INFLUENCE OF CITIZENSHIP EDUCATION ON CIVIC ENGAGEMENT AMONG SOCIAL STUDIES STUDENTS IN UPPER BASIC SCHOOLS IN EDO STATE

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine the influence of citizenship education on civic engagement among Social Studies students in Upper Basic schools in Edo State, Nigeria. The study was guided by three hypotheses tested at 0.05 level of significance. A descriptive survey research design was adopted for the study. The population consisted of 52,480 Upper Basic Social Studies students in public secondary schools across Edo State, while a sample of 250 students was selected using a multistage sampling technique. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire titled Citizenship Education and Civic Engagement Questionnaire (CECEQ) developed by the researcher. The instrument consisted of items measured on a four-point Likert scale of Strongly Agree (SA), Agree (A), Disagree (D), and Strongly Disagree (SD). Face and content validity were established by three experts from the University of Benin, comprising two specialists in Curriculum and Instructional Technology and one in Measurement and Evaluation. Reliability was determined using Cronbach Alpha, which yielded a coefficient of 0.83, indicating high internal consistency. Data collected were analyzed using simple linear regression analysis at the 0.05 level of significance using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 23. The findings revealed that students’ perception towards citizenship education significantly influences civic engagement among Upper Basic Social Studies students in Edo State. It was also found that students’ attitude towards citizenship education significantly influences civic engagement. Furthermore, challenges affecting citizenship education were found to have a significant negative influence on civic engagement. The study concluded that citizenship education is a strong predictor of civic engagement among Upper Basic school students, with perception, attitude, and instructional challenges playing key roles in shaping civic participation. It was recommended that teachers adopt learner-centred instructional strategies, school authorities promote positive attitudes towards citizenship education, and government provide adequate instructional resources to strengthen effective implementation.