TABLE OF CONTENT
Title page
Approval page
Dedication
Acknowledgment
Abstract
Table of content
CHAPETR ONE
1.0 INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background of the study
1.2 Statement of problem
1.3 Research questions
1.4 Objective of the study
1.5 Significance of the study
1.6 Scope of the study
1.7 Definition of terms
CHAPETR TWO
LITERATURE REVIEW
2.1 introduction
2.2 conceptual review
2.3 empirical review
CHAPETR THREE
3.0 Research methodology
3.1 sources of data collection
3.3 Population of the study
3.4 Sampling and sampling distribution
3.5 Validation of research instrument
3.6 Method of data analysis
CHAPTER FOUR
DATA PRESENTATION AND ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION
4.1 Introductions
4.2 Data analysis
CHAPTER FIVE
5.1 Introduction
5.2 Summary
5.3 Conclusion
5.4 Recommendation
Appendix
Abstract
This study examines the implementation of Nigerian Policy on secondary school education and the political challenges. As education is the bedrock of development, Nigeria kicked off the first indigenous national policy on education in 1977, it was modified in 1981, reviewed in 1999 and the fourth edition of the policy was made available in 2004. All these efforts were aimed at improving the quality of education in Nigeria. The researcher decided to use one set of research questionnaires which was designed and administered to principals and teachers of selected secondary schools in the study Area. The information obtained from the respondents were analyzed in chapter four using the simple percentage method which is best convenient to the researcher. The result of the findings revealed that political climate and change in government has advance effect on the implementation of the Nigeria policy on the secondary school education. In chapter five, the researcher summarizes the major findings, conclusion as well as recommendation for further studies. One of the recommendations was that education should be separated from politics.
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
- Background of the study
In education as in other fields of human endeavor, every official action of an organization must have a backing or a basis. It is this purpose that a policy serves. A policy defines the area in which decisions are to be made, but it does not make the decision. It usually provides a general guide that facilitates decision-making. Educational policies provide the direction for educational activities. The formulation of an educational policy sets the stage for implementation which, according to Ukeje (2006), is perhaps the most important aspect of planning. Planning is usually an action which succeeds policy formulation but precedes implementation. Unfortunately, educational policies and goal attainment have been irreconcilable due to implementation constraints. Perhaps this accounts for the observation made by Governor Oyakhilome of Rivers State in an address sent to the Convention of the Nigerian Association for Educational Administration and Planning in 1986. He expressed concern about the problem of policy implementation thus: We know it is difficult to realize planned objectives one hundred percent. But our experience in planning education in this country shows a disturbing gap between planned objectives and attained results. As professionals in the field of education, it may be pertinent to identify whether those critical gaps are results of faulty planning or faulty implementation (Oyakhilome 2006). Policy implementation in education is a conspicuous national problem that has taken centre stage in Nigeria. Education cannot be divorced from politics because, one of the crucial issues characterized in the relationship between education and politic, is the likelihood for the political powers to use the educational system as the main instrument for promoting the political interest, the values and beliefs of the government in power. This is why any political group that comes into power quickly punches on the educational system by way of promising great expansion and support for education, dictates what the schools should be and not. Nigerian education policy has assumed central importance for the country. It is one of the social policies of the government used in strengthening and improving the wellbeing of its citizens (Federal Ministry of Education, 2008). Over the years, Nigeria has expressed a commitment to education, with the idea that reducing illiteracy and ignorance will form the foundation for accelerated national development. With this context, Nigerian government has revised and upheld education policies for three times. The Education sector is overseen at three levels of government: Ministry of Education, state governments and local education authorities (Fafunwa, 1979; Imam, 2012). The Federal government mainly with the state governments formulates the education policy, manage the education sector and authorize the state and local governments to act according to regulations set by the federal government (Imam, 2012). As part of constitutional provisions of education in Nigeria, the post-primary, professional, technical and university level education is directly under the control of federal government, and early childhood education and primary schools are under the responsibility of the local authorities while adhering to the education policy designed by the federal government. However, in practice, the federal government controls the financial management of primary school education. In the Nigerian constitution, the federal government can formulate the policy, maintain the education standards and allocate the resources, and the implementation of the education policy is responsibility of the State government and local authorities (World Data on Education, 2015). It is possible that in some cases, the goals and interests which the political powers may want to provide may or may not be ideal for the society. But the educational system by virtue of its political context must follow itself to the new demands of the government in power
- STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
Over the years, the gap between educational policies and goal attainment due to inadequate implementation of these policies has become of great concern to many observers. Political instability has hindered the effective implementation of the Nigeria policy on secondary education by inadequate provision of resources. A problem emanating from the above may be that many students whose parents are not financially alright may have been attending schools because it was free but now may have to drop because of reintroduction of fees by another regime. The staffing and financing of schools is political in nature, this is due to fact that people who served made it difficult to realize the aims and objectives for which it was set up. Some schools may be adequately finance in terms of facilities, regular payment of teachers etc due to the fact that they belong to the government in power.
