DIFFICULTIES FACED BY BASIC SCIENCE TEACHERS IN TEACHING BASIC SCIENCE IN JUNIOR SECONDARY SCHOOLS.

DIFFICULTIES FACED BY BASIC SCIENCE TEACHERS IN TEACHING BASIC SCIENCE IN JUNIOR SECONDARY SCHOOLS.

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 BACKGROUND OF STUDY

Science is advancing quickly in Nigeria and around the world. Science is defined as a human intellectual activity aimed at discovering information about the natural world in which humans live and discovering ways in which this information can be organized into meaningful patterns. The primary goal of science is to collect facts (data), and the ultimate goal of science is to determine the order in which the various facts exist. To achieve accelerated growth in the twenty-first century, Nigeria needs qualitative science education today. Several calls for changes and innovations aimed at improving scientific education have been made over the last two decades. This implies that there are challenges in scientific research.

issues in education that must be addressed (Omorogbe 2013).

Science is a systematic body of knowledge made up of ideas, rules, theories, and generalizations. According to Urevbu (2001), science is the study of nature and natural occurrences in order to discover its principles and laws. Science, according to Ezendu (2002), is a body of knowledge derived from observation and methodical experimentation. Science, according to Ogbonna (2000), is a complex human activity that culminates in the development of a body of universal statements that help to explain the observed behavior of the world or a portion of it and have predictive features. Science, according to the Columbia Encyclopedia (1963), is “a body of collected and systematized knowledge confined to natural phenomena.” As a result, science education is a subfield of education.

The study of developing a scientifically literate society. It gives students the fundamental knowledge, skills, and attitudes needed for future work in science and science-related disciplines. Most students avoid studying science because of the alarming prevalence of poor performance in science disciplines, as well as the country’s low educational level. As a result of this negative attitude, students’ performance and involvement in higher science disciplines such as physics, chemistry, and biology have suffered. All of the preceding issues have been conclusively linked to fundamental science and its education.

As the name implies, basic science is the foundational component of scientific education that focuses on the transmission of the fundamental information required to comprehend science. Fundamental science is taught in

elementary or primary schools, with classes ranging from Basic one (primary one) to Basic nine (JSS 3). Because the majority of the basic science curriculum is descriptive, students are expected to learn a variety of fundamental concepts such as energy, matter, force, and measurement. Basic science serves as a foundation for meaningful knowledge of higher scientific theories and principles. However, it is obvious that basic science is a major determinant of performance in science study and practice; however, basic science teaching in Nigerian schools cannot be said to be effective due to poor student performance as a result of various basic science teaching problems.

1.2 PROBLEM STATEMENT

The collective responsibility for science education in Nigeria’s public secondary schools All stakeholders, including teachers, school administrators, parents, and the government, have a responsibility. Science instructors are hired by the federal and state governments to teach courses such as basic science, chemistry, physics, biology, mathematics, and environmental education, among others. The success of these programs is dependent on science professors, who are responsible for ensuring that students acquire the necessary knowledge and skills. Unfortunately, these scientific educators are dealing with a slew of problems that are impeding their productivity. The effectiveness of scientific programs, according to Ezechi and Ogbu (2017), is highly dependent on the classroom teachers. They are the most important agents in the ongoing effort to transform scientific education and learning. Science professors are essential to the success of a science curriculum. Educators, according to

Ezechi and Ogbu (2017) serve as the pivot around which the educational process revolves. Teachers charged with delivering basic science instruction, on the other hand, have recently faced challenges ranging from insufficient funding to teaching large classes, inadequate training and retraining programs, inadequate laboratories, a lack of instructional materials, poor motivation, an unconducive working environment, and inadequate infrastructural facilities, ineffective supervision, poor curriculum development, and a lack of resources. Despite the fact that several studies on the teaching and learning of basic science in schools have been conducted, none have thoroughly addressed the issues that basic science teachers face. As a result, based on this assumption, this study will look into the difficulties that basic science teachers face when teaching fundamental science.

1.3 STUDY OBJECTIVES

The extensive

to look into the challenges that basic science teachers face when teaching basic science in junior secondary schools. The following are the specific objectives of this study:

i. To investigate whether inadequate laboratory and teacher training in basic science affects basic science teaching and learning in junior secondary school.

ii. Determine whether a lack of instructional materials and inadequate infrastructure affects the teaching and learning of basic science in junior secondary school.

iii. Determine whether an unfavorable working environment and ineffective supervision have an impact on the teaching and learning of basic science in junior secondary school.

iv. To determine whether large class sizes and a lack of student interest in the subject affect basic science teaching and learning in junior secondary school.

1.4 QUESTIONS FOR RESEARCH

The study developed research questions in order to determine the study’s stated objectives. The study’s research questions are as follows:

i. Does a lack of laboratory space and adequate teacher training in basic science affect the teaching and learning of basic science in junior secondary school?

ii. Does a lack of instructional materials and inadequate infrastructure affect the teaching and learning of basic science in junior secondary school?

iii. Does an unfavorable working environment and ineffective supervision have an impact on the teaching and learning of basic science in junior secondary school?

iv. How do large classes and a lack of student interest in the subject affect basic science teaching and learning in junior secondary school?

1.5 THE IMPORTANCE OF THE STUDY

The investigation of the difficulties encountered by basic science

Teachers who teach basic science in junior secondary school will benefit the entire secondary school system in Nigeria because it will encourage the government to increase the annual budget allocated for science programs and hire more professional science teachers to public secondary schools in order to reduce the high teacher-student ratio in science classes. The study will serve as a repository of information for other researchers who wish to conduct similar research on the topics mentioned above. The study will also add to the body of literature on the challenges that Basic science teachers face when teaching the subject in junior secondary schools.

1.6 STUDY OBJECTIVES

The investigation into the difficulties that basic science teachers face when teaching basic science in junior high

Secondary education. However, the study will be limited to selected junior secondary schools in Uwana, Afikpo Local Government, Ebonyi State.

1.7 THE STUDY’S LIMITATIONS

The researchers encountered minor constraints while conducting the study, as with any human endeavor. The significant constraint was the scarcity of literature on the subject because it is a new discourse, so the researcher incurred more financial expenses and spent more time sourcing for relevant materials, literature, or information and in the data collection process, which is why the researcher resorted to a limited sample size covering only junior secondary schools in Uwana, Afikpo Local Government in Ebonyi State. As a result, the findings of this study cannot be generalized to other juniors. secondary school in other Nigerian states. Furthermore, the researcher’s involvement in this study while also working on other academic projects will impede maximum dedication to the research. Nonetheless, despite the constraints encountered during the research, all factors were minimized in order to provide the best results and make the research a success.