THE EFFECTIVE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE NEW SENIOR SECONDARY SCHOOL CURRICULUM IN THE REALIZATION OF EDUCATIONAL OBJECTIVES BY Bayo Soneye, NCE, B.Sc. Ed, M.Ed, Ph.D (in view) Lecturer, Diploma Programme Redeemer’s University Lagos, Nigeria +2348034971806 [email protected]1
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THE EFFECTIVE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE NEW SENIOR SECONDARY SCHOOL CURRICULUM IN THE REALIZATION OF EDUCATIONAL OBJECTIVES
This study was on the effective implantation of the New Senior Secondary Curriculum in the realization of educational objectives. This study population comprised (10) ten secondary school in Ogun State, Nigeria. These secondary schools are five public secondary school and five secondary school. Fifty subjects were randomly selected from the population. However related literatures were reviewed form textbooks, journals and post researches. The research instruments were questionnaire which was statically analyzed with contingency table while the hypotheses were both tested at 0.05 level of significance using the mean statistic. It was discovered that there is a significant relationship between the new senior secondary school curriculum and the realization of educational objectives. Therefore, the finding reveals that the federal and state government should make it a point of duty to build infrastructure facilities including functional workshops in all the senior secondary school across the nation with adequate provision of workshop equipment, instructional materials and tools to make teaching and learning of trade subjects entrepreneurship (furniture making, cosmetology, marketing, tourism And GSM maintenance etc) meaningful Thus, students will be expose to varieties of opportunities and to engage in practical works, which is the major aspect of the New Senior Secondary Curriculum.
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THE EFFECTIVE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE NEW SENIOR SECONDARY SCHOOL
CURRICULUM IN THE REALIZATION OF EDUCATIONAL OBJECTIVES
BY
Bayo Soneye, NCE, B.Sc. Ed, M.Ed, Ph.D (in view) Lecturer, Diploma Programme Redeemer’s University Lagos, Nigeria +2348034971806 [email protected]
Rose Agbonluare (Miss), NCE, B.Sc. (in View) Teacher, Civic Education Lagos, Nigeria [email protected] +2348132767244
This study was on the effective implantation of the New Senior Secondary Curriculum in the realization of educational objectives. This study population comprised (10) ten secondary school in Ogun State, Nigeria. These secondary schools are five public secondary school and five secondary school. Fifty subjects were randomly selected from the population. However related literatures were reviewed form textbooks, journals and post researches. The research instruments were questionnaire which was statically analyzed with contingency table while the hypotheses were both tested at 0.05 level of significance using the mean statistic. It was discovered that there is a significant relationship between the new senior secondary school curriculum and the realization of educational objectives. Therefore, the finding reveals that the federal and state government should make it a point of duty to build infrastructure facilities including functional workshops in all the senior secondary school across the nation with adequate provision of workshop equipment, instructional materials and tools to make teaching and learning of trade subjects entrepreneurship (furniture making, cosmetology, marketing, tourism And GSM maintenance etc) meaningful Thus, students will be expose to varieties of opportunities and to engage in practical works, which is the major aspect of the New Senior Secondary Curriculum.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
Title PageCertification iDedication iiAcknowledgement iiiAbstract ivTable of Content v
CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION1.1 Background to the Study 11.2 Statement of Problem 41.3 Purpose of Study 51.4 Significance of Study 61.5 Research Questions 61.6 Research Hypotheses 71.7 Scope of Study 71.8 Definition of Terms 8
CHAPTER TWO: REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE2.1 The Concept and Meaning of Curriculum 92.2 National Policy on Education:
Secondary Education Section 122.3 The Concept of Vocational and Technical Education 142.4 Nigeria Secondary Education Goals and Objectives 172.5 Curriculum for Wealth Creation and Self Employment 222.6 Secondary Education Implementation in Nigeria2.7 Functional Curriculum Theory 312.8 The New Senior Secondary School Curriculum 352.9 Summary of the New Senior Secondary Curriculum 38
CHAPTER THREE: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY3.1 Design of the Study 423.2 Population of the Study 423.3 Sample and Sampling Procedure 43
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3.4 Research Instrument 433.5 Validation of Instrument 433.6 Reliability of the Instrument 443.7 Administration of Instrument 443.8 Methods of Data Collection 453.9 Problems Encounter during Data Collection 45
CHAPTER FOUR: DATA ANALYSIS AND DISCUSSION OF RESULTS4.1 Introduction 464.2 Research Questions/Hypotheses Analysis and Results 464.3 Discussion of Result 494.4 Summary of Findings 52
CHAPTER FIVE: IMPLICATION, RECOMMENDATION, SUGGESTIONS5.1 Introduction 545.2 Implication of Study 545.3 Recommendation 555.4 Suggestions for Further Research 575.5 Conclusion 57
Appendix References 59Questionnaire 62
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CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUTION
1.1 BACKGROUND OF STUDY
In this era of globalization and technological revolution, education is considered
as a first step for every human activity. It plays a vital role in the development of human
capital and it linked with an individual well being and opportunities for better living.
