FOSTERING THE DEVELOPMENT OF SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY AND SOCIETY (STS) PROGRAMMES IN NIGERIA.

Science and Technology (STS) programmes generally focus on the impact of science and technology on individual citizens, among other characteristics, with the major goals of producing scientifically and technology literate persons after many years of school. The National and international indicators show that there is a big inadequacy in STS Education in Nigeria as compared to other countries of the world. This important problem affects the young student's perspective and perceptions of nature in the wrong way. The problems in STS education have blocked creative and critical thinking, curiosity and positive attitudes towards naiure. The main problems which STS education identified are insufficient numbers of science and technology teachers taking active role in the preparation of the programmes, the insufficient in- service training of the science teachers, the huge number of the students in the class, the information education orienting students towards only examination achievement, the broken link with other lessons like Mathematics programmes, and insufficient physical condition of schools, less laboratory opportunities. This paper therefore, deals with the challenges, stressful, dynamic, sometimes frustrating,'but ultimately rewarding process of STS educational change. The roles of parents, community, educational institutions in STS was highlighted and addressed fact-oriented science curricula in which teachers and students, at all levels of educational endeavours, are in charge of designing and implementing instruction to an STS plan for science instruction.