CHAPTER ONE INTRODUCTION

1.1  Background to the Study

The driving force behind all human development (that is, social, economic, political and technological)  and  in  fact  civilization  is  “education”.  This  implies  that  education  is  anchored

on a solid and time-tested foundation capable of relieving man from the cold hands of ignorance, poverty, diseases, squalor and unemployment, intellectual and technological backwardness as it is the case with developing nations including Nigeria.  According to Audu (2002), the products of any educational system should be reasonably empowered, to exert some element of control over the events that affect them through efficient and functional education. This will greatly be attainable if  education is relevant to the needs, desires and aspirations of the  society,  thereby  leading  to  the  development  of  individuals  and  the  entire  society  at  large through the acquisition of appropriate knowledge, skills, ideas, values, attitudes, competencies and abilities. All these are consequent upon change owing of dynamic nature of the society to meet societal challenges and stand the test of time.

The National Policy on Education (2009), re-affirms keeping the dynamics of social changes with the demands on education, with some policy innovation and changes in the educational system. Thus, the Federal Government of Nigeria after independence till date has been  involved  in  constant  reforms  of  Nigeria  educational  policy(s)  to  meet  the  dynamism  of social changes as it affects the needs, desires and aspiration of the immediate and global society. According to Fafunwa (2009), Nigeria on attainment of independence inherited an educational system that lacks relevance in meeting the pressing economic,  social and cultural needs of the country. He observed this during the bi-annual meeting of Joint Consultative Committee (JCC), a national advisory committee held at Enugu in 1964. This he asserts “After

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five years of Nigerian independence, the educational system of the country was colonial, more British than British themselves (p.239)”.

That is to say that, the Nigerian school children were being educated to meet the needs

of a foreign culture and  was therefore  better  fit for it than the demands of their own country. The implication of this situation on the Nigerian society is the irrelevance of that education to meet the needs and desires of the country in terms of manpower development and the acquisition of relevant skills, values and attitudes needed to move the country forward. This led to massive criticism of the then educational system by the public and this consequently led to the proposal of the 1969 national curriculum conference held between 8-12 September at Lagos.

Apparently, since the colonial era in Nigeria, the inculcation of the right type of values has become a major concern of the educational system. This concern has become more persuasive after independence right up to the present. To train citizens, there must be a sense of belonging, equity and fairness, particularly among teachers who are strategically placed in the whole process of upper basic educationin conjunction with the community. Culture is dynamic, but basic ideas are constant. Cultural differences do not enable us to have open mind on things that border on national issues. Mistrust and sectionalism persist despite all efforts to break the barriers. Hence, Social studies is interested in bringing up a whole personality in line with the dominant  values,  aspirations,  beliefs  and  culture  of  the  Nigerian  society,  so  that  the  recipient become useful to themselves and to the wider society.

As a Social Studies educator, concerned with citizenship education, the researcher has been interested in trying to empirically verify some of the claims made about the relationship between Social Studies and citizenship training because of the need to re-assess the contribution a subject can make to  the education  of  young people, particularly Social Studies

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which is relatively new in the Nigerian educational system. The proper and legitimate contribution which Social Studies has to offer a child can be considered in relation to the ultimate purpose of education in Nigeria. A closer look at the national objectives as set out in the National Policy on Education would help throw some light on the contributions that Social Studies as a discipline can make in achieving these set goals.

Nigeria’s philosophy of education is based on the integration of the individual as a sound effective citizen and equal educational opportunities for all citizens at the primary, secondary and tertiary levels. In view of this, the  success of training effective citizens for the nation depends on the teacher and the learning environment. Every school subject is expected to contribute to the citizens’ education. If the Nigerian national goals (FGN, 2009) of building a  free,  democratic,  just  and  egalitarian  society,  a  united  strong and  self-reliant  nation,  a  great and  dynamic  economy and  a  land  of  bright  and  full  of  opportunities  for all  citizens  are to  be achieved. For effective citizenship teaching/learning to take place, the teacher should be professionally  competent and  dedicated.  This  is  important  because  part  of  the  possibility  for the achievement of these goals largely rests on the quality of the teacher’s input  and output as well as his method of teaching. This therefore depends on the teacher’s ability to teach mastery

of the knowledge of Social Studies content and methodology, the availability and proper use of appropriate and relevant instructional materials.

