How we teach science subjects in schools

The magic spell of science has crept in our lives so silently that we sometimes take it granted.  Our sense of astonishment has grown weaker day by day. Miracles are opening their eyes but man does not pay attention to them, as it should be. Every occupation, from peace to war, bows before the goddess of science.  In this age, the battlefields will be deserted and schools and universities will be flourished. Nations will compete each other in economics, science and technology, in learning and knowledge, in modern facilities and standards of life.

It is a pity that in 21^st century, we are still mourning over the plight of our educational institutions. Our way of teaching science subjects at school level is not up date. Our examination system has yet to be credible. Our experiments at school education have no limitations. How will we meet the future challenges and how will we live while keeping up our chins in the international communities. No doubt, we are poor nation unable to facilitate properly our institutions; but we are not poor in commitment and dedication. We have an ability to translate our dreams into vivid realities.

In our government and most private schools, 6^th, 7^th and 8^thgrades science subject is badly ignored, if not the non-proficient staff is employed to teach our students. This is the stage where the little minds have to accept the concepts of science and at the very stage; we create a great confusion in their minds with our careless attitude. Our education system is based on the strength of memory and not on creativity. Our young students spend their best qualities in memorizing the text and they have nothing do with the understanding. Then how can we create the student’s interest in science and ultimately get world reputed scientists.

In secondary classes where the students have to determine their carrier, they enter much confused and having the longings of their parents on their shoulders to study science subjects. The weaknesses of the lower grades here become hurdles in their way to understand fully the concepts of science. Here the teachers fully focus on enhancing the ratio of successful students and try to minimize the failures. The unscientific behavior of our teaching staff is also regrettable in this regard. AV aids are not in practice here, but the thing, which cannot be tolerated, is they keep the students away from laboratories. Science is the knowledge based on practical work, if you want to teach the students the roots of a topic; you have to give him chance to do things himself.  He must be allowed to get his own conclusions. Mistakes might be possible at the first step, but ultimately he will be able to overcome his shortcomings.  If it is not possible due to the overcrowded classrooms, then teacher himself can demonstrate about the lesson he is going to teach. The very practice is continued in our government and private schools. Even the teachers holding M. Phil. degrees in science subjects are found involved in this practice.

In spite of having enough funds, the school administration and the science teaching staff do not provide necessary equipment to the school laboratories. No doubt, our teachers gather the students in labs when evaluation is approaching near and the students do practical work unwillingly because they are not in habit of doing this work from the very day one. The practical work is affective only when it is performed during the teaching of the concerned topic; otherwise, it is a fruitless fatigue. If our respected teachers feel their responsibility, keep in mind the necessity of the students, and fully understand the demand of teaching of science subjects. I believe we cannot get better scientific minds without it.

We cannot ignore experiment in science education. Without it, all our efforts are in vain. Another malpractice by our science teaching staff is the unnecessary relaxation at the time of practical examination. Every teacher demands relaxation for his students because the examiner is also a teacher and sometimes is colleague or friend of his colleague and considers this practice as his right. No doubt, teacher can get improve the percentage of result but at the cost of the future of his students and he never thinks about it for a single moment. Here I am ignoring many other and important factors, which are also hurdles in the promotion of science.  I think, with true spirit, if our learned teacher pays heed to the practical work, many other factors can be ignored at the first step.

Ineffective science education will never yield proper scientific minds and precious talent of ours will be wasted. All our progress in the field of science and technology depends on our experts. Good experts will handle and steer our departments nicely and having low degree skill personals will cause our decline in this field. The roots of all the inventions in the world can be found in Western society and institutions. What is the reason behind it; they take proper care in basic science education and create sharp scientific minds. Their students along with their teachers spend most of their time in laboratories. They spend a lot on research and take it as investment, and earn many times more when they make any new invention. Are our educational institutions barren? Are we, as a whole nation, less intelligent than those people are? No, the fact is that they go properly ahead and we try to adopt the shortcuts because it is the part of our training.

The need is that we become reliant in all fields and it is possible only when we will be fully expert in science and technology. We can defend our land, we can give better life to our people, we can be an economic power, we can be able to change the world, we can be able to recognize as a nation only when we will dive in the ocean of knowledge and bring the precious stones from its bottom, because the magic spell of knowledge of science has crept in our lives so silently and vigorously that sometimes we take it granted.