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An Appreciative Inquiry into the Experiences of Teachers and
Students in Science Education in Liberian High Schools
Prof. Glory I. Baysah and Dr. Abigail A. Azorondu
Adventist University of West Africa Liberia and Babcock University Nigeria
DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.51244/IJRSI.2025.1210000363
Received: 02 November 2025; Accepted: 08 November 2025; Published: 26 November 2025
INTRODUCTION
The Republic of Liberia has experienced three distinct stages of educational development. The first stage
consisted of informal and formal education practices prior to the nation’s independence in 1847 (Trye, 2020).
The second stage spanned from independence through the end of the civil war in 2003, a period characterized
by both the growth and decline of Western-style education (Trye, 2020). The third stage began in the post-civil
war era, from 2003 to the present, marked by efforts to reconstruct and reform the national education system.
Politically, Liberia has made steady progress since the civil war, which lasted from 1989 to 2003. The National
Elections Commission successfully conducted three democratic elections in 2005, 2011, and 2017, with a fourth
post-war election anticipated in October 2023. Despite these political achievements, the educational sector
continues to face numerous challenges, including limited resources, inadequate infrastructure, poorly equipped
laboratories, and insufficiently trained science teachers.
Science education plays a critical role in national development, as it provides learners with the knowledge and
skills necessary for technological advancement, innovation, and problem-solving. However, in Liberia, science
education has often been neglected, leading to poor performance in science subjects and low interest among
students. Previous studies on education in Liberia have largely focused on literacy, governance, and policy
reform, with limited attention given to the actual teaching and learning processes within science classrooms.
This gap underscores the need to explore how science education is currently being delivered and experienced in
Liberian high schools.
Therefore, this study sought to explore the teaching and learning processes of science education in selected high
schools in Liberia, with emphasis on schools known for their focus on science instruction. A qualitative research
design, guided by the Appreciative Inquiry approach, was employed to gain in-depth insights from both
educators and students. Some of the findings were further supported by existing literature on science education.
Purpose of the Study
The primary purpose of this study was to examine how science education is taught and learned in selected
Liberian high schools and to identify strategies that can be employed to improve science teaching and learning
outcomes.
Research Questions
This study was guided by the following research questions:
1. How do educators and students describe science education in Liberian high schools?
2. What strategies can be implemented to improve science education in Liberian high schools?
LITERATURE REVIEW
The literature review covered four subdivisions. They are the (a) importance of science education at the high
school level(b) Science education in Africa (c) Curricula and the importance of teaching science at the high
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school level (d)West African Examinations Council (WAEC) and Student Performance in Science Subject.
Importance of science at high schools
Science education at the high school level is vital to both to students studying science and the country at large.
One of the importance of science education at the high school level has to do with preparing students to contribute
to national development. According to Gilbert (2006) science education is an important part of science strategy,
and this is to ensure that more people study science to standards that will help meet the future need of the country
and the world at large. Added to that, the major concern is sharing the content and process with individuals that
are not traditionally considered part of the scientific community (Gilbert,2006).
Similarly, Temechegn (2006b) states that in teaching science subject the aim is to encourage and enable students
to be curious about science and nature, to develop inquiring minds, skills to solve problems, to acquire
knowledge and good understanding and to help them learn to make informed decisions is scientific context on
their own. This is what makes science subjects important in secondary schools due to its relevance to students’
lives and the universally applicable problem solving and critical thinking skills. According to Temechegn
(2006b), in the modern world, everyone needs some knowledge of science, and is important to teach science
because science provides a laboratory of common experience for the development of language, logic, and
problem-solving skills in the classroom. Besides, science is a significant part of human culture and represents
one of the pinnacles of human thinking capacity.
