Innovations
Variables
Existence of
innovation
Problems
innovations
designed to
solve
Does
innovation
solve problem
Specific
changes in
curriculum
Teacher1
“The innovation
brings a great
change in the
programs for all
regional colleges
of agriculture
where students
will have to sit but
for the Higher
National Diploma
(HND) instead of
the diplomas
awarded by
ministry of
agriculture.
This strategy is to
solve problem of
unemployment
and
underemployment
such that students
are professionally
trained to settle
on their own or
easily absorbed by
an organization
Teacher2
The introduction
of computer
sciences , agroforestry, use of
audio-visuals in
teaching
Teacher3
Teaching project
writing, change
duration of
timetable from
weekly to
termly.
Teacher4
Curricula for
agricultural
training - one is
for training of
agro pastoral
advisors and the
other agro
pastoral
entrepreneurs.
Teacher5
More practical
training and
internships have
been
incorporated into
the training
modality.
Teacher 6
A system of
alternative training
in both schools
and professional
institutions
including farmers
is in place
Teacher7
The AFOP
…….program is
main
innovations in
this institution
Teacher 8
Introduction
of new
courses in the
faculty and
programs
To reinforce the
capacities of
trainees and
reduce
dependency on
government by
training
graduates who
can establish
their own
enterprises.
-Project writing
makes students
to learn to
compete,-solves
problems of
planning
the non
relevance of the
training
programs to the
local conditions
the high rate of
unemployment
of the graduates
from agricultural
schools
the inability of the
state to employ
graduates from
agricultural
schools
Improve on
curricula of agric
colleges making
them reflect our
local needs
I think so as
lecturers are more
engaged with
students on
practical courses
while the upgrade
of the end of
course diploma
creates more
openings and
opportunities for
the student
There are so many
changes in the
new curriculum,
for instance, the
introduction of
Yes, since many
graduates are
now being
recruited by
individual and
group and agroindustrial
establishments
Successes
registered by our
ex-student
succeeding in
creating self
enterprises and
obtaining
finances using
knowledge
obtained from
project writing
Yes the trainees
are equipped
with skills in
addition to
knowledge but
the emphasis is
on acquisition of
skills
All students in
this department
at the end of
their study are
expected to
acquire skills
that will make
them self reliant
Yes the
innovations will go
a long way to
improve on
agriculture and
employability of
students.
I doubt if this
innovations will
solve all our
problems, its
implementation
is very slow at
times confusing
The
innovations
are geared at
training self
reliant
graduates,
and
graduates
who can
make a
difference
where they
will be
employed
All problems
can`t be
solved at
once but I
think taking
steps in the
right
direction.
Computer
science,
management and
agro-forestry
were introduces
Change of
duration of
internship from
2months to one
month,
Capacities are
evaluated rather
modules
Conflict
management,
project cycle
management,
farm
Lot to do with
professionalization
more practical
work linking
theory with
Introduction of
new courses in
information
technology,
management
There are
new
programs on
going and we
intend to
Implications of
curriculum
change
Implementation
of innovation
courses related to
use of new
technological,
financial
management,
project writing.
Also teaching will
now involve use of
new technologies
like projectors and
computers
We have to do a
lot more now than
before as we get
to attend seminars
on regular basis, in
the different
aspects of the new
curriculum,
introduction of
power point in
teachingh
management,
community
mobilization and
some other
modules have
been
incorporated into
the curriculum
practice
and finance
introduce
Msc in the
coming years
The implication is
that the school
struggling to
purchase the
new didactic
materials
required in the
new programs
and also
upgrading their
staff through
seminars and
workshops
Need for more
didactic
materials as
teachers need
computers to
prepare power
point
presentations
During training
sessions, there is
more
participation of
the trainees, so
more cardboards
and flip charts
are used during
role plays and
simulations
Multi
disciplinarily has
been introduced
in the training
sessions
we need more
didactic materials
especially at
individual level to
prepare for
lessens but I guess
these things are
not available
Teachers more
involved now,
we attend many
seminars,
workshops
We send
feedback on
progress of
lessons….how
students are
receptive
I doubt if the
changes will
really have an
impact, its
implementation
is worrying as
whats being
done is different
from what we
see happening
in field e.g. we
see that
teachers must
have at least
MSc degree but
majority
teachers are Bsc
holders
Every teacher
has a copy of
the new
program this
The
innovations I
see are good
new agric
programs at
level of
university
very
encouraging
Need
Yes to an extent as
programs has a
more practical
orientation such as
more internships,
and closer
supervision from
teachers
I do not think so
because the
institution is yet
to operate at its
full capacity since
the incept of the
program
Yes to a certain
extent because
any change is
either
experimental or
adopting what
has been proved
to bring positive
results
yes. The priority
needs of my
institution are to
ensure that the
graduates can be
involved in rural
development as
self employed
personnel or as
employees of
councils or other
organizations.
