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CHALLENGES OF THE IMPLEMENTATION OF BASIC SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY IN SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN PANKSHIN LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background to the Study

Education is concerned with growth and development of human beings, so great importance is attached to it all over the world. Its essence is teaching and learning the knowledge, skills and habits of a group of people. Teaching and learning are two major aspects of the educational process. While teaching requires imparting knowledge and skills from a teacher to a learner, learning requires the learner to acquire knowledge and skills from the teacher, and as a result of this adjust to the changing world. This teaching-learning connection works best when there are effective teachers working with students who are ready and motivated to carry on learning every day and both activities are demanding and challenging.

In a world that is constantly changing due to tremendous contributions of science and technology, every society that desires advancement pays particular attention to Basic Science and Technology, that is, tremendous efforts are put in by educational institutions to keep up with the recent advances in technology in order to effectively achieve teaching and learning objectives. It is the immense importance accorded to and the investments made on Basic Science and Technology that has made the developed nations a force to be reckoned with. 

Basic Science according to Nwagbo and Chukelu (2011) as a branch of science and the prerequisite subject for many fields of learning contributes immensely to the technological growth of nature. This includes medicine, pharmacy, forestry, agriculture, biotechnology and nursing. The authors further stated that the study of Basic Science in Junior secondary school can equip students with useful concepts, principles and theories that will enable them face the challenges before and after secondary school. Basic Science in Junior secondary school is offered for the three-year Junior secondary school. It involves mainly the study of plants and animals. In most schools, Basic Science is compulsory for all science students and optional for Arts and Humanity classes. The topics offered in the course of these 3years prepare the students for higher education in any of the biological related course.

The Junior Secondary School according to the National Policy of Education (2013) shall be comprehensive with a core-curriculum designated to broaden pupils’ knowledge and outlook. The Junior secondary school Basic Science curriculum is one of such curriculum materials. The Basic Science curriculum at the directives of the Federal Government is for the societal and individual development and has its cardinal objectives. The preparation of pupils to acquire:

1. Adequate laboratory and field skills in Basic Science.
2. Meaningful and relevant knowledge in Basic Science.

• Ability to apply scientific knowledge to everyday life in matters of personal and community health and agriculture.

1. Reasonable and functional scientific altitude

In pursuance of the stated objectives, the contents and context of the curriculum place emphasizes on field studies, guided discovery, laboratory techniques and skills along with conceptual thinking. The curriculum is intended to provide a modern Basic Science course as well as meet the needs of the learner and the society through relevant and functional contents, methods, processes and applications. It covers the major themes of:

1. Organization of life
2. Organisms at work
3. The organisms and its environment
4. Continuity of life.

These themes are of direct relevance to the society and the learner.

In planning the new Basic Science curriculum, the spiral approach to sequencing a science course was adopted. In the approach, the concepts to be taught are arranged in such a way that they run throughout the three-year post basic course, with the concepts being discussed in greater depth as the course progresses (NERDC, 2009).

Basic Science and Technical education facilitates the acquisition of basic scientific knowledge, it is therefore a planned program of courses and learning experiences that begins with exploration of career options, supports basic academic and life skills, and enables achievement of high academic standards, leadership, preparation for industry-defined work, and advanced and continuing education (CTE, 2019). Basic Science and Technology is often used interchangeably to refer to the same type of Education (Okoro, 2019).

According to the 2013 Nigerian National Policy on Education, Basic Science and Technology is concerned with qualitative technological human resources development directed towards a national pool of skilled and self-reliant craftsmen.

Okwelle and Okeke, (2013), discussed that Basic Science and Technology is a part of the formal education system in Nigeria incorporated in the three levels of education (primary, secondary and tertiary) with a view to meet the nation’s need for skilled manpower and support the economic state of individual and the nation in general.

Also, there has to be enough and qualified teachers. Teachers who teach Basic Science and Technology are required to meet the definition of a Highly Qualified teacher. A teacher who teaches a Basic Science must hold a Bachelor’s degree, possess a valid and active MA teaching license, and demonstrate subject matter competence in order to be considered Highly Qualified (Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, 2011). Waheed (2010) stressed that the strength of the education system must largely depend on the quality of its teachers. It is also important that facilities should be available, up to date, properly utilized and maintained so as to ensure that teaching and learning of Basic Science and Technology can be carried out effectively and efficiently. There should also be continuous staff development programs for the teachers to enable them grow personally and professionally. This will help boost their potentials, confidence and promote readiness for delivery of high quality instruction.

It is clear that Nigeria is still not adequately preparing youth and adults who are skilled enough to take up successful roles in occupations in various sectors of economic and social life. Most Nigerian graduates (including graduates of Basic Science and Technology disciplines) lack the skilled proficiency required for handling equipment as opposed to their counterparts/colleagues in other parts of the world, and are incompetent in various aspects in their work life.

Hence it can be said that not much impact is being made in the improvement of teaching and learning of Basic Science and Technology subject. The focus of this research will be to investigate challenges of the implementation of Basic Science and Technology programme in secondary schools in Pankshin Local Government Area with the aim of identifying and suggesting appropriate solutions to the problems.

