ABSTRACT
This
study is based on appraisal of the place of Christian Religious Knowledge (CRK)
in Universal Basic Education (UBE): A study of Secondary School in Lagos State.
In this study, the acronyms CRK were explained along side with different
educational system and development in Nigeria. Implications of CRK placed in
the National Policy on Education (NPE) in group ‘C’ were identified. The
literature surveyed and explored the work of scholar, researchers that are
inline relevant with the topic of the research. The descriptive research survey
was adopted with self constructed 660(six hundred and sixty) copies of
questionnaires to the students and the teachers to get information from them.
Also, three hypotheses were generated using T- test statistic at 0.05 level of
significance. At the end of the data analyses, the result obtained showed
that: (1) Hypotheses one revealed that there will be
no significant difference between
the old and new CRK syllabus. At 0.05 level of significance df = 26;
t-cal = 3.627> t-table = 2.056.We accept the null hypothesis Ho and reject
the alternative hypothesis HI. (2)Hypothesis two indicated that there will be
no significance difference in the attitude of government, society, parents,
teachers and students to CRK in UBE. At 0.05 level of significance df = 4.061;
t-cal = 0,9867< t-table = 2.776. We reject the null hypothesis Ho and accept
the alternative hypothesis H1. (3)Hypothesis three showed that there will be no
significant difference in challenges affecting the status of CRK in UBE. At
0.05 level of significance df = 13; t-cal = 14.029 > t-table= 2.160. So
also, at 0.05 level of significance df = 13; t-cal= 19.954 > t-table=
2.160.We then reject the alternative hypothesisH1 and accept the null
hypotheses. Based on the above findings, it was recommended that
CRK teacher should make the subject interesting to the students with the use of
copious pictures; he or she should to attend classes regularly and encourage
students to read Bible in the class. The parents are advised not to enforce a
course of study on their children. The school authority should recommend CRK
teacher for educational seminars/workshop and to placed in the position of
authority in the school. The students should careful with the company they keep
in the school and society. Moreover, government is advised to placed CRK as
compulsory subjects in schools
TABLE OF CONTENTS
PAGE
Title Page i
Certification ii
Dedication iii
Acknowledgement iv
Abstract v
Table of Contents vi
CHAPTER
ONE
GENERAL
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background
to Study
1.2 Statement
of Problem
1.3 Purpose
of Study
1.4 Research
Questions
1.5 Research
Hypotheses
1.6 Significance
of Study
1.7 Scope of Study
1.8 Operational
Definition of Terms
CHAPTER
TWO
LITERATURE REVIEW
2.1 Introduction
2.2 Christian
Religious Knowledge in Nigerian Education
2.3 CRK
in 6-3-3-4 System of Education
2.4 Christian
Religious Knowledge in Universal Basic Education
2.4.1 The Nigerian Education Resources and
Development Centre (NERDC) objectives of CRK in Universal Basic Education.
2.5 Empirical
Study
2.6 Summary
of Review
CHAPTER
THREE
RESEARCH
METHODOLOGY
3.1 Introduction
3.2 Research
Design
3.3 Population of Study
3.4 Sample
Size and Sampling Technique
3.5 Research
Instrument
3.6 Validity of Instrument
3.7 Reliability of Instrument
3.8 Procedure for data collection
3.9 Procedure for Data Analysis
CHAPTER
FOUR
DATA ANALYSIS AND
INTERPRETATION
4.1 Introduction
CHAPTER
FIVE
SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS
5.1 Introduction
5.2 Summary
5.3 Conclusion
5.4 Recommendations
REFERENCES
APPENDIX
CHAPTER ONE
GENERAL INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background
to Study
Christian
Religious Knowledge (CRK) cannot be overemphasised in academic society (Bode,
2000); this is because it defines the belief, relationship and individual
knowledge about God and understanding of religious content to life application.
The subject is meant to equip learner to experience peaceful relationship in
the society. In the view of Oladapo (2000), CRK is the study of life
exemplified by Jesus Christ; the subject afford students to the opportunity to
know more about Jesus Christ, his birth, life, death and resurrection.
