Publications

As a result of its earliest history, science has faced a minimal level of interest in secondary schools by students and few teachers qualifiedfor teaching. The study, therefore, was about factors influencing students’ attitudes towards science subjects in secondary schools. Thestudy was carried out in Kisseka Sub County, Masaka District. The study was aimed at analyzing factors that influence students'attitudes towards the sciences, analyzing current teaching and learning practices in science and mathematics, and establishing strategiesthat have been adopted to improve students’ attitudes towards the science subjects. Various data collection methods were used to elicitinformation from the respondents. These included a self-administered questionnaire, key informant interviews, and a documentaryreview. The data was analyzed both qualitatively and quantitatively using a computer package known as Microsoft Excel. Excel wasused to generate tables, charts, and graphs. From the findings, it was found that students’ attitudes towards science subjects weregenerally negative. The negative students’ attitudes toward science subjects were attributed to a lack of necessary laboratory equipment,a lack of confidence and trust that the students may have towards the teachers handling the subject, low commitment by teachers, oldstudents influence, and poor teaching methods. The teaching methods used by science teachers were said to include the use of notes andexplanations, the use of practicals in the laboratory, setting constant tests for the science students, and the use of discussions. Theseteaching methods varied according to different secondary schools and according to their different capacities. With the abovebackground, there is a need to encourage science and mathematics teachers to improve their classroom practices and create a conducivelearning environment for students to motivate them to offer science subjects. Also, the school head teachers, in conjunction with thedistrict education department, should recruit more trained and qualified science teachers to effectively handle science students’ needs.Keywords: Students, Science teachers, Secondary schools, Teaching methods