Science Education in Africa
Elsewhere, Temechegn (2006c) stated that in ensuring sustainable development and eradicating poverty in Africa,
it is of great importance that sscience education is well invested in, by providing well equipped laboratories and
professional teachers with good teaching skills. He further argued that science education in Africa must be based
on the reality and context of Africa countries (Temechegn 2006c). Studying science from the Africa context is
necessary because Africa is unique. At the high school levels, there are usually four intertwined and equally
important strands in science proficiency. According to Schwartz (2006), all science schools are expected to offer
students opportunities to engage in these four strands:
1. Developing the ability to know, use, and interpret scientific explanation of the natural world.
2. Generating and evaluating scientific evidence.
3. Understanding the development of scientific knowledge
Learning to participate productively in scientific practices and discussion
Circular and Instruction of Science to high School students
Generally, science subjects taught at the high school levels include (a) General Mathematics (d) Physics (e)
Biology (f) Chemistry (g) Agricultural Science (f) Animal Husbandry. According to Parchmann et al (2006) in
the teaching of science to student, it is important to teach them the scientific way of thinking, and actively
involving them in their own learning. While helping them to develop a conceptual framework as well as to
develop problem solving skills, teachers should encourage them to be actively involved in discussion and group
activities. Hence, instructional strategies for education should be varied, interesting, and enjoyable (Parchmann
et al,2006).
The subjects offer at the high school level are determined by the ministry of education of the country. Students
are required to study two curricula, at every level for the last three years of high school in most West African
countries. When students are in the last class of high schools, SSS3 or the 12
th
Grade they do have a compulsory
exam that can qualify them to proceed into college or University.
West Africa Examination Council (WAEC)
The West African Examinations Council (WAEC), a non-profit-making organization, with its headquarters in
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Accra, Ghana. It was established in 1952 after the Governments of Ghana (then Gold Coast), Nigeria, Sierra
Leone and The Gambia enacted the West African Examinations Council Ordinances in 1951. The Ordinance
agreed to the coordination of exams, and issuing of certificates to students in individual countries by the West
African Examination Council. Liberia later issued their ordinance in 1974, at the annual meeting held in Lagos,
Nigeria. Hence candidates are required to enter and sit for a minimum of eight and a maximum of nine subjects.
The West African Examination Council is also responsible in the conducting of WASSCE. It is standardized test
taken across all WAEC member countries. The result of this public exam is also used in most countries as a
requirement for admission to universities. WASSCE was first introduced in the Gambia in 1998 and was later
adopted by Nigeria in 1999. By 2000, the Republic of Sierra Leone joined Gambia and Nigeria to administer
WASSCE exam. Ghana joined in 2006, while Liberia was the last country to adopt WASSCE in 2011. WASSCE
is usually given to candidates twice a year, in May/June, and in November and December.
The WASSCE exams usually contains nine subjects. The results from 2010 to 2018 showed that the average of
1.5 million students registered for the exam, 822, 941 of the candidates were males while the remaining 748595
were females. About 1.06 million of the candidates had 5 credits and above in Mathematics (National Bureau of
Statistics,2019). Since WAEC/WASSCE play a key role in the education system of West Africa countries, the
researchers made used of the 2016 and 2017 WASSCE Results. The methodology of the study is explained in
the section of this paper.
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
The researchers of this study employed a qualitative research method. Qualitative researchers do study
phenomena in their natural settings. Besides, they explore their research problems by making use of any of these
subdivisions: (a) Grounded Study, (b) Case Studies, (c) Phenomenology, (d) Ethnography, or (e) Narrative Study
An appreciative inquiry could serve as an alternative method of the Strength, Weakness, Opportunities, and
Threats (SWOT) Analysis research method (Trye, 2017). The primary purpose for conducting an appreciative
inquiry study is to explore the issue from a positive perspective (Trye, 2017).
Appreciative inquiry has five stages known as the (a) definition, (b) discovery, (c) dream, (d) design, and(e)
destiny.
Appreciative interviews, literature reviews, and observation were the research instruments used for the study.
The population of the study were staff and students who attended and work at best high schools in Liberia. By
making use of a purposive sampling, the study comprised the sample size of 22 participants. Five out of the 22
participants were staff, and the 17 were students.
