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Ilorin Journal of Education, Volume 26, 2006
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Ilorin Journal of Education, Volume 25, 2006
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Ilorin Journal of Education, Volume 26, 2006
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Ilorin Journal of Education, Volume 25, 2006
EDITORIAL TEAM
Editor-in-Chief
Professor ‘Raheem Adebayo Lawal, Dean, Faculty of Education, University of
Ilorin
Managing Editor
Mudasiru Olalere Yusuf (PhD), Faculty of Education, University of Ilorin
Sub-Editors
B. O. Olawuyi (PhD), Faculty of Education, University of Ilorin
A. O. Sofoluwe (PhD), Faculty of Education, University of Ilorin
Consulting Editors
Professor Ugur Demiray, Faculty of Communication Sciences, Anadolu University,
Eskisehir, Turkey
Professor N. Balasubramanian, Bharathiar University, Coimbatoire, India
Charles Isitoa Juwah, The Robert Gordon University, Schoolhill, Aberdeen
Review Board
Gulsun Kurubacak (PhD), College of Open Education, Anadolu University,
Eskisehir, Turkey
Ali Fawaz Sahreef (PhD), Maldives College of Higher Education, Male Maldives
Ezendu Ariwa, London Metropolitan University, Business School, London, UK
Satyadhyan R. Chickerur, Sonal College of Technology, Salem India
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Ilorin Journal of Education, Volume 26, 2006
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Welcome to IJE……………………………………..……………………………. i
Editorial Team……..…………………………………………………………………. v
Table of Contents……………………………………………………………………. vi
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Ilorin Journal of Education, Volume 25, 2006
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Ilorin Journal of Education, Vol. 25 August, 2006
A. B. C. Orji (PhD)
Department of Science and Environmental Education
University of Abuja
PMB 117
Abuja, Nigeria
Orji4real2008@yahoo.com
Abstract
As a foundational science, primary science plays an indispensable role in
the attainment of sound technological literacy among the entire citizenry of any
country. The resurgence of research interest in primary science instructions
culminated in a number of measures which included such instructional strategies
as modelling instructional strategy whose effects on pupils’ learning outcomes
(achievement and attitude) were examined in this study. The subjects
comprised 126 primary school pupils within the Gwagwalada Area Council of the
Federal Capital Territory (FCT). A pre-test post-test control group quasi –
experimental design was adopted for the study. Three validated and reliable
instruments: Test of Primary Science Ability, Primary Science Achievement Test,
and Primary Science Attitude Scales were used for the study. Data were analyzed
using t-test statistical technique. Findings indicated that the post test mean
achievement score of the group exposed to modelling instructional strategy were
significantly higher than those of the control group. It was also found that
pupils’ attitude to primary science improved after exposure to modelling strategy.
These findings were discussed with their implications, while the study advocates
for the introduction and popularization of modelling Instructional Strategy in
Nigerian primary schools.
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A. B. C. Orji
The curriculum for primary science consists of richly packaged activities for both
the teacher and the pupil (FGN, 1988; 2004) which if properly articulated and
harnessed will produce desired outcome of scientific literacy and development at
both the individual and national level. Despite this laudable role of primary
science, there are indications (Orji, 2002) that the quality of teaching and
learning of science in Nigerian Primary Schools leaves much to be desired.
Perhaps, the poor quality teaching – learning process in Nigerian Primary Science
classrooms, might have led to underachievement, gender disparity and general
lack of interest recorded among pupils in primary science (Onocha, Okpala and
Offorma, 1995; Balogun, 1994; Yoloye, 1994; Agholor 1993). Efforts should
therefore be geared not only to appraise the situation but also to expedite action
towards addressing the afore stated academic problems. To this end, science
educators have continued to search for ways and consequently advanced a
number of proposals. One of the proposals being made in recent times is the
use of modeling technique, which is the main focus of the present study.
Modeling can take various forms like; organizing career talk and programmes,
exposing pupils to video – taped interviews, pictures and photographs; arranging
discussion, project, quizzes and group work activities. Onocha (1998) and Beller
and Gafni (1996) have all argued on the inherent benefits of modeling
techniques. It is against this background that the study was conceived to
ascertain whether modelling strategy could be used to improve pupils’ learning
outcomes (achievement and attitude) in primary science.
Research Method
The quasi-experimental pre-test, post-test control group design was
adopted for the study. In the design, pre-test served as a measure of pupils’
background knowledge and initial nature of attitude. The sample comprised 126
primary VI pupils of intact classes from comparable primary schools randomly
selected from Gwagwalada Area Council of the Federal Capital Territory. Simple
random sampling technique was again used to assign the intact classes into
experimental and control groups respectively. At the end of the random
assignment, the experimental group had 60 pupils while the control group had
66 pupils.
Instrumentation
The instruments used for the study comprised the following;
(i) Modelling Instructional Strategy Guide (MISG)
(ii) Test of Primary Science Ability (TOPSA)
(iii) Primary Science Achievement Test (PSAT)
(iv) Primary Science Attitude Scale (PSAS)
The Modelling Instructional Strategy Guide (MISG): The instructional
guide was developed by the researcher based on the content of modeling
strategy as suggested by Onocha (1998). The guide contains some carefully
selected activities, which include hints on how to:
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Ilorin Journal of Education, Volume 26, 2006
3
A. B. C. Orji
Groups N X Df t-cal. t-
SD critical
Experimental 60 15.3 9.6
124 2.42 1.96
Control 66 10.8 8.2
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Ilorin Journal of Education, Volume 26, 2006
Discussion
The modelling as an instructional strategy seemed to have significant
positive impact on the pupils’ achievement in primary science. The efficacy of
modelling in enhancing pupils’ achievement is therefore established. The present
finding lends support to earlier views and opinions (Beller & Gafni, 1994) which
advocate the use of modelling as a performance-enhancing strategy. Tenable
reasons for this finding could be sought on the fact that modelling strategy helps
to sustain pupils’ curiosity which encourages participatory role of the pupils that
leads to better performance.
Again, findings reveal that significant difference existed between the attitude
of pupils in experimental and those in the control group. In other words,
modelling strategy impacts positively on the pupils’ attitude towards primary
science. The finding provides strong empirical evidence to earlier assertion that
modelling could be used to arouse pupils’ interest and improve on their attitude
(Onocha, 1998). Perhaps, the availability of mentors and role models might
have stimulated pupils’ interest and consequently improved on their attitude
towards the subject. The beauty of the finding is that once the interest is
rekindled, the pupils are most likely to exhibit positive attitude and improved
performance.
5
A. B. C. Orji
Conclusion
Primary science is a subject that builds foundation for future scientists,
engineers and technologists in the country. Given this laudable role, science
educators have not relented in their efforts to improve on the quality of
instruction in primary science classrooms. Hence the proposal of modelling
instructional strategy whose effects on pupils’ learning outcome (attitude and
performance), were examined in the present study. Data were collected and
analyzed. Results from the analysis indicated that modelling instructional
strategy impacts positively on pupils’ achievement in, and attitude to primary
science. In the light of these findings the instructional strategy was
recommended for use in Nigerian primary science classrooms.
References
Agholor, R. N (1993). Motivating African girls to science: Removing socio-
cultural barriers. Paper presented at the International Conference on
Science Education in Developing Countries. From Theory to Practice,
Jerusalem, Israel, January 3-7
Balogun T. A. (1994). Intervention strategy In promoting women participation in
science and technology. In Erinosho, S.Y (Ed.), Perspective on women in
science and technology in Nigeria (pp. 28 – 38). Ibadan: Sam Bookman.
Beller, M. & Grafni, N. (1994). The 1991 international assessment of educational
progress in mathematics and sciences. Journal of Educational Psychology,
8(2), 365 – 367.
Federal Government of Nigeria (1988). The Nigerian primary school curriculum.
Abuja: Federal Ministry of Education.
Federal Government of Nigeria (2004). National policy on education (4th ed.).
Abuja: NERDC
Onocha, C. Okpala, P, & Offorma, G. (1995). Education of women and girls
study of equity in Eastern Nigeria. A study commissioned by the Regional
Office of UNESCO/BREDA in Africa Dakar, Senegal.
Onocha C, (1998). Girls and science education: Changing mind-sets and
improving learning. In Erinosho S.Y (Ed), Science and education for all:
Which way forward? Proceedings of a Seminar, NIGIS Project Secretariat.
Orji A.B.C (2002). The effect of concept mapping on pupils learning outcomes in
primary science. Research Paper Presented at the 4th Biennial Conference
of WCCI, University of Nigeria Nsukka, 22nd – 26th October.
Ogunniyi, M. B. (1986). Teaching science in Africa, Ibadan: Salem Publishing
Company.
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Ilorin Journal of Education, Volume 26, 2006
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Ilorin Journal of Education, Volume 25, 2006
Abstract
The study investigated the effect of field trip on junior secondary school
students’ performance in social studies, in Ilorin metropolis, Nigeria. A quasi-
experimental design was adopted for the study. The sample consisted of 77
students drawn from two sampled secondary schools in Ilorin South and Ilorin
East Local Government Areas of Kwara State. The sampled secondary schools
were randomly assigned to treatment (37 students) and control (40 students)
groups. Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA) was used to analyse the data
collected. The findings showed that students taught using field trip performed
significantly better than their counterparts taught using the conventional method.
Based on these findings, it was recommended among others, that teachers of
social studies should expose their students to field trip, as this will promote
learning by experience, discovery learning, active engagement in learning, and
self-motivation in social studies.
Introduction
Social studies as a problem solving subject requires both the teacher and
the students to pay attention to the ideas and paths. It considers successful
ways to facilitate learning among students. While other core subjects have
moved toward student-centred, experiential, hands-on learning and constructivist
learning strategies, social studies has remained largely teacher centred (Hope,
1996). Much of social studies teaching and learning is geared to the simple
transmission of information through the use of a single textbook, the lecture
method, and teacher controlled question and answer strategies. Probably, that is
why Yusuf (2004), as shown on Table 1, observed growing decline and
fluctuation in the students’ performance in the subject in Junior School Certificate
Examination (JSCE).
8
Yusuf, AbdulRaheem
Year No of No of Male % No of % No of % No of %
Students Students Female male Female
that passed student student student
that passed that that failed
failed
1999 22309 6662 52.6 4933 51.2 6009 47.4 8705 48.8
2000 22921 7708 59.1 4789 48.4 5326 40.9 5098 51.6
2001 25601 6243 54 7949 56.6 5310 46 6099 43.4
2002 22723 9985 79.8 8327 81.6 1883 20.2 6872 18.4
2003 23175 10222 91.8 10949 90.9 911 8.2 1094 9.1
Source: Kwara State Ministry of Education
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Ilorin Journal of Education, Volume 25, 2006
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Yusuf, AbdulRaheem
researcher’s opinion that if teachers employ field trip which will equip the learner
with first hand information, reflective thinking and problem solving tools, they
will be able to perform better in the subject.
Many educators, such as Omosewo (2004), Jekayinfa (2005), Okunloye
(2000) and Ogirima (2006) are of the opinion that field trip method of teaching is
time consuming, and that it is expensive to use. However, Yusuf (1995) points
out that there is need to provide learners with rich experience through mediated
instruction because they can provide authentic data for the study of man and his
relationship with his environment. He stressed further that given the various
stimulus that are competing for learners attention, it becomes imperative for
social studies students to be provided with valid and specific meaningful
information about social, political, economical and structural developments within
their environment. Talat (1996) called for the use of other teaching methods that
can enliven and arouse students’ interest rather than the long addicted method
of lecture approach.
Jekayinfa (2005) stated that there are five stages in the effective handling
of field excursions. These include the need to obtain the factual background and
technical skills required to understand the specific purpose of the trip,
preparation and orientation prior to the trip, the trip itself, the follow up or post
field trip activities and the students’ observation to later learning. Other
researchers such as Orion and Hotsein (1994) refer to “novelty space” as a factor
also to be considered as this affects the amount a students is able to learn on a
given field trip. The three components of students’ novelty space he identified
were geographic novelty, which refers to the students’ familiarity with the field
trip site; psychological novelty, which refers to the extent to which students
make previously considered field trip to be social rather than learning activities;
and cognitive novelty, which refers to the skills and concepts the students
encounter and are expected to master on the field trip. Valerie and Nicole (2002)
while commenting on these novelties observed that the higher the novelty levels
the less likely it is that the students will have a meaningful learning experience.
