ABSTRACT
This study aimed at evaluating the implementation of the senior secondary school history
curriculum in Enugu state. Enugu state is made up of six education zones; Agbani, Awgu, Enugu, Obollo-Afor, Nsukka and Udi. The evaluation model used was Context, Input and Process (CIP) model, which is a modified Stufflebeam’s Context, Input, Process and Product (CIPP) model. Five (5) research questions were posed to guide the study with five corresponding hypotheses. The study adopted evaluative survey research design. The population comprised all the History teachers and students in senior secondary classes. Two questionnaires, ‘Teachers Questionnaire on the Evaluation of the Implementation of History Curriculum (TQEIHC) and Students Questionnaire on the Evaluation of the Implementation of History Curriculum (SQEIHC) developed by the researcher were used for data collection. The Instruments were face validated by three experts. Two from Arts Education Department of University of Nigeria, Nsukka and one from Measurement and Evaluation Unit of Science Education Department of the same university. The questionnaire was trial tested on ten (10) teachers and twenty (20) students in Anambra state and reliability was established using Cronbach Co-efficient Alpha Formula. Means and Standards deviation were used to answer the research questions while t-test statistics was used to test the hypotheses at 0.05 level of significance. The findings showed that the aims and objectives of the History curriculum for senior secondary school have been achieved to a high extent. The finding further showed that the available input factors such as teaching resources and materials are utilized by History teachers to a low extent among others. Based on the findings, recommendations were made which included that teachers should ensure that all the contents of History curriculum in senior secondary schools are covered to a very great extent to ensure maximum students’ performance in both internal and external examinations. Teachers should employ method that appeal to all the senses of students in teaching and learning as this could enhance the effective implementation of History curriculum in Nigeria. Also, the ministry of education should ensure that teachers are well equipped with relevant instructional resources for the implementation of History curriculum.
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
Background to the Study
Education is the lifeblood and indeed the bedrock of any nation. According to Okeke (2000), education is one of the greatest forces that could be used to bring about progress and advancement to a nation, society and more especially homes. That is to say, that education is a vital tool for development. Accordingly, Oraru (2004) noted that education is a dynamic instrument of change for the survival of socio-cultural, economic, political, scientific and technological aspirations, objectives and values. In recognition of the importance of education in national development, the Federal Republic of Nigeria (FRN, 2008) stated that education is an instrument per-excellence for effecting national development. Education is expected to lead to inculcation of the right type of values and attitudes, training of the mind to the understanding of the word and acquisition of skills and abilities with which the individual lives and contributes to the development of the society (FRN, 2008). These goals are articulated and carried out through the instrument of the curriculum.
Curriculum is a term which refers to all the situations or experiences which the school may select and consistently organizes for the purpose of bringing about changes in the behaviours of the learners and as a means of developing the personality of the individuals (Ugwuanyi and Eneogu, 2013). In the same vein, Offorma (2009) sees curriculum as a total experiences involving the school in the process of educating young people. Curriculum no doubt is an embodiment of knowledge, skills and attitudes which a nation through her schools imparts to her citizens. As an educational programme, curriculum is made up of three basic elements, namely; programme of studies, programme of activities, and programme of guidance. Programme of studies includes all school subjects and subject matter such as Government, Mathematics, and History etc.
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History is one of the subjects taught in senior secondary schools in Nigeria. It is an organized critical study of past activities of human beings that had produced significant effects on subsequent course of events (Joseph, 2011). History studies past human activities at a particular place over a given period of time so as to record changes over time. Similarly, Marwick (2001) stated that History is the systematic study of the process, events or motion of events through the aid of records or sources. Thus, History refers to both the events of the past as well as the study of events.
The major objectives of the senior secondary school History curriculum as published by
Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council (NERDC) in 2008 are:
to expose students to a body of knowledge that would enable them appreciate History as an instrument of nation building and creating national pride; to help the students to know more about themselves by promoting their understanding of their past, in terms of both internal and external relationships; to satisfies man’s instinct of curiosity about past developments in all aspects of life; and to enables people to orientate themselves amidst the bewildering currents of human diversity p. 4.
