A Delphi Study of Challenges Affecting the Implementation of Animal Husbandry Trade Education in Delta State Secondary Schools

This study investigated the challenges hindering the efficient execution of the Animal Husbandry Trade Subject in secondary schools within Delta State. Utilizing the Delphi method, twenty experts in animal husbandry identified and agreed on the most significant challenges to implementation over four rounds. Initially, forty challenge items were developed in Round One, which were refined through structured questionnaires and consensus criteria in subsequent rounds. By Round Four, a total of 29 major challenges were identified, including the lack of working school farms, absence of live animals for hands-on lessons, insufficient funding, inadequate qualified teachers, poor infrastructure, scarcity of teaching materials, and limited cooperation with livestock farmers. The results indicated that these issues hinder the learning of practical skills and the achievement of curriculum goals. The study recommends establishing working school farms, providing timely funding, hiring and training qualified teachers, and improving infrastructure to enhance the effectiveness of animal husbandry education.