Historical background of science education in Nepal

Historical background of science education in Nepal

            In the world history of human civilization, science developed from the very beginning. At that, time people used to observe the sky and the objects related with it. Men used to hunt animals and search plants for eating. They were keen to observe and have knowledge from surroundings. If we study the western civilization of seventeenth century, we can find Arristotle, Galile Galileo and Isaac Newton studing about the principles of physics. The reason of industrial revolution in the eighteenth century is also the development of science and technology. Afterwards, the other countries also followed the same principle and come in this position now.

            In the context of Nepal, the government has started to teach science in Trichandra colleage in 1920. In SLC, also there was a provision of science, subject as extra subject since 1939. Furthermore, in Rana Period the fact Nepals first scientist Gehendra Samsher with other seven peoples got opportunity to go Japan for the provision study of technical education (Sharma, 1993).

             Nepal National Educational Planning Commission (NNEPC, 1956) Report: The NESP 2011 disclosed that some studnts had show to study science annually in the secondary level. However, while recommending it said that   a three-year science course was sufficient for each of the students in which the first two years would be the basic science and the last one year would be the advance teaching of the subject. The commission defined class seven to ten as secondary level education. It also advised to conduct short-term training programmes, for science teachers, which could be included in the curriculum. In short, the commission did not include science teaching learning programmes at large.

1961

This commission recommended that the duration of the secondary level would be seven years. The science would be a compulsory from grade six to eight and it would be a compulsory subject it would regarded as an optional subject in grade nine and ten, according to this commission. It strongly advised to conduct teachers training programmes in every subjects including science.it also recommended to manage science laboratories in every schools so that the teaching of science would be effective. To maintain the training of science, a science lab should open in the colleage of education. In addition, trained professors should appointed their.  In comparison to NESP, this commission gave more priorities for the development of science education.

            National Education System Plan (NESP, 1971-1975): According to this report grade eight, nine and ten regarded as secondary level education. The national goal of education included one of the objectives to develop scientific attitude in every learner. Science made a compulsory subject in general, Sanskrit and vocational secondary schools. It gave more emphasis on the construction of education teaching materials in the local level. Similarly, the ministry of education would produce expensive and high-teaching materials, which the school could not produce. The materials beyond the MOE would import from out of the country. It made science labrotory compulsory in every secondary school and in lower secondary level science teaching materials should provide by the concerned authority.    

            National Education Commission (NEC, 1992) Report: In the document of this commission, the importance of science education and the convenience in action resulted by it has repeadedly mentioned. Similarly, than it has cited in national goal of education itself that one of the goals was to modernize the society and to develop the work force for the overall betterment of the nation. It has defined grade nine and ten as secondary level education. According to this commission, there must be scientific knowledge in society and that science would adjust in every sector of education. Furthermore, Priority should give to the development of science and technology in the country. According to recommendations of this commission, talented students of secondary education, while choosing optional subjects should choose maths and science. Similarly, science recommended making compulsory with hundarte marks in grade nine and ten in the secondary level. In addition to this science subject combined with environment science of hundarte full marks. However, after six years in 2055 next education commission separated the environment from science and included with population. Now, from 2058 science subject is as a compulsory subject in secondary level. In hundrate, full marks seventy-five theoretical and twenty-five marks allocated for practicle assessment.

            High Level National Education Commission (HLNEC, 1998) Report: One of the national goals of education, according to this commission is to produce such skillful and capable work force in the field of knowledge, science and technology for the overall development of the country, which in turn help to develop their life-standard. Likewise, it aims to produce skillful citizens who are aware of the conservation of the natural resources and environment. In addition, it aims to produce competitive citizen of international level in the field of science and technology. The commission gave continuity to the previous trend of identifying science as compulsory subject at the secondary level.

To conclude the documents of every commission have more or less given priority to science. However, no commissions has strongly advocated the optimum development of the one of the deserving subject- science.in this sense, we can conclude that there are many short-commings in the neplese education especially science education.

            Furthermore, Science Education Project (SEP) was established for the first time in         Nepal on Nov. 18, 1982. The aims of the science education project were to improve the quality of school science education through upgrading science teaching skills and science facilities. However, the major achievements of science education project were limited to the establishment of one national Science Education Development Centre (SEDEC) at Sanothimi, Bhaktapur and 25 Science Education Development Units (SEDU) at 25 selected districts throughout the country. The other achievement of SEP was the delivery of science equipment and chemicals to the selected 700 schools and 25 SEDU. SEP also gave opportunities to undergo training to many school personnels. However, in 1992 SEDEC converted into Secondary Education Development Project (SEDP). The overall objective of the SEDP is to support the HMG’s development goals by producing middle level work force for the country as well as the quality inputs for tertiary education by improving the quality and efficiency of secondary education.(Sherstha, 2009).

 General objective of secondary school science (CDC, 2008), meaning and importance of scientific and technological literacy (STL). Moreover, my efforts will centre on research into quality teaching and learning of Science,