LITERATURE - IN - ENGLISH AND THE GENERAL STUDIES CURRICULUM FOR NIGERIAN POLYTECHNICS: THE NEED FOR CHANGE
LITERATURE - IN - ENGLISH AND THE GENERAL STUDIES CURRICULUM FOR NIGERIAN POLYTECHNICS: THE NEED FOR CHANGE
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Date
2005-08
Authors
KURE, ALEXANDER
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Abstract
Although the Polytechnics were established to produce middle-level technical
manpower, the 1981 (revised in 1998) National Policy on Education (NPE) still provides
pedagogical policies aimed at instilling in the Polytechnic graduates a sense of the social
and human context in which they will operate. In compliance with the policies, the
National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) and the Polytechnics evolved General
Studies Courses which provide instructions in a variety of subjects in the liberal arts and
humanities. In the last twenty (20) years, this practice has been in force and has become
entrenched in the Curricula of the Polytechnics. However, over the years, there has been a
growing concern over the efficacy of these policies. This study examines the
appropriateness of the Literature-in-English (Literature) component of the ‘General Studies
Course Specifications or Curriculum’ currently in use in Nigerian Polytechnics.
Specifically, the study investigates the extent of the curriculum’s conformity with the
provisions of the National Policy on Education. In the context of deficiencies discovered
in the existing Curriculum, the study proposes an appropriate curriculum for Literature.
The study is thus divided into five chapters.
Chapter one provides an over – view of the area of study as well as the conceptual
background of the study. It also relates the provisions in the National Policy on Education
for the teaching of General Studies with the existing shortcoming of the General Studies
Course Specifications for National Diploma and Higher National Diploma in Nigerian
Polytechnics. In addition, it discusses the research problem, assumptions, objectives,
hypotheses, significance, theoretical framework, and the scope and limitations of the study.
Chapter two provides a general review of existing literature. It discusses the
concept of Literature and the relationship between Literature, Science and Technology. It
also discusses issues in the National Policy on Education and the concept, the components,
the patterns, and the process of curriculum development. Chapter three discusses the
research methodology. Five research questions and three assumptions were formulated for
the conduct of the study. In addition, three separate questionnaire instruments were used to
collect data. Chapter four analyses the data collected in chapter three and presents the data
collected in tabular frequencies and percentiles. These findings are used to validate the
research assumptions.
Chapter five is the conclusion on the study. It demonstrates that although the
National Policy on Education is focused in its objectives, the application of these
objectives to the General Studies Course Specifications for National Diploma and Higher
National Diploma in Nigerian Polytechnics and their implementation have remained
unsatisfactory, and even counter-productive. Therefore, the study proposes a review of the
General Studies Curriculum and its pedagogy for Literature.
Description
A Thesis Submitted to the Post Graduate School, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria,
in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirement for the Award of the Degree of Doctor of
Philosophy (Ph.D) in English (Literature).
Department of English and Drama
Faculty of Arts
Ahmadu Bello University
Zaria
September, 2005
Keywords
LITERATURE - IN - ENGLISH,, GENERAL,, CURRICULUM,, NIGERIAN POLYTECHNICS