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Teachers' Perception of The Relevance of Social Studies Curriculum for Developing Civic Competence...

Okafor, Nnamdi Chris, Hassan, Hassana,  Egbukonye, Eberechukwu, Ugo

Teachers' Perception of The Relevance of Social Studies Curriculum for Developing
Civic Competence Among Upper Basic Students in Kogi State, Nigeria

By

Okafor, Nnamdi Chris
Institute of Education, University of Abuja, Abuja, Nigeria okafor.nnamdi@uniabuja.edu.ng
08035447854

Hassan, Hassana
Department of Educational Foundations, University of Abuja, Abuja, Nigeria

Egbukonye, Eberechukwu, Ugo
Department of Educational Foundations, University of Abuja, Abuja, Nigeria

Abstract
This study investigated Social Studies teachers' perception of the relevance of the Social Studies curriculum as a tool for developing civic competence among Upper Basic students in Kogi State, Nigeria. The study adopted a descriptive survey design. The population comprised 578 Social Studies teachers in government-owned Upper Basic schools in Kogi State, from which a sample of 234 respondents was drawn. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire and analysed using descriptive statistics, such as mean and standard deviation, to answer the research question. In contrast, an independent t-test was used to test the null hypothesis at the 0.05 significance level. The findings revealed that Social Studies teachers strongly perceived the curriculum as an effective instrument for promoting civic competence among students. It was observed that the curriculum enhances the inculcation of civic values, political participation, and citizens' interest in democratic processes. However, the t-test indicated a significant difference in perceptions between male and female teachers regarding the curriculum's influence on the development of civic competence. The study concluded that the Social Studies curriculum is highly relevant in equipping students with the knowledge, skills, and values necessary for responsible citizenship and national development. It is recommended that practical civic education activities be integrated into teaching, regular teacher training programs be organised, and the curriculum be reviewed to reflect emerging civic challenges and global trends.

Keywords:   Social Studies Curriculum, Civic Competence, Teachers' Perception, Upper Basic
Students, Citizenship Education.

Introduction
Amid growing social and political challenges, democracy in Nigeria stands at a critical point. In a democratic society, the will of the people shapes civil institutions, policymaking, and governance (Ehrlich, 2020). A healthy democracy relies on active, informed citizen participation characterised by deliberation, collaboration, and shared responsibility (Colby,
2017). However, mere freedom to participate is insufficient; citizens must possess the civic competence to engage meaningfully in governance and societal development. Education, therefore, plays a crucial role in fostering civic competence, such as the knowledge, skills, values, and attitudes necessary for effective citizenship (Rubin, 2018).

In Nigeria, the philosophy of education aligns with the goals of the Social Studies curriculum, which aims to produce effective citizens who can contribute to national development (Olasoji,
2023). Through both formal and informal learning, Social Studies equips learners with civic knowledge, social values, and life skills essential for responsible participation in society. As Ojedokun (2018) notes, Social Studies was introduced to address societal problems and develop civically competent individuals. It draws on multiple disciplines to help learners understand their environment and contribute positively to social transformation (Mofoluwawo, 2016).

Civic competence, as defined by Soraya (2020), is vital for sustaining democratic societies and developing responsible citizens. It encompasses understanding democracy, justice, equity, and civil rights, as well as the ability to engage with others to solve societal problems (Mofoluwawo,
2018). A civically competent citizen thinks critically, acts ethically, and demonstrates solidarity in addressing national challenges. Social Studies, being interdisciplinary, provides the platform for cultivating these attributes and preparing learners for meaningful participation in civic life.

Despite these educational provisions, Nigeria faces persistent issues such as political hooliganism, corruption, indiscipline, tribalism, religious intolerance, and violence. These social vices reflect a deficiency in civic competence among citizens (Ude, 2023). The erosion of values, lack of patriotism, and widespread apathy toward national issues hinder Nigeria's social and political development. Danladi (2015) emphasises that no society can progress without positive attitudinal change, underscoring the relevance of Social Studies education in shaping responsible citizens.

Civic competence fosters a sense of belonging, responsibility, and respect for shared values, which are necessary for societal cohesion. The Social Studies curriculum, therefore, serves as a vital tool for promoting civic awareness, addressing corruption, ethnic conflict, and social disunity. It provides structured learning experiences that help students adjust to social changes and acquire the skills needed for constructive engagement in a democratic society.

Moreover, teachers' perceptions significantly influence the effectiveness of Social Studies in achieving these goals. Factors such as age, gender, educational qualification, and school location may affect how teachers perceive and implement the curriculum. Teachers with strong pedagogical knowledge and commitment can inspire civic-minded learners capable of contributing to national stability and democratic sustainability.

