Utilisation of Resources for Effective Implementation of the Basic Science Curriculum in Junior Secondary Schools in Owerri Central Education Zone, Imo State, Nigeria

Abstract

Effective implementation of the Basic Science curriculum depends on the availability and appropriate use of qualified personnel, instructional materials, teaching methods, and science-related facilities. This study investigated the availability and utilisation of human, material, and intangible resources for the effective implementation of the Basic Science curriculum in junior secondary schools in Owerri Central Education Zone, Imo State, Nigeria. A descriptive survey design was adopted, guided by four research questions. The population comprised 92 Basic Science teachers and 13,232 students; all 92 teachers were purposively sampled, while 384 students were selected using simple random sampling. Data were collected using a checklist, an observational schedule, a questionnaire, and documentary evidence and analysed using frequency counts, percentages, means, and standard deviations. Results showed that 77.17% of the teachers were classified as qualified according to the criteria in Table 1, while 22.83% were classified as not qualified; only half of the 28 recommended instructional materials met the availability benchmark. The available resources showed uneven patterns of utilisation across the reported data. Essential facilities, such as science laboratories, learning corners, and weather stations, were largely unavailable, whereas school flags were widely available. The study concludes that resource unavailability and underutilisation, together with the remaining gap in teacher qualification, constrain implementation of the Basic Science curriculum in the zone. Recommendations include recruiting and upgrading qualified teachers, closely supervising the use of instructional materials, and investing in science-teaching infrastructure.