Trained Scientific Manpower and Quality in Science Education

The thesis of this paper is simple. Employers are dissatisfied with the number and quality of the graduates being produced in scientific and technological subjects by the Universities. The Universities are themselves dissatisfied with the scientific and mathematical knowledge of their own intake from the secondary schools. The author's contention is that the problems lie in the lack of challenge of the existing secondary science curriculum, though the author recognises that change in the curriculum in the desired direction will necessitate selection or differentiated curricula with students' choice. Further problems arise in the resource base for primary and secondary science curricula. Finally improvements need to be made in both primary and secondary teacher training. In the latter case the improvements must involve the provision of increased resources to Goroka Teachers' College from the University which distributes its resources unequally. [This paper was published in: The Role of Science and Technology in the Development of Papua New Guinea: The Policy Dimensions (1984) University of Papua New Guinea, Port Moresby, Vol 2, pp. 52-63.]