New Perspectives in Science Education

Education is the process by which any society through schools, colleges, universities and other institutions transmits its heritage (its accumulated knowledge, values and skills) from one generation to another. Nigeria was a colony of British imperialist until flag independence was granted on October Ist, 1960 and the conferment of a status of a Republic in 1963. Notwithstanding the divergent views held by scholars of History, it can be rightly argued that the contribution of Britain in the civilization process of Nigeria is an indelible milestone that propelled Nigeria’s march from a primordial and classically primitive antecedent into continental and global political relevance. In pre-colonial times, education in Nigeria, although imparted through informal means, was very rich and teachers were very dedicated. The feet of the elders formed the classrooms and pupils were initiated into life and living majorly through proverbs and wise sayings. Education during the pre-colonial period up to the 1970’s could be said to be organized. Unfortunately, the 1980’s till the present Nigeria has witnessed the desecration of education. These problems affecting the nation’s education sector are serious when we take into consideration the fact that government regulations guiding the education sector are mechanical guidelines, entirely lacking in a sound philosophical footing. School curriculum are lacking in content. The study of indigenous languages is gradually being phased out from the school curriculum. All the policy orientations affecting and regulating schooling are not properly organized or efficient in packaging the desired quality of education. Furthermore, in this age when the family, the basic and first social context for the child’s socialization and training, has also been dislocated as both husband and wife enter into full-time occupations to make ends meet, the society now depends almost solely on the school as the social agent to prepare the child mentally, morally and socially to become a responsible citizen. It is no gainsaying that the contemporary Nigerian environment therefore is thus ill-equipped to prepare children qualitatively to achieve the goal of education of search for an understanding of the meaning and the purpose of life, and discovering the right way to live. Already the nation has begun to witness the effect of this situation, which includes lowering of values and morals, and students’ involvement in violent and wicked acts besides meaningless intellectual orientation and ideas.

Keywords: Education, colonialism, curriculum.