Socio-Economic and Institutional Determinants of Students’ Attitudes towards Forestry Courses in Southwestern Nigeria

Abstract

The study examined the socio-economic and institutional determinants of students’ attitudes towards forestry courses in Southwestern Nigeria. A multistage sampling technique was used to select 100 respondents from four tertiary institutions offering forestry programmes. Data were collected using structured questionnaires and analyzed using descriptive statistics and binary logit regression.The results showed that the respondents had a mean age of 24.6 years and were fairly balanced by gender, with 48% male and 52% female. Most respondents were within the 20–25 years age group, while a considerable proportion received about $13–$26 (₦20,000–₦40,000), with a mean of about $21 (₦31,500) as monthly allowance Institutional assessment revealed that practical training (mean = 3.00) and lecturers’ academic support (mean = 3.08) were adequate, whereas departmental funding (mean = 2.36) and availability of modern equipment (mean = 2.46) were inadequate. Overall, students demonstrated a generally positive attitude towards forestry courses, with high levels of interest and motivation, although societal recognition was perceived as low.The regression results indicated that age (β = 0.215), academic level (β = 0.342), monthly allowance (β = 0.287), teaching facilities (β = 0.310), practical training (β = 0.420), internet access (β = 0.255), and internship opportunities (β = 0.360) significantly influenced students’ attitudes, while departmental funding had a negative effect (β = −0.290). The model showed a good fit (Pseudo R² = 0.41). The study concluded that improving institutional support and enhancing students’ financial capacity would strengthen positive attitudes towards forestry education.