1.2 Statement of the Problem

The rate of unemployment in Nigeria is alarming considering that an impressively large population of the citizenry is educated. Most Nigerian youths fall short of skilled proficiency and competency necessary for facing the challenges of work.

Afemikhe (2017) lamented that products of the Nigerian secondary education system are unemployable as they are not fit for purpose. This statement sparks serious concern and it therefore becomes necessary to look into the secondary education with focus on Basic Science and Technology so as to unravel the challenges responsible for this problem with the aim of proffering effective solutions.

Enrolment into science subjects in schools is challenged by many factors, such as students’ negative attitude towards science subjects, gender imbalance due to socio-cultural and religious practices, poor image of Basic Science and Technology in our society (Afemike, 2017).  

Most schools in Nigeria do not have enough teachers in Basic Science and Technology. There are many cases where a teacher of one Basic Science and Technology subject is used by the school to teach three other technical subjects he or she did not specialize in because trained teachers are not available. Thus, students are denied access to the teacher who is seen as an initiator, facilitator, planner, implementer, power broker, adjudicator, bargainer and mediator of educational programs (Ani, 2010).  And in cases where teachers are available, most are not qualified enough to effectively teach Basic Science and Technology in Junior secondary schools in Pankshin Local Government Area. Most of them are NCE or Ordinary National Diploma (OND) holders from colleges and polytechnics respectively.

It is disturbing that facilities for teaching and learning of Basic Science and Technology in many secondary schools are not adequate and where available are poorly maintained or even left laying fallow without being put to effective use, which is a serious waste of resources (Mungani, 2011).

Also, Ntukidem and Etudor (2013) discovered that there are usually no provisions for staff development programs for teachers of Basic Science and Technology subject, therefore, teachers are not conversant with current information which is necessary for advancement, are not motivated, lack the necessary skills/competencies required for accomplishment of goals and purposes, as well as personal and professional growth.  Ani (2014) stated that many teachers do not have a detailed up-to-date knowledge of the subject they teach. Most of the teachers of Basic Science and Technology subject in Nigerian secondary schools need frequent training and retraining in order to become more efficient and effective.

These problems aroused the interest of the researcher to embark on a formal inquiry into factors affecting the implementation of Basic Science and Technology (BST) in secondary schools in Pankshin Local Government Area with hope of establishing the truth about why Basic Science and Technology in Nigeria has not succeeded in addressing the key issues of development, unemployment and the inability of school leavers to create jobs and be self-reliant, and resultantly suggest solutions to problems realized.

1.3  Purposes of the Study

The purpose of this research work will be to investigate the challenges of the implementation of Basic Science and Technology in Secondary schools in Pankshin Local Government Area, Plateau State. the specific objectives of the study are to:

1. enquire into the availability of teachers of Basic Science and Technology subject in Junior secondary schools in Pankshin Local Government Area;
2. examine the qualifications of teachers of Basic Science and Technology subject in secondary schools in Pankshin Local Government Area;
3. assess the facilities available for teaching and learning of Basic Science and Technology subject in Junior secondary schools in Pankshin Local Government Area;
4. identify staff development programmes for teachers of Basic Science and Technology subject in Junior secondary schools in Pankshin Local Government Area.

1.4  Research Questions

The following questions were asked to guide the study

1. To what extent are there enough teachers of Basic Science and Technology subject in Junior secondary schools in Pankshin Local Government Area?
2. To what extent are there qualified teachers of Basic Science and Technology subject in Junior secondary schools in Pankshin Local Government Area?
3. To what extent are there facilities available for the teaching and learning of Basic Science and Technology subject in Junior secondary schools in Pankshin Local Government Area?
4. What staff development programs are in place for teachers of Basic Science and Technology subject in Junior secondary schools in Pankshin Local Government Area?

1.5  Significance of the Study

The findings of this study will be beneficial to parents, students, curriculum planners and future researchers.

Findings from this study will help parents understand the importance and need for Basic Science and Technology subject and this will boost enrolment into the subjects in secondary schools in Pankshin.

It is also hoped that the findings of the study will cause curriculum planners, policy makers, principals as well as teachers to plan, develop and implement more inclusive content and programs aimed at meeting Basic Science and Technology instructional objectives.

The study will hopefully help students become better acquainted with their individual as well as collective responsibilities so as to maximize the quality of learning experiences, and guide teachers to improve personally and professionally, and also to prepare themselves for advancement through staff development programs.

This study would enable researchers to have a framework for subsequent studies in this area and also serve as reference work for researchers who intend to do similar study. Also, this study intends to better inform the people on how to intervene in the teaching and learning of Basic Science and Technology subject in secondary schools which will no doubt effectively address the issue of unemployable youth and unemployment in Nigeria, to plan for, and to equally put the necessary machinery in place geared at repositioning and transforming the educational system to be more responsive to the needs of the society.

1.7 Scope of the Study

            Pankshin Local Government Area is situated in northern zone of Plateau State having a spread of both public and voluntary agency schools with student population that is comparatively more predominant than those in other local government areas of the state. however, for the purpose of this research work, random selection will be made of secondary schools spread across the local government areas. The samples will be derived from both rural and semi urban secondary schools to give all sections of the local government area a fair and equitable representation. The samples will capture both public and private schools so that the investigation results will be better appreciated.