IN NIGERIA, Ebele C. Okigbo, Nneka R. Nnorom, Ernest O. Onwukwe [best reads .TXT] 📗

science students on the impact of mathematics on national security did not differ remarkably because Biology, Chemistry, Computer science and Physics had mean () =2.67, 2.70, 2.68 and 2.71 respectively.The mean difference of each course is less than 0.40.This implies that irrespective of their area of specialization, it was perceived that mathematics impacts national security.

 

Discussion

From the finds of this study, it was perceived that mathematics have impacted the national security greatly especially in the dimension of politics, economic and financial, computer and food security. This is evident from the responses made to the items worded in positive direction  in Table 1 to which the respondents responded positively with mean scores of  2.50 to 3.68,and the respondents responded negatively to items worded in the negative direction with mean scores of  1.56 to 2.33.This shows that mathematics have great impact on national security .This agrees with the findings of  Charles-Ogan (2014), who said that the nation’s security systems owe their functionality on the abundance of mathematical skills.

The responses from  Table 2, shows that the there is no gender influence on the  perception of the undergraduate science  students on impact of mathematics on national security with respect to the four dimensions of the national security. This is evidenced with the grand mean difference of 0.01 which is quite negligible.

Table 3 shows that area of specialization does not influence the perception of undergraduate science students on the  impact of mathematics on national security. All the area of specialization, biology, chemistry, computer science and physics has positive responses of 2.67, 2.70, 2.68, and 2.71 respectively.

Conclusion

This study showed that mathematics is the hub that assurance of the nation’s security depends greatly on the quality of mathematics education. This implies that mathematics teachers at all levels of education should shift their instructional environment (classroom) from the traditional classroom to the 21st  century classroom which exhibit the 6c’s characteristics of communication, collaboration, critical thinking, creativity, character culture and care.

Recommendations

Based on the findings, the following recommendations were put forward

1)                 Mathematics teachers should be giving the mush desired attention through incentives like special allowances and frequent training and re-training of teachers in innovative techniques in the teaching and learning process in  a mathematics classroom.

2)                 The education sector should be awarded the highest percentage of the nation’s budgetary allocation as witnessed in the developed countries of the world. This is to allow for adequate supply of learning resources that is required for mathematics lessons.

3)                 The Federal government should equip the national mathematical centre Abuja to a status of world class research centre.

4)                The Federal government should recruit mathematics and science professionals to teach in classrooms, and give early help to students who struggle with mathematics.

 

References

Charles –Ogan, G. (2014) Impact of mathematical skills on national security. European Scientific Journal, 10(33);109-115.

Chronicle S.F. (2006) Math education a matter of national security. Retrieved from  https://cisac.fsi.stanford.edu  on march 14,2019.

Definition Of National Security .Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National security on December 12, 2018

Farrer, S.A (2002), Critical skills for national security: U.S senate subcommittee on International Security:  Proliferation and Federal Services Washington D.C.

Isiaka, A.B. (2005).Nigeria's national (in) security: the threat analysis. 37(1) 87-92 Retrieved from https://www.jstor.org/stable/24469683 on December 12, 2018

Isiaka, A.B. (2005).Nigeria's national (in) security: the threat analysis. 37(1) 87-92 Retrieved from https://www.jstor.org/stable/24469683 on December 12, 2018

Mathematics Is Critical In Ensuring Future Food Security (n.d). Retrieved from https://www.wfp.org/node/359289 on November 10, 2018

National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (2011).Basic Mathematical Skills. Retrieved from  https://www.nctm.org/uploadedFiles/Publications/NCTM- Catalog-1819.pdf.

Ogbara, O.(2017) Mathematicians Charged to Solve National Security Problems. Retrieved from https://covenantuniversity.edu.ng/News/Mathematicians-Charged-to-Solve- National-Security-Problems #. XRUu91ZlDDc

Ogbara, O.(2017) Mathematicians Charged to Solve National Security Problems. Retrieved from https://covenantuniversity.edu.ng/News/Mathematicians-Charged-to-Solve- National-Security-Problems #. XRUu91ZlDDc

Otunu- Ogbisi, R.O. & Ukpebor (2009). Mathematics Educations: A tool for technological  development in Nigeria. Journal of Mathematical Association of Nigeria, 34(1),46-53.

Ugbebor, O. O.(2009). Raising the standards of performance of mathematics: a must for scientific and technological development. A paper presented at the 46th Annual conference of mathematical Association of Nigeria held at University of Ibadan between August 31, to September 4, 2009.

 

PERSPECTIVES OF PRE-SERVICE SCIENCE TEACHERS ON EMPOWERING YOUTHS THROUGH SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY EDUCATION FOR SUSTAINABLE FOOD SECURITY IN ANAMBRA STATE.

