CHOOSE YOUR CURRENCY


IMPLEMENTATION PROBLEMS OF SECONDARY SCHOOL ARTS CURRICULUM IN FINE ARTS IN BENUE STATE NIGERIA

Amount: ₦5,000.00 |

Format: Ms Word |

1-5 chapters |



ABSTRACT

Fine Art is one of the core  subjects  in the  Secondary  School  System  in Nigeria.   And  the educational  goals  realizable  from  art  learning  cannot  be  overemphasized.     In-spite  of its articulate  documentation as enshrined  in the National  Policy  on Education (NPE) and   its general  acceptance as a subject  to be taught  in Secondary  Schools,  it has  the problem  of curriculum  implementation in most Schools in Benue State.  This study attempts  to X-ray these problems  by considering first the content  of the curriculum,  secondly determine whether  or not the implementators of the curriculum are suitably qualified  or not and thirdly find out the reasons for the failure in implementation.

The study  considered  secondary  schools  in the North  East  Senatorial  Zone  of Benue  State with  a sample  size of 600 students,  100 teachers  and 30 principals/Deans of Studies.   The questionnaire   was   face  validated   by  experts   and  through   the  use  of Crunbach   Alpha Technique  was administered through direct delivery technique/method.

Amazingly, the results of the study showed that most of the teachers were qualified, however failure  in the  implementation was  due  largely  to  pedagogic  methods  used  in teaching  the subject,  not being  suitable,  more  so the absence  of basic  instructional materials/equipment coupled  with lack of motivation,  encouragement from most  school  administrators  is largely responsible  for lack of curriculum implementation of Fine Art as a subject in most secondary schools in Benue  State.

CHAPTER ONE INTRODUCTION

1.1       BACKGROUND OF STUDY

For  a nation  to be  classified    developed  or developing,  such  a nation  must  attain tremendous  sphere of independence,  this is achieved  through     demonstrable  ability  of the citizenry to explore   and exploit their potentials   realizing their  self interest  in the various endeavour’s of existence especially  in the educational  system.  The secondary school system of education as observed by Ukeje ( 1996) is expected to prepare the youth for life in a society for which   are parts of and therefore  should avail them with the necessary basic foundation and tools for effective  functioning  in the society. However, when these basics are absent, it could be said that some level of confidence and all other levels of education will collapse.

The National Policy On Education in Nigeria (2004) emphasizes the inculcation of the right type of values and attitudes for the survival of the individual and the Nigerian  society, the acquisition  of appropriate  skills,  abilities and competencies  both mental and physical as equipment  for the individual  to live and contribute  to the development  of his society.  The design  of an educational  programme  is influenced  by a wide variety  of decisions  ranging from the type of educational policy on the aims or content of the curriculum, planning of the curriculum policy or curriculum priorities to operate programmes within the schools.

According to Tanner (1975) curriculum is from the Latin root-word curus (running). It came to be used to describe the “face course” by contestants,  in those days,  in education  it was  figuratively  used  to  refer  to  the  course  programme   run  by  students  towards  their certification.  In its very  narrow  sense it refers  simply  to the  subjects  the  learner  for  any programme have to cover before they could be said to have completed that class/programme.

Curriculum has numerous  definitions which can be slightly confusing  in its broadest sense.  Curriculum may refer to all courses offered  by the school,  it could be regarded as the sum total of the  school’s planned  programme  of study,  designed  to bring  about  desirable changes in behaviour of student or learner both in and outside the class.  Similarly, curriculum has been viewed by Bobbit (1981 :42)  as “that series of things which children and youth must do and experience by way of developing  abilities to do things well that make up adult life; and to be  in all respect  what  adult  should  be”  it is a prescribed  course  of studies  which students must fulfill in order to pass a certain level of education.

