Being a paper presented at the 3rd Annual National Conference of Faculty of Education on Revitalizing Education for Social, Political and Economic Engineering, held at ICT Auditorium Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto, from Monday 7th to Thursday 10th November, 2016
Remains
Just Implementation: A Review of Works on the Conditions of Teaching and
Learning Science and Technology in the Nigerian Secondary Schools
By
Zalkarnaini
Abdullahi
And
Abu-Ubaida SANI
Abstract
Since times immemorial, status of science and technology in Nigeria has been topic of discussion. Various researchers on different ramifications of the phenomenon in question, have conducted numerous researches. As strive toward achieving the Nigerian National Goals on Education, science and technology must be given significant attention. The world today is in technological era, and thus science and technology move, rule and control the world. However, as educational system is geared towards achieving the National Educational Goals, derived from the Nigerian Policy on Education, it is also the wish of the Nigerian system of education to meet up with the global technological booming. In line with this, many researchers have table on suggestion and/or recommendations as panacea for the improvement of the deteriorating system. However, these proposals seem to have being neglected. This paper has as gist, to review some of these works. Finally, the paper provides some possible panaceas to the persisting problem. One of such is for the government to reconsider the extent to which science and technology worth to be given attention to. Another is the necessity to consider such recommendations and/or suggestions by various scholars with regard to the issues. Thus they should be analyzed, modified and implemented accordingly.
Introduction
The
federal government of Nigeria emaciated the vision 2020 program of development
aimed at catching up with the rest of the most industrialized nations of the
world in the year 2020 (Akase, Mwekaven,
Awuhe, & Tombuwua ). Science and technology education holds the key to the
present and future development of Nigeria and/or any other country for that
matter (Egbogah, 2012). Jegede & Brown (1998) has similar opinion with
Ogunnade (2006) thus, sound national development emanate mainly from the area
of science and technology. More so, according to Okeke (2007), science and
technology are like two inseparable twins.
Science
is an activity of man carried out in order to know more about his environment t(Adeoye
F. A’ & Amen-angebe). This human investigative aspect of science is dynamic
since it involves the action of man as the penetrate the unknown. This activity of man’s effort to
increase his understanding of his natural environment has been greatly
influenced by the acceptance of identifiable procedures, belief, and ethical
standards (Griggs J. D. 2013).
Technology
however, is an integrating activity, which draws from many different
disciplines. It has practical and experimental elements. It depends on fusing
the qualitative and quantitative aspects of designing. It is through this
activity that we have fashioned our world and determined much of our quality of
life (Dold, 1986).
However,
according to UNESCO (2008), referring to situation in Africa, curriculum has to
be revised “if they are to prepare young stars to live in a society marked by
explosion of knowledge of science and technology by information and communication.”
The contribution of science and technology to foster development in the world
cannot be over emphasized. With the evolution and revolution of science and
technology, the world has achieved advancement in various sectors such as
infrastructure, energy industrial financial and agriculture among others. While
the growth of science and technology is pronounced in western continents, the
pace in Africa is slow. In addition to its contribution to development, science
and technology today is a menace to man, society and ecosystem.
However
there have been several researches on the condition of science and technology
in Nigerian secondary schools (Ogunmade, 2005. Citeded in Agbowuro, Taiwo,
& Shu’ibu 2015 ). The results prove the condition of teaching and learning
in Nigerian secondary schools to be below average. It is right at this junction
to say, this phenomenon has been dealt with in terms of researches, what
remains is implementation of the findings made by various researchers ( Sani
2012).
Conceptualization of terms
Science: Science
is derived from Latin word “scientia” (Griggs, 2013 ). It takes various
meanings such as; what is to know, what is a fact, truth or concern. Science is
act of doing and is more concerned with various investigative processes and
activities with regard to development, acquiring and controlling, knowledge,
skills, capacity and attitude about natural factors of the environment (Mbajiorgu,
2003; Shinshima, 2003). Gottlieb (2004). Viewed science as an intellectual
activity carried out by human that are designed to discover information about
the natural world in which humans live and to discover the ways in which this
information can be organized into meaningful patterns.