Citizenship  is  one  of  the  major  functions  of  education.  Certainly this  was  regarded  as the key  issue of Social Studies to build a foundation for a democratic society. It is used to inculcate the concept of nationalism, unity and interdependence among the citizens of a nation with diverse people as Nigeria. Social Studies is society based or related, in the sense that it is geared towards solving the problems of the society. Consequently, Social Studies objectives in Nigeria have been tailored to meet the needs of the Nigeria society. Foremost among these problems are those of dishonesty, greed, selfishness and covetousness. There are other

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problems like insecurity, including social, economic, and physical insecurity; political instability, and political ignorance, lack of unity, ethnicity and so forth. Social Studies can be a very useful remedy for correcting several ills of the Nigerian society.

It is however disturbing that, after about three and half decades of Social Studies as an academic discipline, Nigeria is still infested with a high level of indiscipline and disunity. As a result, it has become imperative to survey the evaluation of Social Studies curriculum implementation for the attainment of upper basic educationamong junior secondary school students of Illorin west, kwara state, Nigeria.

1.2  Statement of the Problem

Social Studies education is a programme of studies introduced into the Nigerian Educational  curriculum  to  offer  partial  solutions  to  social  and  attitudinal  problems  facing  the country. This is meant to be achieved through the inculcation of desired positive values, attitudes and social skills to learners of Social Studies in the primary, junior secondary and the teachers training colleges in Nigeria. This discipline or programme of study is meant to achieve the objectives of national unity, national consciousness, self-reliance and national reconstruction which are  the basis for the national goals of education in  Nigeria. These could be achieved through effective inculcation of positive values, ideas, beliefs and knowledge that can  enhance  the  change  in  the  behaviour  of  learners  in  the  desired  direction.  The  learners  of social studies therefore, are expected to be drilled and baptized in the etiquette of social studies education, become more of a social fanatic in the principles of social studies education. Their ways of life, thinking, actions and values should be in  conformity to the expectation of social studies for self-development and social re-engineering. Thus expecting a society free of social and attitudinal problems if effectively and efficiently implemented.

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Social studies education has not been properly implemented in the schools to equip students with the knowledge, facts and ideas that can enhance positive values and attitudes for the survival of individuals and the society. These social problems range from disrespect to elders  and constituted  authority  chronic  dishonesty,  corruption,  religions  crises, ethnic/tribal crises, murder, arson, examination malpractices, drug abuse, cultism, indiscipline and other forms of mal-adaptive behaviour. Adeyoyin and Okam cited in Livingstone (2011) confirmed that the classroom dispensation  of upper basic educationamongst students has not sufficiently“Nigerianized”  them  into  becoming effective  and  productive  individual  or  citizens  within  the context  of  Nigeria  as  a  young  democracy.  These  critics  argued  that  this  development  has  not

only failed  to  ameliorate  ethonocentrism  amongst  learners  but  has  failed  to  stimulate  in them an awareness about the importance of developing a sense of loyalty to the nation.

Similarly, in using effective method to train citizens, the teacher must have the necessary professional background and conducive working environment including welfare as well as

opportunities for further studies, however, even if the above conditions present themselves, and the teachers do not have the right attitudes towards citizenship training, it is doubtful if much can be achieved in that direction. This therefore mean that teachers, who will transform youths from different parochial cultural and social backgrounds into well socialized and integrated Nigerians, must themselves believe in one Nigeria and be committed to its continuity and development as a nation.

The consequences of the above scenario might explain why  the process of citizenship training has not been able to satisfactorily curb antisocial behaviours based on irrational decision making by  the products of the system. Also, with respect to teaching methods, the classroom trend in upper basic educationwhich emphasizes achievements and acquisition of

objectives associated with the “Cognitive Domain” while objective impinge on the “Affective and Psychomotor Domains” are neglected.

