Impact Of Social Studies Education On The Achievement Of National Unity Among Junior Secondary School Students

This study investigated the impact of social studies education on the achievement of national unity among Junior Secondary School Students in Sokoto State. A total of 380 respondents comprising of 190 male and 190 female students drawn from JSS 2 and JSS 3 classes from 14 selected public/private Junior Secondary Schools in Sokoto State. The instrument used for data collection in the study was a researcher designed questionnaire titled “Social studies and Unity Achievement among JSS Students Questionnaire” (SSUAQ). Frequency counts and Chi-square were the statistical tools used to analyzed the data collected from the field which was done through analyzing the three research questions and testing of three formulated null hypotheses. The result of the study revealed that the teaching of certain concept under social studies education such as culture and inter tribal marriage which are very vital aspect of the subject, do not help significantly in making students at the JSS level of schooling to see their knowledge of such concept as a means of promoting unity among them. However, the result equally revealed that teaching of concept of religion and religious tolerance in JSS had significantly helped in promoting unity among students who are from different religious belief, cultural background and ethnicity. It was recommended among other things that government at the state level should take every possible measure to ensure that competent and committed teachers of social studies education are made to handle the subject in all our Junior Secondary Schools, as well as making education free to all students irrespective of their religious or cultural affiliation. Equally, a renewed effort should be made by parents as families to leave in peace and love with their neighbors who are from different religious and cultural backgrounds.