History also fosters critical and imaginative thinking through enquiry into national and international issues. The acquisition of these skills becomes imperative and crucial because of the 21st century challenges of globalization and all it stands for (NERDC, 2008).
The revised History curriculum is divided into three but related themes to cover the three
years of senior secondary school. Historiography, historical skills and the History of pre-colonial Nigeria form the major focus of the study of the senior secondary class one. It is essential to study the pre-colonial society to see the value of the old that are recoverable, relevant and pertinent in the pursuit of nation building and identity. Emphasis at the senior secondary class
two is on British conquest and rule in Nigeria and major issues in Nigerian History since independence. These aspects of Nigerian History are also important because the colonial rule established the foundation for contemporary Nigerian (NERDC, 2008).
At the senior secondary class three levels, the students are exposed to West Africa, Africa and global issues. This is important because of the fact that the world is a globalized village. Therefore, Nigerian youth should be thoroughly equipped with the holistic knowledge of relations between nations (NERDC, 2008).
It is quite evident from the above that the 2008 revised History curriculum is planned to equip students with the knowledge and skills to synthesize past events with the present and future occurrences with a view of enabling them understand the basis of national unity and global cooperation for human development. Thus, they would become better and more enlightened citizens of the world. Collaborating the above statement, Joy (2000) stated that a society without History is doomed as such society will lose its sense of identity and bearing. In other words, there will be no development since there is no knowledge of the past, no understanding of the present and no projection into the future. Similarly, Osokoya (2007) opined that for any nation to develop a sound basis for solving her present societal problems and issues, the study of History is necessary as it provides information on how issues and problems of the past have been different from the present ones.
In spite of the relevance of History to national development as highlighted above, not many students offer the subject as an elective subject in secondary school. According to Obadan (2015) History which used to be a favorite subject on the school curriculum at independence lost its status and credence in 1981 when the national policy on education introduced social studies as a compulsory subject for both primary and junior secondary school levels and removed History from the primary and junior secondary curriculum while making it an elective arts subject at
senior secondary school level. Joseph (2011) argued that the course of the teaching of History was adversely affected by the events which followed the 1969 national curriculum conference, the adoption of a national policy of education, and the subsequent arrival of the 6-3-3-4 and the current 9-3-4 education system. According to Omolewa (2015), the 1969 conference which was expected to bring hope to the Nigerian educational system turned out to be the beginning of the decline of History teaching in Nigerian schools. In the end the curriculum reform which grew from that conference led to the reduction of the status of History. The curriculum saw the introduction of the social studies and the removal of History from primary and junior secondary school curriculum. It eventually led to what Adeyinka (2006) describes as the cramming into the second-tier secondary school of a History curriculum that ought to take six years to teach.
The subsequent curriculum reforms in Nigeria which ought to have corrected the anomalies created in Nigerian educational system with the removal of History from primary and junior secondary school curriculum unfortunately retained History as an elective arts subject alongside Government and Literature in English (Marwick, 2001). For instance History is not one of the subjects in the Universal Basic Education curriculum neither is it a core subject in the revised senior secondary school curriculum published in 2007. This has affected the study of History as most students at senior secondary school level choose Government as their elective arts subject in place of History because of the popular belief among students that social studies promotes the learning of Government at senior secondary more than History (Omolewa, 2005).
Another explanation for students’ apparent lack of interest or low enrolment in History has to do with method of teaching the subject. In most Nigerian secondary schools, the conventional method of teaching History is lecture method which is teacher-oriented and not student-centred. This conventional method involve the teacher in complete verbal instruction or exposition. In this method, communication flows only in one direction-from the teacher to the
students. The teacher is active while the learners are mere passive listeners who just take down whatever is given them by the teacher but are not allowed to participate in classroom activities (Ughamadu, 2006). In conventional method of teaching, History is presented to students as a compilation of facts and dates (Yilmaz, 2008). Students are conditioned to master knowledge through drills and practice which leads to rote learning. In this method, students are required to memorize a mass of information and recall a series of facts about History. This conventional method of teaching History in school contrasts sharply with the way historians see their work (Marwick, 2001; Yilmaz, 2008). Unfortunately, students who perceive History as facts and dates often fail to appreciate History as a discipline guided by particular rules of evidence. Such students generally do not appreciate the relevance of History to their everyday lives. In discussing new approaches to studying History, Peck (2005) posits that content and pedagogy cannot be separated because historical knowledge develops most successfully by doing History- using the historian’s tools to construct historical knowledge.
