Chronicle of Social Studies Education Challenges in Lower and Upper Basic Education in Ondo City

Abstract

The study chronicled the challenges, effects and plausible solutions to the discipline of Social studies in lower and upper basic education in Nigeria. The discipline has faced several misconceptions and subjected to thorough scrutiny, debates and vituperations about its name, contents, nature, sequences, and scope. Its' objectives have been trailed by highly contested controversies which have affected its acceptability. The participants of the study comprised all in-school stakeholders namely pupils, students, teachers, heads of department, primary school heads and principals of junior schools. Purposive sampling technique was used to select the participants based a sole criterion of teaching and examining the discipline. A scale titled Comprehensive Social studies Questionnaire (r=0.82) with sub-scales, was designed, and used to measure stakeholders' rating of its challenges, effects/consequences, and plausible solutions. It was found that breadth and depth of the discipline; eclectic nature; and the celebration of names, dates, and event are top three challenges facing the teaching and learning of the discipline which have consequential effects on students in terms of moral deficits, inability to make informed decisions and withdrawal tendencies while government re-recognition of the importance of the discipline, taking cognizance of the students' capacity and needs and provision of supplementary materials were ranked as the three suggested solutions to the challenges. It is recommended that the discipline of social studies should be rated high among core subjects as well as the need for adequate provision for facilities and resources to for the teaching and learning should be encouraged by government, non-government agencies and school system.

Omoniyi, Timilehin Olayinka. Chronicle of Social Studies Education Challenges in Lower and Upper Basic Education in Ondo City. Ibadan Journal of Educational Studies, 20(2), 64-76