IMPACT OF SOCIAL STUDIES AS PROGRAM INSTRUMENT IN MINIMIZING VIOLENCE FOR IMPROVING ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE OF JUNIOR SECONDARY SCHOOL PUPILS IN KADUNA STATE, NIGERIA

IMPACT OF SOCIAL STUDIES AS PROGRAM INSTRUMENT IN MINIMIZING VIOLENCE FOR  IMPROVING ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE OF JUNIOR SECONDARY SCHOOL PUPILS  IN KADUNA STATE, NIGERIA

ABSTRACT

This research work was conducted with the aim of assessing the impact of Social Studies as curriculum instrument in minimizing violence for enhancing academic performance of Junior Secondary School Students in Kaduna State, Nigeria. A total of three research questions and their corresponding null hypotheses were tested and answered at 0.05 level of significance. Survey method was adopted for the study of entire junior secondary school II and III Social Studies students totaling to 105, 248  population in Kaduna State. The sample size was 384 respondents who were randomly selected based on the basis of Krejcie and Morgan‟s (1970) sample selection. The instrument used for data collection for this research was self developed questionnaire titled „Minimizing Violence against Children Questionnaire (MVACQ), which was a 30 item modified 4 likert scale instrument. The instrument was validated by supervisors and team of experts. The instrument was pilot tested, the data collected was analyzed using Gronbarch statistics and index power of 0.73 was realized. The statistical package for social sciences was used to analyze the data. Frequencies and percentages were used for the demographic variables. Descriptive statistics of frequencies, mean and standard deviation to answer the three research questions, while the inferential statistics of independent sample t-test was used to test the research hypotheses at 0.05 alpha level of significance. The findings of the research showed that no significant difference in the opinion of Male and Female, J S II, J S III and Urban and Rural respondents believed that, social studies content serves as an instrument for minimizing violence for an enhanced academic performance among junior secondary schools social studies students. The study recommended among others that government should organize public enlightenment campaign, through National Orientation Agency, NYSC Orientation camps, seminars and workshops on the ways of promoting national development and promoting values awareness in tackling dynamic problems in the society by identifying and solving social problems using problem solving techniques. Also, Social Studies curriculum should be reviewed and made more relevant and responsive on teaching the rights and privileges of children in the society. Hence, if pupils/students are fairly treated and protected against violence, a conducive atmosphere is created for high academic performance among them.

CHAPTER ONE INTRODUCTION

1.1       The Background to the study

Violence against children constitutes all forms of emotional, physical, economic and sexual maltreatment directed at children or persons below the age of eighteen (18) years. This consequently results in actual or potential harm to a child‟s health, survival, development or dignity in the context of a relationship of responsibility, trust or power. Violence against children is a basic violation of child rights with an outcome of a set of interrelated, social, psychological and economic dilemmas. The problems of violation of a child rights constitute a critical matter on the international human rights agenda. In the context of Nigeria as the most populous black nation in the world with an estimated population of about 170 million, National Population Commission (2014), there are numerous ethnic groups but there are three major (3) major tribes. The country is blessed with rich natural resources (human and materials) but unfortunately has not developed the right type of technology, industrial, management and political know-how to pull its resources together in a stable economy to take care of the basic needs of its population. Thus poverty and unfavorable living condition seem to be prevalent affecting children. As a result, the country is characterized with cultural conflicts, religious crises, economic and social disorder, family disintegration, environmental threat and political challenges among others (Mathew, 2015).

In last decades, there have been reported cases of violence against children such as torture, kidnapping/shootings, sexual harassment, rape, corporal punishment and so on. However, there is no proper documentation of most of these violent acts. In response, a global in-depth study of violence against children was commissioned by the UN secretary general as directed the general assembly resolution of 2002 to provide a global picture. The report provided information that various types of violence exist against children within the family, schools, alternative care institutions, detention facilities, places where children work and communities.

