Some Reflections on the Challenge Facing Science Educators in Fiji

Science and technology are promoted as major contributors to national development (Dunne & Rennie, 1990). Consequently improved science education has been placed high on the agenda of tasks to be tackled in many developing countries (Kahn, 1990), although progress has often been limited. In fact, Elkana (1981) claims that the enormous investment in teaching science in developing countries has basically failed. This rather depressing view is echoed by other authors, for example, Lewin (1990) who comments that although today far more children in developing countries study science than previously, the evidence suggests that the great majority do not master more than a small proportion of the goals set for them.