GASPRO International Journal of Eminent Scholars

                                                                              ABSTRACT

The study assessed cat fish pond construction and stocking skills training needs for self-employment by retired secondary school teachers. A descriptive survey research design was adopted for the study. The study was conducted in Akwa Ibom State. The population comprised cat fish farmers in Akwa Ibom State and extension workers from Akwa Ibom Agricultural Extension Programme. The sample size comprised of 341 contact cat-fish farmers in Akwa Ibom State and 248 agricultural extension agents from Akwa Ibom Agricultural Extension Programme. Which gave a total sample size of 589 selected using Taro Yamane Formula. The instrument used for data collection was a questionnaire titled: “Skills Training Need in Cat Fish Production Questionnaire (STNCFPQ). The instrument was validated using validity method. Internal consistency method was used for determining reliability coefficient for the instrument (Skills Training Need in Cat Fish Production Questionnaire). The scores obtained from the subjects were subjected to Cronbach Alpha Analysis. A reliability coefficient of 0.79 was obtained for the instrument indicated that all items on the test relate to all other items, therefore regarded as reliable and good for the study. The study found out that there is no significant difference in the response of cat fish farmers and extension workers pond construction skills need of retired secondary school teachers. And also that there is no significant difference in the response of cat fish farmers and extension workers stocking skills need of retired secondary school teachers. On this basis, it was concluded that the production of cat-fish production for consumption, processing and sales depends on acquisition of latent skills inherent in the production process. Retired secondary school teachers who are interest in cat fish production need pond construction skills, cat fish stocking skills, cat fish feeding skills, cat fish pond water management skills, cat fish disease management skills and cat fish harvesting skills for self-employment. One of the recommendations made was that the ministry of Agriculture should organize training programmes for retired teachers on pond construction to inculcate pond construction skills for employment.

KEYWORDS: Cat Fish Pond Construction, Stocking Skills, Training needs, Self-Employment and Retired Secondary School Teachers.