CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1    BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

       Social studies, is a programme of instruction or study which a society uses in still in the students or pupils the ideas, knowledge’s, skills attitudes and actions , it considers important concerning the relationship and thing we have with each other. This is a dynamic body of knowledge in a discipline which deals with the study of man and his interaction with his physical and social environment, it deals with how man influence and is influence by his physical, social, political, economic and psychological and cultural environments. The teaching of social studies in Nigeria secondary schools has a short but an important history in the school curriculum.

       Social studies is not only a study but also a way of life which integrated study of the social science and humanities to promote civic competence. There are field of scholarship that study society, is also a peer reviewed Journal that publishers articles of interest to educators at all levels. Through the proper development implementation and utilization of the knowledge that social studies could provide about society of the best of society, the right environment could be created for development of the right laws ethics and values for the society in a way for superior to what could be obtained was application of any knowledge attainable for any one its component subject parts.

       According to Jiboku (1993) that social studies is that aspect of learning which deals with how to get along with one’s environment, physical as well as human and how to develop those skills knowledge, attitudes and values that characterized a responsive and responsible citizen in a free world and free society. Teaching of social studies is a new phenomenon in most of Nigerian secondary schools, it was formally called general knowledge up to 1976, this development created various problems for the teachers, the nature of the subject as a covering term, making its precise, definition, selection of appropriate objective, content and methodology.  Social studies as a tool aims at helping young people to solve a lot of problem, if carefully planned and implemented, for example in united states and Canada, social studies has its primary objective that is the preparation of pupils for effective citizenship in a democratic society.

       The prospects of study social studies cannot be over emphasized based on the fact that is a single integrated subject, only recently the Nigerian institution of learning right from the secondary to the tertiary level and it is currently gaining a nation wide acceptance. The planning and organization rested mainly in the lands of experts and specialists within the social science discipline, drawn from the universities and who are largely out of touch and reach with the schools. As in the case of new subject, those who teach it are confused, many are on the problems bound to arise for instance, the problem of dealing with a new subject which is quite different but has emerged from other well established ones, the problem of lack of a clear out definition, the problem of lack of a definition majority of the present teachers who can teach the subject are unfamiliar with the result that they continue to teach the old concept and ideas under the new subject heading social studies. All these and other constitute problems in teaching social studies.

       The finder or the researcher sincerely hopes that social studies pupils or student has build up for themselves their initiative, originalities and judgment to become intelligent and use social.

1.2     STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

       Social studies education in secondary school has been facing many problems, despite the indispensable contribution of the discipline, it has been observed that this subject is confronted with a lot of problems in Awgu Local Government area. Since the main issue in Nigeria is how should we be united, many researcher had come up with the opinion the significance of social studies to Nigeria can be appreciated when we look back to the experience of the two and half years civil war taught all Nigerians the lesson of age long adage which says united we stand, divided we fall unity for strength learnt from the war, it has been translated into all aspect of our life political educational, physical and economical etc.

       Mostly due to insufficient qualified social studies teachers, lack the materials for teaching social studies subjects, the nature scope and lack of clear definition of the subject and lack of knowledge of the method of teaching the subject, in the present day Nigeria, a lot of problem had come in between social studies and social subjects, which are physics chemistry because of the importance of science and technology, it make some schools to pay less attention to social studies in the secondary and tertiary level of study, the problem of teaching social studies in secondary school in Awgu Local Government Area of Enugu state would be carefully pay attention studies in this work.

1.3     PURPOSE OF THE STUDY

        The main purpose of this study  is to study the problems of teaching social studies in secondary schools in Awgu Local Government Area. Specifically, there are:

1. To find how could instructional material can be include in the teaching of social studies in secondary schools.

2. To find the problems involved in teaching of social studies in secondary schools.

3. To suggest appropriate solutions to any of the problems in teaching social studies in secondary schools.

4. To find out the prospect of teaching and learning social studies in secondary schools.  

1.4    SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

        This research is of significance to the domain social studies education and as well throw more light on appropriate methodology and choice of instructional material. These aims and objectives however cannot be achieved if there are no sufficient and effective means of running these subjects into our Nigerian institution of learning.

        The finding of the study would help to expose the problems and betters ways of teaching social studies, the introduction of social studies subject in Nigerian school curriculum is not without aims and objectives. The rational behind this introduction is to meet the state and nation man power needs.

1.5    SCOPE OF THE STUDY

        This present an overview of the strengths and weaknesses of these different approaches in Awgu Local Government Areas and specifically centered extensively on (16) sixteen secondary schools found in the area. The general aim of the study was to choose, develop and experiment with some evaluation method. It also identifies the consequences and some possible solution to the problems as well as using non-formal educational programme to meet up the needs of the students.

1.6     RESEARCH QUESTIONS

        The following research questions were formulated to guide the study.

1.     Are there enough social studies materials like, textbook, maps, globes in secondary schools in Awgu Local Government Area?

2.     What are the problems of teaching social studies in secondary schools in Awgu Local Government Area?

3.     What are the solution of the problems of teaching social studies in secondary schools in Awgu Local Government Area?

4.     What are prospect of teaching and learning social studies in secondary schools in Awgu Local Government Area?

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