ENGINEERING STUDENTS’ ATTITUDE TO NATURAL SCIENCES EDUCATION

In recent years, school teachers as well as teachers at universities have noticed a negative trend and admit that the ratio of students in the natural sciences (NS) is being reduced, and this is a topical issue not only in Latvia, but also in other countries. The findings of the study carried out by the authors reveal that the interest of the school students regarding the natural sciences depends not only on the quality of teaching, but also on the attitude to the natural sciences in society in general. The youth, entering higher education institutions, is completely unmotivated to study NS courses. Furthermore, entrepreneurs complain that the graduates of engineering faculties have poor knowledge in the area of natural sciences. The main reasons for the negative attitude to mathematics, physics, chemistry and biology of former school students, now students of the 1st and 2nd courses of the Faculty of Engineering at Rezekne Higher Education Institution were identified. The authors have worked out recommendations to improve young people's attitude to science education, by improving the quality of teaching in schools, optimizing the study process in schools, introducing changes concerning the state policy in the field of natural science education.