A CRITICAL ANALYSIS OF ISLAMIC MORAL VALUES IN THE NIGERIAN SENIOR SECONDARY SCHOOL CIVIC EDUCATION CURRICULUM

Abstract

Although it is commonly believed among educators and curriculum developers that moral values are infused into all subjects taught in the process of education, Civic Education in Nigeria stands out as one of the few subjects recognised specifically for its direct relevance to the moral development of secondary school students. Concerns about the increasing moral decay among youth have prompted questions about the effectiveness of morally based subjects in addressing immoral behaviour. This paper aims to critically analyse the content of the Civic Education curriculum, particularly examining the representation and emphasis given to the moral values and characters essential for morality from an Islamic perspective. To accomplish this, both digital copies obtained from the Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council (NERDC) website and hard copies from secondary schools were thoroughly examined. Our analysis reveals a minimal inclusion of universal moral values, particularly those explicitly aligned with Islamic ethical principles, in the Civic Education curriculum. This underscores the need for a more comprehensive integration of moral values, including those rooted in Islamic ethics, to effectively address the moral development of secondary school students in Nigeria.