Abstract
This study investigated attitude of social studies teachers on the achievement of national integration among Junior Secondary School Students in Kogi State. A total of 380 respondents comprising of 190 male and 190 female students drawn from JSS 2 and JSS 3 classes from 14 selected public/private Junior Secondary Schools in Kogi State. The instrument used for data collection in the study was a researcher designed questionnaire titled “Social studies and Integration Achievement among JSS Students Questionnaire” (SSUAQ). Frequency counts and Chi-square were the statistical tools used to analyzed the data collected from the field which was done through analyzing the three research questions and testing of three formulated null hypotheses. The result of the study revealed that the teaching of certain concept under social studies education such as culture and inter tribal marriage which are very vital aspect of the subject, do not help significantly in making students at the JSS level of schooling to see their knowledge of such concept as a means of promoting integration among them. However, the result equally revealed that teaching of concept of religion and religious tolerance in JSS had significantly helped in promoting integration among students who are from different religious belief, cultural background and ethnicity. It was recommended among other things that government at the state level should take every possible measure to ensure that competent and committed teachers of social studies education are made to handle the subject in all our Junior Secondary Schools, as well as making education free to all students irrespective of their religious or cultural affiliation. Equally, a renewed effort should be made by parents as families to leave in peace and love with their neighbors who are from different religious and cultural backgrounds.
CHAPTER ONE INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background to the Study
National integration occupies a prominent position in our quest to build united, strong and prosperous Nigeria. Social studies (as holistic approach to curriculum organization) makes it possible for vital issues such as national integration to be accommodated. A survey through the social studies curriculum from primary to tertiary level clearly indicated the commitment of the subject in installing attitudes and values necessary for national integration in Nigeria (NTI / STUP, 2007).
Social studies is a key subject in the curriculum of schools in Nigeria. Its introduction into schools in Nigeria dates back to the early 1960s. Like any other school subject, its acceptance by Nigerian educators and students alike has not been without some misunderstanding, part of which includes the believe that, its introduction as a school subject, would eventually displace history and the social science which have been properly entrenched in the curriculum of schools (NTI / STUP, 2007).
However, social studies is not geography. It is neither history nor government. It is not economics. Social studies is not an amalgamation of social sciences. Rather, social studies is an area of the curriculum designed specifically for the study of man and how man‟s problems are solved. It deals with how man can fit into the society by utilizing the necessary attitudes, values and skills. Social studies focuses on the use of critical and reflective thinking to solve the problems of man‟s survival in his social environment, to which peace and integration are critical catalysts (NTI / STUP, 2007).
Social studies at the junior secondary school level focuses attention in the area of critical thinking and reflective enquiry; for instance, a good citizen should be able to distinguish between fact and rumor or propaganda. Therefore,, since education in Nigeria is seen as a means through which the nation strives to make its teaming youths become good citizens, the effective teaching of social studies in junior secondary school in Nigeria will no doubt help in providing or enhancing integration among students of the lower level of secondary education, as well as preparing this category of school children for roles as active participants in their various communities.
It is against this background, that this study examined attitude of social studies teachers on the achievement of National Integration among junior secondary school students in Kogi State.
1.2 Statement of the Problem
Nigeria is a diverse nation, politically, culturally, linguistically and religiously. Nigeria is made up of about Four Hundred (400) ethnic groups; three (3) types of religions and about One Hundred and Forty Million (140,000,000) people living together and interacting with one another (Nigeria 2006 census). Quite often misunderstandings do occur, resulting in ethnic clashes or religious disputes.
These social unrests are part of the indices that indicate the limit of the status of social studies education in our schools and colleges. This is based on the assumption that those youth who have engaged in violence and other social vices today have not been adequately taught vital concept of social studies education such as the concept of culture, religious tolerance, intertribal marriage etc. This situation has generated a lot of controversy and series of complains coming from a cross section of the larger society over the failure or inability of subjects thought in our schools to foster integration among school children. The problem of this study hinges on a determination of the extent to which the teaching of social studies curriculum has fostered national integration and national integration amongst JSS students in Kogi state.
There is the need, therefore, for an urgent study to determine ways for emphasizing national integration and integration through school curriculum. This study, “titled Impact of social studies education on the achievement of national integration among JSS students in Kogi state‟‟ is therefore posed to determine ways by which the much needed national integration will be achieved in our junior Secondary Schools through the teaching of social studies.
1.3 Objectives of the Study
The aim of this study was to determine attitude of social studies teachers on the achievement of national integration among learners at the junior secondary schools level of education in Nigeria. However, other specific objectives include:
1. To find out whether the teaching of social studies inculcate Nigerian cultures and National Integration among JSS students in Kogi State.
2. To find out whether the teaching of social studies inculcate religious tolerance and national integration among JSS students in Kogi state
3. To find out whether the teaching of social studies inculcate inter tribal marriage awareness and national integration among JSS students in Kogi state.
1.4 Research Questions
To achieve the objectives stated above, the study addressed the following questions:
1. To what extent does the teaching of social studies inculcate Nigerian cultures and National integration among JSS students in Kogi state?
2. Does the teaching of social studies inculcate religious tolerance and National integration among JSS students in Kogi state?
3. Does the teaching of social studies inculcate inter-tribal marriage awareness and National integration among JSS students in Kogi state?
1.5 Research Hypotheses
The following, hypotheses were formulated in a null form to guide the research questions;
1. There is no significant difference between the opinion of JSS 2 and JSS 3 students that exposures to social studies curriculum enhances their understanding of Nigerian cultures as a basis for National Integration.
2. There is no significant difference between the opinion of JSS 2 and JSS 3 that exposures to social studies curriculum enhances their religious tolerance as a basis for National Integration.
3. There is no significant difference between the opinion of JSS 2 and JSS 3 male and female students that exposures to social studies curriculum enhances the need for inter-tribal marriages as a basis for National Integration.
1.6 Significance of the Study
This study will be significant in the following ways;
1. The findings of this study will help the government to identify ways by which the much needed national integration in Nigeria could be perfectly propagated among the youth. In other word, this study will indicate to the government, the potentialities of social studies to aid government policies to achieve national integration.
2. The findings of this study will equally throw more light on the need for teaching social studies at all levels of education in Nigeria, (primary, secondary and tertiary levels) as an effective curricular tool for instilling the norms and tenets of good citizenship in the minds of learners.
3. The findings of this study could equally serve as impetus for further research work on the issues of the roles of social studies in Nigeria and the need for social studies in Nigerian schools.
1.7 Scope of the Study
This study is designed to highlight attitude of social studies teachers on the achievement of national integration among students of junior secondary schools in Kogi state.
Kogi state is made up of twenty-three (23) Local Government Areas. There are one hundred and thirty-five (135) public and private junior secondary schools in Kogi state, with a total number of Fifty Seventy Thousand Eight Hundred and Thirty Three (57,833) males and females students (State Universal Basic Education Board Kogi).
This study however, covered a total of fourteen (14) Junior Secondary Schools selected across the state. These fourteen schools represent 10% of the total number of JSS across the state.
The study will therefore be limited to all the students of JSS 2 and 3 level of schooling. As such, the respondents for the study are drowned from among the students of class 2 and 3 of the Junior Secondary Schools.
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