Okoli (2006), has also reiterated  that curriculum  is “all of the experiences  the child has under the ages of the school”,  this conception was also created by progressive  educators during the  1920s to emphasize  several beliefs that they considered  central to any adequate conception of education. When we talk about curriculum we mean that body of materials that is planned  in advance for classroom use.  That the teacher uses to promote learning,  acquire skills and develop  beliefs  on valued  types  of experiences.  Curriculum  studies provide  the theoretical background  for meaningful education, if the young and inexperienced members of the society are to be properly brought  up, the school and other educational  agencies  in the society  must  be  mutually  supportive.  Therefore,  curriculum  is seen  as  the  whole  of the interacting  forces  of the  total  environment  provided  for  the  younger  and  inexperienced members  of society  by  the  school  and  its  complementary   agencies.  To  reflect  these, curriculum  must  be  regarded   as  the  process  of determining   and  pursuing  set  societal objectives. To highlight this, Ola Oloidi in Okoli (2006) emphasized that traditional Africans before the influence of foreign cultures had a highly structured  system of Art-education  that was very effective  in ensuring the continuity  of its age-old  art and culture.  This was even before  the  coming  of the  colonial  administration   and  missionaries   in  Nigeria  by  then Traditional Art had its forms of art education which had its aim and objectives as follows:

(a)      To produce a creative craftsmanship  and develop the persons mind and personality.

(b)            To prepare the mind to meet up with community participation.

(c)            To prepare a sound mind on moralist and responsibility.

(d)            To promote a cultural heritage.

(e)            To train people for the acquisition of artistic skills to make a vocation.

Ukeje  (1996),  points out that curriculum  must be a reflection  of what people  in the society feel,  believe and do,  in consideration  of the above therefore,  after the coming of the missionaries  formal  education  was  introduced  and geared  towards  the three  Rs.  (writing, reading   and   arithmetic),   production   of  clerks   and   church   officials.   These   colonial administrators  and missionaries  who controlled  education did not favour traditional arts and culture: Wangboje  (1964)  agrees that they associated  them with idol worship and barbaric activities. The European  attitude towards traditional  art and culture persisted  even amongst educated Nigerians as it continued to obstruct the development of arts education programmes in schools.  It is pertinent  to note that  in spite of the rapid  expansion  in formal  education introduced by the colonial masters, the curriculum planners did not show much interest and concern for art education until the third decade of the 20″ century.

Several  Commissions   were  set  up  to  investigate  Nigeria’s  need  in  the  field  of vocational  educational  and recommendations  made. However  it was not until  1969 when a National  Curriculum  Conference  under the auspices  of Nigerian  Educational  Research  and Development  Council (NERDC) was held and it addressed  the curricula  issues in Nigerian education.  The outcomes  of this  conference  led to  the  formulation  of National  Policy  of Education (1977, revised 1981 ).

According  to Wheeler  (1978) curriculum  must have a firm basis on culture, indeed culture is the substance of education.  Culture is to education as what current is to electricity,

any society whose education  is not based on its culture is in danger of being un-rooted  and entangled.

The  development   of  art  education   in  Nigerian   schools   is  closely   tied  to  the development   of western  type  of education.  Art  was  introduced   into  the  curriculum  of education in Nigeria in 1922, when Chief Aina Onabolu, the father of Nigerian Art, returned to Nigeria  after  studying  and  acquiring  a Diploma  in Art  from  St. John  Wood  College London.  Thus,  Aina  Onabolu   became   the  first  African   art  teacher   to  implement   art curriculum  not only in Nigeria, but  also in West Africa.  He began teaching  art in schools around  Lagos;  some  of the  schools  he  taught  were  Wesley  Boys  High  School,  C.M.S. Grammar  School,  Eko  Boys  High  School,  Kings  College  and  Christ  Church  Cathedral School.

Later  Kenneth  Cross  Waite  Murray  a British  teacher  was  brought  to  help  in  art teaching in 1927  this gave way to the emergence  of many art students to make a remarkable tum     in art teaching  and  learning,  but  the result  was  not  adequate  enough.  Besides,  the British trained Nigerian  art teachers according to Palmer (2004) had difficulties  in adapting their teaching to the traditional  arts in Nigeria,  also the planning  and implementation  of art programme by the educational  administrators was lopsided, whereas it would have been more fruitful to introduce art teaching into teachers’  training institutions to enable grassroots foundational level.

