The Relevance And Challenges Of Civic Education In Secondary Schools In Nigeria
[A CASE STUDY OF OWERRI MUNICIPAL AREA]

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background of the Stud

The prevalence of corruption, indiscipline, disrespect for both elders and the rule of law, indifference to duty are some of the manifestations of negative trends in the Nigeria society. The increasing violence in the social, political and economical sphere of Nigerian nation has made life unbearable. Youth incivility has become the other of the day, while civic virtues in all sphere of life have totally declined. The persistent cult activities in our secondary school and higher institutions in the country, kidnapping and the recent menace of Boko-haram, are the attested fact.  Some scholars like falade (2008) has concluded that “civic virtues and political qualities that make a good and responsible citizen are fast declining”.  Liberty lies in the hearts of men and women; when it dies there, no constitution, no law, no court can save it; no constitution, no law, no court can even do much to help it. While it lies there, it needs no constitution, no law, no court to save it.

 The federal government in recognition of this fact has promptly intervened with the re-introduction of civic education in our school system from primary to secondary schools as a remedial effort to arrest this ugly trend. A working curriculum has been designed to achieve this urgent objective and it is being implemented in our primary and secondary school system. 

 However, there is persistent reoccurrence of youth incivility, cultism and hooliganism in our society today, especially among the youth. These   posses big question mark on the effectiveness and relevancy of the curriculum and its implementation process. There is a nagging question of the relevancy of the subject as an area of study quiet distinct from other subject like social studies and government. Also many are of contrary opinion as to the need to make civic education a compulsory subject both for students in acts and science.   Others have argued that civic education should not be taught as a single subject given the fact that its curriculum content are reasonably similar with that of Government and social studies.

 Other challenges include the availability of teachers trained in civic education. It has been observed that in many schools, social studies teachers are the ones who teach civic education. This has contributed immensely to the problem of poor implementation of civic education curriculum in our secondary schools. 

The reintroduction of civic education by the federal government of Nigeria to the school system (both primary and secondary schools though the national orientation agency in 2009 in a welcome development that will inculcate in students national values, norms and consciousness from the foundation level. Some of the values like honesty, obedience, handwork, tolerance, integrity and faith which are vital to the stability and progress of our dear nation and society are inculcated into the young ones through academic exercise.  A proper implementation of the curriculum as directed by the government will not only boast the unity of the country, it will go a long way to produce 

1.2 Statement of Problem

Civic education as a subject of study was introduced by the federal government in response to the declining and deteriorating civil behavior, political violence and crisis involving youths and incidents of cultism, and other forms of deviance behavior among the youth.  As a corrective measure, the aim of the policy maker include inter alia, to inculcate good behavior among the youth and citizenship training.

The implementation of this policy has been faced with serious challenges including the paucity of qualified teachers, apathy and the  poor finance.  It has been agued that the relevance of the subject is in doubt or rather the subject curriculum content has nothing new to offer than what is contained in Government and social science curriculum and therefore should be taught as a topic in Government rather than teaching it as a single subject.

Eyiuche, I et al (2013), in their research on “Towards a functional citizenship education Curriculum in Nigerian Colleges of Education for Sustainable Development in the 21st Century” identified basic components of civic awareness, civic knowledge and civic disposition needed by youths.  They observe that the most important medium for internalizing citizenship values is through education.

1.3 Delimitation of the Study

The relevance and challenges of civic education in Nigeria as a research topic is aimed at review of implementation of civic education as a subject of study in secondary school in Nigeria.  The study was conducted in Owerri.  

However, due to limited time and financial constraints, this study was limited to public secondary schools in Owerri Imo state.  This study did investigate administrative issues like the process of employing Civic Education teachers and other areas like process of development of curriculum for the subject were not investigated.

1.4  Purpose of the Study

 The main purpose of the study is to investigate the relevance and challenges of teaching civic education in secondary school in Owerri Municipal council.  Specifically, the study tried to inter alia

1. Identify the relevance of civic education as a subject of study in the secondary school;

2. Identify the challenges facing the implementation of civic education   in secondary schools;

3. Find out if any relationship exists between civic education, government and social studies;

4. Ascertain the possibility of amalgamation of civic education and other social science subject.

1.5 Significance of the Study

Not a few research works has been carried out in the area of civic education as a subject of study.  However, the researcher  wishes to identify the difficulties or challenges of teaching civic education in our secondary schools.  

It is anticipated that the finding of this research work will be beneficial to education administrators and teachers in the development of curriculum and educational planning.  In addition, teachers of the subject will benefit greatly from the result of the finding.  The recommendations will also be a veritable tool for future researchers in this field of study.

Educational administrator and planners will find the result of the findings useful as the research will review areas of challenges and difficulties in the implementation of civic education curriculum will be highlighted for consideration in policy formation.

This work also will serve as a reference material for other research students as it contains bulk of literatures on civic education and other relevant resources considered important in the area of study.  It will also serve as an asset to teachers of civic education and other social science teachers who may rely on the educational theories adumbrated and elaborated in this work to enhance the process of teaching and learning.  Students of civic education will benefit a lot from the results of the findings because this study reveals the benefits of civic education to Nigerian child and the society in general.  

 1.6 Research Questions

This research were based on the following hypotheses

1. To what extent is Civic Education relevant as a subject of study in the secondary school.

2. Does Inadequacy of qualified teachers hamper the teaching of civic education in Nigerian Secondary schools.

3. Does Civic Education  curriculum contents and objective differ from other social studies subject like Government.

4. Should Civic Education be taught as a single subject.