More so, students’ lack of interest in History may also be shaped by the apparent lack of educational resources in secondary schools. Educational resources here refer to infrastructural facilities (such as well equipped classrooms, libraries, conference and seminar halls or rooms, ICT centres and other necessary furniture use in school); instructional materials (such as, textbooks, pictures, maps, magazines, periodicals, newspapers, models, board displays, and costumes, tape recorders and players, film trips, and projectors etc). Most of these educational resources are lacking in most secondary schools in Nigeria and curriculum cannot be effectively implemented without them. For instance, most secondary schools in Nigeria are characterized by dilapidated buildings, leaking roofs, lack of chairs and tables for students and teachers use, buildings without toilet, unkempt surroundings etc. Ehiametalor (2001) in a review of study on relationship between infrastructure availability and curriculum implementation in Nigeria
schools opined that a relationship exist between the availability of school facilities and implementation of curriculum in Nigeria. Ivowi (2004) noted that to ensure effective implementation of curriculum, the issue of infrastructural facilities must be addressed in our schools. History curriculum cannot be effectively be implemented without adequate and necessary educational resources.
As shown by statistics, students’ enrolment in History at senior secondary school
certificate examination has continued to decline over the years. For instance between 2011 to
2015, the students that sat for History in SSCE were less than 10 percent each year. The percentage of students who sat for History was as low as 3.07 in 2012 and 2.35 in 2014 (West African Examination Council (WAEC) Research and Statistics Unit, Enugu). More so, students’ achievements in History in external examinations have also continued to dwindle over the years. This is evident in the WAEC Chief Examiner’s reports from 2012-2015 which depicted poor students’ achievement in History at Senior Secondary School Certificate Examination (SSCE). For instance, out of 3.07 percent of students that sat for History in Enugu state in 2012, 1.8 percent passed it at credit level while In 2014, 1.4 percent out of the 2.35 percent of students that took the exam, passed at credit level (WAEC Research and Statistics Unit, Enugu). Most of the reasons given for the poor performance of the students bother on poor implementation of the curriculum. The goals of any curriculum cannot be achieved if it is not well implemented.
Curriculum implementation entails putting into practice the officially prescribed courses of study, syllabuses and subjects. It is the process of putting all that have been planned as a curriculum document into practice in the classroom through the combined effort of the teachers, learners, school administrators, parents as well as interaction with physical facilities, instructional materials, psychological and social environment (Onyeachu, 2008). According to Aguokagbu (2009), curriculum implementation takes place when the teacher’s constructed
syllabus, the teacher’s personality, the teaching materials and the teaching environment interact with the learners. The worth and the true picture of what happens to the curriculum at its implementation are known through the process of evaluation.
Curriculum evaluation is the process of passing judgment on educational programmes. According to Daramola (1995), it is the process of appraising educational programmes to determine whether or not the programme goals have been achieved. Bloom (1972) sees evaluation as the systematic collection of evidence to determine whether in fact certain changes are taking place in the learners, as well as to determine the amount of or degree of change in individual students. Curriculum can be evaluated in a number of ways using different evaluation models such as goal evaluation model, provus discrepancy model, goal-free evaluation model, needs assessment model, Stufflebeam’s context, input, process, product (CIPP) model etc. However, in the present study, Context, Input and Process (CIP) model which is a modified Stufflebeam’s (1971) Context, Input, Process and Product (CIPP) model of the curriculum implementation will be used.
