Developing and Assessing Science and Technology Process Skills (STPSs) in Nigerian Universal Basic Education Environment

Abstract

The paper examines the centrality of Science and Technology Process Skills (STPSs) in Universal Basic
Education (UBE) learning environment in Nigeria. UBE programme was implemented in Nigeria to
ascertain the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) in order to make education free and compulsory to
all school age children up to junior secondary school level. It also looked at the position of the STPS,
structure for measuring STPS at the UBE school levels. Since Science and Technology (ST) teachers could
only transfer the skills in them to students, basic STPS that are necessary for complete teacher education
were also outlined. Therefore, the teaching and learning of science, technology and mathematics at both
the primary and junior secondary schools should not end at seeing the cognitive final outcome but also
developing and assessing the process skills that have been acquired by the students. Science and
technology curricula need to be modified to engender opportunities for students to demonstrate their
science and technology process skills during teaching, learning and assessment processes.