Challenges in the implementation of science curriculum and scientific literacy in Malaysia

Primary science curriculum aims to nurture students' interest in science and technology
and provide basic knowledge and skills in science and technology. Thus, students have a
foundation to apply science and technology in everyday life to science lessons at a higher level in
addition to a culture of science and technology toward a society is concerned, dynamic,
progressive, and responsible for the environment and admire the natural creation (Pusat
Perkembangan Kurikulum, 1996).
Many changes have been made in order to improve the quality of primary science
education such as the introduction of Kurikulum Standard Sekolah Rendah (KSSR) in 2011 to
meet the challenges of the 21st century. Nevertheless, even many changes have taken place in the
education system, students' weaknesses in learning science still cannot fully resolved (Seth,
1997). Most of the teaching of science in schools emphasizes mastery of content scientific
knowledge and the use of such knowledge. Learning in the classrooms are focused on
understanding the process and content of which consists of concepts science. Density of content
and time constraints make students take simple steps to learn by memorized (Novak, 2003).
History of science curriculum is centered on the science inquiry result based content knowledge
in science that focuses on the facts, formulas, definitions and equations to be remembered and
formalized through quizzes and exams (Mohamad Bakri, 2003). This knowledge cannot provide
science students desired and generally they do not learn scientific concepts means to understand.
As a result, students do not acquire knowledge useful and relevant to their lives and also in
assessing information. Therefore, the science curriculum in Malaysia more emphasis on the
mastery of scientific skills and thinking skills. Emphasis is given to the mastery of science

process skills compared with mastery of facts and scientific principles simply because science
process skills learned will remain after the facts become outdated or forgotten (Wyne, 1999).
Practice teaching of science in schools in Malaysia has long didactic. Paul (1990) argues
that the didactic approach to forming a barrier for students to think critically. According to Paul,
didactic teaching is characterized by (1) a lecture and drill-ups, (2) memorization and discharge
information back to students, (3) there is no attempt to integrate informal experience with what
they have learned, (4) no stimulation through a process of questioning, (5) there is no space for
students to reject or doubt the information and (6) teaching too fast because teachers have to
spend a solid curriculum to enable the evaluation of projects. This type of lesson shows a lack of
space for the development of thinking and analytical skills for the students. It also does not
stimulate meaningful learning among students. This condition also causes teachers do not have
time to plan and implement creative teaching to attract students.
Understanding the concept is among the main objectives of science education. Most
students still have difficulty understanding the concept of scientific or they just have intuitive
understanding or only partially complete (Noh & Scharmann, 1997). Besides that, methods of
teaching science in Malaysia is still tradition prioritize teacher-centered teaching. Learning
activities are usually suppressing knowledge of facts to pass exams and encourage passive
reception of information. Teachers and students rarely ask questions about what is being learned.
Eastern tradition values cause the students stick to what poured by teachers without question and
they think the teacher knows all things. Already been noted above that the teaching methods only
tell the students about the correct facts or concepts are not able to dispel misconceptions among
students or correcting the initial conception. Conceptual change will occur with a specific
approach to target one particular conception. To achieve the goals, the curriculum should

consider ideas brought by students into learning situations. Teachers also need to be equipped
with new ideas and strategies to overcome them. The curriculum needs to be modified so that
teachers have time to implement the strategy or choose learning concepts.