Thus, it ensures the acquisition of knowledge and skills that enable individual to increase
their productivity and improve their quality of life. Nigeria, having realized the
effectiveness of education as a powerful instrument for national progress, development
and continuously adjusting her educational philosophy and methodology to march the
ideals and challenges of changing economic and social structure of modern society.
If secondary education is properly planned, executed and encouraged, it could be
used to develop innate genius in the youth and enhance their capacity to stand by
themselves. Thus, secondary education could be used as investment that could yield rich
productive dividends in a very near future, which could have far reaching effects on
national development. Paradoxically, access to secondary school in Nigeria over any
other kinds of education created a pool from which the firms recruit staff largely and paid
them better than other groups. To push pen behind an office desk became the dream of an
educated Nigerian on completion of secondary school and anything else became
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derogatory human dignity. The attitude on a wider base was an educational policy that
kept the nation under developed. The whole truth is that secondary school education from
the onset till today, appeals colonial dependent.
Secondary education would have prepared an individual with courage and sound
mind not too easily deflected by emotion of the moment. Majority of Nigerian youths are
idle and some are involved in various vices due to unemployment. They do not have the
required skills to either fit into many type of jobs that are available or create jobs. The
Ministry of Education noted that the poor quality of graduates is worrisome.
The Federal Government has said that the introduction of the new senior
secondary school curriculum was to include subjects such as information technology,
woodwork, craft Art, and more which in a sense, should guarantee development, self
employment and professionalism among secondary school leaver in the nearest future.
Buttressing the government’s announcement, the public relations officer, Ministry of
Education Mr. Kabio Mammud disclosed that the new curriculum was fashioned by the
Nigeria Educational Research and Development Council {NERDC} to ensure a gradual
phasing out of the current curriculum. Mammud stressed that the need for a new
curriculum was a question that Nigeria needed not to go far to get the answer. According
to him the standard of education in the country had gone down. Adekoya (1999) claimed
that for the Nigeria youth to be empowered economically they should be given the
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necessary skills acquisition and for this to be done the curriculum should be effectively
implemented. To ensure a positive future Nigeria, the youth who are believed to be the
future for leaders of the country ought to be well equipped with basic skills to drive the
economy.
Curriculum is a vehicle through which education is attained. The secondary
school curriculum as presently implemented is far from achieving the goals of secondary
educational system. Several authors have noted that the national policy on education was
well structured and the contents were adequately defined but the implementation calls for
question investigation gathered shows that students potentials are not properly channeled
as schools lack basic infrastructural facilities necessary for effective curriculum
implementation, there are inadequate specialist teachers, and where available focus more
on theoretical aspect leaving out the practical component. This situation calls for
effective implementation of the new senior secondary school curriculum in order to
identify the root cause of the problem as well as gaps needed for reformation.
The announcement by the Federal Government that it would launch a new senior
secondary school curriculum has sparked debates about what the curriculum is expected
to achieve. There are also questions about the value of the new curriculum at time when
the existing curriculum has not even been implemented to satisfactory level. Yet there are
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people who argue that a new senior secondary school curriculum does not hold the key to
Nigeria’s social and economic transformation.
