Addressing the Tensions and Controversies towards Quality Science Education: A Pragmatic Approach

Abstract

Quality science education (SE) has emerged in the last few years as a necessary requirement for a specific country to advance technologically, develop literate scientific community, and improve the country’s competitive power. As such critical commentaries have surfaced on how SE can be best provided in schools. In the context of Tanzania the concerns towards quality SE seem to be mounted, but with little achievements as a result of a slanted definition of the term quality SE. Such biased explanation about quality SE has led to several tensions and controversies in its practice. This paper examined stakeholders’ views about the meaning, measurement, and goals for providing quality SE in Tanzanian Junior secondary schools (JSS). In particular, the paper was focused on understanding what SE stakeholders consider quality SE is, how it is measured, the goals for its delivery, and the implications for all these. The study involved 100 SE stakeholders in the categories of students, teachers, and heads of schools, science alumni and parents. The paper presents useful information for SE researchers, students, and policy makers that is likely to help them appreciate some unanswered questions about quality SE and reflect on new commitments in the provision of quality SE, and guide the continued discussion and ongoing conversation about promising ways to understanding, describing and providing quality SE in schools.