In 2002, the World Health Organization (WHO) reported that 53,000 children were murdered worldwide. A survey from many countries showed that 20 to 65 percent of school aged children were reported to have been bullied verbally or physically. The World Health Organization also submit that, an estimated 150 million girls and 73 million boys under eighteen years were sexually abused, while 100 to 140 million girls and women in the world underwent some form of female genital mutilation or the other (UNICEF, 2007). The International Labor Organization (ILO) in UNICEF 2007, report indicates that globally 218 million children were involved in various forms of child labor; 126 million of these children were involved in dangerous work. Also 1.8 million work in prostitution and pornography and that 1.2 million children were victims of child trafficking.

The consequences of violence can be devastating; these include brain injuries, bruises and fractures, poor interpersonal relationship and communication, learning problems , emotional/psychological problems like anxiety, depression, aggression or attempted suicide, use of drugs, sexual indulgence and health related problems such as HIV/AIDS and Sexually Transmitted Infection (STIs) and above all, most of the impacts can result in early death while those who survive live with physical and emotional scars.

In the Nigeria context, Mathew (2015), reveals that approximated 15 million Nigerian children are working in Nigeria in different hubs of the economy both informal and semi-formal sectors. Thus the economy necessity significantly seems to be the factor that drives much of the  children who are often forced into long hours and dangerous situations that are harmful, because physiological and psychological growth are not the appropriate. The effort to survive has exposed them to accidents, violence, sexual exploitations, trafficking, HIV infections etc

Violence against children in Nigeriaand other parts of the world are cancerous because the environment, socio-economic and political development of children are jeopardized at the altar of neglect. The Nigerian child and like other children in the world has equal rights to live and as such, should be protected from trampling on their rights. It is important to note that almost all part of the country is involved in violence against children. Children in Nigeria are often exposed to vulnerable acts such as street begging and child marriage, illiteracy and female genital mutilation. In an effort to champion campaign against violence against children in Nigeria, the federal government of Nigeria enacted the child right act (2003) with the view to curtail the prevalent act of violence against children in Nigeria and join hands in the campaign of giving the child a place in the country as the future hope of the nation. According to Ikwumelu (2000) categories the Social Studies objectives as: citizenship education, preparing the students for social responsibilities; humanistic education, helping the students to comprehend their lives; intellectual education, introducing the students to the mode of thinking and enquiry of the social sciences; and value decision, inculcating in the individual some expected attitude values and feeling. This implies that all these objectives will build up the characters of the learners to shun every form of violence.

In most parts of Nigeria today, children are crying for freedom; freedom from oppression and suppression, freedom to go to school, freedom to make decision that affects their lives, freedom to enjoy their basic rights as humans. They may be black, poor and illiterate, beggars, hawking, deprived of their rights but need respect and can be respected. In the whole continents of the world, children must be made free from all kind of violence because the increasing spate of violence globally, Nigeria inclusive with its attendant consequences, calls for urgent assessment, prevention and mitigation of the effects in order to secure the future of Nigerian children.

It is against this background that the researcher will employ the theory on information processing and the Mimetic theory to investigate the impact of Social Studies as curriculum instrument in minimizing violence for enhancing academic performance of junior secondary school students in Kaduna State, Nigeria.

1.2         Statement of Problem

Children are seen and regarded as the family crowning glory, they serve as link between the present and the future, the natural extension of the family, a projection of self into the future, depending on how well they are trained, children takes over from their parents and as such, they are expected to be protected by every member of the community, hence their protection and well being subsequently guaranteed and assured thereby incorporating them into the affairs of the society or nation.

Unfortunately, most children are deprived of such privileges, entitlements and consequently exposing them to inhuman experiences such as street begging, torture, kidnapping, rape, corporal punishment and so on, denying them access to basic and quality education. Could violence against children be attributed to ignorance? Or could it be as a result of parent‟s low level of education? Or is it as a result of over-burden responsibilities on the part of parents.

The problem of this research hinges on the determination to confirm the extent to which Social Studies education could be used as instrument to  minimize incidence of violence for enhancing students‟ academic performance in junior secondary schools.

