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PROFESSIONALIZATION OF TEACHING SOCIAL STUDIES IN NIGERIAN

UNIVERSITIES: THE GAINS, CHALLENGES AND CONCERN FOR GLOBAL

EDUCATION

DANIEL I. MEZIEOBI, PHD1, OBIAGELI C. ONYEANUSI* M.ED1, CHINENYE RITA NZEGWU, B.ED1,

MARTHA ALHASSAN, B.ED1, PEACE CHINYERE EZE, B.ED1

1Department of Social Science Education, University of Nigeria, Nsukka

Obiageli C. Onyeanusi, Department of Social Science Education, University of Nigeria, Nsukka

ABSTRACT

Professionalising social studies education teaching in Nigeria’s universities is a quality control measure to ensure that

lecturers observe professional practices of the discipline to the core. In addition, it is a process of producing qualitative

graduates and academic lecturers who are imbued with the requisite philosophies, orientation and goal objects of social

studies geared at transforming human persons for functional national and global education. This discourse delineated the

status of social studies curriculum implementation in Nigerian universities as follows: teaching by non-professionally

trained social studies lecturers, ineffective implementation of social studies curriculum, poor application of social studies’

pedagogic practices, and extent of utilization of innovative instructional resources, staff development and funding of

research. The gains of utilization of professionally trained social studies lecturers are itemized as follows: effective

implementation of social studies curriculum, achieving social studies programme curriculum objectives, application of

requisite social studies pedagogic practices, others are quality development of academic staff, installation of effective

social studies postgraduate programmes and widening the horizon of social studies for global education. The

contemporary challenges of professionalizing social studies education are addressed. The result of repositioning social

studies lecturers’ quality for global education is highlighted as recruitment of qualified social studies lecturers,

internalization of social studies curriculum, exposure on innovative instructional resources, active staff orientation on

pedagogic practices and preparing of learners for productive living. Conclusion was articulated and the following

recommendations were made; there is a need for qualitative staff development and recruitment of qualified professionally

trained lecturers, supervision of lecturers’ professional practices, diverse appraisals by students, lecturers self and peer

evaluation among others.

KEYWORDS: Professionalisation of teaching social studies and Nigerian universities & Global education

Received: Jan 21, 2021; Accepted: Feb 11, 2021; Published: Apr 07, 2021; Paper Id.: IJMPERDAPR202137

INTRODUCTION

The perceived teaching of social studies in Nigerian universities by mostly non-professionally trained social studies

lecturers who are bereft of the discipline professional practices (Mezieobi 2007, Nwaubani 2008, Okam 2012,

Mezieobi, Ojobo, Onyeanusi & Sampson, 2013), is a serious gap and enormous threat to the effective

implementation of social studies in Nigerian universities and has over all implications for the effective

implementation of social studies curricula at other levels of education enterprise in Nigeria. It is, therefore,

imperative that urgent professionalization of social studies teacher education in Nigerian universities is apt in order

to strengthen lecturers’ professional quality geared at realizing the goal objects of producing functional citizens for

Orig

inal A

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International Journal of Mechanical and Production

Engineering Research and Development (IJMPERD)

ISSN(P): 2249–6890; ISSN(E): 2249–8001

Vol. 11, Issue 2, Apr 2021, 495-508

© TJPRC Pvt. Ltd.

496 Daniel I. Mezieobi, Phd, Obiageli C. Onyeanusi* M.Ed, Chinenye Rita Nzegwu, B.Ed,

Martha Alhassan, B.Ed, Peace Chinyere Eze, B.Ed

Impact Factor (JCC): 9.6246 NAAS Rating: 3.11

national development and international relevance.

High quality education implementation through social studies instruction at the tertiary (university) level in

Nigeria is a primary necessity to equip the learner to survive in a competitive world. The possession of global education

equips the learners in the new world order that is knowledge driven, highly technological and emphatic on world

interconnection with requisite knowledge, ideas, values and skills to make innovative contributions to the advancement of

nations and the international society. For social studies to achieve these novel and lofty objectives, it requires articulate

professionally trained (lecturers), use of best pedagogic practices and innovative materials to facilitate learning, funding of

researches to enlarge the scope of teaching and learning (Mezieobi, Onyeanusi & Ugwuanyi, 2020).