Ethical procedures were followed by writing to the Ministry of Education in Liberia to obtain the best 10 schools
who has passed in WASSCE. We able to obtain the 2016, and 2017 WASSCE result. Upon receiving the
document from the ministry of Education, three of the best six schools that had 100% passing rate in all subjects
were traced and studied. An informed consent letter was taken to the administrators and students of three schools.
During the visits to each of the schools, the researchers interviewed the staff first, later interviewed the students,
and then observed the science facilities on those campuses. The study was conducted between from January
2020 to March 2021. Thus, the research questions of the study were:(b) how do educators and students describe
science education in Liberian High schools? (b) What could be done to improve Science Education in Liberian
High Schools?
The research made use of two days to collect the data from three different schools. Two of the schools were
located in Montserrado County Liberia, and another one was located in Margibi country. Interestingly, all three
of the study were Christian schools. The participants were welcoming and friendly. The staff interviews lasted
between ten to fifteen minutes while the student interviews lasted from 25 to 30 minutes each.
Data collection & Data Collection
The three schools were coded as School A, School B, and School C. The five staff were interviewed individually,
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and they were coded as, Staff 1, Staff 2, Staff 3, Staff 4, and Staff 5. Staff 1 and Staff 2 were from School A.
Staff 3 was from School B, while Staff 5 and Staff 6 were from School C. Unlike the staff, the 17 students were
interviewed in three groups. The groups were coded as Student Focus Group (SFG)1, SFG 2, and SFG 3. Each
of the seventeen participants was individually coded from S1 to S17.
Besides, there were three major sections on the research instrument. The first section covered questions about
the demography of the research participants. The section part of the interview was about the discovery of
participants’ experiences pertaining to science education at their school. The last part of the instrument covered
the dreams or wishes of both staff and students.
Description of Participants’ Experiences of Science Education in Schools AB and C
Staff Participant
A total of five staff members participated in this study. Two participants were drawn from School A, one from
School B, and two from School C. The ages of the participants ranged from 25 to 78 years. Of the five staff
members, four were male and one was female.
In terms of roles, two participants were administrators, two were science teachers, and one was a laboratory
demonstrator. Regarding educational qualifications, the laboratory demonstrator was a graduating senior
pursuing a bachelor’s degree at a university in Liberia. The two administrators each held master’s degrees,
while the two science teachers possessed Bachelor of Science degrees.
After coding and thematic analysis of the staff responses, six key themes emerged concerning their experiences
with science education: 1. Rigorous study requirements, 2. Students’ interest in science education, 3. Availability
of science materials, 4. Student support 5. Administrative support for staff 6. Staff motivation and development
In addition, the staff participants expressed aspirations for the improvement of science education in Liberian
high schools. Their envisioned goals included: Increased access to science resources and technology,
Establishment of science clubs, Development of well-equipped and sophisticated science laboratories, Improved
staff salaries and Opportunities for professional advancement and qualification upgrades
Student Participants
A total of seventeen students participated in the study, including ten females and seven males. The students’
ages ranged from 14 to 20 years, and they were selected from grades 10 through 12. Most of the participants
reported a strong interest in biology, and many expressed aspirations to become medical doctors.
From the analysis of the students’ responses, five major themes emerged: Rigorous study efforts, Interest in
science education and teacher qualification, Availability of science materials, Student support, and Teacher
salary concerns
The students also shared their dreams for improving science education in their schools, which included:
Establishment of a modern, well-equipped science laboratory, Creation of a secure and supportive educational
environment, Access to adequate science resources and technology, Organization of science projects and fairs,
and Development of a science library on school campuses
Interpretation of Finding
From the analysis of the data collected from both staff and students, seven major themes emerged concerning
their experiences with science education in Liberian high schools. These themes included: Rigorous study,
Student interest in science education, Availability of science materials, Student support, Staff support, Salary,
and Staff qualification.
