Journal of
The Nigeria Association of Teachers
of Arabic and Islamic Studies
Address: Islamic Studies Unit
Department of Religions
Lagos State University
P.M.B 1087,
Apapa , Lagos
Nigeria
1
NATAIS
ISSN 1119---7749
Journal of
The Nigeria Association of Teachers of
Arabic And Islamic Studies
Address: Islamic Studies Unit
Department of Religions
Lagos State University P.M.B.
1087,
Apapa, Lagos,
Nigeria
Vol. 8, September, 2005
Cover design by:
Muslih Bidmos
B2 Highrise, Unilag, Akoka, Lagos.
Printed by:
SHEBIOTIMO PUBLICATIONS
72 Araromi Street, Ijebu-Ode Nigeria.
2
EDITORIAL BOARD
Prof. M. . Muhibbu-Din
Editor-in-Chief and Chairman
Prof . M. T. Yahya
Member
Prof. M. O. Opeloye
Member
Prof. M. A. Bidmus
Member
Prof. A. O. Sanni
.
Member
Dr. M. O. Abdulrahmon
Member
Mal. Ibrahim H. Imam
Member and Secretary
CONSULTING EDITORS
Prof. Auwal Abubakar
Dept. of Arabic, Bayero University, Kano
Prof. R. D. Abubakre
Dcpt. of Arabic, University of Ilorin, Ilorin
Prof. Musa Ali Ajetunmobi.
Dept. of Religions, University of l1orin,
Ilorin
Prof. J. A. Ogunbiyi
Dept. of Foreign Languages, Lagos Statc
University, Ojo, Lagos
Prof. M.O. Opeloye
.
Dept. of Religions, Lagos State University,
Ojo, Lagos
Prof. Z. J. Oseni
Dept. of Arabic, University of Ilorin, Ilorin
Prof. Y. A. Quadri
Dept. of Religions, University of Horin,
Ilorin
Prof. M. S. Zahradeen
University,
Dept.
Kano.
3
of
Islamic
Studies,
Bayero
NOTES ON CONTRIBUTORS
Abubakar K. Hassan
Chairman NA T AIS, Niger State
Branch and Lecturer, Islamic Studies,
Niger State College of Education,
Minna.
Khadijat O. Olaniyan
Lecturer, Arabic Education, Dept. of
Curriculum Studies, Lagos State
University, Ojo.
Dr. U. A.Ajidagba
Dept. of Arts and Social Science
Education, Faculty of Education,
University of Ilorin.
Lateef M. Adetona
.
Senior Lecturer in Islamic Studies,
Dept. of Religions, Lagos State
University, Ojo. He is Assistant Director
(Academics), LASU SPTS, Ikoyi
Campus.
Dr. Ibrahim Abdul Ganiy Jawondo
Lecturer, Dept. of History, University
Of Ilorin.
S.A.Aje
Lecturer, Department of Linguistics
and Nigerian Languages, University of
llorin.
Prof. Sambo Waliy Junayd
Prof.
of Arabic Studies, Former
National President of NATAIS. Dept. of
Arabic, Usmanu Dan Fodiyo University,
Sokoto.
Dr Murtada Busayr
Lecturer, Arabic Unit, Dept.
Foreign Languages, Lagos State
University, Ojo, Lagos.
Ibrahim Husam A. Imam
Lecturer, Dept. of Arabic, Nigeria
Defence Academy, Kaduna.
Dr. Shehu Ahmed Rufai
Chief Lecturer and Acting Dean,
School of Languages. Aminu Kano
4
of
TEACHERS' VIEW ON THE SUITABILITY OF THE NATIONAL
SENIOR
SECONDARY SCHOOL ISLAMIC STUDIES CURRICULUM
U.A. AJIDAGBA
Introduction
At the inception of the 6-3-3-4 system of education, Islamic Studies was a core
subject at the Junior Secondary School Level, but elective at the Senior secondary. In
the 1998 edition of the National Policy on Education, the subject was elective at
both levels of Secondary education. However, with the publication of another policy
in 2004.The subject became elective at the Junior Secondary level and a core subject
at the Senior Secondary level with this development, more attention is expected to
be paid to the implementation of the curriculum.
More often than not, owing to some factors, what is carefully documented as
a curriculum differs markedly from what actually takes place in the school
environment. This is why curriculum theorists came up with phrases like "planned
or intended curriculum" and. in contrast "implemented or transacted curriculum" to
explain the situations. The planned or intended curriculum contained what the
developers felt the child should be exposed to in school in order that certain
objectives could be realized. Conversely implemented or transacted curriculum
means what actually takes place in the teaching-learning situation in the school.