The idea that secondary school graduate would be equipped with relevant skills in
communication technology deserve national support. One objective of the new
curriculum is to generate secondary school graduates who are sufficiently equipped for
tertiary education. The students are expected to possess, at the end of their studies
practical knowledge and professional skills that could be usefully applied to the socio-
economic development of the nation. The executive secretary of the Nigeria Educational
Research and Development Council (NERDC) professor Godwill Obioma, said student
would be required to study five compulsory courses including English language, general
mathematics, computer studies and information and communication technologies as well
as one trade or professional subject from list of 34 official trade subjects. He also said
that the introduction of 34 vocational subjects marked a radical departure from the
subsisting curriculum in which accent was not placed on professional skills acquisition.
To achieve the lofty objectives, set out in the new curriculum, it is important to make
technologies widely accessible to secondary students and teachers.
1.2 STATEMENT OF PROBLEM
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The effective implementation of the new senior secondary school curriculum in the
realization of educational objectives. Therefore the problems which the research intends
to verify are:
i. Students who have completed the secondary education wish to continue with
higher education.
ii. Students do not have necessary skills to empower themselves.
iii. Secondary education seems inadequate to make school leavers competent and
self-reliant.
iv. The possible solution to the unemployable youth can raise the economic
productivity of the country.
v. The impact of the new senior secondary school curriculum on education.
1.3 PURPOSE OF STUDY
The overall aim of the study is to assess the effective implementation of the new
senior secondary school curriculum in the realization of educational objectives with the
view to identify the root cause of the problem on curriculum implementation.
Specifically, the aims are to:
i. Determine the appropriateness of the new senior secondary curriculum in terms of
the goals, content, method in meeting the philosophy of Nigeria secondary
educational system.
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ii. Find out type of training method used in implementing the curriculum in Nigeria
secondary schools.
iii. Determine number of skill based subjects taught in secondary schools
iv. Asses infrastructural facilities available in Nigeria senior secondary schools.
v. Asses availability of specialist teachers in senior secondary schools.
1.4 SIGNIFICANCE OF STUDY
This study is significant in many ways. Most importantly it will sensitize policy
makers, educational administrators and curriculum planners on the need to plan toward
effective curriculum implementation in Nigeria secondary schools. This will go a long
way in minimizing the rate of unemployment among young secondary school leavers
thereby marking them well adjusted individual who will raise the economic productivity
of the country. The findings and recommendations of this study will provide point of
reference to ministries of education and the Nigerians Educational Research and
Development Council (NERDC) will find the result of the study valuable particularly in
the current government effort towards implementation of the new senior secondary
curriculum.
1.5 RESEACH QUESTIONS
i. Does students who have completed the secondary education wish continue with
higher education?
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ii. Does students have necessary skills to empower themselves?
iii. Does secondary education seem inadequate to make school leavers competent and
self-reliant?
iv. Does the possible solution to the unemployment youth raise the economic
productivity of the country?
v. Does the new senior secondary school curriculum has impacts on education?
1.6 RESEACH HYPOTHESES
Ho There is no significant relationship between the effective implementation of
the new senior secondary school curriculum and the realization of education objectives.
Hi There is a significant relationship between the effective implementation of the
new senior secondary school curriculum and the realization of educational objectives.
1.7 SCOPE OF STUDY
This study is limited to some selected senior secondary schools in Obafemi Owode local
government Area of Ogun state, Nigeria.
A total of ten secondary schools comprising both public and private were drawn from
Obafemi Owode Local Government Area of Ogun State, Nigeria.
i. Community High School Ibafo
ii. Adesan Olu Community High School Mowe
iii. Ofada Comprehensive High school Ofada
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iv. Owode Community High School Owode
v. Orile Igbore Community High School Orile Igbore
vi. Christ Tower International college Ibafo.
vii. Hebron College Mowe
viii. Redeemer’s High School Mowe.
ix. Trinity College Ofoda
x. Champions International Schools Magboro
1.8 DEFINITION OF TERMS
Effective: It means producing the result that was wanted or intended.
