EXPLORING THE EXTENT OF INSTRUCTIONS IN BASIC SCIENCE FOR ACQUISITION OF THE SCIENCE PROCESS SKILLS IN NIGERIA PRIMARY SCHOOLS

Acquisition of the science process skills is necessary prerequisite for human empowerment and national development. This study explored empirically the extent of instructions in basic science for acquisition of the science process skills in Nigeria primary schools. It was a survey study conducted using three hundred and sixty-four teachers in the fifty-four public primary schools in Anambra East Local Government Area of Anambra State, South-East, Nigeria. Four research questions and two hypotheses guided the study. Through random sampling technique eighteen (18) primary schools which consisted of ninety (90) teachers were selected and used for the study. A validated, structured questionnaire developed by the researcher captioned Primary School Teachers' Questionnaire on Science Process Skills (PSTQSPS) was used to collect data. The questionnaire has reliability index of 0.82 as determined using Cronbach Alpha method of determining internal consistency of a test. The mean score and standard deviation were used to answer the research questions while t-test was used to test for the hypotheses at 0.05 level of significant. The study revealed among other things that primary school teachers are unaware of the basic science process skills and do not render effective instructions for pupils' acquisition of the science process skills. Recommendation made based on the findings of the study among others include the following: School proprietors should organize regular workshops and seminars in basic science for the in-service primary school teachers to beef-up their knowledge both in content and mode of instructions capable of facilitating acquisition of science process skills.