Recent innovation in instructional technology (IT) on the field trip could be
further used to back up the experience, for example, virtual field trip. The virtual
field trip is a field trip that students and teachers take via the internet using the
computers, to access up-to-the minute information right in the classroom about
places such as museums, cities or countries or local businesses (Valerie & Nicole,
2002). It can also be effectively used to reduce the “novelty space” of students
before the actual visit. It should be noted that while electronic field trip
addresses some educational issues it also raises up some others.
When we observe the performance of students in social studies, for
instance in Table 1, it is seen that poor performance is not restricted to any
gender. In other words, gender has no significant statistical influence on student
performance. Ojo (1982) observed that the gender of the student does not
mediate in the performance of students in Chemistry, while Osakwe and Itedjere
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Ilorin Journal of Education, Volume 25, 2006
(1993) also acknowledges that gender has no significant effect on the students’
spatial conceptualisation in social studies.
In addition, academic ability of the students has been found to play a
major influence on the performance of students. It is noted that high ability
students do perform better than low ability students. Probably, that is why Price
(1993) stated that gender is not the issue but the academic ability. To him,
gender does not play any significant role. He stated that both male and female
students of high ability do perform well, while low ability male and female
students perform woefully in their various subjects.
Research Hypotheses
The following hypotheses were formulated and tested in this study:
Ho1: There is no significant difference in the performance of students taught
using the field trip method of teaching and students taught using
conventional method of teaching in social studies
Ho2: There is no significant difference in the performance of male and female
students taught using field trip method of teaching.
Ho3: There is no significant difference in the performance of high, medium and
low ability students taught using field trip method of teaching.
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Yusuf, AbdulRaheem
Methodology
Design
The 2 x 2 x 3 quasi-experimental, non-randomised and non-equivalent pre-test and
post-test control group design was employed in the study. The layout of this research is
shown in Table 2:
Table 2: Research Layout
Group Pre-test Treatment Post Test
Experimental Group I O1 X O2
Control Group O1 O2
Key: O1 represents Pre-test X represents treatment
O2 represents Post-test
Table 2 shows the experimental group and the control group. Subjects in
the two groups were pre-tested on social studies performance test prepared by
the researcher. The experimental group received the treatment using field trip
while the control group was taught using lecture method. After the treatment,
all the groups were tested using a parallel version of the questions used for the
pre-test as post-test. The study used the following instruments to gather
information from the samples.
1. Social Studies Performance Test (SSPT): The researcher made use of
social studies performance test to determine the effect of cooperative and
competitive instructional strategies on students’ performance in social
studies. Social Studies Performance Test (SSPT) is a multiple choice
objective test which consists of 50 items with four options (A-D)
constructed by the researcher to cover the aspects of social studies, that
is, topics selected for this study.
2. Teaching Instruments for the two groups; Field trip Instructional Package
(FIP) and Conventional Instructional Package (CIP): The study used
teaching instruments as applicable for the two groups. The researcher
personally taught the experimental group students. Although the
researcher used the normal social studies teacher in the selected school
for the control group, he was retrained to conform to the required skills
needed to teach according to specification. This was to reduce the
variation, which might have existed among the teachers used in the study.
Thus, similar instructional strategies were employed uniformly across the
treatment and control groups.
3. Scoring Level Test in Social Studies (SLTSS): SLTSS was used to
determine the status of students in social studies. This was used to
classify students into different scoring/ability groups. The test consisted of
50 multiple-choice items designed and used to group the learners into
high, average and low scoring abilities. The maximum score was (100).
The classification of students was done as follows:
High scoring Students - Upper 25%
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Ilorin Journal of Education, Volume 25, 2006
Sample
In this study a sample of 77 JSS III students drawn from two secondary
schools in Ilorin East and South Local Government Areas of Kwara State
participated in the study. The two schools were selected using purposive
sampling technique. The selected schools had 37 students and 40 for students in
field trip and conventional groups respectively. The subjects consisted of 46 male
and 31 female students in JSS III that were regular at school during the
experiment.
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Yusuf, AbdulRaheem
Results
Ho1: There is no significant difference in the performance of students taught
using field trip and those taught using the conventional method of
teaching in social studies
The result from data collected related to this hypothesis is as shown in
Table 3.
Table 3: ANCOVA for post-test score of students taught using FTM and CM
Source Type III Sum of squares df Mean Square F Sig.
Corrected Model 5964.218a 2 2982.109 66.408 .000
PRETEST 5838.837 1 5838.837 130.023 .000
TREATMENT 444.919 1 444.919 9.908 .002
Error 3323.055 74 44.906
Total 312260.000 77
Corrected Total 9287.273 76
a. R squared=.642(Adjusted R squared= .633)
From Table 3, it is shown that at 0.05 significance level, the value
produced F(2, 76) = 9.908 > .002. This implies that a significant difference
existed between the two groups of students exposed to FTM (x=64.O54) > CM
(60. 923). The analysis revealed that those students taught using the field trip
method performed better then those taught using the conventional method.
From Table 3 the treatment produced a significant difference, therefore
hypothesis one was rejected.
Table 4: ANCOVA for post-test score of male and female students taught using FTM
Source Type III Sum of df Mean Square F Sig.
squares
Corrected Model 2689.764 2 1344.882 14.428 .000
Intercept 2649.918 1 2649.918 28.428 .348
PRETEST 2684.796 1 2684.796 28.803 .000
TREATMENT(Male) 17.647 1 17.647 .189 .666
Error 3169.263 34 93.214
Total 196804.000 37
Corrected Total 5859.027 36
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Ilorin Journal of Education, Volume 25, 2006
analysis revealed that there was no significant difference as the value F (2, 37) = .189<
.666. Therefore, the null hypothesis was accepted.
Table 5: ANCOVA for post-test score of students taught using FTM based on
ability
Source Type III Sum of squares Df Mean Square F Sig.
Corrected Model 3576.930 3 1192.310 17.241 .000
Intercept 2181.695 1 2181.695 31.548 .000
PRETEST 96.434 1 96.434 1.394 .246
Ability 904.812 2 456.406 6.541 .004
Error 2282.097 33 69.154
Total 196804.000 37
Corrected Total 5859.027 36
a. R squared=.610(Adjusted R squared= .575)
The analysis in Table 6 indicated that there was a significant difference in
the performance of students of different ability levels taught using field trip
method in social studies. The analysis revealed that there was a significant
difference at a value F(3,36)= 6.541> .004. Therefore, the hypothesis was
rejected.
Summary of Findings
The major findings of this study revealed that there was a significant
difference in the performance of students taught using the field trip and
conventional methods of teaching in social studies; there was no significant
difference in the performance of male and female students taught using field trip
method of teaching in social studies; and the use of field trip method of teaching
did produce significant difference in the performance of high, medium and low
scoring students when taught using the field trip method of teaching in social
studies .
Discussion on Findings
The main focus of this study was to examine the effects of field trip
method of teaching on the performance of Junior Secondary School Students in
Social Studies. One of the effects is that the students taught using the field trip
method had mean a gain score significantly different from those students taught
using conventional method. This finding is in line with Iyewarun (1989),
Olarewaju (2004) and Talat (1996) who observed that students taught using
16
Yusuf, AbdulRaheem
field trip method had enhanced performance which made the students different
and outscore their counterparts in the other groups. The finding of this study is
an indication that performance of students in social studies would be greatly
improved if students are allowed to interact actively with their environment using
field trip method of teaching. This is also an indication that field trip was
particularly more superior to lecture method.
Another finding of this research revealed that male students taught using
the field trip method did not performed better than female students that were
also exposed to the field trip method. This agreed with the finding of Nussbaum
(2000). This is because there was no significant differences between male and
female students’ performance taught using the field trip method.
This study revealed that there was a significant difference in the
performance of students on the basis of scoring ability when they were exposed
to field trip method. The analysis of covariance in table revealed significance in
the mean gain sores of high, medium and low scores taught.
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Ilorin Journal of Education, Volume 25, 2006
References
Abdullahi, A. (1982) Science teaching in Nigeria. Ilorin: Atoto Press Limited.
Adebisi A. (1995). An overview of methods of teaching social studies. In J. A.
Olawepo (Ed.), Notes on curriculum and instruction in social studies (pp.
). Ilorin: Editor.
Agun, I & Imogie I. (1988). Fundamental of educational technology. Ibadan. Y.
Book.
Alexadre, D. (2002). Cooperative learning: Response to diversity. Retrieved
December 6 2004, from http://www.ed.state.nh.us/social studies/k-
126.htm
Hope, W. C. (1996). It’s time to transform social studies teaching. The Social
Studies, 3, 149 - 151.
Iyewarun, S.A. (1989). The teaching of social studies. Ilorin: Omoniyi Ayeni
Press.
Jekayinfa, A. A. (2005). Fundamentals of instructional methods. Ilorin: Olives
Production Ltd.
Mezeiobi, K. A. (2000). Social studies teaching methods and teaching. In G. W.
Joof & H. C. Amadi (Eds.), Social studies in schools: Teaching methods,
techniques, approaches and perspectives. Onitsha: Outright publishers.
National Council for Social Studies (NCSS, 2001). National standard for social
studies teachers. Retrieved July 13, 2003, from
http://www.socialstudies.org/Washington
Ogirima, I. A. (2006). Teachers’ attitude to the use of field trip method of
teaching social studies in Kwara State. Seminar proposal presented at the
Department of Arts and Social Sciences Education, University of Ilorin,
Ilorin.
Ojo, M.O. (1992). The differential effectiveness of co-operative, competitive and
individualistic classroom interaction patterns on students’ chemical
problem-solving skills. The Nigerian Teacher Today. 1 (2), 121 – 129.
Okunloye, R.W.(2000). Teachers’ perception of the concept and purpose of
social studies in secondary school in Ilorin L.G.A. of Kwara State.
Unpublished M.Ed. Project, University of Ilorin.
Olarewaju, I. A. (2004). Effects of field trip on economic students in secondary
schools in Ibadan. An Unpublished B. Sc. (Ed.) project, University of Ilorin,
Ilorin.
Omosewo, E. O. (2004). Laboratory, demonstration, and field trip method of
instruction. In I. O. Abimbola & A. O. Abolade (Eds.) Fundamental
principle & practice of instruction (pp. 41 – 49). Ilorin: Department of
Curriculum Studies and Educational Technology, University of Ilorin, Ilorin.
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Yusuf, AbdulRaheem
Orion. N. & Hofstein A. (1994). Factors that influence learning during a scientific
field trip in a natural environment. Journal of Research in Science
Teaching, 31 (10) 1097 – 1119.
Osakwe, E.O. & Itedjere P. O. (1993). Social studies for tertiary students in
Nigeria. Enugu. New Age Publishers.
Price, J. (1993). Is gender an issue in current education practice. Education
Today. 43 (1), 111-123
Scheurman, G. (1998). From behaviourist to constructivist teaching. Social
Education, 62, (1) 6-9.
Talat, S. (1996). Manual for curriculum guides: An Islamic perspective of Islamic
heritage. Saudi-Arabia: Umm Al-Qura University.
Valeries, W. & Nicole E. (2002). Electronic field trips. Michigan: Michigan State
University College of Education and Ameritech.
Yusuf, M. O. (1995). Instructional materials in social studies. In J. A. Olawepo
(Ed.), Notes on curriculum and instruction in social studies. Ilorin: Editor.
Yusuf, A. (2004). Effects of cooperative, competitive instructional strategies on
junior secondary school social studies in Ilorin, Nigeria. Unpublished Ph.
D. Dissertation, Department of Curriculum Studies and Educational
technology, University of Ilorin, Ilorin.
Yusuf, A. (2005). Effects of cooperative, competitive instructional strategies on
junior secondary school social studies in Ilorin, Nigeria. Nigerian Journal of
Social Studies, 8 (1&2), 23-36
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Ilorin Journal of Education, Vol. 25 August, 2006
Abstract
The thrust of this paper is to critically examine Vocational and Technical
education of the pre-colonial Africa. X-raying some basic traditional trades and
craft widely practiced in pre-colonial Nigeria. It particularly looked into the “Bini
Empire” and identified the crafts and trades prevalent amongst her people. It
looked into the technique and method of the Benin traditional bronze casting
operations, the materials involved, its sequence of operation and finally came up
with the uses of Bronze casting in Nigeria and world at large.