Implementation: It is refers to as putting into effect a plan already mapped out.
Realization: It refers to the act of achieving what one had planned, hoped or aimed for.
Skilled based subjects: As used in the study, these are designed to teach students skills
which will empower them for job creation and self reliance.
Educational objective: It is a statement of learner outcomes of an education activity that
is measurable and achievable within the designated time frame.
Entrepreneurial skills: Skills that will enable individual to create employment or start up
business.
Curriculum: is the total package of what is to be taught or learnt.
Entrepreneurial Skills: skills that will enable individual create employment or start up
business.
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Learner: it is used in the study to refer to secondary school students.
Youth: It is identified in this study as young people between the ages of 10-24 years of
age.
CHAPTER TWO
LITERATURE REVIEW
In this chapter relevant conceptual and empirical literature are reviewed under the
following dimensions:
1. The concept and meaning of curriculum
2. National policy on education: Secondary Education Section
3. Concept of vocational and Technical Education
4. Nigeria Secondary Education Goals and Objectives
5. Curriculum for wealth creation and self Employment
6. Secondary Education Curriculum implementation
7. Theoretical Framework – Functional Curriculum Theory
8. The New Senior Secondary School Curriculum
9. Summary of the New Senior Secondary School Curriculum
2.1 THE CONCEPT AND MEANING OF CURRICULUM
The encyclopedia of educational research (1969) gives the following definitions
of curriculum as all the experience a leaner has at school under the guidance of the
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teacher. To him the teacher plays a vital role in translating curriculum objectives. The
dictionary of education defines curriculum as the total learning activities or educative
experience offered by an institution through its total institutional programmers designed
to achieve the prescribed objectives. Historically, the word curriculum was derived from
the latin root currus which means a race course or a chariot. Currus originates from word
currer’s (to run). This the term curriculum in its original context means runaway or
racecourse. Offorma (2005) sees curriculum as a planned leaning experience offered to a
learner in school, adding that it is a program of studies made up of three components
program of studies, program of activities and programme of guidance. Hence the
meaning of the term curriculum has also been changed to meet the needs of education of
different courses of studies. Curriculum is an organized plan of course outlined with the
objectives and learning experience to be used for achievement of these objectives. In a
wider perspective, it is a way of preparing individuals to become productive citizens and
useful member of the society to which they belong. Thus, curriculum is a tool of
education to educate and humanize the whole man.
Modern interpretation sees the curriculum as all the knowledge and experience
got by a child in and out of the school walls, either on the time table or outside it i.e. the
experiences the learner has regardless of when or how they take place (Moronkola
Akinsola & Abe 2000) curriculum means a written description of what happens in the
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course. Prescriptive view of a curriculum is defined as a plan for action or written
document that include strategies for achieving desired goals or ends.
FUNCTIONAL CURRICULUM THEORY
Jackson (1992) defines curriculum as:
a) A course especially a specified fixed course of study in a school or college as one
of leading to a degree.
b) The whole body of courses offered in an educational institution or by a
department thereof curriculum is the knowledge which, organized ordinarily along
subject matter lines, ultimately must be masters by students.
Bobbit defined curriculum in two ways:
1) It is the entire range of experience both undirected and directed concerned in
unfolding the ability of the individual or
2) It is a series of consciously directed training experience that the schools use for
completing and perfecting the unfoldment. The curriculum expect primarily is viewed as
a principal He is concerned with the teacher’s role in planning and implementing the
curriculum at three levels i) classroom ii) school (iii) district.
The teacher should be involved in every phase of curriculum making including
the planning of specific goals, materials, content and methods. Teacher should have a
curriculum coordinating body to unify their work and develop relationship with
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supervisors and other teachers. Curriculum has attracted a lot of competing definitions
because of the different angles of which writers see it Elizabeth valiance write:
The curriculum field is by no means clear as a discipline of study and as a field of
practice curriculum lacks clear boundaries (quoted in Oliva 1992).
The functions of the school described in the proceeding section should already
have affirmed the importance of curriculum. Curriculum is more than the textbooks. Its is
more than a course of study. It is a situation through which teachers and school
administrators effect behaviouaral changes in all those who pass through the school. The
school performs its functions through the combination of operation or experiences which
it designs to achieve societal ends.