In essence, the Social Studies curriculum remains central to the development of civic competence in Nigeria. Its effective implementation, particularly at the upper basic education level, is key to producing citizens equipped with the values, knowledge, and skills required for national growth, social harmony, and the survival of democracy.

Statement of the Problem
In recent years, Nigeria has been bedevilled by numerous societal challenges stemming from a
lack of civic competence among the citizenry. Political apathy is rife among youths, who are
sometimes reluctant to participate in the democratic process. The spirit of patriotism is almost
non-existent, ethnic and religious tensions are on the increase, and all forms of crime and
criminality are being reported on daily in Nigeria, ranging from kidnapping, banditry, and
destruction of public infrastructure. What could be responsible for this? Could it be that citizens

have not developed the needed civic competence for political participation and social cohesion? Government agencies, such as the National Orientation Agencies, have attempted to raise awareness and develop civic competence among citizens, to no avail. Education appears to be the most potent instrument for orienting and reorienting the citizens of Nigeria, inculcating the civic competence needed for national development.    According to Soroya (2020), civic competence can be achieved using the instrumentality of the Social Studies curriculum.

Social Studies education is a subject designed and evolved to foster civic competence in learners and to develop a better understanding of the cultural values that guide human interaction with their physical and social environments. In light of this, the study investigates teachers' perceptions of the Social Studies curriculum as a tool for developing civic competence among Upper Basic students in Kogi State, Nigeria.

Purpose of the Study
The purpose of this study is to investigate Social Studies teachers' perceptions of the relevance of the Social Studies curriculum as a tool for developing civic competence among Upper Basic students in Kogi State, Nigeria.

Research Questions
This research question guided the study:I. What is the perception of Social Studies teachers on the relevance of the Social Studies curriculum as a tool for developing civic competence among Upper Basic students in Kogi State, Nigeria?

Hypotheses
Based on the above research questions, the following null hypothesis is formulated and will be tested at the 0.05 level of significance.

Ho1:There is no significant difference in the mean rating of male and female Social Studies teachers about their perception of the influence of Social Studies curriculum as a tool for developing civic competence among Upper Basic students in Kogi State, Nigeria.

Conceptual Review
The Concept of Civic Competence
Civic Competence has been acknowledged as essential to supporting sustainable societies, economies, and ecosystems, and to developing responsible, active citizens in today's increasingly connected world (Soraya, 2020). Nigeria, as a nation, has been yearning for citizens who are not only aware of the benefits and opportunities society provides but also of what they stand to contribute to society's well-being. This is in accord with the patriotic slogan of former American president J. F. Kennedy: that Americans should not think of what the nation can do for them, but of what they can do for the nation.

Civic competence is the ability to act as responsible citizens and to fully participate in civic and social life, based on an understanding of social, economic, legal, and political concepts and structures, as well as global developments and sustainability (Naval, 2023). Civic competence enables individuals to fully participate in civil society, grounded in knowledge of political and social concepts and structures, and in a commitment to active, democratic participation.

Civic competence encompasses the activities of learning or gaining knowledge of government, its functions, and the morally acceptable duties and responsibilities of citizenship. Civic competence is geared towards promoting participation in the democratisation of government. It also focuses on promoting good governance and on dramatic changes in attitudes and actions regarding social and societal values, skills, knowledge, legal rights, honesty, norms, and the qualities expected of good and responsible citizens in nation-building (Abdulraheem, 2018).

Social Studies Education
According to Adeyemi (2019), Social Studies Education is a school subject designed to teach the virtues of good citizenship and promote civic competence among citizens. Social Studies Education provides learners with a broad understanding and awareness, helping them recognise their value, duties, and rights within their society, community, or country at large. According to Utulu (2011), Social Studies Education becomes highly relevant, as it seeks to introduce learners to the process of democratic socialisation by promoting support for democratic behaviours and values among citizens.

Positive values determine attitude, which in turn influences character and behaviours. Social Studies Education is a veritable instrument for inculcating values among youths in Nigeria, enabling them to become civically competent. At the core of Social Studies Education is improving the process by which citizens apply knowledge acquired through it to make rational decisions for their own betterment and that of society at large (Shuaibu, 2022). Social Studies Education is a vigorous attempt to teach morals, social and societal values, skills, knowledge, legal rights, honesty, norms, and qualities expected of good and responsible citizens for nation- building (Abdu-Raheem, 2018).

In the view of Abdusalam (2017), Social Studies is a field of study that can be considered an instrument for positive change in knowledge, values, attitudes, and skills, enabling citizens to be responsible members of society. Danladi (2005) opined that social studies has the potential to inculcate correct values in learners through a unified, interdisciplinary study of man. Ajiboye (2017) observed that Social Studies is a subject that provides knowledge and skills to enable youth to perform their expected roles and participate in the process of democratisation.