Introduction
In pre-colonial Africa, that is the era before the introduction of western
Education, Nigeria had, as in other parts of the African continent, developed and
perfected her system of vocational education very much like that of medieval
Europe. Some of the traditional trades and crafts widely practiced in Nigeria
included pottery, textiles, blacksmithing, gold smiting, wood carving, basket
making, calabash preparing and decorating, painting and decorating, leather
work, processing of beads, shells bones, traditional building technology,
vocational agriculture (as against subsistent type) by way of fishing, animal
husbandry, farming, amongst others.
Traditional medicine was another vocation that was very widely practiced,
and there were specializations in aspects such as orthopedics, dentistry and
general medicine, which involved the use of herbs for treating different types of
ailments.
Form of Operation
There were, and there still are two forms of traditional vocational
education -: Informal and non-formal. In the informal traditional vocational
education, children unconsciously acquire relevant vocational skills from their
parents; observation and direct telling were common features of this type of
learning. However, questioning and answering methods seem to have been more
effective in ensuring learning.
20
Uwaifo, Victor Oziengbe
Nature of Training
The promotion of traditional education was done out of school, informally
and non-formally, and essentially at home, the center for character training was
the base for the introduction of vocational education. ”Parents took the
preparation of their children for future career very seriously. Thus, a father,
versed, say in native medicine or drumming, would encourage his children to
adopt his profession. Indeed, during the dedication of the child or the naming
ceremony, parents often invoke the spirit of the profession on the child or
acknowledge the intervention of the gods of the profession in bringing luck to
the child. This is the background to traditional names like “Fayemi” (Ifa, the god
of divination, has blessed me), “Ogundele” (Ogun, the god of iron has come to
stay with the family) and so on (Omolewa, 1981).
By and large, however, vocational training in the traditional society is
largely run on the apprenticeship system and it was at that time, a honored
device for educating millions of Nigerian youths and adults. Usually the children
are not trained by their parents but by relatives and master craftsmen in
particular fields and with particular friends in order to ensure discipline and
concentration. In this apprenticeship training, indigenous societies in Nigeria
passed on their cultural heritage from one generation to the next. “The skills”
owned by a family were highly valued, and in some areas such as native
medicine, secrets were zealously guarded as they are indeed evident today. An
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Ilorin Journal of Education, Vol. 25 August, 2006
iron blacksmith on the Jos Plateau or a Yoruba one in Ibadan will say that
members of his family have been blacksmiths for generations beyond memory
and even an ordinary village will usually show that pottery-making, for example,
centers around certain families with the skills taught by a mother to her daughter
or niece, or a father to this son or nephew, depending on the customs of the
area.
Learning a craft often began with personal service to the master. Young
boys would become house servants to a close relative, who would feed and
clothe them and after some years of promising usefulness they would gradually
be introduced to the craft of the guardian (Fafunwa, 1974).
22
Uwaifo, Victor Oziengbe
particularly bronze and brass castings, a vocation, which dates back to the 13th
century.
The ancient Benin Kingdom was one of the best known of the ancient kingdoms
of the Guinea Forest and it enjoyed an Empire of some 500 miles radius when it
was at its peak. To the west, the Benin Empire extended into Dahomey (Republic
of Benin), with Eko (Lagos) inclusive and to Asosa in the East. It ended at the
Atlantic Ocean in the South and at the upper Benue River in the North.
The nearest ethnic groups to her boundaries were the Yoruba people to
the West, the Ibo people to the East, the Ebira and Igala peoples to the North,
and the Urhobo, Ijaw and Itshekiri peoples to the south in the coastal swamp.
The people of the Benin kingdom are Edo speaking, the largest of which are the
Bini’s as distinct from the people of Ishan, Etsako and Owan. This whole empire
was held strongly together by the heads and rulers of the kingdom called “OBA”
i.e., the hereditary divine king of Benin. For 800 years the kingdom has enjoyed
continuity and this has been made possible by a successful “kingship succession
practice” based on the principles of primogeniture i.e. the system according to
which property owned by a father goes after his death to the eldest son. The
palace societies and guild system are part of the institutions of the Oba.
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Ilorin Journal of Education, Vol. 25 August, 2006
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Uwaifo, Victor Oziengbe
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Ilorin Journal of Education, Vol. 25 August, 2006
not known,” (Attenborough, 1976). In the past, non-bronze casters were not
allowed to be present when the mould was broken open, they sang and praised
their leaders for every successful casting. The casters sonorously chorused, “Oba
gha to Kpere” meaning, “long lives the Oba.” They sang songs of praise for their
leader and the guild:
“lvb, Igun N, Eronmwon uyaruya (twice) No ye’ eken khian Igho Yaruya
(twice)”
This praise song means that “Igun Eronmwon” children have the capacity
to turn sand into money. Polishing tools, which the bronze workers use, are the
hammer (Umomo), cutters (Afian), punches, (also called Afian but much smaller
than the cutters), file (Olima), scrapper (Ohiagha) and sand convenient for the
caster. No salaries were paid to members of the bronze casters guild for services
to the Oba or the chiefs in the guild. Rather, they got served with food, drinks
and received support from the leaders on maturity to marry wives, build their
homes, and establish their own workshops. They are all closely linked as children
of “Igueghae”, the first bronze casters and to whom chief Inneh their leader is a
direct descendant.
Conclusion
The Benin kingdom operated closed guild systems and trades were
guarded jealously, with families confirming themselves to their trades and the
guilds to which they belonged. It was therefore unusual for apprenticeship to
come from other families who had their own trades and belonged to specific
guilds, to learn another vocation from another guild. Rather, it was still more
usual for guilds to train new entrants from their own families. These new
entrants were their own direct children or children of brothers or sisters, uncles
or aunties or some other close relative who all belonged to the same guild.
The Bronze casters guild, “Igun Eronmwon” still exists today in the street
bearing that name in Benin City. The workers live there with their families and
have their workshops there. The children are born there and grow up there.
They are born into the vocation and as they grow, they graduate into the
vocation to become natural brass and bronze casters. Their shops line up “Igun
Eronmwon Street” where they display bronzes ornaments for sale to tourists and
make bisque and lucrative business.
Till the present day, Benin enjoys a foremost position in Africa regarding
bronze works. The various aspects of the life of the people of Benin were
represented in many of the bronze works. During the war between Britain and
the Benin kingdom of 1897 in which Britain gained the upper hand, art works of
Benin including wood carvings, metal, silver and ivory ornaments, bronze and
brass works were carted away and stored in major museums in Europe and
America in substantial quantities. In auction rooms in these countries, Benin art
works were well contended for. The British foreign office sold some of the looted
art works, while some members of the expedition retained their own personal
collections. Some private collectors also bought some pieces.
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Uwaifo, Victor Oziengbe
Attempts have been made to sustain and improve the quality of output by
brass workers. In 1927, Oba Eweka II, Oba of Benin (1914-1933) sent the Ine N’
Igun and head of the brass casters guild to Achimota College in the then Gold
Cost (Ghana) to learn the Art of modern Bronze casting in order to improve the
traditional methods. The Oba there after established the Benin arts and Crafts
school making the Ine N’ Igun, the principal. With the establishment of formal
school for Arts and crafts, and coupled with the facts that the present Oba of
Benin, “Oba Erediauwa” himself is now the principal patron of the Bronze
workers and Iron Worker, the Igun “Eronmwon” and the “Igun Ematon” guilds
have been preserved, protected and even propagated till the present day.
References
Archibald, C. (1964). Nigeria’s indigenous education: The apprenticeship system.
Journal of African Studies, 1 (1), 27 – 38.
Attenborough, D. (1976). The tribal eye. London: British Broadcasting
Corporation.
Akansbiemu, M. (1989). Benin art culture. Tokyo: The Seibu Museum of Art.
Evans, D. (1981). The planning of non-formal education. Paris: UNESCO.
Fafunwa, B. A. (1974). History of education in Nigeria. London: George Allen and
Unwin Ltd.
Fadamiro, J. A. (1989). The effect of history and culture on the standard of
technical education in Nigeria: Book of readings on quality in Nigerian
education. Benin City: Supreme Ideal Publishers International Ltd.
Inneh, D. E. (1981). The palace societies and guild system in pre-colonial Benin.
Unpublished B.A. Research Project, University of Benin.
Omolewa, M. (1981). Adult education practice in Nigeria. Ibadan: Evans Brothers
Nigeria Publishers Ltd.
Kaplan, F. S. (1981). Images of power: Art of royal court in Benin. New York:
New York University.
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Ilorin Journal of Education, Vol. 25 August, 2006
R. W. Okunloye (PhD)
Department of Arts and Social Sciences Education,
University of Ilorin, Ilorin
Abstract
This paper examined the concepts of social studies and international
relations, the bases of, and changing phases of International relations and
advanced rationale for integrating additional content of International relations in
the junior secondary or basic school social studies curriculum. Topical elements
in the existing Junior Secondary School Social Studies Curriculum were identified
for the proposed integration as a way of renewal of the curriculum to meet new
challenges facing the learners in the emerging all-inclusive one world community
of humans.
Introduction
Social studies is an integrated school subject that focuses on the study of
human-environmental relationships for the purposes of citizenship education.
International relations is the act and study of all dimensions of international
interactions between or among international actors, including states or nations,
private international or supranational companies, intergovernmental
organizations, individuals and groups in the international system. International
relations has been a major area of specialization in the political science discipline.
international relations as an act of international interaction at bi-lateral or multi-
lateral level between or among international actors is multi-dimensional. Hence,
International relations experts (Morgenthau, 1968, Ofoegbu, 1980) distinguished
among political, economic, cultural, recreational, private and public international
relations. This explains the use of interdisciplinary or multidisciplinary approach
to its study.
All states are inevitably involved in international relations on four related
bases: First, international actors are located in one wholistic international arena
or system where they found themselves as neighbours or co-players. Second,
international actors, no matter how distantly located from their neighbours or co-
players in the system, are directly or indirectly affected by happenings in the
system where each actor constitutes a part. Third, the emergence of worldwide
problems or issues of common concern that transcend the artificial boundaries of
states or nations which also require concerted efforts for solutions or
management warrants international relations. Fourth, the proliferation of
international organizations and increasing globalization of the modern world,
28
R. W. Okunloye
since the establishment of the United Nations Organizations (UNO) in 1945 have
made international relations inevitable.
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Ilorin Journal of Education, Vol. 25 August, 2006
30
R. W. Okunloye
(UNESCO), United Nations Children Education Fund (UNICEF) and so on, are
most active in these regard.
The UN had passed several resolutions, covenants and convention for the
purpose of maintaining world peace, promoting human welfare and
establishment of peacekeeping missions in troubled spots in world. For instance,
International Convention on the Elimination of All forms of Racial Discrimination
(ICERD), convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against
Women (CEDAW), Convention Against Discrimination in Education (CDE) among
others. Many of these international conventions have been domesticated in
member states of the UN, including Nigeria. These are clear signals that most
countries of the world are moving towards achieving consensus on shared
aspirations and values about human dignity and welfare as well as shared
collective responsibility in addressing global human problems (Okunloye, 2006a)
Therefore, citizenship education should be addressed at different levels in human
society from the smallest local setting to the most encompassing global world
community of humans.
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Ilorin Journal of Education, Vol. 25 August, 2006
References
32
Ilorin Journal of Education, Vol. 25 August, 2006
Abstract
The world is going through information revolution through the deployment
of information and communication technology (ICT) infrastructure. This paper
compares the requirements for the delivery of library services and ways of
achieving them in the manual and ICT-based libraries. It analyses the challenges
facing the librarians in their pursuit to move education forward through
deployment of ICT infrastructure, also policy guidelines to be employed by the
academic libraries in switching to ICT-based libraries are enumerated.
Introduction
Since a long time ago, the basic needs of individuals have been
determined to include food, clothing, shelter and security. However, the quality
of these basic needs is pivoted on the wealth creation, usage, and management.
