ENVIRONMENTAL VARIABLES AND IMPLEMENTATION OF CURRICULUM IN SECONDARY SCHOOLS

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1       Background to the Study

Education is a vital investment for human and economic development. Is influenced by the environment with which the system operated changes in technology, labour market patters and general global environment, all requires policy responses.

We are living in an inquiry and innovation oriented society. The demand of twenty first century is novelty, creativity and integration of knowledge of global level, research, critical and analytical thoughts (Caldwell, Onwe, 2012). Rapidly social changes are creating uncertainty and complexity in the society. To prepare the children and youth to cope with the present situation. There is needs to develop analytical and critical thinking, skill and attitudes that would make them more flexible and innovative to deal with uncertainty and crises at national and global level. The greatest need of the hour is to re-designed curriculum, textbooks, teaching methodology and children’s literature at the formal and non-formal educational systems.

Curriculum plays critical role in national integration and harmony. Curriculum role as observed in the National Education Policy (2004) should enable the learners knowledge to develop conceptual and intellectual skills, attitudes, values and aptitudes conductive to the all-round development of such personality and proportionate with today’s societal, economic and environmental realities. Whitehead (1962) says “culture is the activity of though and receptiveness to beauty and human teaching. A child is a human being in embryo, a man to be and are responsible to the future for him. It is considered that a child learns 90 percent of his personality by his nurturing.

Environmental Variables and Implementation of Curriculum in Secondary Schools

Economics and economic education are important for providing people with valuable insight into how foreign and domestic market operate, which allow them make reasoned and rational choice for short-term and long-term financial benefits. Studying economics also allows people to learn how to manage and most effectively rise and scarce finite resources such as time and money. ECON (2000) suppose that the study of economics provides individual with a methodology for understanding and making sense of their complex environment. Behind the above, to key ideas in economics are that good scare and that society must use its resources efficiently.

Indeed, economics is an important subject because of the fact of scarcity and the desire for efficiency. Samuelson and Nordhaus (2010) provide some insight into the role of economics they declare that “throughout the world economists are labouring to collect data and improve our understanding of economic trends”. Economics analysis both theoretical and empirical can generate important insights into individual and aggregate behaviour and relationships, and help in society’s efforts to scarce resources in a more efficient manner. Therefore, it is against such background that the researcher conceived the idea to investigate those environmental variables that hampered the implementation of economic curriculum in our secondary schools.

1.2       Statement of the Problem

Academic performance which is measured by the examination result is one of the major goals of a school established with the aim of imparting knowledge and skills to those who go through them. The researcher will use this medium to arrest poor implementation of economics curriculum in secondary schools.

Environment could be described as someone who is ready and able to learn and also wants to learn, if this same person is kept in a room without books, pictures and has no one to talk to, such a person might not learn effectively.  Thus, for learning to take place and the performance of students be enhanced, the school surrounding must be stimulating and encouraging.  The school environment must be inviting or welcoming, conducive and accommodating for adequate and effective learning to take place. According to Grant (1985), school buildings should be a suitable building furnished and well equipped for habitation.  As dilapidating buildings, lacking mental stimulating facilities that are characterized with low or no seating arrangement will also be destructive to students’ academic achievement.

Environmental Variables and Implementation of Curriculum in Secondary Schools

Purpose of the Study           

The purpose of the study is to investigate environmental variables as they influence the implementation of economics curriculum in secondary schools. Specifically, the study sought to find the extent to which:

(i)         Availability of qualified economics teachers and implementation of economics curriculum.

(ii)        Availability of well equipped library and implementation of economics curriculum in secondary schools.

Originally posted on April 21, 2021 @ 11:58 am