Social Studies Education is a process by which citizens acquire values, attitudes, skills, and knowledge that enable them to benefit themselves and the general Society as they interact with other members of the Society (Akinola, 2014).  Mezieobi and Edinyang (2013) defined Social Studies as a value-laden course of instruction meant to equip the learner with cognition, Knowledge, values, attitudes, and functional skills to serve in an ever-dynamic society, replete with sporadic changes in cultural values and knowledge. Civic Education is a significant component of the school syllabus that instils in students the values of good citizenship (Abdul- Raheem & Olorunda, 2019).

Social Studies Education is a school subject with the power to instil desired character, values, and attitudes in Nigerian youths, thereby supporting civic engagement and national development. Omoniyi (2023) opined that Social Studies Education emphasises the development of skills, both in theory and in practice, to ensure responsible citizenship. Social Studies is a problem-solving discipline; it is culture-bound and plays a vital role in enhancing

Okafor, Nnamdi Chris, Hassan, Hassana,  Egbukonye, Eberechukwu, Ugo

Nigerians' civic competence. Social Studies has the capacity to produce effective and efficient youths in Nigeria who have the mental and emotional competence to engineer social stability and development. Competence is a complex combination of knowledge, skills, values, attitudes, and desire that lead to effective, embodied human action in the world (Adeyemi, 2019).

Social Studies Education as a Veritable Instrument for Achieving Civic Competence among Youths in Nigeria
Social Studies education is an integrated body of knowledge formulated to equip learners with significant values, attitudes, skills, and knowledge to be productive and functional in society. One of the primary responsibilities of Social Studies education is to orient and reorient the youth with civic competence. Social Studies relies heavily on specific methods, including inquiry, topical, and problem-based activities, as well as other approaches, to expose learners to the pros and cons of various situations and to develop reasoned judgment (Shuaibu, 2022).

Through the instructional practices of professional Social Studies teachers, Social Studies education can inculcate core values such as self-control, contentment, caring for others, self- discipline, love, and honesty in Nigerian youths, values needed for civic competence.   The impact of Social Studies Education on citizens' civic competence was well captured in the goals of Social Studies, which were rooted in the National Policy on Education (FRN, 2004).

The following educational goals are contained in the document:
i.        The inculcation of national consciousness and national unity;
ii.	The inculcation of the correct type of values and attitudes for the survival of the individual and the Nigerian society;
iii.      The training of the mind in the understanding of the world around;
iv.       The acquisition of appropriate skills and the development of mental, physical, and social abilities and competencies as equipment for the individual to live and contribute to the development of society.

The overall objective of Social Studies education is to inculcate attitudes, skills, and knowledge that help citizens become patriotic, socially responsible, and informed about the social milieu in which they operate. Other universally accepted values that Social Studies education seeks to inculcate in the youths of Nigeria include: an appreciation of Nigeria's diversity, a positive attitude toward citizenship, entrepreneurship, positive thinking, cooperation and collaboration, honour, helpfulness, truthfulness, kindness, and generosity, among others. Through classroom Social Studies instruction, learners develop skills and a spirit of collaboration and cooperation that are vital to human relations. This can be achieved by teaching concepts such as tolerance, collaboration, peace education, and national integration.

Social Studies constitute one of the curriculum arrangements accepted to lay a strong foundation for the development of good citizens amongst young learners. According to Shittu and Gamde (2021), the main aim of teaching Social Studies Education in educational institutions is to make learners understand and appreciate the importance of good values and enable them to reflect on, and deploy these values in their daily lives, behaviour, and attitudes, contributing towards the development of society.

Values influence people's behaviour and serve as a yardstick for evaluating others' actions in

society (Omoniyi, 2023). In the domain of Social Studies education, values are fundamental, as they are closely tied to the broader field. There is a need for education to be worthwhile and have value implications. Values are a necessary component of civic competence.

Methodology
The research design adopted for this study was a descriptive survey. The study population comprised Social Studies teachers from all government-owned Upper Basic Education schools in Kogi State, Nigeria. There are five hundred and seventy-eight (578) Social Studies teachers in government-owned Upper Basic schools in Kogi state, and a total of five hundred and eighty-six (586) Social Studies teachers. A sample size of 234 respondents was used for the study. The instrument used for the study was a questionnaire.

Descriptive statistical tools (frequency distributions, simple percentages) were used to analyse the demographic data. Mean and Standard Deviation were used to answer the research questions, and the study's null hypotheses were tested using inferential statistics (t-test). To answer the research questions, the researcher established 2.50 as the cut-off point for the mean score to determine whether to accept or reject the items.