Imogie (2010) reiterates that quality teaching and learning (social studies) depends on lecturers’ academic input,

professional quality and orientations. In corroboration, Okobia (2012) agrees that social studies lecturers’ professional

competences are strategic in quality teaching and implementation of social studies curriculum in Nigerian universities. This

study upholds that lecturers’ application of social studies approved pedagogies, use of innovative materials, currency in

professional practice of social studies, commitment to the philosophies, orientations and objectives of the discipline will

assist competent practical implementation of social studies in Nigeria’s ivory tower. This discourse for a clearer insight

will address: status of social studies curriculum implementation in Nigerian universities, the gains of utilization of

professionally trained social studies lecturers, contemporary challenges of professionalizing social studies and

repositioning of social studies lecturers quality for global education.

Conceptual Framework

Social studies is a course programme which enables the individual to identify problems, analyse the problems in his

environment and make the right decisions (Anyanwu, 2014). In addition, social studies as a course of study is aimed at

producing students who are creative, patriotic, responsible and useful member of the society, contributing their own quota

in the development of the nation (Uzokife, 2014:91). It can, therefore, be deciphered that social studies is environmental-

focused, equips the learners with skills, values and attitudes to make critical decisions on environmental challenges. The

learner is challenged to become a functional citizen by championing democratic national development as contributing

worthy ideas towards national advancement and patriotism.

A social studies classroom is any place in and outside the school; where teaching and learning take place with the

teacher serving as a guide for learners (Mezieobi, 2016: 142). Social studies instruction can take place without the physical

presence of lecturers, in which case, the process of acquiring learning experiences is multiple or may be definite based on

lecturers instruction. In totality, social studies classrooms are flexible. Non lecturer dominated, learners are allowed a wide

choice of independent learning, thinking and decision making. This process improves their reasoning capability and

valuing processes which are helpful in building affection and feeling towards problem tasks. These valuable teaching

processes requires lecturers display of adequate professional competences, which are indispensable in realizing the

objectives of social studies in Nigerian universities, the use of non-professionally trained social studies lecturers or

generalist lecturers will lead to professional rut or ineffective implementation of social studies curriculum.

Professionalizing social studies teaching in Nigerian universities entail adequate recruitment of professionally

trained social studies lecturers, supervising their application of instructional practices and extent of utilization of innovative

instructional resources such as websites, e-learning, information communication technologies, community resources

Professionalization of Teaching Social Studies in Nigerian Universities: The Gains, Challenges 497

and Concern for Global Education


among others. It further calls for continuous academic staff development and the application of requisite innovative social

studies pedagogic practices and materials through workshops, conferences, seminars and in house reorientation by superior

academics.

In addition, repositioning the teaching of social studies professionally will ensure the observation of interactive

classroom sessions for knowledge, values, skills and information sharing across students and lecturers. Students and

lecturers ought to be involved in active researches, field activities and projects on contemporary issues, so as to expand the

frontiers of teaching and learning experiences. Interestingly, diverse accumulated knowledge makes social studies feasible

in contents for global intercultural education.

Ikwumelu (2009) hinted that global education is education structured for global intercultural understanding and

world-mindedness. It is education meant to make the learner internationally competitive, comparative and to fit into work

spaces in the globe. A transformative social studies education should be geared towards integrating contents, learning

experiences, values and information across the globe. It is therefore imperative that social studies teacher education (in

Nigerian universities) should be updated and enhanced in view of sporadic dynamic changes in the state of Nigeria and the

globe at large (Mezieobi, Mezieobi & Anyanwu, 2017). Qualitative, professionally-trained, competent lecturers remains

indispensable in projecting social studies for attaining global education in Nigerian universities and elsewhere in the globe.

Status of Social Studies Curriculum Implementation in Nigerian Universities

The status of social studies education implementation in Nigerian universities can be examined as follows:

1. Teaching by Non-Professionally Trained Socials Studies Lecturers: Social studies in Nigerian universities are

principally taught by lecturers who were not professionally trained in the discipline of social studies (Ololobou 2002,

Okam 2012, Mezieobi 2011 & Mezieobi, 2016). Okey (2014) lambasts unprofessional persons teaching in our school

system, including lecturing in social studies by extension in Nigerian universities. This anomaly may likely influence

proper implementation of social studies curriculum by lecturers who are not equipped with the discipline instructional

practices and professional orientations.

Against this background, Mezieobi (2016) pinpoints that professionalization will encourage effective teaching of

social studies; learners will be groomed in the peculiar pedagogic practices and ethics of the discipline. In addition,

professionalization would facilitate value development as the strategic emphasis of social studies.