It is important to note that the first four themes—rigorous study, student interest, science materials, and student
support—were common to both staff and students. The fifth theme, staff support, was identified exclusively by
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staff participants, while the last two themes, salary and staff qualification, were mentioned only by students.
When participants’ dreams and aspirations for improving science education were analyzed, eight additional
themes emerged: Establishment of sophisticated science laboratories, Access to science resources and
technology, Improved staff salaries, Enhanced staff qualifications, Creation of science clubs, Development of a
secure learning environment, Organization of science projects and fairs, and Establishment of school-based
science libraries.
Among these, the first two themes—sophisticated science laboratories and access to science resources and
technology—were common to both staff and students. The third, fourth, and fifth themes (staff salary, staff
qualification, and science clubs) were emphasized primarily by staff participants, while the last three themes
(secure environment, science projects and fairs, and science library) were identified exclusively by students.
In total, the study revealed fifteen distinct themes that reflect both the current realities and the future
aspirations of staff and students regarding science education in Liberian high schools. These findings highlight
critical areas for policy intervention, educational reform, and resource investment to strengthen science
education across the country.
DISCUSSION OF FINDINGS
The purpose of this study was to explore the teaching and learning of science education in selected high schools
in Liberia using a qualitative Appreciative Inquiry approach. The findings revealed fifteen themes in total—
seven describing the current experiences of staff and students, and eight representing their dreams and
aspirations for improving science education. These findings provide valuable insights into the present condition,
challenges, and opportunities for strengthening science education in Liberia.
Current Experiences of Science Education
Rigorous Study and Student Interest
Both staff and students emphasized the demanding nature of studying science subjects. The perception of science
as a “severe” or difficult area of study aligns with previous research suggesting that students in developing
countries often find science abstract and intimidating due to limited practical exposure (Okebukola, 2019).
Despite these challenges, many students demonstrated genuine interest in science and aspired to pursue science-
related careers, particularly in medicine. This positive attitude reflects a recognition of science as a pathway to
personal and national development (UNESCO, 2021).
Availability of Science Materials and Student Support
The lack of adequate science materials, including laboratory equipment and teaching aids, was a consistent
concern among both staff and students. According to Adedayo (2020), limited access to instructional resources
remains one of the major barriers to effective science learning in sub-Saharan Africa. Students also reported
minimal support structures such as tutorials, mentorship, or remedial programs that could enhance
comprehension of complex scientific concepts. These gaps suggest that the effectiveness of science education in
Liberia is constrained by both material shortages and limited pedagogical support.
Staff Support, Salary, and Qualification
Themes unique to staff participants—such as inadequate administrative support and insufficient salaries—reflect
systemic issues within Liberia’s education sector. Low remuneration and limited professional development
opportunities can demotivate teachers and hinder effective instruction (World Bank, 2020). Similarly, the theme
of staff qualification—raised by students—indicates learners’ awareness of the connection between teacher
expertise and the quality of science instruction. Studies have consistently shown that well-trained science
teachers significantly influence students’ achievement and interest (Tobin & Fraser, 2018).
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Aspirations for Improved Science Education
Sophisticated Laboratories and Science Resources
Both staff and students envisioned the establishment of modern, well-equipped laboratories and access to up-to-
date technological resources. This aspiration highlights a collective recognition that experiential, hands-on
learning is essential for meaningful science education. Laboratory facilities not only improve understanding but
also stimulate curiosity and innovation (Hofstein & Lunetta, 2017). Such facilities are currently lacking in most
Liberian schools, making their inclusion a critical priority for educational reform.
Staff Welfare and Professional Development
Staff participants highlighted improved salaries and professional qualifications as essential to enhancing science
education quality. This finding aligns with research indicating that teacher motivation and continuous
professional training are central to sustaining high-quality education (OECD, 2019). Addressing teacher welfare
would likely improve retention and performance within Liberia’s science education workforce.
