A study of performance in chemistry among lower secondary government schools in Zanzibar

Abstract

Performance in chemistry of form two national examinations among lower secondary government schools in Zanzibar have not been encouraging for couples of subsequent years as from 2009 to date despite several attempts made through additional carefully planned instructional strategies and models to improve the status of teaching and learning chemistry. A total of 31government schools from Unguja regions of Zanzibar Island were sampled. The form two classes of these schools have an average of 48 students with quite a fraction has two streams. This commensurate well with the country’s growing population. The Performance data gotten from the Ministry of Education and Vocational training Zanzibar reveals that the average mean score of this compulsory subject in this grade since then until is 30.16 with a mean standard deviation of 2.1995 while those who passed the chemistry subject are 30 ± 10 %. The percentage pass is set at 35 %. Basing on the average test score data and performance analysis, a large significant number of students fails in the subject and this has been persistent. From this study, enhancement of teachers’ effectiveness, improved economies of education and fewer schools to be set aside for science studies is indeed appreciated. This study recommends the heuristic approach as “modus oparandi” of teaching intertwined with instructional objectives to bring learners into meaningful learning and effective understanding guided by the four domains of Bloom’s taxonomy with more motivational orientation and innovations.