Poor performance in science among African students: An alternative explanation to the African worldview thesis

Abstract

This article reports a study conducted to investigate causes of poor performance among students in Africa. It uses reviews of the literature about the interaction between traditional cultures and science and an empirical study conducted in Malawi to suggest that poor performance in science among students in developing countries in Africa is caused by absence of vocational incentives rather than by conflict between science and African traditional values and beliefs. We argue that conflict between science and traditional beliefs and values is not peculiar to Africans. We also demonstrate that in the growth of science in developed countries, improvement in the performance of students succeeded rather than preceded industrial and technological development. Consequently, developing countries put the cart before the horse when they attempt to train more scientists than can be absorbed by the existing job markets for scientists in these countries. The implications of these and other findings of the study are discussed. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Res Sci Teach 36: 387–405, 1999