SCIENTIFIC LITERACY; ADVOCACY FOR SCIENCE TECHNOLOGY AND SOCIETY EDUCATION (STSEE) IN NIGERIAN POLYTECHNICS

A great deal of the world attention is currently being given to issues considered to be of global contemporary importance. Some of which include environmental degradation, global climatic change, poverty alleviation, population explosion and HIV/Aids scourge. The paper discussed and highlighted the shortcomings of the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) curriculum for general Biology designed for non science students in the polytechnics. It considered STSEE as a more acceptable alternative to bridge the knowledge gap in science and technology and its impact on the society, and to enhance our level of scientific literacy. The paper recommended that a curriculum conference be convened to overhaul the NBTE curriculum for general studies (Biology) to reflect contemporary issues of the day. The conference should consist of stakeholders in the field who will work on integrating factors like course content; teaching methodologies and feedback mechanism to produce a curriculum on STSEE that is relevant to Nigeria of today .The curriculum should be open ended to accommodate real and envisaged changes and the influence of globalization. Government should make real efforts at funding the sector to bring about innovations and creativity in teachers through incentives, workshops and training.