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This  study  was consequently  prompted  by  the  fact  that  ineffective evaluation  of  social studies  education  is  responsible  for  disappearing  values  and  attitudinal  change  among  school children, youth and adults of our society, thus an evaluation of the junior secondary  school social studies education curriculum implementation in Illorin west, kwara state will become relevant.

1.3  Objectives of the Study

The objectives of this study are stated as follows:

1. evaluate the extent to which social studies curriculum contents has helped in the attainment of upper basic educationin Illorin west, kwara state;

2. examine the extent to which social studies teachers are equipped for the  attainment of upper basic educationin Illorin west, kwara state;

3. determine the extent to which available instructional materials can be utilized in the attainment of upper basic educationin Illorin west, kwara state;

4. assess how social studies learning environment can help in the attainment of upper basic educationin Illorin west, kwara state; and

5. ascertain  the  extent  to  which  social  studies  teaching  methods  are  effectively  used for the attainment of upper basic educationin Illorin west, kwara state.

1.4  Research Questions

This study will attempt to find answers to the following research questions. These are:

1. To what extent has social studies curriculum content helped in the attainment of upper basic education in Illorin west, kwara state?

2. To what extent are social studies teachers equipped in the attainment of upper basic educationin Illorin west, kwara state?

3. To what extent are the available instructional materials used in the attainment of upper basic educationin Illorin west, kwara state?

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4. How has social studies learning environment help in the attainment of upper basic educationin Illorin west, kwara state?

5. To what extent are the social studies teaching methods effectively used for the attainment of upper basic educationin Illorin west, kwara state?

1.5   Hypotheses

The study has formulated the following null-hypotheses which shall be tested at 0.05 level of significance for acceptance or otherwise.

1. There  is no significant difference between the social studies curriculum contents and extent to which upper basic educationcan be attained by students in Illorin west, kwara state.

2. There is no significant difference between the equipped social studies teachers and the attainment of upper basic educationby students in Illorin west, kwara state.

3. There is  no  significant  difference  between  the  extents  to  which  available  instructional materials can be utilized in the attainment of upper basic educationby students in Illorin west, kwara state.

4. There is no significant difference between social studies learning environment and the attainment of upper basic educationby students in Illorin west, kwara state.

5. There  is  no  significant  difference  between  the  effective  use  of  social  studies  teaching methods and the attainment of upper basic educationby students in Illorin west, kwara state.

1.6       Basic Assumptions

This study is based on the following assumptions:

i. Teachers of social studies have the same attitude in the attainment of citizenship education.

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ii. Teachers of social studies have the required qualification and experience that could bring about the attainment of citizenship education.

iii. The attainment of upper basic educationcan only be achieved through effective inculcation of positive values idea, beliefs and knowledge.

iv. All teachers of social studies believe in the corporate existence of Nigeria as a nation so as to foster effective citizenship.

1.7       Significance of the Study

This study is on the evaluation of social studies curriculum implementation for the attainment of upper basic educationin junior secondary schools in Illorin west, kwara state, Nigeria. It is hoped that this study  will be significant in a number  of ways to government, policymakers, Social studies teachers, educational administrators, Examination bodies (like WAEC, NECO and so forth), supervisors, students, and researchers.

First,  the  study  provides  valid  research-based  data  that  will  bring  about  improvement and innovation into the programme. It is difficult to assert that a programme is doing what it is supposed to do when it has not been formally evaluated. This study will determine if the social studies curriculum is adequately implemented to achieve the desired objectives under the existing situation in Nigeria.

Secondly, the research findings will be of immense benefit to policymakers and curriculum developers. They will find the result of this study as a useful tool in the future development of social studies curriculum and make policies that are beneficiary to students the schools, teachers and the entire society. The study will reveal the need for a variety of curriculum materials necessary for effective implementation of the social studies curriculum. It will also reveal the need for school curricular to be constantly reformed and developed to meet societal needs and values.