Assessment on Integration of Indigenous Education in Nigeria Secondary School Curriculum and Student’s Self-Reliance in Kwara State, Nigeria

Abstract

Education in Nigeria is expected to equip learners with relevant knowledge, practical skills and values that promote creativity, cultural identity and self-reliance. However, despite the recognition of indigenous education within the Nigerian National Curriculum, its practical integration in formal schooling is not encouraging. Hence, this study examined inclusion of indigenous education in national curriculum and its role in promoting students’ self-reliance in Kwara State. Descriptive research of correlation type was adopted for the study. The population comprised all 12,512 public secondary school teachers in Kwara State. Proportionate sampling technique was used to select 180 teachers across 15 selected secondary schools in three Senatorial Districts, Kwara State. A researcher’s designed questionnaire was employed to collect data. The instrument was validated by two experts and one in the field of Test and Measurement, Faculty of Education, University of Ilorin, Nigeria. To ascertain the reliability of instrument, test-retest method was used. Mean and standard deviation was used to answer research question 1 while research questions 2 and 3 which had corresponding hypotheses were tested using Pearson Product-moment Correlation Statistics at 0.05 significance level. Findings revealed that the practical aspect of indigenous education were taught very low, there was significant relationship between indigenous educational components in the national curriculum and students’ acquisition of practical and vocational skills and students’ self-reliance. It was concluded that meaningful integration of indigenous education was not effective. The study recommended that government should pay proper attention to the practical dimensions of indigenous knowledge in formal schooling to promote students’ economic self-reliance.