The innovations
better equip the
trainees to fit in
with the
prospective
career profiles
on offer
In the long run I
greatly believe
things will
improve although
much still needs to
be done regarding
infrastructure
Clarity
They tried to
clarify things
especially as they
started with
Yes, I am one of
those
encouraging the
development of a
Yes these are
less time
consuming and
alleviation of
Yes;Acquisition
of relevant
capacities rather
than knowledge
New policies are
clear especially
as we are
involved and
We are aware of
what is required
from us. Our role
has changed from
The faculty
holds
meetings at
beginning of
Quality and
practicality
Local
Characteristics
District (Local)
administration
Community
interviews with
actors …who gave
their points of
view, NGOs, CIGs,
elite farmers.
Although this
efforts its not been
easy getting ideas
through as some
colleagues do not
want to change
from what they
have been doing
for a long time but
I guess with time
they will see the
importance of the
programs
new curriculum
poverty on the
part of the
student
Alternative
system of
training by
schools and
professionals
More emphasis
on internships
and tutorials in
implementation
modalities
always feed with
information
about the
changes
mere instructors
to mentors of
students
enables them to
familiarize with
the new
changes
every
semester to
sensitize us in
case of
changes for
me things are
clear in that
way.
It is more
professional and
specific and as
such individuals
will graduate with
more
competences and
specialization
The introduction
of computer
science s and use
of technology in
teaching is very
essential this
days
I see it not
completely
successful. It
could be only
50% there is are
not enough
computers in
schools, less
time spent on
internship,
brings less
involvement
It requires more
participation of
the trainees
during the
learning process
Trainees have
more confidence
upon graduation
Trainers are
required to learn
during this
process
Improving
quality is the
watch word of
the new
programs, we
expect
improvement
from students,
teachers, inshort from all
stakeholders
The programs
have improved
especially with
revision of
curriculum making
it more relevant
The trainees had
to be part of the
learning process
in a process
described as coconstruction of
knowledge
Overhead
projectors had to
be used more as
well as
computers and
internet search
engines for all
the assignments
The new
programs
brings with
them courses
that will
enable the
students gain
skills that can
be applicable
anywhere in
the world
The local
administration
gave constructive
ideas for a better
management of
the schools affairs
for a more
professional
trainees
They were to the
best of my
knowledge
supportive
With the AFOP
program, the
local
administration is
really involved,
in the planning
and execution
The way our
institutions are
structured, the
administration
always
implicated in
one way or the
other
Local
administration
mostly involved in
meetings acting as
government
representatives
The school
cannot carry on
any activity
without consent
of divisional
officer of Mayor
or related
government
ministries
They
participate in
evaluating if
schools really
carrying on
with what
they have to
do
The communities
Participated as
Don`t have much
The local
administration
like the councils
participated
during the
diagnosis stage
for required
skills that had to
be incorporated
into the training
package
Trainees are sent
Community
The community is
I do not really
The
Difficulties
External
Factors
Government
to the best of my
knowledge were
contacted through
their leaders and
common initiative
groups who then
presented their
points of
professional needs
which I feel
influences the
program itself.
actors and
beneficiaries as
they provide for
the need of their
children in the
schools
idea about their
involvement
At the beginning it
was difficult
adapting to the
changes as the
teaching methods
had to change
with students
required to play
active role in
lessons.
-difficulties in
getting qualified
trainees
Difficulties in
planning and
establishing
timetables
-old age of some
academic staff
not permitting
some to easily
master the
changes
-reluctance of
some staff to
accept change
There difficulties
in all areas, not
enough
teachers,
deplorable
working
conditions, lack
of infrastructure,
inadequate
didactics just to
name a few
Provided means
and personnel to
carry the feasibility
studies, providers
for school needs
Sensitization and
coordinate
supply of audiovisuals and
writing materials
Provides funds
and premises
to councils
during the third
professional
internship-.
