Nnadiebube Journal of Education

Social Studies Education as a body of knowledge socializes and disciplines human beings within the human society for acceptable interactions. Civic Education is an important component of education that cultivates citizens to participate in the public life to use their rights and discharge their responsibilities with the necessary knowledge and skills. Both subjects train man to socialise and be civilized. Using the method of crit in this wise, the paper explores the role of social studies and Civic education in Nigeria’s national development. In doing so, the paper examines social studies education and civic education in the context of Nigeria’s philosophical goals as a nation, the objectives of social studies education, and civic education and how they can be used to achieve national goals and development and proffers some suggestions which include: public enlightenment and teaching basic tenets of social interaction among others. The paper attempts to employ and apply the historical curricular, the critical-thinking, the community service, and the public achievement approaches or theories in order to demonstrate how these theories help in the accurate analysis and explanations of the role of social studies and Civic Education in national development. The paper investigates the historical background of social studies and Civic Education in Nigeria, making references to the ancient Greek City States, medieval thinkers and United States before the then President Olusegun Obasanjo administration approved its teaching and learning in primary and postprimary schools Nigeria in 1999. It also reflects the Nigeria’s need for social studies and civic education, acknowledges its challenges and appraises the fact that inspite of these challenges, the prospect of social studies and civic education still remain viable. The paper concludes and makes proposals on the way forward that: in-house training courses, seminars, and workshops should be organized from time to time by the Ministry of Education for all teachers of Civic Education. Policy-makers in education sector should make sure that the paucity of materials in teaching and learning of social studies and Civic Education are done away with or reduced to the barest minimum. Nigerians should note that the role of advancement of social studies and civic education is the concern of all and sundry, rather than government officials and teachers alone.

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