Science education has always been a part of the Ghanaian (and Sub-Saharan) culture. Prior to the advent of modern education in Ghana, there were both “formal” and “informal” forms of education. Both forms generally took after the apprenticeship model, although direct instruction was prevalent in specific situations. “Informal education” involved working with a close relative to learn a family trade, in a relatively casual climate. In “formal education,” a child would generally be sent to learn a trade from a master craftsman, with some type of specific arrangement. This arrangement would then be formalized with some form of symbolic seal, such as a drink. On completing the apprenticeship, there were formal graduation rites and celebrations. Modern education in Ghana came with the advent of European missionary and mercantile enterprises, and has largely become the vehicle for social upward mobility. Educations in general, and science education, for that matter, are serious issues for all Ghanaians. Science education is paramount to the development of every nation in the world and without science it will be difficult for us to understand nature and the theories around development and health in general.

Ghana since independence has seen science education and mathematics education as pivotal in its development. The Ghanaian science curriculum follows the “spiral approach,” treating the same themes at different times and in greater depths within each educational level. At the primary and JHS levels are environmental studies and integrated science. The curriculum is the modern replacement of what used to be called “nature study.” This is a generalist, survey course, which exposes the child to the universe. At this level, the students would get the basic exposure to scientific ideas, and learn about the history of science. They also learn the basic scientific vocabulary at this level. The quality of educational standards in the three regions of the North – Upper West, Upper East and Northern Regions – continue to fall freely most especially at the basic schools level as though there are no measures at all being put in place to address the worsening situation.