Improvisation and Digital Literacy: A Viable Alternative to Ill-Equipped Laboratories in Basic and Post- Basic Education in Nigeria

Effective teaching of science subjects can only be achieved through “learning by doing” (practical activities) in well-equipped laboratory. The ill-equipped science laboratories have reached an alarming level thereby making learning by doing impossible in Nigerian science schools. This paper takes a look at the concept and skills or techniques of improvising science teaching equipment (instructional materials) as a viable alternative and a panacea to ill-equipped laboratories in our post-basic education in Nigeria. The paper concludes that ill-equipped laboratories and inadequate digital equipment in Nigerian schools, caused by underfunding, global financial crises and brazen corruption in the education sector is one of the current myriads of problems facing science and technology learning and teaching in Nigerian post basic education levels that need urgent attention. As government alone cannot remedy these problems, other stakeholders in science and technology education need to come in to surmount the problem. The paper suggests among other things, that schools should encourage and motivate science teachers to develop basic improvisation skills through the use of local materials and resource persons in the host community.