Abstract
Social Studies as a subject in Ghana, has the potentials of teaching functional knowledge and desirable values into students for fostering national unity and consciousness. This study sought to find out the national unity and national consciousness contents in junior and secondary school social studies curricula in Ghanaian schools as well as the perception of students on social studies' role in promoting national unity. The study adopted a descriptive survey design with content analysis. A sample of 208 Form Three Senior High School students from Ofori Panin Senior High School was selected through a convenience sampling technique. Findings of the study showed that contents for the promotion of national unity and national consciousness as part of social studies education were moderately provided for in the JHS and SHS syllabi. Students also have a favourable view of social studies education as an instrument for the promotion of national unity and consciousness. However, the teaching and learning of the subject is challenged by the inadequate period allocation on the time table for SHS, non-use of TLMs by teachers, and overloaded syllabus.
Highlights
National development can be manifested if the citizens of the country are united, connected, and work together conscientiously
When other cultures are exposed to the child, it makes way for cultural accommodation, high level of tolerance, reduction in religious intolerance and conflicts of various magnitudes
88.9% of the respondents were in agreement with the statement that “the teaching of democratic ideas in social studies ensures a respectable relationship among political parties, the organs of government and the individual for national unity” with 11.1% disagreeing
Summary
National development can be manifested if the citizens of the country are united, connected, and work together conscientiously. Over 4000 thousand people died in that war, and many more were internally displaced; thousands of people migrated into the heart of Accra, and a slum settlement called Sodom and Gomorrah, known for its scale of invincible immorality, crime, and brutality, was established Despite these deficiencies in national integration and nationbuilding, these ethnic animosities have not degenerated into widespread armed conflicts, as has been witnessed in several African countries such as Rwanda, Kenya, Ivory Coast, Liberia and Nigeria [3]. In Ghana, the issue of promoting inter-ethnic tolerance, peace, and political harmony continues to be as challenging today as was These social upheavals are suggestive of the limiting role of social studies education in our schools. Social studies with an emphasis on citizenship education in Ghana has the task of addressing major citizenship issues, that are crucial to building the nation in fostering unity and consciousness among students.
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