2. Ineffective Implementation of Social Studies Curriculum: Nigeria’s National Policy on Education (2014)

recommends that all teachers should be professionally trained. This is substantially to avert ineffective teaching and

instruction not directed to programme goals and objectives. It is therefore implied that a large preponderance of non-

professionally trained social studies lecturers, jeopardizes producing competent graduates in social studies.

Offorma (2014:10) submits that professionally trained social studies lecturers ought to be “well trained, competent,

effective and efficient”. The effective social studies lecturer is expected to be “a repository of social studies’ philosophy,

content and methodology and (is) prepared to reflect these in performing his role” (Ololobou, 2002:2).

3. Poor Application of Social Studies Pedagogic Practices: Akpochafo (2014) noted that there is no best method

of teaching social studies, but suggested the application of combination of best innovative pedagogic practices. While

Mezieobi (2014) highlighted the most appropriate method of teaching social studies as follows: inquiry method, problem-




solving method, simulation method, discussion method, dramatization method, questioning method including

individualized instruction, programmed instruction, computer assisted (guided) instruction, mastery learning instructional

method, advanced organizer model of instruction, flexible scheduling. In addition are team (team or collaborative)

teaching, concept mapping, future wheel instructional model, values clarification method and ICT in social studies.

Mezieobi, Onyeanusi and Ugwuanyi (2020) questions the extent lecturers are trained in reality to the effective utilization of

these transformative methods?

A cursory observation shows that lecturing method dominates the teaching process by professionally trained and

generalist social studies lecturers. For effective pedagogic practices, Moronkola (2011:73) admonished “Evidence – based

teaching means that (social studies lecturers) use research based tested methods, materials in teaching and learning

approaches in” (universities). The use of evidence-based research methods and materials improve the quality of social

studies teaching and learning outcomes, this is because the methods are scientifically tested and professionally approved.

Ineffective application of requisite innovative methods in the implementation of social studies curricula at all levels of

education in Nigeria is blamed on the instructional quality of social studies lecturers at colleges of education and

universities in Nigeria, who are significantly not professionally trained in social studies education (Mezieobi, Ojobo,

Onyeanusi & Sampson, 2013). This anomaly necessitates the professionalization of teaching social studies in Nigerian

universities, in order to produce functionally effective teachers, lecturers and social studies practitioners for updating the

standard and quality of social studies programme.

4. Extent of Utilization of Innovative Instructional Resources: Social studies helps students to develop necessary

knowledge, skills and values to be active members of their society (Cengelci:2013:1836). The teaching of social studies

can be concretised by the use of community resources, it also facilitates teaching of social studies (Mkpa 2001, Ezegbe

2005, Zaria & Bulya, 2011), and this is because contents, concepts and generalizations are broadly illuminated to the

cognition of learners. Insignificant use of community resources in teaching social studies affects the quality of instruction

and deepened understanding of issues. Misconceived, misapplied and misinterpreted contents in social studies can be

clarified by the extent lecturers utilize innovative instructional resources.

Okafor and Ejiofor (2013) in a study in Enugu state of Nigeria on constraints of lecturers’ utilization of E-learning

resources identified: lack of access to technology infrastructure such as computers, moderators, smart classrooms,

including poor internet connectivity, computer illiteracy among others. For effective teaching and learning, E-learning

adoption in social studies education at the (university) level in Nigeria, stands the chance of extending social studies

instruction outside the formal school setting and correspondingly equipping the learners with dynamic skills, values and

knowledge to compete internationally (Mezieobi, Onyeanusi & Ugwuanyi, 2020).

5. Staff Development: Nigeria’s national policy on education (2014) soundly supports professional development of

teachers (lecturers) for adequate possession of substantial professional competences, skills, intellectual knowledge to excel

in the teaching profession. Continuous professional development of the professional social studies practitioner, more so

those in professional practice, is inevitability if they must stay current in their teaching Job (Mezieobi, 2016).

Professionally trained social studies lecturers and non-professionally trained lecturers ought to update their professional

competences for effective job performance output.

To avoid professional rut or obsolescence in teaching social studies in Nigerian universities, Nnoruga (2013)

advised lecturers the use of pedagogic practices, regular attendance and active participation in professional oriented




conferences, workshops and seminars, as well as reading professional oriented textbooks and Journals in social studies.

