Many Nigerian basic education graduates enroll into senior secondary level of education
standing on weak foundation for science learning. The Basic Science Curriculum (BSC)
which they went through in the upper basic education is relatively new, and the teachers
appear to be ineffective in the implementation of the curriculum. It therefore becomes
important to find out the aspects of the required teaching competencies which BSC
teachers lack for effective implementation of the Basic Science Curriculum of the junior
secondary school. This will help to organize competency-based capacity development
for BSC teachers who would be in position to give graduates of BSC strong foundation
for science learning at senior secondary school level. Thus, this paper investigated the
competency gaps of basic science teachers in implementing the basic science
curriculum. The study adopted a descriptive survey. The study was carried out in Enugu
state, Nigeria. The population of the study comprised 306 Basic Science teachers and
135 science teacher educators. The sample for the study consisted of 148 respondents.
Two instruments namely Basic Science Teachers Competency Needs Questionnaire
(BSTCNQ), and Basic Science Teachers’ Competencies Observational Rating Scale
(BSTCORS) were used for data collection. The BSTCORS had inter-rater reliability
index of 0.97. The research question was answered using mean and standard deviation
while the hypothesis was tested using t-test statistic at p < 0.05 level of significance.
Results showed that all the competencies listed in BSTCNQ were assessed to be
needed by BS teacher for the implementation of Basic Science Curriculum. It was also
found that there was no significant difference in the mean rating scores of Basic
Science teachers and science teacher-educators on competencies needed for
implementing the Basic Science Curriculum. The educational implications of the findings
of the study were highlighted and recommendations were proffered that stakeholders in
basic education should provide funds appropriate human resources for organizing inservice training BS teachers to enhance their competencies and effectiveness in
teaching of Basic Science.

Keywords: Teacher, Experience, Competences, Implementation of Basic Science and
Technology Curriculum.