The requirement to obtain human needs at relevant place and time led to the
establishment of information on when, why, and how to buy and sell goods and
services using the appropriate technology available at any time. These
technologies then start evolving after industrial revolution in some part of Europe
and later spread across the globe. Some of the technologies that had improved
the world economy are steam power, canals, rail, roads, air, transport, radio,
pharmacology, television, computer, and information communication technology
(John, 2000).
But the latest technology (ICT) has become the mother of all inventions
since it touches all aspects of human life from production to consumption and
waste disposing. The tentacles of ICT covers all major areas of human
endeavour such as philosophy, religion, social science, pure science, applied
sciences, arts, languages and literature, history and human geography. Any
information whatsoever on the above aspect of educations learning can be found
in the custody of academic library anywhere or anytime today.
Technology continues to have a dynamic impact on the roles of librarians,
libraries and library services, in meeting the information needs of both lecturers
and students. Thus, librarians are now promoting the use of computer networks,
thereby combining library and information technology services. The relevance of
ICT to library can be seen as the new technology that permit new forms of
services, generates new data analysis and support new tools for research work.
The fact that there is vastly increased data about the resources, the users and
new research tools means that there may be new ways to address old problems
33
SANNI, Moronkola Munir
(Buckland, 2003). Learning new facts and the mastering of previous facts learnt,
tackling of assignment, and preparation for examination or knowledge update is
better done in an ICT environment.
The techniques of delivery of library services have changed but the role
has remained. The conducive change in technique apart from provision of
convenience/enabling working environments for librarians also makes it possible
to attract the students to love the library in order to embrace correct reading
culture as well as providing up to date citing and referencing for research work.
Thus, the new technique in the ICT-based library activities and services will
involves library automation, information storage and retrieval system, office
automation and resource sharing network routines (Manjunath, 2006).
Information and knowledge must be available and accessible to the bulk of
everybody that desires it (“massification of education”). For instance, China
doubles its students in the early 1990s, so also India, two decades ago and
improved their educational sectors by the deployment of ICT (Adegbola, 2007).
As the needs and expectations of library users change in the digital
environment so also the libraries are trying to adjust by looking for the best ways
to define their users communities, understand their values, and evolve digital
collections and services to meet their demands. Academic reading is a study-type
reading that deals with problems-solving such as learning to analyse the contents
of various documents, explore, discover and make adequate use of reference
materials and glean Information from all types of printed and non-printed media
(Keefer, 2001). Academic libraries have been saddled with the following
responsibilities
(i) How students and staff find information?
(ii) The type of resources needed by the library patrons that the Library does
not provide?
(iii) What are the levels of demand for these unavailable resources and why
these resources?
(iv) What are the bye products of such resources being sought after?
All the answers to the listed questions above can be obtained from good
library activities within or outside academic institution through the deployment of
ICT library as the most relevant on the task of information/data gathering,
processing, storage and dissemination such as those related to commercial,
social, economic and industrial development. In fact, library makes provision for
learners who want to tackle assignments or prepare ahead for experiments, or
want to be exposed to new facts and the mastering of previous lessons, or
workers expecting unscheduled interview or promotion examinations. So also
group of professionals that want to update their knowledge skill can peruse new
findings from researches already conducted that are available in the library’s
various formats and platforms.
Library as recognized infrastructure in the tertiary institution has a leading
role in the information service, which has a definitive and positive contribution to
academic development. The libraries together with the librarians are part of
34
Ilorin Journal of Education, Vol. 25 August, 2006
action centre in the academic progress of all tertiary institutions and if our
education system will tow the line of global information services in the future,
there will be need for a redefinition of library services as against what obtains
now.
Library should be a facilitating centre for the spread of knowledge that
helps in practically every activity that touches on the culture and Information
activities of the nation. But one may be a bit worried about the inability of our
manual academic library services to match the current developmental trend. This
inability can be overcome by linking to a network of libraries within or outside
academic institution through the deployment of ICT infrastructure. Once the
tertiary institution can invest more money and time on relevant infrastructure,
then the sky could be the only barrier to academic development. Thus, librarians
are now promoting the use of computer networks thus combining library and
information technology services.
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SANNI, Moronkola Munir
The requirements of the two types of libraries for library routine services
are compared in Table 1 below. Management and academic considerations in the
library organised with and without ICT are depicted in Table 2 below.
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Ilorin Journal of Education, Vol. 25 August, 2006
37
SANNI, Moronkola Munir
Price.
On the other hand, new factors must be taken into considerations for ICT-
based materials selection, which are:
• Format of files (e.g. HTML/PDF)
• Types and quality of delivery
• Price (based on factors that vary from that of prints such as potential
Users, simultaneous users, bundle with other journal titles, etc.).
• Condition of use (Contractual restrictions)
Acquisition Services: The acquisition of printed item and ICT-based ones is
different in that the former are purchased outright, whereas the ICT-based items
are acquired under license and most of them are released (on the website)
earlier than prints copies.
Cataloguing Services: In the conventional academic library, catalogue records
and resources are not directly linked, while in the ICT-based catalogue records
can be hot linked using hyperlink to allow direct access. While cataloguing the
digital version other media specifications are allowed apart from print version
such as audio, images, motion pictures and interactive functionalities among
others.
Storage and Preservation Services: The system of information storage gives
the library control over the information and its accessibility. Regardless of the
cost to the institutions, the development, maintenance and storage of library
item are fundamental to the library existence. Most of the ICT items will remain
at the supplier site for direct access by users to allow long-term preservation.
Electronic Collection Online (ECO) service guarantees permanent access to
contents that has been acquired as well as the future migration of these contents
to new platforms and format. While some items can be kept in computer Hard
disk, CD ROM, magnetic tape among others, the printed items will remain on
shelves or in a restricted storage area. Thus, librarian in the library without ICT
takes care of the shelves, while librarians with ICT based-libraries take cares of
virus attack, accidental erasures and general care of ICT storage devices.
Usage/Access Services: It is more interesting for the beginners to go through
an article that catches their eyes or else leaf through the issues scanning titles of
summary from paragraph to paragraphs. But an article of interest is located the
eyes glance over it, reading the summary first, the authors credentials, the
section headers, the bibliographies and so on. If at this level of analysis, the
article is deemed to be of interest, the user begins to read it or perhaps
photocopy it for future reading. The ICT- item publishers also realized that the
user must be given the opportunity to perform all those rituals, thus an example
of e-journal usage may start from Home Page to give access to the current
issues as well as other recent issues and older volumes. Once an issue is
chosen, a table of content allows the user to decide to go through or select an
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Ilorin Journal of Education, Vol. 25 August, 2006
aspect or a whole article from the issue. HTML and PDF are the two commonest
format currently used for e-journal presentations.
39
SANNI, Moronkola Munir
ICT Packages
There are many ICT packages that handlers of ICT-based library delivery
services must be accustomed with, but the ICT training should cover the
following modules:
• Introduction to integrated automated library system,
• Information seeking at an electronic environment,
• Data base design information storage and retrieval,
• The internet as an information resource,
• Web page concept and design.
Library sites can be developed for a management information system to
compile and manage statistical data by wrestling with how long data should be
kept, how data should be archived and whether one system can manage data
from different kind of assessment. The library staff can generate ad hoc reports
from data extracted and update them regularly from the integrated library
system. Users can query the data and run cross-tabulation. The reports obtained
may be useful for variety of purposes including analysis of collection
development materials, expenditure and the productivity of cataloguing
departments. ICT system can be used to assemble all data from all library
units, departments, and faculties within and outside the institution and easily
generate texts and graphics and multi year trend lines which are important
feature of virtual library and information services in an academic arena (Denise,
2002).
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Ilorin Journal of Education, Vol. 25 August, 2006
Conclusion
The ICT-based library is indeed a redefinition to library services and it has
shown that the longstanding relationship among researchers, university staff,
publishers and libraries can now be re-evaluated as well as goal and objectives
of academic world may eventually be realized with ICT- based infrastructure.
Nevertheless the role of librarian has not changed despite new methods
offered by the information communication technology infrastructure. The
effective goal of librarian is to have access to knowledge by recording, keeping,
retrieving and communicating it as a service to those seeking or expected to
need such access thereby promoting the use of computer networks thus
combining library and information technology services.
References
Adegbola, E. (2007, 10th April). Imperatives of world-class university in Nigeria.
Nigerian Tribune.
Alex, B. (2003). Digital libraries: Barriers or gateways to scholarly information.
Paper presented on Digital Libraries at IATUL Conference, Ankara, Turkey.
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SANNI, Moronkola Munir
42
Ilorin Journal of Education, Vol. 25 August, 2006
Abstract
This paper examines teacher education in Nigeria in the context of the
Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). It begins by clearing the fallacies and
misconceptions built around the millennium as a way of tracking time. It then
proceeds to assess the problems and prospects of teacher education within the
ambit of the educational system in Nigeria as an off-shoot of the economic and
political systems. The paper concludes by proffering the way forward through
specific recommendations towards enhancing the capacity of teachers as
important change-agents for national development.
43
Adebayo Lawal
and why the Calendar still jumps from 1 BC to 1 AD without any intervening
zero.
Ignoring these short-comings and granting that the millennium is epochal,
the crucial question is: must it take a whole millennium to accomplish the so-
called Development Goals when God has given no man a millennial longevity, not
even the Bible-fabled Methuselah? Such is the insidious nature of globalised
imperialism as erected on the tripodal structure of (i) free, unfettered flow
information, (ii) free, deregulated trade, and (iii) liberal but regulated Western-
type democracy (Lawal, 2005a).
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Ilorin Journal of Education, Vol. 25 August, 2006
and development, since no education system may rise above the quality of its
teachers. Be that as it may, it should also be noted that no nation can rise above
the quality of her leaders. Development and education, including teacher
education, are products of certain social systems, especially the economic and
political systems. Teacher education can only contribute to national
development, when appropriate economic, political and management structures
and measures are put in place. Put simply, the school can change the society for
the better through the agency of the teacher, but the society has to first
empower the teacher and enrich the climate of the school.
45
Adebayo Lawal
premium on formal training for teachers. For example, some schools both
in the developed and developing nations began to offer higher salaries to
teachers with higher qualifications even at the primary school level.
In Nigeria, teacher education evolved out of the needs of the individual
missionary society operating in the country in the 19th century. Initially, the
pupil-teachers were trained specifically for religious propagation, Christianity in
the South and Islam in the North. The curriculum was heavily religion-based,
intensely denominational and shallow in content because the curriculum
combined theology with teaching methodology (Taiwo, 1980). Another
noteworthy feature of those early attempts at teachers training in Nigeria,
according to Ali (1992), was the variation in experiments in the Southern and
Northern parts of the country, as dictated by prevailing circumstances. For
instance, the influx of Christian missionaries in the South resulted in
uncontrollable expansion of primary schools and teacher training institutions. In
the North, where Islam with its Qur’anic school system was well entrenched, the
establishment of Western-type schools got a slow start and this part of the
country consequently had fewer teacher-training institutions.
The following are the major features and developments in teacher
education in contemporary Nigeria:
(a) The search for qualitative teacher education began in humble attempts of
missionary groups for the mid-19th century and shaded into the colonialist
efforts of the first part of the 20th century. This search became intensified
after independence in 1960 when various commissions were set up
between 1960 and 1977 to seek ways of improving teacher education
policies and practices in the country.
(b) By the time the U.P.E. scheme was launched in the 1970’s (in the oil
boom era) with a crash programme of teacher training, the pendulum of
the image of the teacher had swung from the extreme of a priest (or even
prophet) to that of a slave or underdog. This situation has been
exacerbated by unplanned expansion in teacher education at the College
of Education and University levels from the 1980s to the present.
(i) Since then, low-calibre products of the secondary school level have
always been selected for the Colleges of Education and Universities
without ensuring the necessary aptitudinal, attitudinal and
intellectual screening and sieving required of a noble and nurturing
profession (Lawal, 2000).
(ii) Teaching became a dumping ground and specialists and non-
specialists move in and out of it freely with little or no control or
safeguard (Ogunniyi, 1994).
