The popularisation of science in Nigeria

Crucial to mankind's survival is our knowledge of, and control over, nature in words, our knowledge of science. Despite this, relatively few individuals or organisations show interest in or become actively involved in popularising science subjects. This was why the director-general of Federal Ministry of Education has commended the efforts of the Chemical Society of Nigeria (CSN) in encouraging Nigerian youth through its annual chemistry competition.

The competition, named after the first Nigerian graduate in chemistry, the late Professor Oluwole Awokoya, and open to all final year science students in Nigerian secondary schools, was intiated in 1986 by CSN as its contribution to reshaping the country

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In his address at the prizegiving, the Permanent Secretary of the ministry emphasised the importance of science and technology in all spheres of human endeavour and development. Several initiatives had been taken to encourage science in schools, including the establishment of Junior Engineers, Technicians and Scientists (JETS). Clubs throughout the country , the encouragement of science teaching at primary level and the introduction of in-service teacher vocation courses (TVCs) for all science and mathematics teachers. However, he lamented the poor performance of secondary school students in science.

According to him, the greatest obstacle in stimulating students interest in science is the lack of career opportunities for science graduates.

Giving such incentives to students would help to motivate them, as would the provision of adequate laboratories, competent teachers and relevant curricula. The availability of textbooks were also important. He urged the CSN not to relent in their efforts to encourage science teaching and learning in schools.

In his address, the president of CSN, said that the unprecedented failure in chemistry and other science subjects was a result of inadequate facilities and poorly equipped science laboratories. Inspite of the fact that human resources were the most important assets of the nation, ‘science graduates were almost unemployed because of the deficiences in the training that they recieved'.

He pointed out six out of ten Nigerian graduated in the fields of business and finance, instead if science . This did not augur well for the future of scientific development in Nigeria.

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To arrest the situation, the president called for adequately equipped science laboratories in universities, and compulsory practical industrial attachments for university science undergraduates. He also wanted the four-year degree programme to be extended to five years.

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