The modified Stufflebeam’s CIP model of evaluation detects the presence of any defects or weaknesses in the curriculum. This model is chosen because it is comprehensive, purposeful and accepted and used by curriculum evaluators in different parts of the world. For example, such indicators as curriculum, teaching staff, rate of students’ participation, implementation of programmes, teaching materials and organization of programmes are all part of CIP model that will be used.
Context evaluation helps in the diagnosis of the programme and problems in relation to the determination of programme objective. The achievement of the objectives results into programmes improvement. Input evaluation provides information for determining how to utilize resources to achieve project designs (Stufflebeam, 1971). Process evaluation is needed to provide
periodic feedback to persons responsible for implementing plans and procedures. It also provides information for interpreting project outcomes. Product evaluation has the purpose of measuring and interpreting the qualification of graduates at the end of a project cycle. With the modified Stufflebeam’s Context, Input and Process (CIP) model of evaluation therefore, the level of the implementation of secondary school History curriculum can be examined in Enugu State.
Another variable of interest in the evaluation of senior secondary school History curriculum in Enugu state is the location of school. Many researchers have been interested in whether school location has influence on the achievement of school children. Location as used in this study refers to the place or environment where a school is sited, that is, either in the urban or rural area. Uzoegwu (2004) is of the view that the location of a school determines so many things that are important in learning such as learning facilities, infrastructure, number of teachers and the class size, among others. The provision or absence of these facilities may facilitate or hinder learning. Studies carried out in Nigeria by Umo (2001), Ene (2002) and Torty (2010) showed that location had a significant effect on students’ achievement, while others by Akabogu (2002), Ene (2002) and Uzoegwu (2004) showed that location had no significant impact on students’ achievement. On the other hand, studies conducted in some Western countries by Evans, Kliewer and Martin (1991) and Lackney (1994) indicated that students from schools located in the rural areas achieved higher than those from schools located in the urban areas.
From the findings of these studies, it is not certain which school location favours better students’ achievement, thereby justifying the inclusion of school location as a variable in this study. Based on the foregoing expositions, therefore, there is the need to establish whether there is any difference in the implementation of History curriculum in urban and rural areas in Enugu state.
Statement of the Problem
History as one of the subjects taught in senior secondary schools in Nigeria studies past human activities at a particular place over a given period of time so as to record changes over time. One of the major goals is to equip students with the knowledge and skills to synthesize past events with the present and future occurrences with a view to enabling students understand the basis of national unity and global cooperation for human development (NERDC, 2008). Despite the importance of History in national unity and global cooperation, the numbers of students offering the subject in secondary school continues to decline coupled with their persistent poor performance in external examinations. For instance between 2011 to 2015, the students that sat for History in SSCE were less than 10 percent each year. The percentage of students who sat for History was as low as 3.07 in 2012 and 2.35 in 2014. More so, out of 3.07 percent of students that sat for History in Enugu state in 2012, 1.8 percent passed it at credit level while in 2014, 1.4 percent out of the 2.35 percent of students that took the exam passed at credit level (WAEC Research and Statistics Unit, Enugu).
The WAEC chief examiners’ reports over the years have connected students’’ poor performance in History to ineffective implementation of the curriculum in the classroom. If a curriculum is not well implemented, all energy dissipated in the planning of the curriculum is considered wasted. A curriculum is well implemented when the content of the curriculum have been delivered to the students by a qualified teacher using appropriate methods, materials and evaluation techniques. Therefore, the problem of this study is to evaluate the implementation of the senior secondary History curriculum in Enugu State with regards to the achievement of the aims and objectives of the curriculum; content coverage; teachers’ utilization of the available
input factors; level of compliance of teachers with the recommended teaching methods as well as evaluation techniques used in the assessment of students.
Purpose of the Study
The main purpose of the study was to evaluate the implementation of the senior secondary school History curriculum in Enugu state.
Specifically, the study sought to:
1. find out the extent to which the aims and objectives of the History curriculum for senior secondary school have been achieved in Enugu State.
2. find out the extent of coverage of the contents of the History curriculum in senior secondary schools in Enugu State.