Fine art being one of the core  subjects  like every other  discipline  it is expected  to realize the importance of education which is the realization of the overall educational  goals of effective National Policy on Education  (NPE 2004). Even though it is generally accepted, art curriculum  is not well  implemented  in schools  and colleges  due  to various  problems  and hindrance.

In secondary schools,  implementation  problems dates back to when art came to exist as a course  of study; many  constraints.  According  to Ola Oloidi  in Yusuf Grillo  (1967) a foremost Nigerian  painter  and the Director  of Technology  Lagos  State states that when he likes his other classmate  choose art as an academic career,  he never thought of the material and social gains which this would  bring, this is because  the society  including  educational institutions  never  trained  them  to  recognize  the  usefulness  of art  as  a subject  worthy  of academic pre-occupation.

Sociological  factors and  general  attitudes, Uzoagba  (2005)  and Okoli (2006)  agree that it is unfortunate  that people  perceived  art as a line of low   resistance  in the academic pursuit, thus art is meant for the never do well. Parents are disappointed  when their children take art as a career. They feel there is no future in art since the uneducated  people e.g. the roadside Artist are already famous without any college training, thus they refuse to recognize and respect arts and therefore, discourage their children from studying arts.

Fine art was thought as a period of relaxation after other subjects and mostly towards the end of school hours when everybody  is already tired.  The Head Teachers  or Principals and Deans of studies were ignorant of the knowledge  of art curriculum  content;  all classes were still taught in open ground with no provincial art education hall.  It is difficult to believe that art is in fact far inferior to other subjects today. Art education has not been able to make necessary  impact  it  is  expected  to  make  on  the  vast  majority  of the  Nigerian  populace because  of lack of awareness  about the functional  relationship  of art and society. Mhambe (1999)  observes  the  lack  of interest  on  arts by  school  administrators,  those  in authority, including policy makers who formulate policies and who must be experts or experienced for the curriculum  to  succeed  and who  should,  therefore  play the role  of striving to provide adequate facilities for the schools in order to restore interest in the learner.

Mhambe  (1999)  also  points  out  that  Governm ent  of this  country  (Nigeria)  is to  be blamed  because  her educational  system,  policy  and  implementation  of art  courses  have  not been  adequately   taken  care  of,  all  emphases   are  towards  intensive   science  teaching   and establishm ent of special  science schools.

Art  depends  so much  on  public  orientations,  exhibitions,  seminars,  personality  and interest  of the  art  teacher  to  be  able  to  implement  and  coordinate  the  curriculum  without hindrance   from   others   who   perpetuate   the   teaching   of  art   education   due   to   lack   of instructional   materials,   textbooks,   art   materials   by   both   teachers   and   students,   non• availability  of funds from  governm ent and principals  and   none or low incentives  for the art teachers/instructors.

Implementing  curriculum  in Fine art is a complex process that deals with people  with diverse  views,  ideals,  and  background.  It involves  parents,  students,  teachers,  producers  of educational  art materials,  curriculum  planners,  subject  associations  and governm ent because art subjects have broad value for both arts and science inclined  students in secondary schools. It is therefore  not easy to  state where the curriculum  implementation  starts and ends in Fine Arts.

1.2       STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

Over the  years,  there  exists  a low  impact  of Fine  arts  curriculum  not only  in the educational  sector alone but also the entire society. As such, parents, scholars and the entire public are worried about what could be responsible for the low impact of Fine arts curriculum in the society.  However, the contents of Fine arts curriculum is comprehensive  and articulate as observed by Dienye (1995), the contents of Fine arts curriculum is not only comprehensive but  also  valid  to  the  extent  that  it  is  true,  authentic,  it  needs  overhearing  to  address contemporary  issues of the society and more appropriate  strategies  for implementation  need to be adopted.  Also,  Akolo (1988) and Okoli (2006) lament on the problem of implementing

Fine  arts  curriculum  as  stipulated  in National  Policy  of Education  (1981  revised  2004). Perhaps,  could it be lack of quality teachers  or instructional  materials  or inadequate periods of Fine arts that is responsible  for the low impact of Fine arts in the society.  The focus of this study therefore is to ascertain what implementation problem could be responsible for the low impact of Fine arts in the society.

