INTEGRATION OF SOFT SKILLS INTO SCIENCE EDUCATION FOR SOCIO-ECONOMIC AND POLITICAL RECONSTRUCTION IN THE 21ST CENTURY NIGERIA

Abstract

The goal of science education is the development of mental, physical, and social competencies required to promote entrepreneurship and career opportunities for socio-economic and sustainable development in the 21^st century. The exploration of science process skills should be harnessed with soft skills to produce proficient, and skilled graduates who can utilize the opportunities gained to succeed in careers and ventures. This paper therefore discusses the process skills and entrepreneurship opportunities in some selected concepts in sciences, chemistry, and computer science, as well as the advanced soft skills required to accomplish any chosen enterprise. Promoting soft skills right from the science interactive classrooms should develop productive individuals who will be employable, self-reliant, and self-employed and, in the long run, contribute to national economic growth. The challenges in the course which include inaccessibility to capital, inadequate technical know-how, lack of or poor infrastructural facilities, and inconsistency in government policies should be overcome to triumph. It is therefore recommended that career or entrepreneurship prospects in science curriculum, development, and implementation should be strongly emphasized, and the Nigerian educational system should be designed to produce more job creators rather than job seekers, there should be intense clamour and emphasis on capacity building in human resources, ICT software development with digital content creation, and the government should ensure stable economic policies.