The Federal University of Technology, Minna came
into existence following the promotion of the decree establishing it in
Federal, 1983. It had four (4) Schools then, namely – Schools of Engineering,
Environmental, Agriculture and Science and Science Education. Department of Science
Education is one of the ten departments in the School of Science and Science
Education (SSSE). Other departments in (SSSE) are Biology Department,
Biochemistry Department, Microbiology Department, Chemistry Department,
Geography Department, Geology Department, Math/Statistics Department, Physics
Department and Industrial and Technology Education Department.
Whereas
other programmes in the School of Science and Science Education took off in
1983, what was to be the foundation of the present department of Science
Education took off in February 1986 as Educational Technology unit with only
four (4) staff members? The unit had no students of her own but was just
running service courses on education foundations. The unit taught School of
Science and Science Education students the rudiments of teaching. At that time,
all students in the School of Science and Science Education were involved in
six (6) weeks Teaching Practice.
In 1990, the University converted the Educational
Technology Unit to a full-fledged department, renamed it, Department of Science
Education and broadened its programme to include Chemistry, Physics, Biology,
mathematics and Geography Education. These prorammes are still running today.
The practical works for these programmes are done in shared University
laboratory (Biology, Geography, Physics and Chemistry) for students of Science
Education Department using a time table to avoid clashes. The Department now
has its own students. Currently the department in addition to its programmes
offers service courses in education (the courses are taken at 100-300 level) to
all students in School of Science and Science education. These set of students
require a minimum of six (6) units of Education for Graduation.
The first set of graduates were two (2) in number,
they graduated in 1989. To date, more than 300 students have graduated at the
undergraduate level. The present 500 level set are seventy nine (79) in number.
At the Postgraduate level, the department offers programmes in Science
Education and Educational Technology. Today, Ph.D, Masters and PGD graduates
have been produced. These graduates are working in various respectable
institutions in Nigeria and globally. Many of them are proud owners of schools.
They have made commensurate contributions in public, government, state and
private organizations. Many are lecturers in higher institutions (COE,
polytechnic and Universities).
These
are now thirty seven (37) academic members of staff covering the different
disciplines within the programme. The department has been kept by many
scholars.
In the course of time; precisely in September, 2012
a new school, School of Technology came to effect comprising of departments of
Industrial and Technological Education, Library and Information Technology,
Science Education, Agricultural Science Education and Computer Science
Education.
Particularly, the
Department of Science Education also undergone transformation whereby the
subject disciplines; Biology, Chemistry, Geography, Mathematics and Physics
which hitherto are course options became Bachelor Degree programmes. The
departments of Agricultural Science Education and Computer Science Education
are newly introduced programmes.
