The development of scientific literacy requires that students understand how science operates, why scientific inquiry is conducted, and how scientific evidence is generated. The development of inquiry skills should occur gradually, with teachers employing various forms of inquiry-based instruction. It is essential to establish an appropriate learning environment that enables students to formulate questions independently, to design simple exploration, conduct experiments, observe and analyse results. It is also important that teachers provide structured support while simultaneously encouraging independent thinking. In doing so, students develop abilities related to critical thinking, interpretation, and creativity. Through the systematic development of scientific competencies, the goals of scientific literacy can be achieved, which are of crucial importance in contemporary society for understanding the world. Inquiry-based learning therefore also represents a means of fostering students’ intrinsic motivation, interests, and positive self-concept, which in turn influences long-term academic achievement and attitudes toward science as a school subject. The study was based on a quantitative research approach and included one hundred and twenty ninth-grade students from six primary schools. Students’ understanding of scientific inquiry was assessed using a knowledge test, while an additional questionnaire on individual interest and self-concept was used to determine the level of interest in learning science content and the level of self-concept as a motivational enhancer related to the perception of one’s own competence. The results showed that the majority of students demonstrate a naïve understanding of scientific inquiry. They often fail to recognise the difference between data and scientific evidence, do not understand that a research question constitutes the foundation of an investigation, and mistakenly believe that all scientific investigations follow a single fixed sequence of steps. Insufficient understanding was also identified regarding how final scientific explanations are based on a combination of collected data and prior knowledge. The analysis of students’ attitudes toward science indicated that students are interested in the subject and enjoy participating in science lessons; however, they would not engage with science-related content beyond classroom instruction. It was further determined that despite their limited understanding of scientific inquiry, students reported that the science curriculum was not too difficult for them, that they achieved satisfactory grades, and that they considered themselves successful in science.
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