6. Funding of Research: Government funding of research in social studies education is grossly limited than the

focus on science and technology. Professional bodies as Social Studies Association of Nigeria (SOSAN), Social Studies

and Civic Educators Association of Nigeria (SOSCEAN), Social Studies Teachers Association of Nigeria (SOSTAN)

among others are organizing conferences, seminars and workshops to uplift the status of social studies education. To

buttress ineffective funding of social studies, Akpochafo (2014:1) noted “many nations appreciate the edifying effect of

(social studies) education (in national transformation and global interconnection), efforts to make it edifying is not

commendable”. Funding of research in social studies education will improve the quality of the lecturers and graduates for

improving the national economy.

The Gains of Utilisation of Professionally Trained Social Studies Lecturers

The gains of utilization of professionally trained social studies lecturers are delineated:

1. Effective Implementation of Social Studies Curriculum: Professionalising the teaching of social studies in

Nigerian universities is to ensure effective social studies curriculum implementation and would improve “… learners’

academic achievement and their life skills can be improved to meet various challenges of life to be met later in life”

(Moronkola, 2011:75). The possession of life sustainable skills through social studies instruction would help social studies

graduates become relevant to confront personal, community and global challenges.

2. Achieving Social Studies Programme Curriculum Objectives: Professionalization is a quality assurance

mechanism which Macukoww and Witkwoski (2005) observed is to ensure that (social studies) objectives and purposes are

maintained. Quality social studies graduates are expected to improve the economy through their input, skills and research

efforts. While Ekundayo (2011) noted that universities in Nigeria are tailored at:

“Production of highly skilled entrepreneurial (social studies) graduates;

Research output that provides solutions to national and global problems and

Professional/technical service for the local, national and international communities”.

Regrettably, Saouma (2003) observed that countable number of students in developed and developing nations lack

problem solving and creative thinking skills including skills for creative education. It is the avowed objective of social

studies to produce functionally productive and responsive graduates to national and international developmental tasks.

3. Application of Requisite Social Studies pedagogic Practices: Akande (2007) expressed that the nature of a

subject determines its teaching patterns. Social studies classroom is flexible, the school classroom and open classroom,

which are associated with study resources in the environment. An important aspect of the process of teaching (Social

studies) education is the method employed in transmitting knowledge (skills, values and attitudes) (Kajang, 2011). The

approved methods of teaching social studies as highlighted earlier in this paper can be rightfully implemented by a

professionally trained social studies lecturer.

In corroboration, Nwalado (2007) in a study in Delta state of Nigeria, found that specialist social studies teachers

had better perceptions of the concept (meaning of social studies) active use of methods and materials including diversified

evaluation patterns than generalist teachers teaching social studies at the upper basic education level. Specialist teachers




were groomed in social studies, while the generalist teachers from other social sciences were influenced by their discipline

orientation and background. These same lapses are likely to be applicable in Nigerian universities from insider observation.

4. Quality Development of Academic Staff: Professionally equipped social studies lecturers cannot be set aside in

the effective implementation of social studies curriculum. For emphasis, professional development equips social studies

practitioners to have insider knowledge of the discipline (Costley & Gibbs, 2006), that is to say deeper understanding of

objectives, concepts, philosophy and psychology of social studies education. Social studies lecturers/practitioners are

expected to have some basic professional competences.

Mezieobi (2016) identified functional competences expected to be exhibited by social studies practitioner to be located in:

“Personal characteristic competences;

Pre-active teaching competences;

Teaching interactive competences;

Classroom management and control competences;

Instructional evaluation competences with emphasis on effective evaluation and inculcation of reflective critical

thinking;

Community focused relational competences;

School system effectiveness competences and

Continuous self – professional development competences: We suggest other professional competences as

knowledge and application of innovative pedagogic practices and materials utilization, including blending of

contents for universal comprehension or global education, creation of room for learners contributions in

development of social studies contents, including resourcefulness in integration of contemporary information and

learning experiences, there is need for competences of breeding peace builders in a global system replete with

political tension, terrorism, ethnic clashes, leadership corruption, social injustice and brutalization of fundamental

human rights. It is essential to possess research skill development competences, intercultural understanding,

acceptance and accommodation of ethnic and national diversities, making social studies graduates to fit into

global field of work. Quality academic helps in producing quality lecturers and graduates.

5. Installation of Effective Social Studies Postgraduate Programme: Mezieobi and Mezieobi (2012) maintained

that all is not well with the implementation of social studies in Nigeria after three decades from 1982. The ineffective

operational implementation criticisms by other social studies scholars as Nwaubani (2008), Nnoruga (2013) Akinola

(2014), and Ikem (2014) amongst others are notable. Recruitment of professionals in social studies will boost the

postgraduate programme.

