Abstract:
Laboratories are one of the characteristic features in the sciences at all levels. Chemistry is one of
the subjects that are offered in the Ethiopian secondary school curriculum. The purpose of this study
is to assess factors that affect practical work in chemistry for secondary schools. The study has
identified teachers, laboratory technicians, students and school principals’ perceptions to indicate
the key factors that seem to inhibit the effective use of practical work in chemistry. The study was
conducted in Central Gondar Zone, Gondar Zuria woreda Ethiopia. 4 schools were taken as target
schools for the research populations from which 30 chemistry teachers, 3 laboratory technicians, all
school principals selected purposively and 136 from students selected by applying systematic random
sampling technique were participated being the sample of the study. Data were collected using
structured questionnaires, interview and observations. The collected data were analyzed using simple
quantitative and qualitative analysis. Then the quantitative data was analyzed descriptively using
Statistical Package for Social Sciences SPSS Version 20 and outputs; frequencies, percent, means
and standard deviations were used to interpret the findings. The qualitative data collected were also
used as supportive information for the analyzed quantitative data. The results and discussions
showed that teachers-related factors that influence practical work in chemistry are teachers' poor
interest towards practical work, fear of chemicals, late beginning of teaching practical class, lack of
awareness and motivation from school leaders and unsafe working environments in the schools.
Laboratory-related factors are a lack of separate chemistry laboratory rooms, physical status of
chemistry laboratories lack cleanness, ventilation, attractive feature, organization of chemicals and
apparatuses, water supply, safety materials and necessary materials for experimentation Students
related factors are low attitude of students towards practical activities in chemistry, poor
experimental background even and their current participations of chemistry laboratories were
inconsistent and a few lab classes gave them low chance for learning by doing because of the
domination of teachers’ or lab technicians’ demonstrations. The interest and skill of subject teachers,
lab technicians and also school principals’ attention to laboratory issues were under question. In
general the study identified that practical activities in the target schools considerably faced with
serious problems that requires interventions to improve the current status of chemistry laboratories
and enhance students understanding in teaching chemistry.
