AVAILABILITY AND UTILIZATION OF LABORATORY FACILITIES IN TEACHING CHEMISTRY IN PUBLIC SENIOR SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN OMOKU RIVERS STATE, NIGERIA

Abstract: This study assessed the availability and utilization of laboratory facilities for teaching Chemistry in public senior secondary schools in Omoku, Rivers State, Nigeria. The study was guided by four research objectives. The descriptive survey research design was adopted, with a sample of five Chemistry teachers and 120 SS2 students drawn from the three public secondary schools in Omoku—Community Secondary School (CSS) Omoku. Three instruments were used: a Chemistry Laboratory Facility Inventory and Functionality Assessment Checklist (CLIFAC), a Chemistry Teachers’ Utilization and Constraints Questionnaire (CTUCQ), and a Students’ Perception and Practical Exposure Questionnaire (SPPEQ). Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics (mean and standard deviations) with a criterion mean of 2.50.The findings revealed severe deficiencies in laboratory facilities across all three schools. Practical Chemistry instruction was severely limited or entirely absent; only CGSS conducted any practical activities, predominantly teacher demonstrations rather than hands-on student participation. Major constraining factors included insufficient funding, lack of water and electricity, inadequate functional apparatus, expired reagents, overcrowded classes, poor infrastructure, absence of safety equipment, and lack of laboratory assistants. Teachers unanimously agreed that laboratory work is essential for conceptual understanding, academic performance, and skill development. Students with some practical exposure affirmed its benefits, while those without reported low self-efficacy and difficulty grasping abstract concepts such as mole concept, titration, and qualitative analysis.The study concluded that the current state of Chemistry laboratory facilities in Omoku’s public secondary schools constitutes a crisis that violates constructivist and experiential learning principles, deprives students of essential hands-on experiences, and perpetuates educational inequity. Recommendations include emergency laboratory rehabilitation by the Rivers State Ministry of Education, establishment of annual laboratory audits and zonal reagent revolving funds, deployment of laboratory assistants.