Esu (2012) defined the (lecturer) as one educated in the discipline of social studies and is qualified to teach, and as

such lecturers deficient in the discipline training, need serious reorientation in the competences demanded of social studies

teaching. In addition, “the quality of (social studies post graduate) teacher education often determines the performance of

its graduates in the labour market” (Olayele & Oluwagbohunmi, 2011:79).




6. Widening the Horizon of Social Studies for Global Education: Altbach (2002) hinted that (social studies)

education is not a personal possession, but an asset to be marketed internationally. Social studies education contents should

not be limited locally and nationally, graduates should be prepared to fit into the needs of the international society. (Social

Studies) education in the Nigerian contemporary society is viable when it is focused on societal needs and aspirations, as

well as international competitive standards. Education for work, survival, self-reliance, values and skills for improving the

society is in Vogue (Mezieobi, 2011). These noble objectives deserve professional lecturers’ active display of competences

in job performance and research.

Contemporary Challenges of Professionalising Social Studies Education

Contemporary challenges of professionalizing social studies in Nigerian universities are highlighted:

There is a continuous recruitment of non-professionally trained social studies lecturers in Nigerian universities.

The apparent neglect of social studies pedagogic practices retards functional implementation of social studies

curriculum and production of qualitative lecturers in the area of social studies education.

There is an obvious challenge to the use of innovative instructional resources to complement teaching, training of

high level manpower and research.

Staff development should be redirected copiously on the reorientation of serving social studies lecturers on social

studies basic professional competences.

Staff appraisal should incorporate student assessment of lecturers’ instructional competences as feedback

mechanisms for strengthening classroom instruction.

Classroom instructional supervision of lecturers which is almost non-existent should be introduced and

strengthened in order to improve lecturers’ professional quality, this must be done by highly trained professional

academics in social studies in and out of the university premises, and this is to ensure quality control.

There is a need to align social studies practices in Nigeria to some extent to international practices, without

compromising the essence of environment national education.

Repositioning of Social Studies Lecturers Quality for Global Education

Social studies lecturers’ quality can be repositioned for global education in the following ways:

1. Recruitment of Qualified Social Studies Lecturers: Global education which is education for international

visibility, cultural understanding, comparativeness and competitiveness requires qualified lecturers to be actualized. Asiyai

(2013) cautioned that nations should embrace the right type of education and training to achieve functional existence in

their society and to compete globally in the contemporary knowledge based economy.

2. Internationalization of Social Studies Curriculum Content: Social studies curriculum should be extended

beyond national boundaries to external activities and events; this will encourage lecturers to enlarge their research scope

and teaching of contents. “There are social studies practitioners who are committed to expanding the scope of social studies

through researches and deepening insights, understanding and clarification of concepts” (Wellington &Sikes, 2006).

3. Exposure on Innovative Instructional Resources: Maigari (2014) highlighted the challenges of ICT in teaching




social studies in colleges of education in Nigeria as inadequate (professionally trained social studies) manpower, lack of

basic ICT skills by lecturers and limited provision of ICT facilities required by lecturers. Onuoha (2007) in a study on the

utilization of ICT in training of social studies teachers in university of Nigeria, found that students confessed that ICT

facilities was poorly utilized in their training, the study further recommended that computer facilities should be made

available in staff classrooms, students to be connected with internet system and ICT related courses be built into the social

studies curriculum. Chukwu, Mezieobi and Onyeanusi (2019) asserted “E-learning implication for effective teaching of

social studies is hinged on integrating e-learning in the teacher education of universities”. Lecturers’ exposure and

competency in the use of innovative resources will upgrade social studies quality and make “lecturers’ skills saleable”

(Osakwe, 2012).

4. Active Staff Orientation on Pedagogic Practices: Lecturers sound knowledge and active practice of diverse

pedagogies are indispensable in the effective implementation of social studies curriculum in Nigerian universities

(Nwaubani 2008), Kajang 2011, Esu 2012, Okam 2012, Mezieobi, Fubara & Mezieobi, 2015). Orientation and

reorientation of academic staff on pedagogic practices will assist meaningful teaching, research and academic extension

services in social studies education.