5
Purpose of the Study
The purpose of this study was to determine the suitability or otherwise of the
current National Senior Secondary School Islamic studies curriculum for the
intended students. The study specifically looked into the difference in the teachers'
views based on sex, qualification and experience.
Research Questions
The following research questions were answered in this study:
I. . Is the curriculum suitable for the targeted students?
2, Are the views of female teachers different from those of
their male counterparts on the suitability of the curriculum?
3. What is the difference between the views of qualified and
unqualified teachers on the suitability of the curriculum?
4. Do the less-experienced teachers express different views
from the experienced on' the suitability of the
curriculum?
Research Hypotheses:
The following null hypotheses were tested in the study:
1. There is no significant difference between the views of
male and female teachers on the suitability of the
curriculum.
2. No significant difference exists between the views of the
qualified and unqualified teachers on the suitability of the
6
curriculum.
3. 'There is no significant difference between the views of the
experienced teachers and their less experienced colleagues
on the suitability of curriculum.
Clarification of Terms/Variables
Teachers' views - it refers to the views freely expressed through the
questionnaire by the teachers of Islamic studies in the Senior Secondary School.
Experienced teacher - someone who has been teaching Islamic Studies in the
, Secondary School for more than six years.
Less-experienced teacher -- An Islamic Studies teacher with less than six
years experience.
Qualified Teacher - The Federal Republic of Nigeria stipulated that students
at the Senior Secondary School level shall be taught by teachers who hold, at least, first
Degree in the relevant areas. In this study, this definition is being modified to include
educational qualifications. Thu~, a qualified teacher refers to an Islamic Studies teacher
who has, at least, a first Degree in the subject including or in addition to teacher
education (e.g. B.A. Ed; B.Ed; B.A. + NCE or PGDE).
Review of Related Literature
Related works reviewed here are those of Arikewuyo; Imam, Jimoh and
Jamiu. Although their studies were not empirical, they are considered because of
their relevance to this study: .
Arikewuyo posited that Fiqh (Islamic Jurisprudence), a unit of Islamic
Studies, was faced with problems connected with teachers, the curriculum itself,
the learner and the learning environment: Highlight of the problems is that a good
number of Islamic
Studies teachers were iII-prepared academically to handle the subject. This
category of
teachers, be said, graduated many years back, long before the inception of the
7
curriculum, and they were not given sufficient workshops to keep them abreast of
the challenges. On the curricular problem, Arikewuyo submitted that the Islamic
Studies curriculum was very deep and wide and required not less than four contact
hours per week. This, he observed, was contrary to the reality in our schools. Some
students were not showing
sufficient enthusiasm for the subject while most of our schools lacked required
Infrastructure
such
as
classrooms,
instructional
materials,
etc.
.
Similarly, Imam, Jimoh and .Iamiu asserted that the teaching and
learning of Islamic Studies in secondary schools in Nigeria was bedeviled with
multi-dimensional problems such that could impede successful implementation
of the curriculum. At the centre of the hydra-headed -problems are the teachers
who are ill equipped for the task ahead, complexity of the curriculum,
inadequacy of infrastructural facilities and near absence 'of incentives to
teachers from the employers.
Methodology
Being a descriptive study, the research involved the use of a researcherdesigned questionnaire which was administered on 468 teachers of Islamic
Studies in Senior Secondary School in Kwara State. The 468 teachers were 98.1
% of the total number of such teachers who were initially sampled for the study.
The' 98.1 % were those who returned their questionnaire for this study.
The questionnaire had two sections, A and B. Section A was devoted to
personal information ~hereby the respondents were required to supply
information on their sex, qualification and experience, these being the
variables under consideration. In section B, questions were asked on the
suitability of the curriculum. The questions covered all the three divisions of
the curriculum, i.e., Hidayah, Fiqh and Ta'rikh. The respondents were given
four options. - SA (Strongly Agree); A (Agree); D (Disagree), and SO
(Strongly disagree). The options were assigned scores as follows: SA-4; A-3;
D-2, and SD- I.
Data were collected and analyzed as follows: Frequency counts and
8
percentages were used to answer research question I. The research questions 2
- 4 have corresponding hypotheses. t-test statistic was used to test hypotheses I
and 3, while ANOY A was used to lest hypothesis 2 which had 8 categories.