3. determine the extent of teachers’ use of available input factors such as teaching equipment and
materials in senior secondary schools in Enugu State
4. identify the types of teaching methods used by History teachers in the implementation of senior secondary school History curriculum in Enugu State.
5. identify the evaluation techniques used by History teachers in assessing students in Enugu state.
Significance of the Study
This study is considered significant because of the usefulness of the findings to be made with regards to the theoretical contributions to already existing literature on evaluation of secondary school curriculum in Nigeria. Theoretically, the findings of this study provides more insight into the understanding and application of Stufflebeam’s (1971) Context, Input, Process and Product (CIPP) model of curriculum evaluation.
Practically, empirical evidence adduced would also be of utmost importance to Ministry of Education, Post Primary Schools Management Board (PPSMB), History teachers, students,
parents, as well as future researchers. It is expected that the study could highlight findings in the area of aims and objectives History curriculum, content and extent of coverage of the curriculum and as well the evaluation techniques used by History teachers. This information may help the State Ministry of Education (Quality Assurance Unit) to enforce the regulations laid down by the Federal Ministry of Education with regard to the provision of History teaching and learning in all public and private secondary schools in Nigeria. The State Ministry of Education may also use the information to organize seminars, workshops and conferences for History teachers to sensitize/train them on how to effectively implement the revised History curriculum.
Information from the findings of this study may be useful to PPSMB as it may help them see the need to adopt serious measures to ensure facilities/instructional materials are available and adequate for students in both urban and rural secondary schools. PPSMB may also find the information provided through the findings of this study useful to ensure continuing professional development of History teachers.
The result would equally be useful to History teachers, who will use the findings of the study in decision making on instructional materials, instructional techniques and evaluation techniques during lesson planning and classroom teaching.
Finally, the study may also be useful to future researchers who would wish to conduct study related to evaluation of secondary school curriculum. The result of the study may serve as reference material and guide to them.
Scope of the Study
The study was restricted to evaluation of the implementation of History curriculum in senior secondary schools in Enugu State. The study was further restricted to Senior Secondary Students in year two (S.S11) offering History in the six education zones of Enugu State. The specific curriculum evaluation plan for this study was based on Context, Input and Process (CIP)
model which is a modified Stufflebeam’s (1971) Context, Input, Process and Product (CIPP) model of the curriculum evaluation. The evaluation will be based on three areas, namely: context, input and process component. The content evaluation include identifying the levels of attainment of the objectives and content of the History curriculum; Input evaluation covered the extent of provision of adequate instructional facilities and methods of teaching adopted by teachers while process evaluation investigated mode of assessment and mode of instruction used by teachers in the implementation of History curriculum in Enugu state.
Research Questions
The following research questions guided the study:
1. To what extent have the aims and objectives of the History curriculum for senior secondary school been achieved in Enugu State?
2. To what extent have the contents of the History curriculum been covered in senior secondary schools in Enugu State?
3. To what extent do teachers use the available input factors such as teaching resources and materials in Enugu State?
4. What are the types of teaching methods used by History teachers in the implementation of senior secondary school History curriculum in Enugu State?
5. What evaluation techniques are used by History teachers in assessing their students in Enugu
State?
Hypotheses
Five null hypotheses were formulated to guide the study. They will be tested at 0.05 level of significance.
HO1 There is no significant difference in the mean ratings of urban and rural History teachers on the extent the aims and objectives of the History curriculum for senior secondary school are achieved.
HO2 There is no significant difference in the mean ratings of teachers and students on the extent the contents of History curriculum are covered in senior secondary schools.
HO3 There is no significant difference in the mean ratings of teachers and students on the extent teachers use the available input factors such as teaching resources and materials in senior secondary schools.
HO4 There is no significant difference in the mean ratings of teachers and students on the types of teaching methods used by History teachers in senior secondary schools. HO5 There is no significant difference in the mean ratings of teachers and students on the evaluation techniques used by History teachers in assessing students in senior secondary school History curriculum
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EVALUATION OF THE IMPLEMENTATION OF SENIOR SECONDARY SCHOOL HISTORY CURRICULUM IN ENUGU STATE
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