Knowledge in Basic Science is central and indispensable to the development of every nation. The study investigated the effects of structured-inquiry teaching method on students’ academic performance in Basic science in Public Secondary Schools in Ekiti State, Nigeria. The research design adopted in the study was a Pretest-Posttest Quasi-experimental. The sample for the study comprised 140 Junior Secondary School two (JSS2) Basic Science students selected through the multistage sampling technique from a total population of 7,014 JSS2 Basic Science students in all the 184 Public Secondary Schools in Ekiti State. The instrument used to collect relevant data from the subjects was Basic Science Performance Test (BSPT). The reliability of the instrument was determined through the split-half method with the reliability coefficient of 0.91. Two null hypotheses were tested at 0.05 level of significance.The data collected were analyzed using t-test statistical analysis. The results of the analysis showed that there was a significant difference in the academic performance of students in Basic Science in the experimental and control groups in favour of the experimental group. Based on the findings of the study, it was concluded that structured-inquiry teaching method is more effective in improving students’ performance in Basic Science in Secondary Schools than the conventional method which is still widely in use and it was recommended that the conventional method presently in use by Basic Science teachers should either be improved on, modified or replaced with an activity-based teaching approach (as may be appropriate).
Structured-inquiry, Teaching methods, Sustainable goals, Disoriented society, Academic performance