(iii) Apart from the low professional status of teachers occasioned
especially by the problem of the dregs and flotsam of the
secondary school being input into teaching, the training of teachers
is fraught with weaknesses not associated with other respectable
professions.
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Ilorin Journal of Education, Vol. 25 August, 2006
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Adebayo Lawal
about development relative to the MDGs has not be fully actualised in Nigeria.
This has been due largely to a lopsided, mono-cultural oil-based economy, which
has produced an unhealthy political system. The hallmarks of the polity have
been competitive ethnicims and cut-throat rivalry for oil-derived wealth leading,
until very recently, to incessant coups, general political instability and capital
flight.
The poor example of the political leadership has led to the general
collapse of institutional management as evident in such counter-productive
behaviour as sharp practices, red-tape and other forms of corporate barrier and
administrative lethargy. In sum, there has been a general erosion of the good
old ethnics of service and sacrifice and this has in turn produced widespread
infrastructural decay. Apart from the decimation of education (Fitzrcy, 2003),
other manifestations of institutional inefficiency include disruption and dislocation
in the health-care and power supply system, perversion of law and justice, and
bastardisation of cultural values, among others.
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Ilorin Journal of Education, Vol. 25 August, 2006
Political System
- Competitive ethnicism and cut-throat rivalry for
oil-derived wealth
- Political instability
- Capital flight
Economic Base
- A mono-cultural oil-based economy
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Adebayo Lawal
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Ilorin Journal of Education, Vol. 25 August, 2006
overhauling and expanding the various teacher education curricula. This would
ensure that adequate provision is made for the mastery of both content and
methodology and the requisite internship for the production of different cadres of
quality teachers who can serve as the dynamo for meaningful and sustainable
development.
(e) All these suggestions would require thorough planning, conscientious
implementation and continuous evaluation and feedback and therefore a
fairly long period to be actualised. However, as teachers we need to
realise that the task of building and sustaining teaching as a profession is
a bottom-up process which primarily belongs to us. The current top-down
approach has all along been counter-productive. In this regard;
1. Teachers of all cadres and levels should centrally organise
themselves into a national association which would serve as
umbrella for the different subject teachers’ associations currently in
existence. Through this central organ, teachers can work with the
appropriate legislative organs of government to ensure the
establishment of a National Board for Professional Teaching
Standards as found in developed countries such as U.S.A. The TRC
can be restructured to handle this crucial role which is fundamental
to the professionalisation of teaching in Nigeria.
2. Teachers on their own at the grass-roots:
2.1. should avail themselves of in-service courses within colleges,
polytechnics and universities, and most especially within their
subject association to keep abreast of trends and innovations in
teaching. This implies that every teacher, irrespective of the cadre
and level of teaching, must actively belong to at least one relevant
subject association;
2.2. must learn to network within each schools, village/town/city, L.G.A
and state, by establishing a forum through which better-trained
and more experienced teachers can mentor for the newly trained
and less-experienced ones;
2.3. can apart from pursuing further studies, engage in action research
in the classroom. We should collect from time to time data on the
teaching and learning situation, analyse them and feed our findings
back into the instructional process to enhance our professional
development; and
2.4. must try as much as possible to get registered as examiners with
such Examination Bodies as WAEC, NECO, NBTE, etc. (Abimbola,
2001). We should always avail ourselves of part-time teaching
opportunities in the sandwich programmes of NTI, Colleges of
Education, Polytechnics and Universities. This is another vital way
of keeping close to our professional peers and refreshing our minds
and reinvigorating our spirit.
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Adebayo Lawal
References
Abimbola, I. O. (2001). Professional growth and development of teachers. In I.
O. Abimbola (Ed.), Fundamental principles and practice of instruction (pp.
411 – 422). Ilorin: CSET Department, University of Ilorin.
Ali, H. (1992). Professionalism in teacher education in Nigeria universities: issue
and expectations. Lagos: Evdor Publishers.
Duncan, D. E. (2003). Dating the millennium. Encarta Encyclopaedia Deluxe (CD)
Microsoft.
Federal Republic of Nigeria (F2004). National policy on education. Lagos: NERDC
Press.
Fitzory, N. (2003). The HIPACT programme: Education for development. Paper
presented at the Kwara State Education Summit, November 12 – 13,
2003.
Lawal, R. A. (2000). The art and technology of teaching. In A. Idowu et al.
(eds.), A guide to teaching practice (pp. 11 – 20.). Ilorin: Faculty of
Education, University of Ilorin,
Lawal, R. A. (2004). Meaning without mean-ness. The 74th Inaugural Lecture,
Ilorin: University of Ilorin Publications Committees, 31 – 34.
Lawal, R. A. (2005a). Globalisation, education and development in Africa: The
bedevilling dilemmas. A Guest speaker paper presented at the Moi
University First Annual Internal Conference and Partners Meeting, Moi
University, Eldoret, Kenya, 14th – 17th of February.
Lawal, R. A. (2005b). Ensuring quality in teacher education for national
development. A lead paper presented at the 1st Annual Conference of Oyo
State College of Education, Oyo Chapter of COEASU 16th – 19th of August,
2005.
Ogunniyi, A. O. (1994). Professionalism and teacher education in Nigeria in Olu
Obafemi and Bayo Lawal (Eds.), Issues in contemporary African social and
political thought (vol. 2) (pp. 167 – 173). Lagos. Academia Publishers.
Okebukola, P. (2005). Quality assurance in teacher education in Nigeria. The
roles of faculties of education. A lead paper presented at the 2005 meting
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53
Ilorin Journal of Education, Vol. 25 August, 2006
Abstract
This study was on the administrative effectiveness of Heads of Academic
Departments in Nigerian universities. It was to find the significant differences (if
any) in administrative effectiveness of Heads of Academic Departments with
respect to academic qualification of the Head of Department. In order to direct
the investigation, one hypothesis was formulated and tested. An ex-post-facto
research design (N=1,326) was used. The HODAEQ questionnaire was
administered. The results of investigation revealed that though there was no
significant difference between Heads of Departments who have Ph.D. and those
without Ph.D., there was, however, a significant difference in the critical area of
administration of staff between Heads of Departments who have PhD and those
without Ph.D. Based on the findings, recommendations were made, which
include appointing mainly Ph.D. holders as Heads of Departments
Introduction
The academic department is the core unit in the administrative structure of
universities. It is therefore crucial for effectiveness to be assured in departmental
headship. However, the state of administration in higher education has been a
source of concern to the stakeholders. The mandate of the university as specified
in section 8 of the National Policy on Education (FRN, 2004 edition) is to teach,
conduct research development and provide community service. These
organizational goals of the university seem no longer realisable due to obstacles
that include alleged poor performance of Heads of Departments who are no
longer performing their functions effectively.
The National Universities Commission (NUC) in its 2002 report on the
state of university education in Nigeria alleged that universities in Nigeria
perform below expectation. Some stakeholders, especially parents and employers
of labour also alleged poor performance of graduates from universities in Nigeria.
Aghenta (2001) equally observed that not more than 30 percent of the normal
period of teaching is used for actual teaching. Lecturers do not submit
examination questions early neither do they mark the scripts and submit results
without one request after another being made by the Head of Department. It
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Don Omoike
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Ilorin Journal of Education, Vol. 25 August, 2006
Research Hypothesis
Hypothesis: There is no significant difference in administrative effectiveness of
Heads of Department who have PhD and those who have no Ph.D.
Method
This is a descriptive research based on the ex-post-facto design. There
were two reasons for the choice of this design. The first is that data used for the
study already existed. They were only collected from the appropriate sources.
The second reason is that the variables of study were not manipulated.
The population of the study comprised all the academic staff in the 1,520
academic departments in the 36 public universities in Nigeria as at the time of
this study, 2004/2005 academic session.
A total of 1,326 academic staff made up the sample that rated the 362
Heads of Department for the study. The sample was chosen using the multi-
stage, stratified and simple random sampling methods. In the first stage, the
universities were stratified on the basis of the variable of ownership, age and
type of university. This was followed by randomly selecting 10 percent of the
total number of universities under the sub group of federal (2 out of 24) and
State (1 out of 12) universities; the sub group of old (1 out of 14) and new (2
out of 22) universities; and the sub group of conventional (2 out of 23) and
specialized (1 out of 13) universities. In all, nine universities were selected which
include six federal and three State universities; four old and five new
universities; and six conventional and three specialized universities. In the
second stage, the selected universities were brought together to give 362
academic departments. Academic staff in these departments rated all the 362
Heads of Department in these nine universities. Finally a total of 1,326 academic
staff representing 25% of the population was selected from among the academic
staff through a simple random sampling procedure to rate all the Heads of
Departments in the 362 departments for the study.
The main instrument that was used for data collection was the
questionnaire titled Heads of Department Administrative Effectiveness
Questionnaire (HODAEQ) constructed by the researcher. The purpose of the
questionnaire was to request the respondents to rate the performance of the
Heads of Department in Nigerian universities in order to determine their
administrative effectiveness. The questionnaire was developed after the review
of literature. The questionnaire was made up of two major sections. The first
section sought background information (ownership, age and curriculum of
university and qualification, rank, sex, experience and discipline) of the Head of
Department. The second section contained 30 administrative duties of the Heads
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Don Omoike
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Ilorin Journal of Education, Vol. 25 August, 2006
The hypothesis was tested by applying the z-test statistics. The result of
analysis is presented in Table 1.
The data showed that 240 Heads of Department had PhD and 122 Heads
of Departments had no Ph.D. and with their respective rating by 879 and 447
respondents and mean ratings of 3.63 and 3.68.
The result of the z-test analysis showed that the calculated value of 0.65
is greater than the table value of +1.96 at 0.05 alpha level. This falls within the
acceptance region of 1.96. The null hypothesis is, therefore, retained that there
is no significant difference in administrative effectiveness between Heads of
Department who have Ph.D. and those who do not have Ph.D.
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Don Omoike
Analysis was carried out to determine the functional areas in which there
were significant differences in administrative effectiveness of Heads of
Department who have Ph.D. and those who have no Ph.D. The results in Table 2
indicated that there was a significant difference in administrative effectiveness of
Heads of Department with Ph.D. and those without Ph.D. in the areas of
administration of staff with a calculated value of -2.21; and administration of
office with a calculated value of -2.13. The Heads of Departments with Ph.D. had
higher means 3.51 and 3.66 as against 3.58 and 3.69 in administration of staff
and office respectively. This means that Heads of Department with Ph.D. had
significantly higher administrative effectiveness rating in these two functional
areas of administration. However, no significant differences were found in
administrative effectiveness of Heads of Department with and without Ph.D. in
their administration of instructional programme (1.24), students (0.83), facilities
(0.95) finance (1.06) and external relations (0.91). These results are shown in
Table 2.
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Ilorin Journal of Education, Vol. 25 August, 2006
Findings
The result of the study on qualification of the Head of Department has
shown no significant difference in the administrative effectiveness of Heads of
Departments who have Ph.D. and those who have no Ph.D. The finding has
shown that the acquisition of a Ph.D. does not influence the administrative
effectiveness of Heads of Department. With means of 3.68 and 3.63 for PhD
holders and no PhD holders respectively, it can be asserted that appointment of
Heads of Department need not be based on acquisition of PhD. Perhaps this is
only relevant in the area of academic enhancement of the academic staff and not
in their appointment as Heads of Department. Significant differences were found
in further analysis of the functional areas as they affect the administrative
effectiveness of the Head of Department. There was a significant difference in
administrative effectiveness of Heads of Department who have PhD and those
who have no PhD in the administration of staff and office. These are quite
revealing especially when it is realized that the possession of PhD is a strong
consideration in the promotion of most academics into the higher level of the
academic staff ladder. The Head of Department cannot effectively carry out
some activities if he does not possess the PhD especially in the administration of
staff. Such activities include appraisal of academic staff in the higher category. It
is a normal regulation in the universities that Heads of Department who do not
have PhD (except in exceptional cases) are not members of appraisal panels set
up to assess certain higher levels of the academia such as senior lecturers and
readers. The Head of Department may not also be capable of performing
effectively in a department with high caliber academic staff who are his super
ordinates. This result is in consonance with the finding of Huber (1995) that
many Heads of Department may have been pressed into administrative duties
based primarily on their reputation within their academic discipline and not
necessarily their administrative expertise. It also confirms the belief of Bogue
(1994) that the skills needed for excellence in an academic discipline are not the
same ones needed to provide leadership within a college, faculty or department
level. Thus, academics develop a line of scholarship uniquely theirs while
leadership is a more integrative and collaborative effort. This is why in some
universities (such as University of Benin) newly appointed Heads of Department
come into the position after undergoing some form of management training or
leadership education. This finding also confirms what Fogg (2001) observed that
some universities now have recognized that in order to be effective as a Head of
Department, the academic staff is usually prepared for leadership position by
creating one form of training programme or another, which include straight
forward advice and a support network. The premise is that certain academic
education received for lecturing may not be adequate enough for them to
perform effectively as Heads of Department. The lecturer before becoming Head
of Department spends his time managing his career.
