Science facilities and variety in science teaching

A premise on which many government programs of assistance to schools are based is that improving physical facilities will lead to an improvement in the quality of education provided. However, despite the fact that governments proceed as if this premise were true there is little systematic evidence to support it. Indeed among teachers, parents and citizens contrary views are expressed about the importance of good facilities. The view accepted in this paper is that expressed by Dent:
First and foremost and all the time in any education system, it is the teachers who matter most. But it is the gravest error to say as is often said: Teachers matter but not the buildings. In fact, the buildings matter a very great deal. Good buildings, well equipped, make both teachers and pupils work easier as well as more agreeable.