Data Presentation and Analysis
Research Question One: What is the perception of Social Studies teachers on the relevance of the Social Studies curriculum as a tool for developing civic competence among Upper Basic students in Kogi State, Nigeria?

Table 1: Teachers ' perception of the relevance of Social Studies curriculum as a tool for developing civic competence among students                                                        _N _=221 	

S/n | Items | Mean | | Std. D | | Decision
1. 2. | Social studies curriculum helps in inculcating the right types of knowledge and values. The Social Studies curriculum can be used to | 3.87 3.82 | | .338 .386 | | Agreed Agreed
3. | enhance the participation of youths in the political process The social studies curriculum is a veritable | 3.84 | | .366 | | Agreed
4. | tool that can be used to improve civic competence. The Social Studies curriculum is relevant in | 3.83 | | .374 | | Agreed
| the |
| developing citizens’ interest in the electoral |
| process. |
Average mean score and Std. Dev.                         3.84            .366            Agreed
Source: SPSS version 25

Table 8 presents data on Social Studies teachers' perceptions of the relevance of the Social Studies curriculum as a tool for developing civic competence among Upper Basic students in Kogi State, Nigeria. The analysis showed agreement on all the items. By implication, the average score of 3.84, above the benchmark of 2.50, supports the conclusion that teachers perceive the Social Studies curriculum as a veritable tool for developing students' civic

competence. The curriculum not only helps inculcate the right types of knowledge and values, but also enhances youths' participation in the political process and is relevant to developing citizens' interest in the electoral process.

^pe

^t

^ence

Test of Hypotheses

^Ho_1

There is no significant difference in the mean rating of male and female Social Studies

teachers about their perception of the influence of Social Studies curriculum as a tool for developing civic competence among Upper Basic students in Kogi State, Nigeria.

^d

^eveloping ^civic ^com

Table 2: t-test on significant difference in the mean ratings of male and female Social Studies teachers regarding their perception of the influence of Social Studies curriculum as a tool for

Variables | N | Mean | S.D | t-value | Df | Sig(2-tailed) | Decision
Male Teachers | 144 | 3.9375 | .24291 | 5.694 | 219 | .001 | significant
Female Teachers | 77 | 3.6623 | .47601 | | | |
Source: SPSS version 25

The analysis in Table 14 was conducted to determine whether there is a significant difference in the mean ratings of male and female Social Studies teachers regarding their perceptions of the Social Studies curriculum as a tool for developing civic competence among Upper Basic students in Kogi State, Nigeria. A p-value of .001 (less than the 0.05 level of significance) indicates a significant difference. The null hypothesis is therefore rejected. This indicates a significant difference in the mean ratings of male and female Social Studies teachers regarding their perceptions of the Social Studies curriculum as a tool for developing civic competence among Upper Basic students in Kogi State, Nigeria.

Discussion of Findings
The findings of this study revealed that the Social Studies curriculum is a veritable tool for developing students' civic competence. The curriculum not only helps inculcate the right types of knowledge and values, but also enhances youths' participation in the political process and contributes to the development of citizens' interest in the electoral process. These findings conformed with earlier studies by Rubin (2018), which found that Social Studies education has long played a pivotal role in developing the civic competence needed for citizens to engage effectively in the democratic process. It also aligns with Adeyemi (2019), who asserted that Social Studies has the capacity to produce effective and efficient youths in Nigeria who possess the mental and emotional competence to engineer social stability and national development. Competence is a complex combination of knowledge, skills, values, attitudes, and desire that lead to effective, embodied human action in the world.

Recommendation
1.	The Social Studies curriculum should be effectively implemented with emphasis on practical civic education activities such as debates, community service, and simulations

of democratic processes to enhance learners' civic competence.
2.	Government  and  educational  agencies  should  organise  regular  capacity-building workshops and seminars for Social Studies teachers to update their knowledge and teaching methods for promoting civic competence.
3.	The Social Studies curriculum should be periodically reviewed to incorporate emerging national and global civic issues such as digital citizenship, environmental responsibility, and human rights education.

Conclusion
The study concluded that the Social Studies curriculum is highly relevant and effective in developing civic competence among Upper Basic students in Kogi State, Nigeria. Social Studies serves as a foundational subject for inculcating democratic values, civic awareness, and responsible citizenship among learners. The findings underscore that the curriculum plays a vital role in shaping students' knowledge, skills, and attitudes towards active participation in civic and political life. However, differences in perceptions among male and female teachers indicate the need for more inclusive, gender-sensitive approaches to curriculum delivery. Overall, the study affirms that Social Studies remains a potent instrument for addressing the civic and moral deficits evident in Nigerian society and for building a citizenry that contributes positively to national unity and development.

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