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Don Omoike
Conclusion
Based on the findings of the study, it was concluded that there was no
significant difference in administrative effectiveness of Heads of Department that
have Ph.D. and those who have no Ph.D. However, there was a significant
difference in the critical functional area of administration of staff.
The significant difference in the critical administrative functional area of
administration of staff is indicative of the fact that certain categories of staff
especially those with Ph.D. need to be appointed as Heads of Department.
Administration of staff is a critical area in Head of Department’s administrative
effectiveness. The significant difference found in this area has implication for
human resource management and management of teaching and learning process
in universities. Contemporary administration is skill oriented and requires
adequate training especially in human resources or personnel management. It
may not be possible for a non Ph.D. holder to manage a department that runs a
Ph.D. programme because you cannot give what you do not have.
Recommendations
To ensure a continued and sustainable high administrative effectiveness of
Heads of Departments in Nigerian universities, it is, therefore, recommended
that preference should be for the appointment of Ph.D. holders as Heads of
Department. The research has shown that Heads of Departments with Ph.D. are
administratively effective, especially in the administration of the critical function
of staff administration.
References
Aghenta, J.A (2001). Educational planning: A turning point in education and
development in Nigeria. The 58th Inaugural Lecture Series. University of
Benin, Benin City.
Bogue, E.G (1994). Leadership by design: Strengthening integrity in higher
education. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Fogg, P. (2001, Oct 19). Can department heads be trained to succeed? The
Chronicle of Higher Education. Retrieved January 4, 2004,
http://chronical.com
Huber, N.S. (1995) Leadership in higher education: Engaging the department
heads. Planning for Higher Education, 24, 25-32
Okoh, A.O (1998). Personnel and human resources management in
Nigeria..Lagos: Amfitop Books
Olomu, J. M. (2006). Strategies for promoting culture of reforms in the
universities. A paper presented at the ETF Capacity Building Workshop for
University Lecturers in Nigeria held in University of Benin.
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Ilorin Journal of Education, Vol. 25 August, 2006
Y. A. FASASI (PhD)
Department of Educational Management, University of Ilorin,
Ilorin, Nigeria
Abstract
This paper focuses on supervisory roles of Nigerian heads of primary and
secondary schools in the achievement of UBE objectives. The UBE programme
contains certain innovations which are meant to encourage 100% enrolment and
retention in primary schools, and 100% transition to junior secondary schools.
Thus, pupils are to enrol in Basic one and stay in the education system till they
complete Basic Nine. In the process of implementation, additional teachers are
employed, more facilities are procured and more pupils are admitted into the
schools. Complexity in the school system, brought by these changes could be
counter productive and prevent the achievement of UBE objectives. Heads of the
schools should be able to cope with these challenges if they are alive to their
supervisory responsibilities. They should acquire relevant skills and constantly
update their knowledge. The government should provide relevant and adequate
facilities and ensure favourable welfare services for teachers.
Introduction
In Nigeria, provision of Universal Basic Education (UBE) was proposed IN
the first edition of the National Policy on Education. It was stated in the
document that, “universal basic education, in a variety of forms, depending on
needs and possibilities, will be provided for all citizens” (Federal Republic of
Nigeria, 1977, p.5). The proposal was actualized in September, 1999, when the
Federal Government announced the commencement of UBE. The Government’s
commitment to the programme was reaffirmed in the fourth edition of the policy
(Federal Republic of Nigeria, 2004, section 1, subsection 9 (e), p.9).
The Government has realized that education was characterized by low
literacy level. The rates of enrolment, retention and transition from primary to
junior secondary schools were also low. Therefore, the Government became a
party to the 1990 Jomtien declaration on “education for all by the year 2000”
(Federal Ministry of Education, 2003). When the goal could not be realized at the
target date, Nigeria joined other nations at Dakar, Senegal, to declare “education
for all by the year 2015” (Charles, 2002). UBE is a strategy for achieving
“‘education for alls” in Nigeria.
With the introduction of UBE, it is expected that in the nearest future, the
nation’s primary schools would experience 100% enrolment rate. Also, transition
from primary to junior secondary schools would be 100%. The belief is that
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Y. A. Fasasi
when Nigerian citizens are educated, the problem of ignorance, illiteracy and
poverty will be tackled (Babalola, 2002).
Education in general and UBE in particular, will be performing its role as a
potent solution to societal problems and an agent of national development, when
its programmes are successfully implemented. Educational administrators,
especially supervisors have the responsibility of ensuring that the nation’s
resources on education are not wasted, and that Governments’ objectives for
national development are achieved, using education as a tool. This is probably
the reason why the Government stated that efficient administration, among
others, is a necessary condition for the success of any education system. It
stated further that, “administration is a function of organization and structure,
proprietorship and control, inspection and supervision” (Federal Republic of
Nigeria, 2004, p.55).
In this paper, the roles which primary and junior secondary school
administrators can play in the achievement of the objectives of UBE, are
examined. The school heads are the supervisors of education at the grassroot.
Their interaction with, and assistance to members of their school organization
are vital to the success of UBE in particular and the entire education system in
general.
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Ilorin Journal of Education, Vol. 25 August, 2006
Implementation of UBE
Both primary and secondary level of education experienced changes as a
result of the implementation of UBE. Many public primary schools introduced pre-
primary sections within their premises. This was to ensure a smooth transition
from home to school, to provide solid foundation for primary education and to
ensure a 100% enrolment of school-age children into Basic one (primary one)
(Federal Republic of Nigeria, 2004). Teachers’ acquisition of relevant skills for
this category of learners will be required for the success of this programme.
Also, all children of school-age were encouraged to attend schools and
stay till they complete primary education. After completion, they would move
into junior secondary classes and they would be encouraged to stay till the end
of basic nine (junior secondary three).
Implementation of these policies has resulted into pupils’ population
explosion, an increase in number of teachers and demand for more facilities. For
example, in Nigerian secondary schools, the 4,003,915 student population in
1998 increased to 4,866,420 in 2002 (Ibukun, 2004, p.5). This was an increase
of 21.5% over that of 1998, a year before the commencement of UBE. Primary
schools, being the level where UBE actually took off in 1999, would be expected
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Ilorin Journal of Education, Vol. 25 August, 2006
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Y. A. Fasasi
Instead, they continue to acquire new knowledge and skills. The inexperienced
teachers could have got no background in teaching and classroom management.
Skills in communication, human relations and problem-solving, could be acquired
over time with the assistance of the supervisor.
A teacher may be old in age. He may be old in the school or he may be
old in the teaching profession. The old teacher, of whatever type needs
supervisory assistance to be able to adapt to innovations and make up for
inadequacies. Moreover, a new teacher needs to be inducted into specific
peculiarities of the school environment.
Also, there are rural and urban characteristics which a supervisor should
consider while assisting teachers to do their jobs better. Urban centres have a lot
of facilities, attractions and detractions. Rural areas are lacking in many facilities.
Supervisors should encourage teachers to choose relevant facilities and methods
that will neutralize the negative effects of technology in urban centre. Teachers
in schools that are located in rural areas need encouragement to make the best
use of what they have in the schools.
Conclusions
The following conclusions could be drawn from the discussion:
1. Administration of primary and secondary schools in Nigeria is getting
complex as a result of increase in number of pupils, teachers and
educational facilities.
2. Effective supervision of UBE programme could enhance the achievement
of its objectives.
3. Internal supervisors, that is, heads of schools, could be very effective in
ensuring the achievement of UBE objectives.
Recommendations
1. School heads, that is the headmasters and principals should be alive to
their supervisory duties. They should identify all aspects of UBE
programme and attend to them adequately.
2. Regular supervision by the school heads should be accompanied by good
human relations, competence and favourable leadership style.
3. The school heads should be trained in the art of supervision so that they
will be able to discharge their duties competently and confidentially.
4. The Government should encourage regular and continuous academic
session. This can be done when teachers welfare are adequately catered
for.
5. There should be sufficient teaching and learning facilities to cope with the
increasing demand from UBE intakes.
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Ilorin Journal of Education, Vol. 25 August, 2006
References
Borishade, B. (2002). Foreword. In H.J. Charles & E. Iheme (Eds.), Nigerian
private sector and education for all. A report on the private sector round
table. Abuja: UNESCO Publication.
Charles, H.J. (2002). Introduction. In H.J. Charles & E. Iheme (Eds.), Nigerian
private sector and education for all. A report on the private sector round
table. Abuja: UNESCO Publication.
Federal Republic of Nigeria (1977). National policy on education. Lagos: Federal
Ministry of Information.
Federal Republic of Nigeria (2004). National policy on education (4th ed.). Lagos:
Nigeria Educational Research and Development Council.
Federal Ministry of Education (2003). Historical background on the development
of education in Nigeria. Abuja: Education Sector Analysis. UNESCO/Japan
Trust fund project 532/NIR1010.
Ibukun, W.O. (2004). Management of secondary education in Nigeria: Problems
and challenges. In E.O. Fagbamiye, J.B. Babalola, M. Fabunmi & A.O.
Ayeni (Eds.), Management of primary and secondary education in Nigeria.
Ibadan: Codat Publications.
Teachers Registration Council (2006). Statistical digest 2003/2004 & 2004/2005.
Abuja: TRCN.
68
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25 August, 2006
Abstract
The study investigated the effect of Counselling on examination anxiety and
academic performance among University of Maiduguri diploma students. Two
objectives and two null hypotheses were formulated to guide the study. The
target population consisted of all the diploma students in the diploma students in
the university and through stratified sampling technique, a total of 240 students
with some forms of examination anxiety participated in the study. The sampled
subjects were divided and assigned to experimental and control groups. The
instrument used for the study was part of the study Habits and Examination
Techniques Inventory (SHETI) developed by Carew and Hamman-Tukur (1995)
with reliability index of 0.87. Mean, standard deviation and analysis of variance
(ANOVA) were employed to analyse the data collected. The results revealed that
counselling effectiveness on anxiety was significant and it improved the GPA
scores of the students. Based on the findings some recommendations were
made.
Introduction
The concept of anxiety has been described as a subjective internal
emotional conflict, the cases, which may not be apparent to the person himself.
Much research has gone into anxiety. Studies show that anxiety is created or
aroused by expectations or thinking which has been associated with cognitive
interference (Maclead, 1996). Furthermore, experience and research have shown
that about 19% of students in a class of 40 people suffer moderate cases of
examination anxiety; 5% suffer serious forms of anxiety that require medical
attention (Kagu, 1999).
However, several studies have proven the efficacy of counselling in
reducing anxiety and subsequent improvement of students’ grade point average
(GPA) scores. Kirkland and Hollandsworth (1980) studied a skills–acquisition
treatment for test anxiety was compared with two anxiety–reduction conditions,
cue-controlled relaxation and mediation and relate it to test performance. Results
69
Bulama Kagu & Mohammed Hassan
indicated that the skills-acquisition group was superior to the other three
conditions in terms of performance on the analogue test as well as grade point
average.
Similarly, the studies of Vagg (1976) and Maxwell and Wilkerson (1982)
recommended and made use of numerous therapies – desensitization, modeling,
cognitive modification, rational emotive, etc, for the treatment of anxiety
including that of examination. It is against this background that the paper
investigated the effect of counseling on examination anxiety and academic
performance among University of Maiduguri diploma students
Hypotheses
The hypotheses of the study are:
Ho1 Counselling has no significant effect on examination anxiety and academic
performance of University of Maiduguri diploma students.