1.3       Objectives of the Study

The general objectives of this study is to find out the extent to which Social Studies education serve as an instrument of minimizing violence among JSS students for improved academic performance. More specifically the objectives of this research are to:

1. Determine the perception of male and female students on the relevance of Social Studies in minimizing violence for enhanced academic performance among junior secondary school students in Kaduna State; ii. Determine if difference exist in the perception of JSS II and JSS III students regarding the methodology of teaching Social Studies education in enhancing their academic performance; and iii. Determine if difference exist in the views of urban and rural students regarding the evaluation technique in Social Studies education as an instrument for minimizing violence and enhancing their academic performance in junior secondary schools in

Kaduna State.

1.4        Research Questions

The following research questions guide this study

1. What is the difference between the opinion of male and female students in junior secondary school regarding the content of social studies education as an instrument for minimizing violence for enhanced academic performance in junior secondary schools in

Kaduna State?

1. What is the difference between the opinion of JSS II and JSS III students regarding the methods of teaching Social Studies education as an instrument for minimizing violence for enhanced academic performance in junior secondary schools in Kaduna State?

• What is the difference between the opinion of urban and rural students regarding evaluation of Social Studies education as an instrument for minimizing violence for enhanced academic performance in junior secondary schools in Kaduna State?

1.5        Null Hypotheses

The following null hypotheses were put forward to guide the researcher in the study:

1. There is no significant difference in the opinion of male and female junior secondary school students regarding the content of Social Studies education as an instrument for minimizing violence for enhancing their academic performance.
2. There is no significant difference in the opinion of JSS II and JSS III students regarding methodology of teaching Social Studies education as an instrument for minimizing violence for enhancing their academic performance.

• There is no significant difference in the opinion of urban and rural students regarding evaluation of social studies education as an instrument for minimizing violence for enhanced academic performance in Kaduna State.

1.6       Significance of the Study

This study on Social Studies education as curriculum instrument in minimizing violence for enhancing academic performance of junior secondary school students in Kaduna State will be significant in number of ways, which are:

The outcome of this study will enhance Social Studies students‟ academic performance in junior secondary schools in Kaduna State. The study will also help provide reliable research data for policy makers and implementers that will bring about improvement in the academic performance of junior secondary school students.

The research findings will help curriculum planners and developers in Social Studies education to develop Social Studies curriculum that will be beneficial to students, parents, the school and the nation at large on the need to urgently address the consequences of violence against children in Kaduna State.

It will help to re-orientate Nigerian students and the entire society who have being embedded with tendencies of indiscipline, dishonesty, corruption and intolerance towards having a mind set free from such vices

The study is expected to guide teachers and lecturers alike in our various academic institutions regarding their attitudes towards pupils/students with the view at ensuring that learners are not exposed to discomforting learning situations that will discourage their zeal or determination for knowledge acquisition.

Also, through this research work, law enforcement agencies are to be exposed to various forms of violence against children thereby necessitating them to expand their scope of operations to incorporate measures to would help steam the tide of consistent violation of children‟s rights. The work is will help propel the social welfare department within the country to be proactive in their determination/efforts towards ensuring that the rights of the child is adequately protected and instances of violations are urgently addressed to serve as deterrent to would be violators in the future.

And finally, researchers in similar field would be encouraged by this work to undertake further research into areas that constitutes abuse or violation of the child‟s basic rights that have been omitted in this investigation.The study will help provide a framework for similar research effort in future.

1.7       Scope of the Study

The scope of this study investigated into the impact of Social Studies as curriculum instrument in minimizing violence for enhancing academic performance of junior secondary school students in Kaduna State, Nigeria.  The study is also delimited to Zaria educational zone of Kaduna State; this is to ensure that the findings would be encompassing enough to be generalized within the State. Variables of interest in this study among others include concept of Social Studies, violence and academic performance.

IMPACT OF SOCIAL STUDIES AS PROGRAM INSTRUMENT IN MINIMIZING VIOLENCE FOR  IMPROVING ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE OF JUNIOR SECONDARY SCHOOL PUPILS  IN KADUNA STATE, NIGERIA

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