PERSPECTIVES OF SOCIAL STUDIES STUDENTS IN RE-BRANDING NIGERIA THROUGH VALUES EDUCATION

ABSTRACT

Looking at re-branding project of Nigeria government and the success recorded, this attempted to establish the relevance of value education to the re-brand Nigeria project and the perspective of social studies student of Federal College of Education, Osiele. The challenge of bad image of Nigerian abroad is seen to be attitudinal in character and in form. This project identified Nigerian as one blessed entity full of excellent potentials both material and human but with a weak values system, the leadership has no been able to harness the resources to stimulate good image for the country. The absence of core public values such as respect for elders and constituted authorities, honesty, accountability, cooperation, industry alongside discipline, self-confidence and moral courage have gone a long way to fertilize social vices such as corruption, greed, dishonesty, mediocrity, intolerance, and many others. All those have change the Nigeria values system, a situation which has led to a strong moral problem. The project strongly advocated for the strengthening of values education as a possible ways of remodel behavioural and ethical reorientation.

CHAPTER ONE INTRODUCTION 1.1     BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY

It has been accepted all over the world, that education is the major instrument for individual and societal development. It is an indisputable fact that education can be use to affect changes in the society. Social anomalies and bad image can be corrected by values education in schools.

Re-branding Nigeria has to do with changing perception, it is about de-stigmatization of Nigerians or what is called “image substitution”.

The recent effort to re-brand Nigeria, by seeking to change the way other people see Nigeria or what they think about Nigeria is laudable. Nigeria is so much in need of re-branding. In today’s world of global media, image and perception is everything.

However, what is clear is that a country does not brand or re—brand by advertising campaign alone. To change the way other see us, we must first change the way we see ourselves and we must change the stories we tell the world about our country. To effective re-branding Nigeria our societal core values must be brought back.

Re-branding is not about telling it but showing it. To re-brand Nigeria, Nigeria citizens must be educated in mind and moral. Education for character through values education which teaches respects and responsibility is a vital means through which Nigeria can be effectively re-branded it citizens.

1.2     STATEMENT OF PROBLEM

This study examined how Nigeria can be effectively re-branded through values education. The view of social studies students were sought for.

The researcher sought for what the social studies students of Federal College of Education think about re-branding Nigeria through values education.

The social studies students were chosen because they are students of values and character. This research work examines the perspective of social studies students in re-branding Nigeria through values education and Federal College of Education was used as case study.  

1.3     PURPOSE OF THE STUDY

This study aimed at the

1)      To investigate the re-branding programme of the Federal Government of Nigeria.

2)      To examine how Nigeria can be re-braining through values education.

3)      To encourage moral training in school curriculum.

4)      To investigate what led to decay in Nigeria societal values. 

1.4     RESEARCH QUESTIONS

            From this study, the following research questions can be raised:

1)                  What is the history of re-branding Nigeria and what achievement have been recorded?

2)                  Can values education effectively re-brand Nigeria?

3)                  Does the current curriculum in our school emphasized on moral?

4)                  How can Nigeria citizen take nation first in any thing they are doing?

1.5     SCOPE OF THE STUDY

This research work was limited to the perspectives of social studies students in re-branding Nigeria through values education. Only the social studies students of Federal College of Education, Osiele, Abeokuta were involved in the study and their views were analysed for the study.  

1.6     SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

This research outcome is likely to help Nigeria re-branding project through values education to be successful.

It will elucidate the importance of value education in National development by drawing out valuable recommendations on how Nigeria can be well re-branded.

1.7     DEFINITION OF TERMS

Perspective: Perspective is a particular evaluation of a situation or fact, especially from one person’s point of view.

Student: Student is a person studying. Somebody who studies at school, college or university.

Social studies: Social studies is a school subject involving the study of society. It is an academic subject devoted to the study of the society.

Re-branding: re-branding means a name, usually a trademark of a product. In this project it means changing perception, image substitution and de-stigmatization.

Nigeria: Nigeria is a republic in western Africa, with coast along the Atlantic Ocean on the Gulf of Guinea. Nigeria is the most populous country in Africa.

Education: Education is a system of formal teaching and learning as conducted in home, schools and other institution.

Values Education: Values education is the type of education to that gear toward character development and good moral values development.