Evaluanon of science resource centres in the northern sector of Ghana

Abstract

Science Resource Centres (SRCs) for senior Secondary School (SSS) students were established in all 110 districts of the country as a project in 1996. Three years after its implementation it has become necessary to evaluate it. The study evaluated 11 centres out of the 15 SRCs that were in operation in Northern Ghana that time. Seven research questions were formulated for the study. In all. convenience sampling procedure was used in drawing up the participants. A sample of 220 science students 24 science teachers. 10 laboratory technicians and 15 headmasters participated in the study. Two sets of questionnaires and two sets of interview protocols were developed and used for the study. The teachers. laboratory technicians and the students answered the questionnaires, while the headmasters and the SRC co-ordinators were interviewed. The data collected were analysed qualitatively, using mainly descriptive statistics. The analysis of results showed that students had positive attitude and profound interest in science since the inception of the project. Results of the overall performance in science at the SSS level had improved. Enrollment of students offering science had also improve significantly. With the help of the resources at the sentence, teachers have been able to improve upon their methods of instruction. Teachers have also become computer literate. while the laboratory technicians/assistants have become more efficient in their specific duties at the centres. However, lack of science teachers and laboratory technicians in both centre and satellite schools is preventing the project from achieving optimum results.