Science Clubs, Projects, and Fairs
Both groups of participants expressed enthusiasm for extracurricular science initiatives such as clubs, projects,
and fairs. These activities can foster teamwork, creativity, and a sense of ownership of learning—skills necessary
for 21st-century learners (Bybee, 2013). Encouraging student-led scientific inquiry through such platforms could
help bridge the gap between theoretical learning and practical application.
Secure Learning Environment and Science Libraries
Students emphasized the need for a secure and conducive learning environment as well as dedicated science
libraries. Safety and resource accessibility are vital components of effective learning environments (UNICEF,
2020). A well-equipped science library would serve as a central hub for student research, reading, and
exploration beyond classroom instruction.
SUMMARY OF DISCUSSION
Overall, the findings reveal that science education in Liberian high schools is hindered by inadequate resources,
low teacher motivation, and insufficient institutional support. Nevertheless, both staff and students exhibit a
strong commitment to improving the situation and envision a future characterized by modern facilities,
professional growth, and innovative learning opportunities. These aspirations underscore the potential for
transformation through targeted interventions in teacher development, infrastructure investment, and policy
reform.
CONCLUSION
This study sought to answer two key questions: (a) How do educators and students describe science education
in Liberian high schools? and (b) What could be done to improve science education in Liberian high schools?
Through a qualitative appreciative inquiry conducted in selected schools in Montserrado County, fifteen major
themes emerged regarding science education in Liberia.
Seven of these themes described participants’ experiences of science education—highlighting factors such as
rigorous study habits, student interest, availability of science materials, student and staff support, salary, and
teacher qualification. Similar findings in African contexts suggest that teacher competency, learning resources,
and motivation strongly shape science learning outcomes (Kasanda et al., 2005; Temechegn, 2002).
The remaining eight themes reflected participants’ aspirations for science education—emphasizing the need for
well-equipped laboratories, access to modern science resources and technology, improved teacher salaries,
higher qualifications, science clubs, secure environments, science fairs and projects, and dedicated science
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libraries. These aspirations align with prior research emphasizing the importance of context-rich, inquiry-based,
and well-resourced science learning environments (Gilbert, 2006; Parchmann et al., 2006; Schwartz, 2006).
From these findings, three generalizations were drawn. First, science education in Liberian high schools is
demanding and challenging for both students and teachers. Second, the effectiveness of science learning largely
depends on students’ interest and institutional support. Third, there is a strong desire among stakeholders to
improve the quality and structure of science education. These findings echo Temechegn’s (2000c) argument that
African science education must evolve to reflect contextual realities and capacity-building priorities.
Recommendations from the Study
Based on the results, the study offers the following recommendations:
1. Develop postgraduate programs in Biology, Chemistry, and Physics (M.A. and Ph.D.) in Liberian
universities to improve the qualifications of high school science teachers. This would address the need
for a more professional and skilled teaching workforce (Temechegn, 2000a, 2002).
2. Establish and equip functional science laboratories in all high schools. Adequate laboratory
experiences enhance scientific understanding and promote hands-on learning (Braund & Reiss, 2006;
Gilbert, 2006).
3. Provide competitive compensation for science teachers to motivate and retain qualified educators who
can mentor and inspire students (Trye, 2020).
4. Encourage science clubs and extracurricular activities within and beyond school campuses to foster
creativity, collaboration, and sustained interest in scientific inquiry (UNESCO PROAP, 2001).
5. Ensure the consistent availability of science resources and instructional materials through
government and private school proprietors (Kasanda et al., 2005).
6. Promote science fairs and creative student projects at the high school level, supported by teachers,
administrators, parents, and the wider community (Parchmann et al., 2006; Schwartz, 2006).
7. Conduct a nationwide quantitative study to determine how many high schools in Liberia currently
offer science education and to compare the adequacy of their infrastructure, facilities, and teacher
qualifications (Nick, 2015; NBS, 2019).
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