Government ministers have called for science teachers to work harder to attract pupils to science. It appears that Scotland is no longer the leader in science education that it used to be, falling behind countries like Kazakhstan, Slovenia and Armenia.
The biggest gap in cool science is in the crucial earlier years, from primary school up to Standard Grade. Pupils are not being challenged to rethink stereotypes of scientists nor being turned on to the importance of science to our 21st century society.
The Scottish government has awarded a grant of £2.1 million to the Scottish Schools Equipment Research Centre to support the professional development of science teachers and technicians, and has provided £250,000 for the continuous professional development of primary teachers, to be administered at the four science centres across the country. It has also provided pilot funding of £140,000 to help set up and strengthen school science clubs.
