The Role of Educational Awareness of Biotechnology Products and Services in Senior Secondary Schools in Enugu East Local Government Area

Both literature and experience suggest that there has been little or no attention paid to biotechnology in Nigerian education. There is no organized curriculum on biotechnology among the subjects taught in secondary schools in Enugu education zone. This study examined whether students in secondary schools in Enugu east local government area are aware of biotechnology products and services, the role of educational awareness of biotechnology, and the strategies to be employed to ensure awareness of this important area. Data were collected using a 25-item questionnaire, administered to 300 SSI and SS2 science students and 50 science teachers in the area. Results were analyzed using mean and standard deviations and significance determined by means of t-test of difference in mean. The results showed that senior secondary science students are highly unaware of biotechnology products and service. The proposed strategies for increasing awareness rated highly. The researchers recommended that the senior secondary science curriculum be modified to include units on biotechnology.