Nigerian
educational system has gone through various developments and changes; from
7-5-2-3 to 6-5-2-3 and to 6-5-4 system. Again, from 6-3-3-4 to 9-3-4 system of
education (Adeyemi, 2001). An analysis reveals that selection, organisation of
content, implementation, evaluation, development coupled with distribution and
use of teaching materials and relevance of the scheme to the need of the
society and students necessitated the change (Igwe, 2000). However, the birth
of new scheme of work in CRK in Junior Secondary Schools has brought changes
such as conducting weekly assessment for the students (Jaja, 2001).
The
syllabus of CRK in the past fell short of systematic consideration of topics
and lesson to be taught in the school; not only that, New Testament lesson is
always mixed-up with Old Testament in teaching the student which has denied
them basic fundamental background of the Old Testament (Abayomi, 2002).
Overcrowded classes and time table distribution of subjects did not favoured
CRK which has lead to bad classroom management and lack of coordinating the
students when the teacher is teaching. This added stern on school scheduling,
workload and on classroom management (James, 2001). According to Adebambo
(2000), the increase in child birth and advertisement by government on the need
to be educated prompted many parents to register their children in the school
which has had multiplication effect in classroom.
In
the view of Ivoria (1998), paucity of textbook and other learning aids has
hindered the successful implementation of many laudable educational programmes.
As Ajidagba (2000) put it, textbook is a rough stone which need to be polished,
interpreted and perhaps put into food which will be more easily digested by the
students and teachers. To him the students will be able to understand better
what the teacher has taught them by working out assignment and exercise in the
textbook. CRK subject, however, fall into this plague of scarcity of textbooks;
where the textbook is available it is not enough in the market, many book
markers prefer to sell science related subject textbooks than CRK because of
the rate of demand by the students. The fact that the status of CRK in the
curriculum keeps fluctuating is a worrisome problem that stir its teaching. The
teachers, students and parents now show negligence to the subject . Initially;
the subject was elective and later became a core subject and subsequently an
elective again (Aderibigbe, 2002). The implication of the forgoing is that
government gives more priority to science related subjects than humanities.
The
quality and qualification of the teachers employed to teach CRK in era of this
Universal Basic Education (U.B.E) is unfriendly (Ebel, 2000). In some cases the
Social Studies teachers were employed to teach CRK instead of qualified teacher
who read the subject in tertiary institutions. Also Abiona (2001), averred
reasons that many state governments had laid embargo on teaching employment
with reason that the ministry of education is not generating revenue.
1.2 Statement of Problem
In
any educational innovation, challenges in curriculum, method of teaching and in
scheme always arise which cut across all subjects including Christian Religious
Knowledge (C.R.K) in Universal Basic Education (U.B.E) (Timothy, 2001).
Through
thorough studies, it was revealed that CRK lack fund (Falako, 2000). Some state
government undermined CRK in schools and give priority to science related
disciplines by providing fund for the teachers in charge to upgrade themselves.
Those governors decided to do these in other to get support for their political
career. In some cases where federal government released fund for CRK subject,
the fund are been diverted for another purpose. The salary and remuneration of
CRK teachers are not encouraging compare to their counterpart in the same
profession. Moreover, students were denied of free launch meal in UBE because
of lack of fund which as grossly affected CRK students in school; hence ‘a
hungry student is an angry student’. Many students could not be taken for
excursions because of lack of fund neither were they encouraged in contributing
money for this. The CRK teachers were not assisted financially to purchase
adequate instructional material for them self; this has, however, jeopardised
effective teaching of CRK subject in schools.
As
good as UBE programme is, there seem to exist problem of attitude of parents to
CRK subject (Kemi, 2002). A good number of parents give high priority to
materials wealth at the detriment of their children/ward education. Some
parents would desire that their children/ward study medicine in tertiary
institution than CRK; while some parents were fund of enforcing a course of
study on their children which they might not good at. The attitude of peer
group did no even help matters, as some students are been lure to offer the
course their friends are offering rather than CRK. This has led to decline in
CRK subject and failure in examination couple with government policy of
admission ratio of 60 (sixty) science students to 40 (forty) humanities. This
has lead to decrease in CRK teachers who graduated to teach CRK in schools. The
attitude of the society did not even help situation has CRK students are been
tagged ‘academic lazy students’ and the teachers are nick named as pastor. The
school authority has even robbed CRK subject by giving it two periods only on
school time table and by fixing it in afternoon when the rate of assimilation
will have reduced.