Technology: Technology
is mostly described as applied science which can be organized to have practical
implication in life. Most of the technologies are coming from scientific ideas,
thus, by the process called engineering (Godwill, 2014).
Implementation:
The word implementation connotes operationalization of well articulated and
well intentioned ideas packed as theory. Hence, to implement is to put to
action packed ideas (Chaudhary 2015). Therefore, implementation is a process of
putting an agreed plan, decision, proposal, idea or policy into effort (Chikumbu
& Makamure 2000).
Curriculum Implementation in Nigeria
According
to Asebiomo (2009), no matter how well formulated a curriculum may be, it’s
effective implementation is a sine qua non toward achieving the desired goals
of education. This is because problems of most programs arise at the
implementation level. MKPA (2005) remarked that, in Nigeria, it is at the
implementation state that many excellent curriculum plans and other educational
policies are marred. Even in some cases where attempts at ensuring actual
operation, curricula have not yet yield satisfying and recommendable dividends,
hence dissatisfaction of parents and significant others with poor performance
in the educational system which is characterized by crises and with curricula,
marked by abysmal failure. Writing on the failure of curriculum in Nigeria
Mezieobi (1993) maintains that, curriculum with all it’s well conceived goals
is falling, largely as result of implementation dormancy or faults. This
“scenario” is general and assuming the status of “national culture” across
every curriculum of Nigerian educational system.
Global Role of Science and Technology
Science
and technology have laid the foundation for progress in society, and have
helped to make people’s lives more materially prosperous (Godwill, 2014). At
the time of industrial revolution, entrepreneurs used scientific and technological
outcomes for the development and improvement of production for profit. More so,
competition between nations became intense and focused on the important of science
and technology as a source of national power on economy and security.
However,
science and technology, globally, has brought several progress on the society
as stated by Toyama in Ogar & Awhen, (2010) as follows:
i.
Materials prosperity:
Since industrial revolution, science and technology have shown accelerated progress
in energy, physical materials, information and communications, medicine, resulting
into improvement in people’s health, economic prosperity and living
conveniences.
ii.
Transportation: Progress in energy and
material technology has given rise to new transport modes, such as railways,
automobile, airplane and ships.
iii.
Communication:
Development of telephone, radio and GSM cellular phone broaden the range of
human activities and scope of human exchange.
iv.
Machine
Tools: Large-volume production of goods and production of
diverse types of material.
v.
Medical Technology: Resulted in
extension of people average life span, infant and child mortality rate reduced
leading to rise in world population.
vi.
Globalization: Advocacy
that political policies should take worldwide issues into account before
focusing on national or state. Information Technology (IT) – the internet
revolution combined with computer technology led to information revolution,
which reduced cost and time required for information distribution (Toyama in
Ogar & Awhen, 2010).
Status of Science and Technology in
Nigerian Secondary School
For
decades, there has been a numerous calls in Nigeria for the reformation and
improvement of science and technology education (Omofonmwan 2013). This is
similar to the international calls for change in science, technology,
engineering and mathematics education in schools especially by scientific
bodies ( Epstein & Miller, 2011; Miller, 2012). However, the nature of
African political systems and governance greatly limits the growth of science
and technology (Godwill, 2014). Most polices of the government do not encourage
invests and promotion in this sectors. Scientific projects are hardly supported
due to the high cost of implementation. Corruption and poor governance is the
key to the underdeveloped state of science and technology in most Nigerian
secondary school.