5. Encouraging Staff Self Evaluation, Student Evaluation and Peer Evaluation: In Nigeria’s educational

industry, attention has been preponderantly focused on the evaluation of instruction with a focus on the student – clientele

such that little or no attention is given to the evaluation of (lecturers) (Mezieobi, 2016:153). It is innovative to evaluate

social studies lecturers work performance by accredited social studies practitioners. This is a practical step of realizing the

gaps in the implementation of social studies curriculum in Nigerian universities.

Achuonye and Njoku (2013) suggest (lecturers) self performance evaluation in which lecturers self evaluate their work

performance while Mezieobi and Chikwelu (2015) uphold social studies (lecturers) peer evaluation, which gives room to

cross evaluation. Students’ evaluation of lecturers as the direct consumers of lectures’ instructions and input may assist in

improving lecturers’ pattern of instruction.

6. Preparing Learners for Productive Living: Mohammed (2005) condemned expansion in education in Nigeria,

which is bereft of providing knowledge and skills suitable to the realistic need of the youth. “It is imperative that poverty

alleviation education through social studies education impact in equipping the child or the youth with entrepreneurial

skills” (Mezieobi, Igbokwe, Dania & Mezieobi, 2014), this is to enable university graduates contribute productively to the

growth of the economy by living productive work life.

This study was anchored on Provus Discrepancy Model (1971). Provus (1971) discrepancy oriented curriculum

evaluation model is structured towards decision making in three broad categories:

“Set curriculum standards;

determination of whether a discrepancy exists between set performance and actual performance and;

Utilization of discrepancy generated data to determine the direction of the curriculum in terms of retention,

modification and improvement or total elimination” (Mezieobi, 2006).

This model suits the objective of appraising the professional competences of social studies lecturers in the

implementation of social studies curriculum in Nigerian universities. This discourse sought to determine whether a




discrepancy exists between set (standards) performance and actual performance (implementation of social studies

curriculum) as well as the utilization of discrepancy from generated data to determine the direction of social studies

lecturers competences in the implementation of the curriculum targeted at goal objects of social studies. The reviewed

literature will give insights on how to improve and strengthen the quality of social studies instruction and lecturers in

Nigerian universities? The strengths and weaknesses of the implemented curriculum were appraised through generated

information data. A critical appraisal of the status of social studies curriculum implementation in Nigerian universities does

not call for a total rejection, but a critical updating of the curriculum process and stabilizing professional standards of the

discipline through staff development and enthroning strict professional control measures.

CONCLUSIONS

This paper critically examined the need for professionalizing the teaching of social studies education in Nigerian

universities. The professional quality of lecturers needed to be upgraded professionally in order to produce functional

lecturers for stabilizing the discipline orientations, philosophies and objectives. For effective implementation of social

studies for global education, lecturers need to be acquainted with the professional practices and competences in pedagogy,

use of innovative resources, evaluation patterns and inculcating work survival skills in their graduates. Continuous staff

development is indispensable for serving lecturers in order to keep them at best in their job performance output. Global

education calls for internalization of social studies curriculum contents and extension of research globally.

RECOMMENDATIONS

Based on the generated data and information drawn from this paper, the following recommendations are suggested:

Social studies education’s postgraduate course programme work must be enriched with methods as a compulsory

area, has to be expanded in view of emerging innovative methods, and this is to ensure the production of effective

instructional lecturers (Mezieobi, Ojobo, Onyeanusi & Sampson, 2013), who will be professionally fit for

implementing social studies curriculum in Nigerian universities, to achieve the goal objects.

There is a need for qualitative training of (social studies) lecturers, regular revision of (social studies) curriculum

to accommodate contemporary issues, intensive appraisal of lecturers and students’ performance as a feedback

generating mechanism (Mezieobi, Ogaugwu, Ossai & Young, 2013), this is to strengthen social studies

implementation.

Diverse appraisals as students’ assessment of lecturers instructional performance, lecturers self and peer

evaluation, would help in identifying weaknesses and strengths, the spotted weaknesses can be corrected for

enhanced professional practices.

Internationalization of social studies curriculum content, entail continuous academic staff development so as to be

functionally fit for global education.

Professionalization of social studies calls for active funding of research, procurement of innovative resources,

encouraging contemporary publications, seminars and workshops to enhance the professional competences of

lecturers.

Regular supervision of lecturers’ instructional pedagogic practices by senior in house and external professional




social studies academics is a mechanism to checkmate operational standards in social studies education, for

effective job performance and output.

Recruitment of professionally qualified social studies lecturers is strategic in boosting postgraduate programmes

enhancing quality teaching and avoiding professional quackery.

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