Teaching for quality science education: The issue of continuity and progression across the period of compulsory schooling

Curriculum continuity and progression have received far stronger emphasis within a particular stage of schooling than between successive stages of schooling. Both the primary and the secondary sector seem to be reluctant to intrude into each other’s time-honored practices. In the light of the strong need for upgrading the quality of basic education in general and for promoting science and technology education in particular, there is a very strong justification to build in continuity and progression both in the science curriculum and the teaching practices of science teachers across the period of compulsory schooling. To achieve this important aim, this paper argues for a need to redefine curricular goals and teaching practices at successive stages of basic science education, that were held virtually unchanged in the past two decades. The teaching objectives, content and approaches in the primary and junior secondary science classes should be firmly grounded on a common coherent and progressive framework that aims to build up students’ science concepts and process skills. The building of such framework is fundamental in laying a firm foundation for the training of future scientists and technologists as well as in developing scientific literacy in the rest of the population.