Curriculum needs to be seen as the reconstruction of knowledge and experience,
systematically developed with the guidance of the school or relevant agencies which will
enable the learner to have better mastery of learning experience for the learner’s and the
society’s well-being.
2.2 NATIONAL POLICY ON EDUCATION: SECONDARY EDUCATION
SECTION
Education has been universally accepted as a major indication of a community’s
social well being standard of living and social justice. In an attempt to define and
measure levels of living on international scale, the United Nations research institutes for
social development recognize eight variables in addition to education as social indication.
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In an attempt to use education for the benefit of all citizen in Nigeria, in term of its
relevance to the needs of the individual and desired society the Federal Government in
1973 summoned a seminar of distinguished educational experts under the chairmanship
of chief S.O Adebo to deliberate on all aspects of all aspects of a national policy on
education. The recommendations of this seminar formed the twelve section of the
national policy on education first published in 1977 and revised in 1981, 1998, and 2004.
The broad aims of secondary education within the overall national objective as contained
in section 4 subsection 18 of the policy (1981, p 16) are:
a) Provide an increasing number of primary school pupils with no opportunity for
education of a higher quality, irrespective of sex or social, religious and ethnic
background.
b) Diversify its curriculum to cater for difference in talents opportunities and roles
possessed by or open to students after their secondary school course.
c) Equip students to live effectively in our modern age of science and technology.
d) Develop and project Nigeria culture art and language as well as the world’s
cultural heritage.
e) Raise a generation of people who can think for themselves, respect the dignity of
labour and appreciate those values specified under our board national aims and
live as good citizens
f) Foster Nigeria unity with an emphasis on the common lies that unite use in our
diversity.
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g) Inspire its students with a desire for achievement and self improvement both at
school and in late life.
Since the national policy on education came into operation, it has became
universally accepted as the reference point for the development of secondary education in
Nigeria. Acceptable though the expression “able” and “willing” used in relation to those
the expected to enter senior secondary school needs modification in order that the policy
implementation would being a greater degree of social justice and equal educational
opportunity to ensure the identification and development of talent vital to the
requirements of a highly complex technological society. Questions need to be asked
whether equality of educational opportunity and selective senior secondary school can go
together.
Secondly, the expression “able” and “willing” for those going to senior secondary
appears equally questionable in a policy which aims to minimize, if not completely
remove drop outs.
2.3 THE CONCEPT OF VOCATIONAL AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION
Vocational and technical education is that aspect of education that gives its
recipients an opportunity to acquire practical skills as well as some basic scientific
knowledge (Nigeria national policy on education 1981). Oni (2007)
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Quoted pudding (1994) who defined vocational technical education as that type of
education which fits the individual for gainful employment in recognized occupation as
semi skilled worker or technicians or sub – professionals.
Vocational education could be regarded as that aspect of education which
provides the recipients with the basic knowledge and practical skills needed for entry into
the world of work as employees or as self employed (Oni 2007).
Vocational education nurtures skills that are necessary for agricultural, industrial,
commercial and economic development and thus builds a self – reliant nation Oni (2007).
Quoted Adeyemi (1997) who depicted vocational education as that aspect of the total
education process that focuses on individual occupation, while Olaitan (2007 explained
vocational education as that type of education, which is considered with the development
of skills knowledge and attitude necessary for success to any occupation. Vocational
education according to Oni (2007) includes technical education. While vocational
education provides for the training or retraining designed to prepare individuals to enter
into a paid employment in any recognized occupation, technical education is composed
of theoretical and practical instruction. Such instruction is said to be usually given to
those who need to be employed in commerce and industry or in any type of enterprise
which involves the use of tools and other machinery for their operational services.
