PRIMARY SCHOOL TEACHERS' PERCEPTIONS OF REBRANDING BASIC SCIENCE EDUCATION IN OYO TOWN, NIGERIA

Abstract

Basic science laid a solid foundation for individual, national and international science and technological advancement. A shaky basic Science education impairs individual and national growth and development. The contents, objectives, methodology and evaluation strategies adopted in BSE are already dated in the milieu of post-covid pandemic and the challenges of 21st century skills development. There is thus a stringent need of rebranding BSE. This paper therefore investigated the primary school teachers' perceptions of rebranding BSE in Oyo town, Nigeria. A mixed methods in concurrent triangulation was adopted for the study, sampled 400 teachers from 20 public and 20 private primary schools in the town. Two self-constructed and validated instruments: Primary School Teachers' Perception of Rebranding Basic Science Education Questionnaire (PSTPRBQ, R=.74) and Interview (PSTPRBI, IRR=.71) were used for data collection. T-test and ANOVA were used to test the set hypotheses, frequency counts, percentages and thematic analysis for research questions. Many teachers agreed that there is a need for rebranding BSE in schools, however uncertain of what and how to rebrand BSE. There is a significant primary school teachers' perceptions of rebranding BSE in Oyo town (Mean=58.72, t=39.04, df=399, p<.05). The perception was not beclouded by gender and school types whereas field of specialization (t=21.73, df=398, p<.05) and academic qualifications (F (2,397) =17.26, p<.05) had significant influence on their perception. Therefore, BSE should be taught by well qualified teachers, need for BSE curriculum renovation, seminars, workshops, training and symposia for BSE teachers to enhance rebranding of the subject in Oyo town.