Data Analysis and Findings
Table 1:Number and Percentage Distribution of Respondents by Qualification
Qualification
No Available
Percentage
Diploma
9
1.9
NCE
36
7.69
B.A
93
19.9
BA + NCE
34
7.3
B.Ed
17
3.5
B.A ( Ed )
240
51.3
B.A + PGDE
19
4.1
Masters / Ph.D
20
4.3
9
Table I shows the distribution of the respondent per qualification. by our
clarification of terms in this study, holders of Diploma and NCE are
regarded as unqualified. The same applied to holders of Degree without any
training in education. Therefore, the unqualified teachers account for 158,
including those with higher degree but without formal training in education.
The rest 310 are qualified.
Research Question 1: is the curriculum suitable for the target
students?
Table 2 :
Reactions of the respondents to the (Questionnaires items that
answered research
Statement
Item SA
%
A
%
D
Sufficiency
3
-
38
8.1
310 66.2 120 25.6 468
-
%
SD
%
Total %
100
of no of
Period on
time-table
Complexity 5
200 42.7 255 54.5 8
1.7
5
1.1
468
100
413 88.2 15
7.7
4
0.9
468
100
of the
Curriculum
Suitability
6
3.2
36
of the
curriculum
for the
targeted
student
10
On table 2, reactions of the respondents to questions on the time
allocated to the leaching of Islamic studies, the complexity of the
curriculum and its suitability for the targeted students are presented. In it,
only 38 respondents (8.1%) agreed that the 3 periods per week allocated to
the subject were sufficient to implement the curriculum. A total of 430
(91.8%) either strongly disagreed or merely disagreed. In addition. 200
respondents (42.7%) and another 255 (54.5) strongly agreed and agreed that
the curriculum is complex. Put together, only 13 (2.8%) expressed various
levels of . Finally, on the suitability of the curriculum for the intended
students, majority of the respondents agreed that the curriculum is not
suitable. While 413 (88.2%) ,and 15 (3.2%) either strongly agreed or
agreed, only 40 (8.6%) disagreed.
Hypothesis One ( H0:1)
There is no significant difference between the views of male teachers and those of the
female teachers on the suitability of the senior secondary school Islamic studies
curriculum.
Sex
Male
Number X
306
10.45
SD
DF
Calculated Critical Decision
t-
t-
value
value
1.77 466 * .89
1.96
H0
accepted
Female 162
10.321.12
Not significant at 0.05 alpha level
11
From table 3, it is indicated that the mean score (x= 10.45) of 306 male teachers
was compared with the means score ( x=10.32) of the 162 female teachers. While the
calculated t-value is .87, the critical t-value is 1.96.that is, the calculated t-value was less
than the critical t-value. As a result, the hypothesis 1 that there are no significant
difference between the opinion of the male teachers and those of the females on the
suitability of the senior secondary school Islamic studies curriculum is accepted
Hypothesis Two (H0:2)
The views of the qualified teachers are not significantly different from those
of the unqualified one on the suitability of the senior secondary school Islamic
studies curriculum.
Table 4: comparison of the views of the qualified and unqualified teachers on the
suitability of the senior secondary school Islamic studies curriculum
Source
DF
Sum of
Mean
Calculated
Critical
of
f-
f-
square
value
value
2.24
*.97
210
Decision
square
Model
6
14.56
H0
accepted
Error
461 1150.23 2.49
Corrected
467 1165.23 2.49
Total
Going through table 4, it is evident that the calculated f-value was 0.79 . the
12
critical factor value was 2.10.the calculated f-value is less than the critical fvalue. Consequently, the null hypothesis 2 that the opinions of the qualified
teachers are not significantly different from those of the unqualified ones on
the suitability of the curriculum is accepted.
Hypothesis Three ( H0:3):there is no significant difference between the
views of the experienced teachers and those of the less experienced on the
suitability of the Senior Secondary School Islamic Studies Curriculum
Table 5: t-test for the difference between the experienced and the lessexperienced teachers on the suitability of the SSS, JSS curriculum
Experienced
Experienxed
Number
337
X
SD
DF
10.42 16.6 466
Calculated Critical Decision
T-value
T-value
*.31
1.96
HO
Accepted
Less experienced
131
10.37 1.34
It is shown on table 5 that the mean score (X= 10.42, for the experienced
respondents was compared with the mean score (X = 10.37) of the 131 respondents that
the less-experience. While the calculated t-value is 0.3 1, the critical t-value is 1.96.the
calculated t-value is less than the critical t-value. For this reason, the null hypothesis 3
that the opinions of the experienced teachers are not significantly different from those
expressed by the less-experienced teachers is accepted.