Ho2 There are no significant gender, diploma level and diploma programme
differences as a consequence of counselling on examination anxiety and
academic performance.
Methodology
The design of the study is an experimental research involving
experimental and control groups. All the diploma students in the University of
Maiduguri constituted the population. Through stratified sampling technique, a
total of 240 students (40 each) from six diploma programmes with defective
study habits participated in the study. The sampled subjects were divided and
assigned to experimental and control groups.
The instrument used for the study was part of the Study Habits and
Examination Technique Inventory (SHETI) developed by Carew and Hamman –
Tukur (1995) with reliability index of 0.87. The procedure for the treatment was
conducted in three phases.
Phase I: Pre-treatment phase, during this stage the SHETI instrument was
administered to all the accessible students during regular lecture period. Their
responses were scored and analysed according to the inventory’s scoring key and
through mean and standard deviation respectively. The results indicated that
some of them were anxious of examination. During this stage too, their academic
results were collected.
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Ilorin Journal of Education, Vol. 25
25 August, 2006
Results
The results of the study were presented in the following tables:
Status x SD
Table 1 above presented the mean and standard deviation of the effect of
counselling on examination anxiety and academic performance of diploma
students. Results indicated that counselling effect on anxiety was significant for
the experimental group as shown by the X (27.052) and SD (10.7233) scores
unlike the controls with X (16.777) and SD (10.5361) scores.
Counselling effect on academic performance was significant as shown by
the difference in GPA pre-counselling (X 1.7411 and SD 0.07473) and GPA post-
counselling (X 2.8154 and SD 0.06840) scores. Therefore, the hypothesis which
states that counselling has no significant effect on examination anxiety and
academic performance of University of Maiduguri diploma students was rejected.
71
Bulama Kagu & Mohammed Hassan
The summary of results of ANOVA of the above table revealed that there
was no significant gender difference (P>.05) as consequence of counselling.
Also, there were no significant diploma level and diploma programme differences
among the experimental subjects that received treatment as P> .05. Thus, the
hypothesis which states that there are no significant gender, diploma level and
diploma rogramme differences as a consequence of counselling on examination
anxiety and academic performance was accepted.
The results of the ANOVA for table 3 showed that prior to the counselling
the differences between status and gender were not significant (P>. 05). While
the differences between diploma level and diploma programme were highly
significant (P<.05).
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Ilorin Journal of Education, Vol. 25
25 August, 2006
Discussion of Results
It is evident from the first finding of this study that experimental subjects
exposed to counselling demonstrated reduction in the levels of their examination
and considerable increase in their GPA score. The control subjects exposed to
counselling demonstrated reduction in levels of their examination and
considerable increase in their GPA score. The control subjects on the other hand,
exposed to placebo treatment were unable to show any sign of improvements
both in their anxiety level and GPA performance. A closer look at the ANOVA
results showed that status effect was significant (P<.05). Furthermore, the
findings revealed that there were no significant gender, diploma level and
diploma programme differences as a consequent of counselling (P>.05).
Several studies seemed to agree with these findings (vagg, 1976;
Wilkerson, 1982, and Kirkland & Hollandsworth, 1980). In a skill-acquisition
treatment for test anxiety, Kirkland & Hollandsworth (1980) found, for example,
subjects that were exposed to cue-relaxation and mediation techniques
performed significantly higher than the control groups both on the analogue test
and general grade point average. Similarly the works of Pindar (2000), Kagu
(1999) and Kolo (1980) showed the efficacy of counselling in improving study
habits and academic performances experiment group than controls.
Conclusion
Indeed, examination anxiety is debilitating too many students that
jeopardized their academic performance in the school system. The symptoms
among others include rapid heart beat, jittering, fighting, nervousness and
sweating. The paper upholds that this situation contributes to defective study
habits especially among the diploma students. It is therefore advocated that
counselling be given premium in the school system by providing counselling
materials, recruiting qualified counsellors, etc. When this is put in place,
numerous problems affecting students (social, academic, personal) including test
anxiety can be tackled.
References
Carew, P. F. C. & Hamman–Tukur, A. H. (1996). Study habits and examination
technique inventory (SHETI). Maiduguri: Saloue Psycho-Educational
Services.
Kagu, B. (1999). The effect of group-study-habit counselling on academic
performance of diploma students in the University of Maiduguri.
Unpublished Ph.D. thesis University of Ilorin.
73
Bulama Kagu & Mohammed Hassan
74
Ilorin Journal of Education,
Education, Vol. 25
25 August, 2006
2006
Talabi, A. E. (PhD)
Department of Physical and Health Education,
University of Ilorin, Ilorin, Nigeria
Abstract
Squash playing is an act, which has a scientific and logical procedure. This
paper researched into and discussed optimal strategies essential to playing and
winning in squash. Twenty-two nationally rated male players were used as
research sample. Mean and simple percentage was used for statistical analysis.
Result showed that squash is essentially a game of drives (55%), volleys
(16.8%), drops (13.7%), boasts (10.2%) and lobs (4.2%). It also showed that
75% of the shots were played low and 25.5% shots played high on the front
wall. Also, most of the shots were played close to the sidewalls (83.5%). The
basic component of the game, the rules, the court and the research findings
were then used to evolve strategies that can engender maximum enjoyment and
success at the game of squash.
Introduction
Squash is a game very similar to Tennis and Badminton. It is played with
a racket smaller than Tennis racket but bigger than the Badminton racket and a
smaller rubber ball about one quarter the size of a tennis ball. Essentially the
game consists of a service procedure and then a rally for point between two
players. In service, the ball is hit into specific areas after which subsequently
returns can be hit to any where within the court, provided it touches the front
wall each time. The aim of the game is to make the ball bounce off the front wall
so that the opponent cannot return it from the air or after the first bounce. Play
is by alternate hitting of the ball and the ball can be hit in the air (volley) or after
the first bounce on the floor (drive) (International Squash Racket Federation
[ISRF], 1999)
Like in Tennis, the skills of drive, volley, lob, drops and a combination of
these are in used in squash. However, another skill called ‘boast’ makes a
distinction for squash. This is a shot played to the front wall via the sidewall. As
in all racket games, the orderly arrangement and use of strokes, good shot
placement and correct positional play, among other things, are essential to
excellent play. Since the skills of playing a game involves not only the actions
taken at any one time but also the actions taken over the whole period of activity
(Knapp, 1997), strategy forms an important part of the over all squash skill.
Strategy involves the over-all general pattern of the game, which includes
arrangement of strokes, ball placement and the use of court space among other
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Talabi, A. E.
things. Knapp (1997) describes tactics and strategies as higher units of any
game.
The purpose of this study was to determine the use of strokes and ball
placement, by national rated squash players. A primary concern was to
determine a pattern of play that could be used as reference by other up-and-
coming squash players, and others who desire to improve their game.
Methodology
Sample: Twenty-two national rated male players in Nigeria were used for this
study. All players participated in the National Squash Open where the study was
conducted. This championship is for prize money and also for national ranking of
players.
Data Collection Procedure: None of the players was aware of the study as it
was done while play was in progress. The order of play and arrangements of
playing pairs were as charted by the officials of the championship using previous
national seeding. All readings were taken as play progressed between playing
pairs.
The following measurements were taken:-
a) Number of hits per rally per time.
b) Type of strokes used by both players, for example, volleys, drops, boast,
lobs, and so on.
c) Ball placement areas on the front wall.
d) Ball placement areas on the floor
a. Number of hits per time: This was measured by counting the number
of hits made within a given time by both players. A hit here means any
racket contact with the ball. This was done within the duration of the
game.
b. The type of the strokes played: This was measured by breaking the
shots into five major types (Drive, Volley, Drop, Boast and Lob).
A volley is a ball intercepted in the air.
A drop is a ball played to die in the frontcourt.
A boast is a shot played against the sidewall to the front wall.
These were counted for both players for the duration of a game.
c. Ball placement on the front wall: The front wall was divided into two
by the front court service line. Shots above the line were regarded as high
and shots below were regarded as low (Figure 1). The numbers of high
and low shots by both players were counted for the duration of a game.
d. Ball placement on the floor: The floor space was divided as shown in
Figure 1: shots in the shaded part (close to the side wall) were called A-
shots while shots to the unshaded position were called B-shots. The
numbers of A- or B- shots played during one game were counted each
time.
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Results
Mean and simple percentages were used for data analysis. The results are
as shown in Tables 1 to 3
As shown in Table 1, the mean number of hits per minute was 42.8 shots
(SD+1.37). As the game get into final rounds, there was a gradual decrease in
the number of shots per minute.
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Talabi, A. E.
The mean value for high shots was 66.7 and the value for low shots was
195.4. The mean value for A-shots on the floor was 154.6 and the mean for B-
shots was 30.6. All players played more low shots than high shots and all players
played more A-shots than B-shots.
Discussion
As indicated in Table 1, the average hit is 42.8 shots per minute meaning
21.4 shots per minute per person, as play is by alternate hitting. With play
lasting between one to two hours per best of five games, each player then
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25 August, 2006
2006
approximates to 1284 shots per hour. Up and Coming players must therefore,
first try to cope with this pace of play before giving full play to ball placement, as
speed itself is a factor in strategy (Knapp, 1999).
The result showed 74.5% of the shots were played low on the front wall,
while 25.5% of the front wall shots were high. Since boasts and drops are
normally played low and their percentage is just 23.9% (Table 4), one can
reasonably deduce that the bulk of the drives and volleys were played low on the
front wall.
Since the aim of the game of squash is to control the ‘T-junction’,
(McKenzie, 1993) and play balls that keep your opponent wall behind, high balls
should have been preferred as high balls have better chances of reaching the
back wall than low balls. The amount of low balls played in this study, and then
means that shots must be hit hard enough to enable it get to the back wall. The
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Talabi, A. E.
fact that hard hit low drives are usually difficult to intercept and control has
probably made it the preferred shots of the Nigerian squash champions.
Table 5 also shows that 83.5% of all shots played landed close to the
sidewall (zone A) or (A-shots). This means that almost all the drives, volleys,
drops etc. were played closes the sidewall. In squash the idea is to beat the
opponent to the ball by playing shots that are either difficult to return or cannot
be returned (McKenzie, 1993). The rule also provides that while playing shots,
the opponent must be given a fair view of the ball (ISRF, 1999). Therefore, balls
played close to the walls can serve to.
(a) Make the ball difficult for the opponent to handle, as the possibility of
hitting the racket against the side- wall is high.
(b) Remove the partner from the T-junction, which McKenzie (1993) calls the
operation center- the point of best control (Hunt, 1995).
(c) Give the player command of the T-junction for further onslaught.
(d) Allow the partner enough fair view of the ball as wall balls are well away
from the T-junction.
Conclusion
The result of this study revealed that:
(a) Squash playing is essentially a game of drives, with the addition of volleys,
drops, and boast to consolidate advantages.
(b) That this drives were mainly played hard and low. The author however is
of the opinion that high balls will create better advantages.
(c) Finally, all shots were played close to the sidewall and that the closer to
the wall, the better the advantages and the likelihood of winning.
Recommendations
Based on the finding, a hypothesized dimension for squash training and
playing is proposed. It is recommended that players during training and playing
should aim at putting the balls in the designated areas in Figure 1, Figure 2
shows the front wall. Volleys and drives should be aimed at about 0.61m above
and below the service line. This will allow the balls to reach the back wall with
less hitting force. The drops and boasts should be played about 0.305m (1 foot)
above the tin board and into the designated areas. This will guarantee that ball
does not hit the tin, and also be difficult for opponent to pick.
Figure 3 shows the floor plan. Players are advised to aim all drives, boast,
drops, volleys and lobs to not more than 0.6m away from the side wall, the
closer the better. Balls should not at all be aimed at the danger zone (unshaded
areas). Balls to the danger zone put players into the possibility of:
(a) Infringement of the fair view rule
(b) Not removing the opponent from the vital operational area (T-junction)
and lastly
(c) Haphazard movement into and away from the ball.
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If these guidelines are followed during training and matches, poor shots
will soon be discovered and rejected. There will also be enough time and space
to plan shots and reduced crowding and injuries. Players will have fair view of
the ball at all times and individuals will be able to create and design own
opportunities.