During this
internship, the
trainees are
assisted by the
councils to work
with the other
development
partners in the
municipalities
-yes there were
difficulties. The
trainers needed
capacity building
and change of
comportment:
from teacher to
facilitator
heads always
invited to attend
school activities
though they
have little or no
role to play
active especially as
they are made to
understand that
the schools are
created for their
benefits
know much
about the role
of the
community,
they always
present but
their role not
defined
community
assist schools
in many way,
offer land,
internship
opportunities,
while the
schools assist
them in
training
farmers
The problems
are many,
teaching staff is
aging, most no
qualified to
teach in the new
programs as
they are
graduates from
same schools
with either
diplomas or Bsc
from other
universities
The biggest
problem is that of
mind-set, the
population does
not see
agricultural
education as
worthwhile thus
only students who
are not admitted
in Universities
tend to attend the
colleges
didactic
materials
especially
computers are
difficult to use
due to frequent
break down and
power failure,
one can use
projectors when
electricity
supply is
interrupted thus
lessons hard to
be well thought
in absence of
the slights
no incentives
or reward to
spur us up.
Then
infrastructure
is poor, lack
of didactic
materials e.g.
one projector
for whole
faculty
-the government
established a
consortium with
the French
government to
co-finance the
innovations
-The government
also facilitated
the certification
and recognition
of certificates of
the graduates
with the ministry
of higher
education
The government
provided
personnel to
train the staff
and trainees
The government is
the guarantor of
education thereby
providing
infrastructure,
teachers and
other materials
needed by these
schools
Government
provides
framework for
cooperation,
identified
problem and
seeks solution
Government
is very active
to strengthen
the agric
education
sector
Other
stakeholders
Much involved in
training of
teachers and
providing
opportunities for
field work and
internship
opportunities
Technical
assistants, acted
as facilitators
Provided
resources like
people who
came in as
consultants to in
planning and
training of
teachers
Other
stakeholders are
the French
government that
provides
finances and
consultants for
training of staff.
From time to
time we see
different
organizations
and companies
involved
especially when
they have to
benefit
We have support
from external
stakeholders with
the launching of
the AFOP
The French
government ,
the UN and its
partners are
supporting
agriculture and
in a way
supporting agric
schools
The Indian
Government
donated
tractors, the
French,
World back
also
involebed
Initial process
resulted in the
institution losing
one academic
year.
-no coordination
between the
three regional
colleges of
agriculture in
Cameroon
-inadequate
resources
-some
stakeholders are
less receptive to
innovations
Information
about the
innovation
comes in bits.
Awareness is not
well created,
implementation
means are not
adequate
The trainers were
not too willing to
let go of their
supremacy in
class and accept
the effective
participation and
contributions of
the trainees
-The evaluation
of capacities
rather than
modules was
very challenging
to design
Auto evaluation
of trainers is also
difficult to
implement
because trainers
are used to
evaluating
traineesIt is also difficult
to get farmers
and other
professionals to
objectively
evaluate trainees
The trainees
found it
challenging to
actively take up
their role as
partners who
had to contribute
in the learning
process
Many senior staff
hardly cooperate
as they see no
need for a change
in the status-quo,
its therefore a
challenge to
convince them to
incorporate the
new changes
Not everyone is
receptive to the
changes
especially those
who were
benefiting from
the old system,
We need to be
serious when
we talk about
change
The process
of conception
of the new
program is
problematic it
seems as if
we doing it to
satisfy
someone else
not our own
students.
-more local
experts need
to handle the
training not
people from
abroad with
little
knowledge of
how things
were before
Course outline
should be clear
and specific with
enough time
allocated for
internships.
Also there should
Let all
stakeholders be
involved in
identification,
decision making
initiatives and
implementations
The beneficiaries
especially
students should
be made aware
of the
innovations in
time so that they
More training
should be
provided to
trainers on
pedagogy
through refresher
courses and in
service higher
Graduates
should be
accompanied
upon graduation
to be effectively
incorporated
professionally
There is need for
change in
mentality of
students and
parents about
agricultural
colleges. There
The agricultural
sector itself has
to be reorganize where
mechanization
and large scale
farms the
All
agricultural
colleges be
linked to
university, if
this is done
there will be
Challenges
Suggestions
be more training
and employment
of new teachers as
majority of those I
know not just here
are old and
retiring soon.
of the strategy.
can evaluate and
prepare
themselves.
training
should be
sensitization on
the importance of
agric schools for I
see the future of
this country but in
agricultural sector
subsistence
methods we
currently
engage in does
not favor
graduates from
agric. schools
better
organization
of training,
attract more
staff and
students