13
Discussion
Suitability of a curriculum for the intended students is the ease with which, it is
Implemented or accomplished. Many variables play complimentary roles to achieve this,
however, the basic thing is the content of the curriculum. In any curriculum development
endeavour , selection and integration of the content is a vital step which has its own
criteria to be followed if the curriculum is to be meaningfully implemented. One such
criteria, according to Daramola is suitability.
There seems to be a consensus of opinions among the respondents that 3 periods per
week are not sufficient enough to implement the curriculum billed for coverage. All the
respondents opined that the period is insufficient. This is in agreement with the
submissions of Bidmos, Arikewuyo, and Jamiu. In particular, Arikewuyo posited that the
reality on the ground was that four periods per week was earmarked for the teaching of
the subject.
The senior secondary school islamic studies curriculum, in its present form, and in
accordance with the opinion of 91.4% of the respondents, is not suitable for the students it
was meant. The finding can be said to be based on the wide scope and the complexity of the
curriculum. this opinion agreed with the findings of Arikewuyo and Jamiu that the problem
of effective teaching range from insufficient qualified teachers , mere absence of
instructional materials , students general attitude to the subject to the wide scope of the
curriculum which makes it to be unsuitable for the students it was planned to serve. It is the
wide scope and complexity of the curriculum, According to Bidmos that lend credence to its
criticism.
14
Conclusion and Recommendation
In order to implement the Senior Secondary School Islamic Studies Curriculum
meaningfully, whether or not there is the provision of qualified teachers, enabling
environment and other necessary infrastructure, more than three -years would be needed.
In other words, the three year period of the Senior Secondary Education is not sufficient
to accomplish the task set by the curriculum. If Islamic Studies is allotted 3 periods per
week, according to Ajidagba,12 there would be only 162 hours for effective
teaching / learning of the subject in three years. These 162-hours fall short of 215 hours
required for the full coverage of the curriculum as it .is packaged at present
in view of the observed factors as contained in the findings , the Senior Secondary
School Islamic Studies curriculum is not suitable for the student it is intended to serve..
.,
Nigeria is currently undergoing what can be called a moral-rebirth with relentless
crusades against corruption. Since it has been argued that, given our cultural value, our
armoury for the war against corruption is situated in the teaching of religion in our
schools. Therefore, our suggestion, in this study, for a review of the Senior Secondary School Islamic Studies curriculum is that emphasis should be placed on moral themes
15
References :
1.
Federal Republic of Nigeria, National Policy on Education (Revised) I IJS I.
Lagos: NRDC, p. 16.
2.
.
Ibid. 2004, p. 18.
3. A. S. Olorundare., "Discrepancy Between Official Science Curriculum and
Actual Classroom Practice. The Nigerian experience, Journal of Educational,
Policy (1990),5 (1). pp 1-19.
4. Federal Republic of Nigeria, National Policy... 2004,p. 20. .
5. A. I. Arikewuyo, "Problems and Prospects of Teaching Fiqh in Nigerian
Secondary Schools. A paper presented at the 1999 NATAJS workshop, ilorin :
1999 pp. 3-7
6.
Y. O. Imam. "Problems and Prospects of Teaching "Hadith and Sunnah" in
Nigerian Secondary Schools." A paper presented and delivered at the .1999
NATAIS Workshop, Ilorin. 1999 pp 2-7.
7.
'L. b. Jimoh. "An Appraisal of the syllabus of Islamic Studies in 6-3-3-4
Nigerian educational system." A paper delivered at the 1999 NATA IS
Workhop. Ilorin, 1999 pp. 4-11.
8.
S. M. Jamiu. "Problems and Prospects of Teaching Islamic Thought (Muslim
philosophers) in Nigerian Secondary schools." A paper presented at the 1999
NATAIS workshop, Ilorin, 1999, pp. 6-11.
9.
S. O. Daramola. Curriculum Development in Schools. Ilorin: Lekan Printing
Press, 1999.
10. M. A. Bidmos. A Manual for Teachers of Islamic Studies. Lagos: Islamic
Publication Bureau, 1999.
11. Arikewuyo, "Problem and Prospects." p. 10.
12. U. A. Ajidagba, "An Evaluation of the National Senior Secondary School
Islamic Studies Curriculum in Kwara State." An unpublished Ph.D thesis.
University of Ilorin, 2002, pp. 70-80.
... .
16