CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
Science as an organized body of knowledge which as systematized and produced by careful observation, measurement and experiment, which attempt to establish principles to describe any phenomenon under study.
Science is very important subject matter because, it concerned with the analysis of both living and non-living things, which when applied to our everyday activities, and it will sustain life. According to Webster’s new collegiate dictionary, science is “knowledge of the operation of general laws, as obtained and tested through scientific method and concerned with physical world. Also Omoegun (2005) refers to science as a system acquiring knowledge. This system uses observation and experimentation to describe and explain natural phenomena. It is an organized body of knowledge people has gained using that system. Man from origin has always had an enquiry mind, thus the inception of the people who which lead to the introduction of the people who were specialist in science and master in teaching. They were able to make the study of nature science as a dynamic and unforgettable learning experience for students.
It is a pleasure to know that the role of sciences natural development is recognized by the education philosopher. John .O. Ehigie and Richard O.O. Amayo (2008) stated that “To actualize a land of bright and full opportunities for citizen” the learning process must be effective.
The behaviour of learners could be technologically modified in order to produce educated individual of whom specific behaviour is expected.
Provision must be made for the education of young and adults in order that they may understand the modern world in which they are living and take active interest in scientific discoveries and inventions of man and therefore, make their own contribution to economic advancement of the country.
The educational system should lay the foundation of economic freedom through provision of the manual skills and expertise needed for successful industrial and agricultural development which would service as a sine qua non great and dynamic economy.
To this end, the national policy on education (NPE) stressed the teaching of science technology and plans on system that shall emphasize science at all level and re-orient the entire society toward scientific reasoning in order to develop new technologies and adopt exist one to improve societal well-being and security for sustainable national development.
In this regard the government ordered that university admission in the science and liberal art discipline should be in the ratio 60:40% respectively. It is also asserted that if science attains its intellectual functions, the benefit disenable are not restricted to the sphere of scientific endeavor alone, since it has the tendency to improve mental performance in other unrelated disciplines and guide daily activities apart from providing background to function as an informed adult in the modern society.
At this juncture the philosophy of science and technology education is aimed at developing the people and students in science and creating a mass awareness of the people to embrace science and technology.
But despite the importance and the challenges of science to the national development, students are performing poorly in science subjects, which is very dangerous to national development.
Therefore these should be looked into with a lot of incentives both in teaching and on the side of students in all levels.
This is very important, since the extent of nation’s future, labour force leadership, political; stability and strength of technical know-how lies in the hand of the student. It is therefore hoped that this write up shall reviewed some factors responsible for poor performance of students in science and provide ways of improving them.