HIGH
LOW
E
NE
ZO N
Z ON
SQUASH
ZO
COURT
A-
B-
A-
FLOOR
0.305m DROPS
TIN BOARD
Fig. 2: Squash Court front wall
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Talabi, A. E.
R
N GEE
DA ON
Z
0.61m 0.61m
Fig. 3: Squash Court front floor plan
References
Hunt, G. (1995). Playing squash. Australia; Gonde Nest Publication.
International Squash Racket Federation (1999). Official handbook of squash rules
and specification. Wales: Nordic Publication.
Knapp, (1997). Skills in sports. London: Routledge and Kegan Paul ltd.
McKenzie, I. (1993, March). How to get on the attack from a standard play
situation. The squash player international, 7(11),
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Abstract
Introduction
The thrust of this paper is on the contributions of external bodies to the
advancement of educational activities in Nigeria, bearing in mind trends on the
international scene, which are directed towards conformity in certain aspects of
human life. Since the scope of the paper would not permit an in-depth
discussion, one would want to state at the outset that it would be out of place to
attempt to identify all sponsors of educational programmes, as well as the
dimension of assistance. What is to be attempted is a bird’s eye-view of
sponsorship from external sources. It is expected that this effort would stimulate
further works on the external dimension in the funding of education in Nigeria.
The paper rests on the assumption that education confers knowledge and
skill. Knowledge itself has a universal appeal given the fact that it provides the
clue to the dynamics of human existence and progress. Arising from this linkage
between education and development, the provision of education services should
be perceived in the context of a world whose destiny is intractably woven in a
single whole. The import of this is that the funding of education in a particular
country does not necessarily have to be exclusively a national issue. However,
this is not to argue on the reliance of external sources in the funding and
implementation of education schemes. Rather, funding needs to be appreciated
as a desirable added value.
Operational Framework
Studies and discourses on education in Nigeria have been unduly
introverted. This has in a way tended to underestimate the relevance of
education as a universal value and by implication limited the scope of education
as a national issue. This mindset is perhaps best exemplified in the Nigerian
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This was the basis of the slogans which began in 1975 like ‘Health for all by the
years 2000’, ‘Education for all by the year 2000”.
As far as education is concerned, 1990 was a landmark in terms of its
global networking. This was the year declared by the UN General Assembly as
the International Literacy Year. Similarly, a world conference on education took
place in Jomtien, Thailand in that year (International Literacy Institute, 2002).
Deriving from the examples given above, one can establish a working
definition of globalisation as that phenomenon by which perceived beneficial
cultural values in one part of the world is extended to other parts of the world,
through a linkage of social, economic and political activities. This is the context in
which world leaders in political and intellectual life-have come to hold certain
issues as universal norms. In this category are democratic governance,
upholding the principles of human rights, economic liberalisation, population
control, global security and the spread of education. From this, we can identify
the basic features of globalisation as international regime, universal norms,
standardisation of practices, open competition and networking. It is, however,
instructive to point out that this global trend cannot be divorced from another
form of imperialisms, particularly when one takes into account the uni-polar
nature of the contemporary world, where the United States of America exercises
an over-bearing influence. It needs to be borne in mind that the pace of
globalisation heightened with the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991. These
observations however, do not detract from the focus of this paper.
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makes for better judgement. It is the very basis of productive activities. Such is
the relevance of education in the contemporary world that the United Nations
Development Programme (UNDP) has identified it as one of the tripod (others
being life expectancy, and adjusted real income) upon which the Human
Development Index (HDI) is measured. We therefore want to identify with the
argument that investment in education, which is investment in human capital, is
the best type of investment. Given the size of Nigeria’s population, the existing
educational facilities are grossly inadequate. Available statistics reveal that by
1996, out of about 21 million children of school-going age, only about 14.4
million children were enrolled in primary schools. Investigations reveal that about
64 per cent of this, completed primary schools. Similarly, just about 43.5 per
cent of this proceeded into junior secondary schools (Blue Print for UBE: 1).
External Intervention
Governments at various levels in Nigeria (Federal, State and Local) have
in various forms contributed to the development of education in Nigeria. But
experience has proved that education is about the most capital–intensive social
service. Deriving from this, it stands to reason that, assistance from non-
governmental sources would facilitate educational services. Trends worldwide
have amply demonstrated that the contributions of external forces have widened
the base of stake holders in this scheme. This includes international organisation,
members of the developed nations. Non-governmental organisations as well as
individuals who have instituted foundations aimed at sponsoring educational
programmes. In the same vein, the nature of assistance varies from financial
grant, scholarships, to supply of textbooks, equipment, policy formulation as well
as funding of researches.
The United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation
(UNESCO) has been a major facilitator in this process. At the inception of its
contributions to education in Nigeria, UNESCO was particularly concerned with
teacher education. Due to massive expansion of educational programme at the
immediate post-independence era, the agency in 1962 initiated the concept of
higher teacher training institutions called Federal Advanced Teachers Colleges
(now called Colleges of Education) (UNESCO, 1996), while indigenous principals
were appointed for the first three of such institutions, (at Lagos, Zaira and
Owerri) they were assisted by UNESCO advisers. These were Mr. S. A. Dawodu
for the Lagos Federal Advanced Teachers College, with Mr. E. Hilton (a Briton) as
the UNESCO Adviser; that of Zaria was Mr. E. E. Soladoye with Mr. G. Wilson as
Adviser. UNESCO’s efforts in the education enterprise can be seen as a
decolonisation process. For instance, the establishment of the National Technical
Teacher Training College (now Federal College of Education-Technical) in Lagos
in 1967 owes largely to the efforts of UNESCO. According to the account, the
NCE Technical Certificate: “Gradully… L. Institute” (UNESCO, 1996).
In this, way, both in conventional teacher education and the technical
teacher education field, UNESCO charted a new trail in English – speaking Africa
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Lateef A. Adeniran
(UNESCO, 1996). Among other things, UNESCO equally made its impact felt in
the development of Special Education in Nigeria. In 1991, the agency
collaborated with another UN agency, the United Nations Development
Programme (UNDP) and the Federal Government of Nigeria to organise a two-
year training project leading to the award of Master of Philosophy (M.Phil)
degree in Special Education, with the programme supervised by the University of
Birmingham (U.K) (UNESCO, 1996). In order to complement other organisations’
inputs into Nigeria’s educational development, the United Nations Children Fund
(UNICEF), has collaborated with Federal Government of Nigeria (FGN) in various
aspects. For instance, between December 1 and 2, 1994, UNICEF in collaboration
with the FGN, sponsored a workshop at the St. Andrew’s College of Education,
Oyo, on the training and retraining of Head Teachers, Education Secretaries and
Local Inspectors of Educations. In 1995, this same agency donated a Toyota
Hillux Jeep and a motor – cycle to this same institution to facilitate the
institution’s project on primary education. UNICEF sponsored studies into basic
education. One of such was the one undertaken by some lecturers at St.
Andrew’s College of Education, Oyo. The Committee worked on the topic:
Improvisation of Instructional Materials for Effective Teaching in Primary Schools.
As a way of facilitating the objectives of the nation’s Second National
Development Plan (1970-1974) as it relates to education, the UNDP made a
financial assistance of E9,375,000 to the FGN (Nigeria: bulletin, 1971:26).
The UNDP and UNESCO have jointly .sponsored a $8,021 million
programme spanning 1995-2000 for a mass literacy programme being
undertaken by the National Commission for Mass Literacy, Adult and Non-formal
Education (NMEC) (Yoloye, 1998). These same agencies have, between 1978
and 1993, jointly funded a project on the computerisation of educational data in
Nigeria (Yoloye, 1998). One must however point out that the FGN counterpart
funding in this regard was equally substantial accounting for N13,460 million
while that of UNDP was $893,278. In the same vein, the World Bank made
available the sun of $120 million credit facility for, among other things, he
training of about 400,000 education personnel for the nation’s primary schools
(Yoloye, 1998).
It is significant to point out that the Wold bank intervention efforts in the
promotion of primary education in the country, is quite apparent. It is manifested
in the pick-up vans distributed to all Local Government Education Authorities
(LGEA) in the country. They all bear the inscription: ‘World Bank, - Assisted
Primary Education Project’.
The British Government occupies a unique position in the process of
assisting Nigeria to develop its education services. This is essentially due to its
status as Nigeria’s colonial master, and by extension the major source through
which Nigeria derived its western values. In considering the period of the rising
tide of globalisation, one observed that the British contribution in this regard
comes under the technical cooperation sector. Thus, between 1988 and 1990,
the British made its contributions by making available, funds “for English
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Implications
The foregoing, which is a mere highlight of external input in Nigeria’s
efforts to widen access to formal education, reveals that the education industry
has a universal appeal. If so much has been committed into it, then one would
be compelled into asking, to what extent has the goal of Education for All been
met? Observations indicate that government commitment in this regard is yet to
reach an appreciable level. One needs to take into account the insatiable nature
of educational demands. As a manifestation of this, one observes that in spite of
the expenditure on education by the three tiers of government, the Federal
Government worked out additional form of funding through Education Trust Fund
(ETF).
Whatever financial or material input committed into any education
scheme, there will always be further basis for improvement. There is however,
an overriding factor, among others, which has vitiated the realisation of
improved educational services. This has to do with political will. For the most
part, Nigeria has been ruled by military men. By its very nature, dictatorial
regimes tend to be preoccupied with issues of security, survival and self-
preservation in power. The means to effect this are then translated into
guaranteeing national security. Consequent upon this, defence allocation was
usually given prime attention. In fact, expenditure on social services usually
suffers, and thus leading to wave of social disturbances, which became a feature
of the country. In particular, the education sector experienced setback due to
strike actions by teachers at all levels of the education system. Closure of
educational institutions sometimes lasted between three and six months at a
stretch. This irregular academic calendar and the prevailing malaise tended to
depict those who controlled the affairs of the nation as obscurantist. It is
instructive to point out that apart from other values of education; it is distinct in
terms of its significance as an instrument to effecting redistribution of national
resources in any organised community. It effects social mobility and by
implication secures for the recipient equal access to resources of the nation with
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Lateef A. Adeniran
those who, through their backgrounds have had a head start in life. In other
words the ideals of republicanisms are realised through the means of education.
However, the benefits of these principles have been constricted due to the
inadequate funding of educational services. The above situation has been
compounded due to the rampant financial mismanagement among government
functionaries. Substantial part of funds meant for these services were diverted to
private accounts. For instance, in a news report Dixon (1996) revealed that as a
result of this practice, the World Bank suspended its disbursement of a $120
millions loan to Nigeria. The said amount was meant to “Address qualitative
improvement in the nation’s primary schools through provision of books,
supplementary reader, charts and teaching kits among others” (p. 40).
Arising from this misuse of funds, expansions of educational facilities have
not been commensurate with demands as well ass expenditure. A great number
of existing facilities have deteriorated. Most importantly, teachers employed are
grossly inadequate. This state of education has led to the general
disenchantment with government-established schools. It therefore stands to
reason that the recent proliferation of private schools in the country is as much
the product of people’s indictment of government failure, as it is a feature of the
contemporary liberalisation policy brought about by the process of globalisation.
Conclusion
From the above discussion, one can appreciate the values of education. It
is such that developing countries like Nigeria have not been left fend for
themselves. Contemporary trend of universalism has facilitated contributions
from both governmental and non-governmental bodies in ensuring the expansion
of the opportunity of education. One however observes that Nigerian leaders
have not judiciously utilised this assistance. The implication for this is that it
would intensify inequalities between the various interest groups in Nigeria. This
would accentuate social crisis and by implication political instability and
undermine national unity. From the external dimension, it could further
undermine Nigeria’s opportunity of exercising desirable political leverage in the
competitive world of globalisation. In particular it can seriously hinder Nigeria’s
chances of being accepted as African’s permanent representative on the UN
Security Council.
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Dixon, S. (1996, March 4). World Bank suspends $120 million primary education
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Esu, A. & Juaid, A. (2000). Educational development: Traditional and
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Gana, J. (2000, September 3). President Bill Clinton’s visit to Nigeria. Sunday
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