SCIENCE-EDUCATION IN UGANDA - PROGRESS AND POSSIBILITIES

An extensive survey of 110 randomly selected secondary schools in Ugan da provided information on leaching and facilities. Questionnaires com pleted by 214 teachers and 630 students on attitudes towards secondary education and science education provided insight into perceptions of the role in general and science education in particular. Equivalent qu estionnaires were also completed by samples of parents, employers, emp loyees and early school leavers. While there was considerable consensu s across groups on the general aims of secondary education, difference s arose when considering science education. Results indicate a view to wards science as problem solving by teachers, suggesting a greater und erstanding of science than in the past. Students see science as having a high memorization emphasis and less problem solving. It is suggeste d that this is due to lack of practical experiences and science teachi ng facilities, large classes of 40-90 students, traditional examinatio n syllabuses, and lack of equipment, classrooms and laboratories.