Consequently,
CRK in recent time as been subjected into extinction by government (Okeleye,
2000). To him, it is absurd for the federal government to have placed CRK among
the elective subjects in group ‘C’ in National Policy of Education 2004 rather
than in group ‘A’ where compulsory subjects are listed. Some CRK teachers were
not given position of recognised authority in school; while some of them were
not given privilege to attend academic seminars to upgrade themselves. In most
schools, CRK subject were not celebrated like Yoruba day, Open day in school
where student can exhibits religious prowess.
1.3 Purpose
of Study
The
objectives of embarking on this study are:
(1)
To appraise the place of
Christian Religious Knowledge (CRK) in Universal Basic Education (U.B.E) in
Secondary Schools, the manner in which CRK is taught and to identify flaws and
area of strength.
(2)
To examine the attitude
of the government, society, parents, teachers and students to the subject.
(3) To
find out the challenges affecting the status of CRK in the Universal Basic
Education (U.B.E).
1.4 Research
Questions
The
following questions were raised to guide this study:
(1)
Are there any differences between the Old and
New CRK syllabus?
(2)
What is the attitude of
the government, parents, teachers, and students to CRK in UBE?
(3)
Are there any challenges
affecting the status of CRK in the UBE?
1.5 Research
Hypotheses
The
underlisted hypotheses were formulated and tested in the study:
(1)
There will be no significant difference
between the old and new CRK syllabus.
(2)
There will be no
significant difference in the attitude of government, society,
parents,
teachers and students to CRK in UBE.
(3)
There will be no significant difference in
challenges affecting the status of CRK in UBE.
1.6
Significance of Study
This
research will help teachers to identify the differences between the old and new
CRK syllabus. It will enable the teacher to discover areas of improvement in
the new syllabus. For the students, it is hope that this research will bring
about awareness and attitudinal change to CRK. So also the parents will change
their negative conception toward CRK subject. The society will not be left also
on the change, for it is believed that member of the society negative orientation
to CRK will change for good.
The
school authority may through this research identify the need of the classroom
teachers in CRK, such as instructional materials and swift to provide it. Moreover,
this study will oblige the school authority to organise in-service training for
the teachers and to recommend CRK teachers for seminars outside the school
premises which in turn will afford CRK teacher to head the position of
authority in school administration.
This
study will afford the society to be aware of the change in educational system,
what should be their contribution to the success of it and the benefit the
society stands to gain on it. The peer group and other professional men and
women in the society will be able to accept CRK as profession and as academic
discipline which they can encourage their children/ward to offer in school. The
elders in the society will accept CRK as companion subject designed to assist
them to eradicate moral decadence.
Through this research the religious studies
students in tertiary institution will be equipped with knowledge on CRK in UBE,
its concept and implementation strategy. The CRK teacher will be able to
identify what is expected of him or her in disseminating teaching and by
attending classes regularly. It will also, help the sunday school teachers,
parish pastors on how to teach Biblical concept in UBE to their secondary
students in the church.
The
recommendation provided in this study will go a long way in assisting the
parents to encourage their children/ward to offer CRK; they will also be
equipped with the benefits of the subject to their family, society, schools and
the country at large. The school authority will be encouraged to provide
instructional materials for the teachers and to recommend CRK teachers for
educational seminars.
1.7 Scope
of Study
The
study covered appraisal of the place of Christian Religious Knowledge (CRK) in
Universal Basic Education (U.B.E) syllabus. The study was limited to Mushin and
Oshodi/Isolo Local Government.
1.8 Operational
Definition of Terms
The
following operational definitions were defined:
Curriculum:
A running course of subject in academic discipline organise in school for
specific duration.
Decadence:
This is known as falling standard in behaviour and attitude.
Evaluation:
This is assessment conducted to discover the level of student’s academic
performance through test.
Improvised:
Is to make something through material to resemble the original; where the
original object cannot be gotten.
Scheme:
It is a plane or system of work to be done in an organised matter.
Syllabus:
Is a list of topics students should study before the end of a programme in a
subject in school.
UBE:
This is nine years compulsory education in Nigeria known as Basic 1-9.
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