Another critical
aspect of poor science and technology in Nigerian secondary schools is the report that majority of teachers who are
already in the system seem to lack initiatives and skills that are imperative
to move science and technology education ( Nanda 2008). Lack of ideal resources
for science and technology teaching and learning in Nigerian secondary schools
has also been a major issue of concern (Omorogbe & Celestine, 2013; Ojebiyi,
& Sunday, 2014). It is a well known fact that the quality of education a
student receives largely depends on the quality of teaching/learning resources
provided (Ojebiy & Sunday, 2014). Teaching and learning resources are all
the things used by the teacher during teaching to aid understanding and make
teaching successful and effective (Adeyemo, 2010). They include; modern
textbooks, equipments, consumables like chemicals and reagents, models, charts
and machines among others. Also, the physical learning environments which
include the science classrooms, workshops and laboratories (Okoli, Ebaijulu,
& Ella 2013).
The
Need to Implementation Scholars Suggestions/Recommendations With Regard to Science
and Technology in Nigeria
Many researches
has been conducted on the status of
science and technology in Nigerian secondary schools. Very recent Shehu, (2013)
investigate into the provision and utilization of laboratory facilities and
student performance in Gombe state. In this woria he examined the provision of
laboratories facilities in secondary schools. He concludes that, if the government
should provide laboratory facilities and ensures its utilization, it would serve
as strive towards standardization of science and technology in Nigerian
secondary schools.
Another research
is that of Bashir, (2006) who looks into the problems in organization of
effective science practice in senior secondary schools in Sokoto state. He
pictures out that if teachers will effectively enhance practical aspect of
science in secondary schools, it would help in advancement of science in higher
level of education. More so, when examining the problems of teaching and
learning science in rural and urban secondary schools in Sokoto metropolis,
Namandi, (2011) concludes that, lack of adequate teaching and learning
facilities hinder the teaching and learning of science. He recommends that
there should be improvement in; laboratories, text books and conducive learning
environment in order to rebirth science in Nigeria.
Jiya, (2011) holds
that, lack of qualified science teachers is in the front line to the poor
status of science in Nigerian secondary schools. Thus, there is the need to
ensure that only qualified and competent teachers are shoulder the task of
teaching in secondary schools as well as other carders of education in Nigeria.
Similarly, Ahmad (2012), suggests that lack of facilities, workshop, and
qualifies teachers should be provided in technical schools if Nigeria is ready
to meet her vision 20:2020 of development. In line with this, Sani, (2012)
opines that policies are being made but at the same time, teachers are not
aware with the provision of the policy or been implemented in a way in which it
was not planned for.
Moreover, Dahiru,
(2011) conducted a research on the relationship between school supervision and
teacher efficiency in senior secondary school in Gusau Local Government,
Zamfara State. He states that, if schools should be regularly supervised, they
will became more dedicated to their work and these will lead to rise in the
status of teaching and learning especially science and technical schools across
Nigeria. Recommending on the adequacy of teaching facilities in secondary
school, he states that, lack of qualifies teachers is one of the major causes
of failure in science education in Nigeria. Similarly, Perpetue (2006) also
recommend that teaching and learning material should be provided if Nigeria is
to move forward her system of education toward sustainable development.
Conclusions
Science and technology education has suffered enormous setback in Nigeria due to the low status accorded to it in general. Some of these problems emanate from various interpretations of Science and Technology by policy makers as well as the implementers of policies on science and technology education. To attain the quantitative and qualitative science and technology education is to use the suggestion and recommendation of scholars and enhance proper implementation of those findings. Thus, if science and technology is properly taught from the lower level, this will lay a sound foundation for science and technology at higher levels. Perhaps, and with that, there would be great boom in the sector, thereby developing the country in general.
Suggestions
i.
Government should reconsider the extent to
which science and technology worth to be given attention to. Thus, the world
today lies on the hands of science and technology.
ii.
Such recommendations and/or suggestions
proposed by various researchers on the topic in question should be considered
accordingly.
iii. Condition of science and technology in Nigerian secondary schools should be revisited. Thus, required textbooks, laboratories, efficient teachers and conducive teaching and learning environment should be provided.
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