1.3       PURPOSE OF THE STUDY

The general purpose of this study is to investigate the problems that affect the proper implementation  of Fine Arts curriculum  in secondary  schools.  The study is to set the goals and  objectives   of Fine  arts  curriculum   and  provide  all  the  students,  teachers,  parents, curriculum  planners,  principals,  general public with the understanding  of nature,  values of arts, through practical and theoretical  view points.  The specific purposes of these studies are as follows:

(a)      To determine  the  extent  of coverage  of Fine  Art  curriculum  content  at secondary schools.

(b)      To assess the suitability of Man-power  needed to execute the teaching methods used for the teaching-learning  of Arts in our schools.

(c)       To examine the effects, lack of instructional/art materials have on the teaching- learning in art education.

(d)     To evaluate the capital facilities in (structures) in schools which enhance the smooth implementation  of curriculum of Fine Arts.

(e)      To determine the causes of non-challant attitudes of Principals and Deans of studies on the teaching-learning  of Fine Arts in Schools.

1.4       SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

Practical experience has shown that there are problems in the implementation of Fine Arts curriculum  in secondary  schools.  The study intends  to look into  such problems affecting Fine arts as a subject and non-implementation of its curriculum in secondary schools.

1.    The results or finding of the study will be of benefit to the government and curriculum planners  who  will  re-examine  the  curriculum  content  and  validate  appropriately. These will give sufficient exposure to teachers of Fine Arts on the different  teaching methods for proper implementation  of the curriculum and also to take care of needs of the society at large.

2   The  study  intends  to  create  awareness  through  exhibitions,  workshops  and  public lectures that would help teachers, students and public to develop appropriate skills and techniques for effective teaching and learning of arts.

3    The study may also enhance Principals and Deans of Studies in schools who never saw art as important  enough to be included  as a subject on the time table, give sufficient timing,  spacious room and arts studios in schools.

4    It would  also create  awareness  for the parents,  general public,  this would  enlighten them on a wide range  of the field based  Arts and encourage them to take Art as a career.

5    The researcher feels that after the findings and recommendation  given are accepted by the parties  involved,  the curriculum  of Fine arts in secondary  schools will be of no hindrances.

1.5       SCOPE OF THE STUDY

The  study  is restricted  to  the  investigation  of the problems  of implementation  of curriculum of Fine Arts in selected secondary schools in North-East  senatorial district (zone A) comprising seven local government areas ofBenue State.

1.6      DELIMITATION

This study  is delimited  to the period  of study in the  secondary  schools  in zone A

senatorial district ofBenue State between 2000 – 2009.

1.7       RESEARCH QUESTIONS

1.    To what extent is the content of Fine Arts curriculum covered by your school.

2.   To what extent are periods  and time allocated  to Fine Arts  in your  school time table adequate to cover the syllabus?

3.   What method of teaching is mostly used in Fine arts lesson?

4.   What  instructional  materials  do you mostly use  in the teaching  and learning  of

Fine art?

5.   To  what  extent  does  lack  of appropriate  Fine  Art  hall/studios  affect  student’s performance in Fine Arts?

6.   What  is the attitude  of principals  and deans  of study towards  the teaching  and learning of fine art in your school?

7.   To what extent does the technique  and strategies for assessing and evaluating Art curriculum achieved?

8.   Who is qualified to teach Fine Arts in secondary school? 9.   What qualification/certificates do you hold as an Art teacher?



This material content is developed to serve as a GUIDE for students to conduct academic research


IMPLEMENTATION PROBLEMS OF SECONDARY SCHOOL ARTS CURRICULUM IN FINE ARTS IN BENUE STATE NIGERIA

NOT THE TOPIC YOU ARE LOOKING FOR?



Project 4Topics Support Team Are Always (24/7) Online To Help You With Your Project

Chat Us on WhatsApp »  09132600555

DO YOU NEED CLARIFICATION? CALL OUR HELP DESK:

   09132600555 (Country Code: +234)
 
YOU CAN REACH OUR SUPPORT TEAM VIA MAIL: [email protected]


Related Project Topics :

Choose Project Department