Two of the aims of vocational education as stated in the Nigeria national policy on
education (NPE, 1981, P.28) are: to give training and impact necessary skills leading to
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the production of craft men. Technicians and other skilled personal who will be
enterprising and self – reliant and to enable Nigeria young men and women to have an
intelligent understanding of the increasing complexity of technology. The above aims of
vocational technical education were stated three decades ago. Today according to Oni
(2007),
The nation skill lacks quality vocational technical education programmes in
technical institution. He however suggested the need to establish good vocational and
technical institution to provide the required training and impact the necessary skills
leading to production of craftmen, technical and skilled personal who will be enterprising
and self reliant. Quality vocational technical education is also essential in Nigeria
institution to sustain the nation’s population where quality of life is still very poor. The
united nation educational scientific and cultural organization (UNESCO) noted that
revitalizing this important sector is among the ways to improve economic opportunities
for the youth.
According to Dike (2009) vocational and technical education is designed to
develop occupational skills to give individuals skills to live, learn and work as productive
citizen in a global society. Oni further agrues that vocational and technical education
holds the key to national development. For Aina (2009), it is an education for skill
building and skill identity which ultimately becomes a means of live hood. According to
Obanya (2007) vocational and technical education is part of integral development of the
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three Hs: the head, the heart and the head which must not be neglected, as doing that will
amount to a denial of individual’s integrated personality development, further adding that
any meaningful programme of technical / vocational education is to be predicted on a
sound general education
2.4 NIGERIA SECONDARY EDUCATION GOALS AND OBJECTIVES
The broad aims of secondary education within the overall Nigerian education within the
overall Nigerian educational policy are
1. Preparation for useful living within the society
2. Preparation for higher education.
Education is described as the totality of life experience that people acquire and
which enable them to cope with and derive satisfaction from living in the world
(Babafemi 2007).This is said to enable people achieve social competence and optimum
individual development. It is on this premise that it is believed that the quality of a
nation’s education is proportional to the level of its prosperity. Economically advanced
nations of the world are distinguished by the excellence of their educational system.
Following the political independence of Nigeria, there was a realization that the
type of education our colonial masters left with us needed a critical re- examination of the
worth of content, objectives, relevance, methods, administration, evaluation and so forth.
According to Ezeobata (2007), this period saw a state of affairs in Nigeria education
where every subject had to prove its usefulness. After affirming the federal government’s
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recognition of education as “an instrument par excellent for effecting national
development” as well as “a dynamic instrument of change” the document reiterated the
five main national objectives as stated in the secondary national development plan.
These objectives are the building of:
1) A free and democratic society
2) A just and egalitarian society
3) A united, strong and self – reliant nation
4) A great and dynamic economy
5) A land of bright and full opportunities for all citizens.
It further spelt out the values it believes Nigerian education should inculcate in its
recipients. They include:
1. Respect for the worth and dignity of the individuals
2. Faith in man’s ability to make rational decisions
3. Moral and spiritual values in interpersonal and human relations
4. Shared responsibility for the common good of society
5. Respect for the dignity of labour and
6. Promotion of the emotional, physical and psychological health of all
children.
Its usefulness to retain a place in the school curriculum. This was said to have led then
National Educational Research (NERD) to convey a historic curriculum conference at
Lagos in 1969. This conference recommended new set goals and provided direction for
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major curriculum revision upon which the national policy on education of 1977and
revised policy in 1981 and 2004 were based. Against this background of national
aspirations, an educational system commonly referred to as the 6-3-3-4 system of
education emerged. The system consisted of six years of primary school education, three
years of junior secondary school (JSS), three years of senior secondary school (SSS) and
four year of post secondary education (Omotayo, Ihebereme and Maduewesi 2008).
The implementation of the 6-3-3-4 education system began in 1982 and brought
many reform into the educational system in Nigeria. Among the innovations is the
vocationalization of the secondary school curriculum in Nigeria. At the junior secondary
level pre- vocational subject were introduced into the senior secondary level. The focus
of the prevocational was to expose student at the junior secondary school level to the
world of work through exploration. Such exposure would enable students at the junior
secondary school make intelligent career choice and also intelligent consumption
patterns. Among the prevocational subject are practical agriculture, home economics, and
business studies introductory technology is an integration of components of wood work
metal work, basic electronics, applied electricity, water flow technology, airflow