 

Dr. Christian U. Ezenduka

&

Dr. Jane N. Achufusi

 

Abstract

 

This study is aimed at seeking the views of Pre-Services Science teachers on Youth empowerment through science and technology education to achieve sustainability with regards to food security. It adopted descriptive survey design. The population was drawn from students from two colleges of education in Anambra State numbering 1200 from which 120 students were sampled through random sampling techniques. The instrument consisted a structured questionnaire with four-point rating sale. The instrument was face validated by two lecturers in school of sciences and one lecturer in measurement and evaluation department all from Nwafor Orizu College of Education, Nsugbe. The reliability testing was done through split half yielding an index of 0.85 using correlation coefficient. Data was collected using questionnaire on youth empowerment strategies through science education (YESTSTE). Result was analyzed using mean and standard deviation, while t-test was used to answer the research hypothesis. It was recommended that science education teachers should endeavour to incorporate science process skill in their classroom teaching and also ensure that these skills are utilized by students by engaging the students in group projects where creativity and use of skills will be assessed.

 

Key Words: Pre-Service Teachers, Youths, food security, Science and Technology Education.

 

Introduction  

In recent years, food shortage, starvation and hunger was reported to have posed a serious challenge to the wellbeing of the people of the world. To proffer a solution to this, a world food summit was held 1974 and 1996. Discussions on how food production should be improved and managed among Nations toped the agenda of the summit. One of the key fall outs that was achieved in the summit was the concept of food security. Food security means the effort to put in place the availability and stability of prizes of basic food stuff both at the international and Nation level. (Food and Agricultural Organization, 1996). Series of efforts were made by many nations to achieve food security yet the population of the under nourished people in the world poses great challenges in most parts of the world.

 

The 2015 assessment of food and Agricultural organization of the United Nations (FAO, 2015), indicated that 795 million people in the world remained under nourished. Unfortunately as discovered, the greater share of the population of the under nourished are located in 3rd world countries, particular reference to sub-Sahara Africa. Food as we know is one of the basic needs for human survival. A well balanced food provides nutrients required for energy and healthy body. Serious efforts are being put in place by United Nations towards improving quality of life and rate of production of food to eliminate malnutrition; yet food insecurity remains prevalent within the Sahara sub-regions including Nigeria.

 

Agriculture seemed to be a major occupation of Nigeria as some of the cash crops like cowpea contribute as one of the sources of the nation’s revenue, through export. The International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD, 2012) rated Nigeria as number one producer of yam, cassava and cowpea in the world. In this context, Nigeria may be looked upon as one of the food secured Nations of the world. On the contrary, the Global Hunger index of (2012) indicated that poverty and hunger dominated the people of Nigeria especially the rural dwellers. One of the striking issues raised concerning this problem was based on poor Agricultural practices  of rural dwellers as according to Omorogiuwa et al (2014) majority of the rural dwellers in Nigeria engage in subsistent farming on small plots of land mainly to feed their household, mostly these farmers cultivate small areas of land and also depend on seasonal rainfall. Other problems include lack of access necessary infrastructure such as road, lack of standard markets to sell the Agricultural products, lack of Technology for processing and storage of left over items.  As a result of this mechanized farming is not possible. Researchers opined that lack of technology may be due to lack of innovation in local technology and inability to import technologies due to poverty (Omorogiuwa et al, 2014).

 

This state of affairs call for serious review and remedy to achieve food security. Food security as a concept was adopted on the said world food summit. Food security is believed to exist when all people at all times have physical and economic access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food that meets their dietary needs and food preference for active and healthy life (FAO, 1996). It is expected that the world acceptable food security scheme should address four major areas including food availability, accessibility, utilization and stability (Ogbonia, 2013). He further stated that these four major areas must be working simultaneously to meet the objectives of food security. According to him, for the availability of food to be achieved, there is need for physical, social and economic access to sufficient and nutritious food to everybody. Ogbonia (2013) also noted that utilization of food is determined by food quality, nutritional values, preparation method and storage as well as teaching pattern. It is expected that the problem of food insecurity in Nigeria can be addressed through a good empowerment strategies.

 

Empowerment can be described as the act of giving authority and enablement to perform a function in an establishment where the individual belongs. On the context of youth empowerment, Youth Empowerment can be viewed as an attitude, structural and cultural practices where by young people gain ability, authority and agency to make decisions and implement change in their own lives and that of others. Adeoye in Wasagu (2009) stated that youth empowerment denotes all purposeful efforts aimed at imparting education to individual. Flither (2006) noted that youth empowerment is a contrast ternate of the United Nations convention on the right of a child. Youths are seen as individuals within the ages of 18-35 years of age. Youths constitute about 30% of the total world population Wikipedia Encyclopedia (2006). Youthful age is marked with very active and productive activities. Youths can contribute effectively to the socio economic advancement of any nation if well mobilize and empowered.

 

Massaoquoi (2006) opened that if youths are properly mobilized and empowered, they can contribute effectively in National building especially in the area of food production, business connections and creativity among others. The Pre-Service Science Teachers are young undergraduates undergoing training in universities and colleges of education to become a teacher and are also having their specialty in science education. Most of these undergraduates are