Most of the candidates were unable to:
- discuss the importance of agriculture under the following headings:
Rural development and market;
- explain maximum tillage and zero tillage as used in soil management;
- define hygroscopic water, capillary water and gravitational water;
- give reasons for transplanting seedlings late in the afternoon;
- explain crop improvement terms such as: mass selection, in- breeding,
Back crossing and hybridization;
- describe the life cycle of cassava mealy bug with the aid of a diagram;
- discuss cowpea beetle under the following headings: mode of feeding
and nature of damage done;
- state measures that a farmer can take to control insect-pests of stored grains;
- name other storage insect-pests of stored grains;
- explain the term "dry cow" as used in animal production;
- describe the life cycle of roundworm (Ascaris lumbricoides)
- estimate weight gain, feed intake and percentage of the animal's
body weight per day from the data on formulated diets;
- explain the term commodity board;
- state the functions of a commodity board;
- List activities involved in the distribution of agricultural produce.
In view of the weaknesses noted above, the chief examiners advised that
- the teaching and learning of agriculture should be made more practical oriented with adequate exposure of the candidates to modern ways of farming;
- excursion and field trips to agricultural institutions and commercial farms should form part of the course requirements for agricultural science in schools;
- Agricultural science graduates should be made to teach the subject for an in-depth teaching and learning.