TEACHERS PERCEIVED INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGIES FOR TEACHING SECURITIES AND SAFETY CONCEPT IN BASIC EDUCATION SOCIAL STUDIES CURRICULUM: CASE STUDY OF OLAMABORO L. G. A, KOGI STATE
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1. BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
Social Studies, for long has been regarded as an amalgam of all the social science subjects including humanities. The subject has become unwieldy to teach effectively,
particularly in view of the government position that a new civic education curriculum be disarticulated from the subject. Therefore, social studies
curriculum has been realigned to take cognizance of these challenges facing the subject as a core subject at basic education level. Sort has been made to
redress the observed inadequacy by teaching the subject as a discipline that brings the reality of everyday societal living to students with the desire to
making them acquire the knowledge, attitude, values and skills required to be responsible and discipline members of their society. The nature and objectives
of Social Studies in Nigerian secondary schools emphasize students’ familiarity with their physical and social environment; improved social relationships and
interactions; skills and ability to think reflectively, critically, creatively and independently. All these objectives are required in life- problem solving. As a
totality of man’s experiences in the society and a problem – approach discipline, it becomes imperative to emphasize students’ active participation in the
learning process (Akintola, 2000). Social Studies could be seen as a programme of study in our schools which is used to inculcate in the learners the
knowledge, skills, attitude and actions considered important in human relationship in the society CESAC (2014). The basic education curriculum in social
studies, apart from taking into consideration societal needs, has incorporated many of the contemporary issues of local and global concern such as youth
unemployment and youth restiveness, environmental issues, drug abuse, family live education, security, peace and conflict issues including other aspects of
the Seven- Point Agenda of the government. Social Studies is society bound. This requires that, its curriculum reflects the problems, yearning and aspiration
of a given society. It is observed that, the nature of the problems and aspiration of the society as always determined the nature of social studies curriculum
and of course, determines the purpose which the curriculum is out to serve. Probably, that is why Awoyemi (2012) opined that when we plan a social studies
curriculum for any society, it must take the problem of that society into consideration. He stated further that, Nigeria for instance, has her problems which are
not necessarily identical with the problems of other societies. It is essential therefore, that the social studies curriculum of Nigeria should take into
consideration the peculiar problems of Nigeria among which is the problem of insecurity which has become an issue of national concern irrespective of
cultural background. According to Technical Committee on Security (2008), security is conceptualized as the actual or potential freedom and safety from
physical/military, political, economic, socio-cultural or psychological danger or attack. That is, it is the protection or defence of people against all kinds of
victimization from external/military attack, economic want, poverty, illiteracy, disease/ill-health, political oppression, social exploitation, criminality, etc. And it is perceived in terms of the generality of the population i.e. the physical, political, economic, and social security of the average citizen rather than that of the government of the day and its officials.
