THE EFFECT OF POLITICAL INSTABILITY ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE NIGERIA POLICY ON SECONDARY SCHOOL EDUCATION

THE EFFECT OF POLITICAL INSTABILITY ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE NIGERIA POLICY ON SECONDARY SCHOOL EDUCATION

ABSTRACT

The researcher choose the topic that is titled “the effect of political instability on the implementation of the Nigeria policy on secondary school education, which is aimed at identifying the effect of political crisis in education.

Five research questions were generated from the research topic which sought to find out the following:

–       To what extent does political instability affects the educational policy in Nigeria.

–       To what extent does political instability cause teachers disruption in academic calendar.

–                     To what extent does political instability affects teachers’ productivity in Nigeria.

–                     To what extent does political instability leads to indiscipline and examination malpractice among students.

The researcher decided to use one set of research questionnaires which was designed and administered to principals and teachers of ten (10) selected secondary schools in Akoko-Edo Local Government 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 instability 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

1.1      Background of the Study

The problem of political instability on implementation of Nigeria policy on secondary education cannot be fully comprehended without briefly highlighting the circumstances and environment within which education system functions.

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.  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.

Be that as it may, Nigeria as an environment within which our educational system functions today was founded by Mrs. Flora Shaw, a wife of Frederick Lugard.  This entity described as Nigeria today begins with the amalgamation at Lagos by John De Craft in 1951.  Nigeria has been regarded as the early twentieth century colony that gained her independent in 1960 and became a republic nation in 1963.  That is a nation without a monarch as the head.

Moreover, Nigeria is popularly known as multi-ethnic society due to various groups with different speaking languages that live within its borders such as ethnic, religious and linguistics groups.  Among these groups there are dominants ones; Hausa in the Northern region, Yoruba in the Western region and Igbo in the Eastern region.  Among the minor ones are Ijaw, Ibibio.

THE EFFECT OF POLITICAL INSTABILITY ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE NIGERIA POLICY ON SECONDARY SCHOOL EDUCATION