A party that support free education program will establish schools and run them accordingly, but if another party that does not believe in free education comes into power, then the former free education program will face problems in terms of some schools being scraped or many who attend school free may be required by the new government to pay fees. These sometimes lead to educational crises. The three major languages; Yoruba, Ibo and Hausa have been included on the curriculum on the basis of political balance. Students are forced to learn language in secondary schools. This is likely to pose a problem because Nigeria has been regionalized by colonial masters. As a result of this, for a Yoruba man to learn Hausa or Hausa man to learn Yoruba is difficult. How do we convince students and parents to agree? The study is interested in identifying the implementation constraints, political challenges and to explore the implications of poor educational policy implementation for national development. Following a clarification of the causes and effects of the problem of poor policy implementation.
- OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY
The study has one main objective which is broken down into general and specific objective, the general objective is to examine the implementation of Nigerian policy on secondary school education and the political challenges, the specific objectives are:
- To examine the effect of Nigerian policy on secondary school education on the academic performance of secondary school students
- To ascertain if there is any significant relationship between political challenges and the implementation of Nigerian policy on secondary education
- To examine if political instability leads to students demonstration and riots
- To proffer suggested solution to the identified problem
- RESEARCH QUESTION
The following research questions were formulated by the researcher to aid the completion of the study;
- Is there any significant relationship between political challenges and the implementation of Nigerian policy on secondary education?
- Does political instability leads to student’s demonstration and riots?
- Does Nigerian policy on secondary school education have any effect on the academic performance of secondary school students?
- RESEARCH HYPOTHESES
The following research hypotheses were formulated by the researcher to aid the completion of the study;
H0: political instability does not affects teacher’s productivity in Nigeria
H1: political instability does affects teacher’s productivity in Nigeria
H0: unfavorable political climate does not leads to indiscipline and examination malpractice among students
H2: unfavorable political climate does leads to indiscipline and examination malpractice among students
- SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
Education is our future and also seen as a wheel base, which can carry any nation to her development centre. So countries around the world has education as a tool for national development. Therefore, the need for it cannot be over-emphasized. The result of this research if properly implemented is expected to immense value to the educational practitioners because it is poised to help identify some of the problems that stand as impediment to the successful implementation of the educational policy.
- SCOPE AND LIMITATION OF THE STUDY
The scope of the study covers the implementation of Nigerian policy on secondary school education and the political challenges 2019-2020. But in the course of the study, there are some factors that limit the scope of the study;
AVAILABILITY OF RESEARCH MATERIAL: The research material available to the researcher is insufficient, thereby limiting the study
TIME: The time frame allocated to the study does not enhance wider coverage as the researcher have to combine other academic activities and examinations with the study.
FINANCE: The finance available for the research work does not allow for wider coverage as resources are very limited as the researcher has other academic bills to cover.
1.8 OPERATIONAL DEFINITION OF TERMS
Implementation
Implementation is the realization of an application, or execution of a plan, idea, model, design, specification, standard, algorithm, or policy.
Nigerian policy on secondary education
The Federal Government policy on education is adhered to by all secondary schools in Nigeria. Six years of elementary school is followed by six years of secondary school
Politics
Politics is the set of activities that are associated with the governance of a country, state or area.
Adversely
A negative effect of impact not likely to produce a good or pleasant result.
Subjugation
The ability of gaining control over everything.
Enshrined
An important written document respected and officially stated.
Promulgated
To announce a new law or decree openly.
Hang-over
Laws from previous regime considered unsuitable.
Dwindling
A situation where there is gradual decline of support given to a particular party.
Alien Contraption
A strange way of looking at a particular circumstances or situation.
Turbulent
A situation where there is a lot of confusion, disagreement and sometimes violence in politics
1.9 ORGANIZATION OF THE STUDY
This research work is organized in five chapters, for easy understanding, as follows
Chapter one is concern with the introduction, which consist of the (overview, of the study), statement of problem, objectives of the study, research question, significance or the study, research methodology, definition of terms and historical background of the study. Chapter two highlight the theoretical framework on which the study its based, thus the review of related literature. Chapter three deals on the research design and methodology adopted in the study. Chapter four concentrate on the data collection and analysis and presentation of finding. Chapter five gives summary, conclusion, and recommendations made of the study.
