Abstract:
This study investigated science process skills developed by chemistry
students and assessed by West African Examination Council (WAEC) in
chemistry education at the Senior High School (SHS) level in Ghana using a
descriptive survey with a mixed-method approach. This approach analysed the
content of the 2010 Chemistry syllabus and the WAEC chemistry papers 2 &
3 (2012 to 2016) to understand the types and the occurrences of science
process skills developed by teachers and which ones were assessed. The study
used multi-stage sampling technique to select 904 students and 85 teachers
from category A, B and C schools covering 12 education districts in the
Central Region of Ghana. Data were collected using questionnaires, document
analysis and achievement test instruments. The study revealed that science
process skills developed and assessed in chemistry education at the SHS level
were mainly communicating, recording, and calculating. Achievement test for
the 904 selected students corroborated with the document analysis to show
that science process skills like inferring, predicting, classifying and integrated
science process skills were not well developed. Literacy, laboratory and
problem solving activities were found to be the three main avenues available
to help students develop science process skills at the SHS level. The research
suggests that skills like inferring, predicting, classifying and integrated science
process skills should be emphasised in the WAEC SHS examinations and in
the school curriculum. Also, workshops should be organised by GES to
sensitise SHS teachers on the need for their students to develop science
process skills during teaching and that these skills need to be assessed during
school-based assessment.
