POSSIBILITIES AND CHALLENGES OF TEACHING CHARACTER EDUCATION IN NIGERIA’S SECONDARY SCHOOLS

Abstract

This paper explored the possibilities and challenges of teaching character education in secondary schools in Nigeria. Through existing literature, the paper critically discussed some of the meanings and strands of character education. It indicated the point where character education intertwined with entrepreneurialism. The study also links character education and neoliberalism which has been appropriated as a view on moral virtue in which the virtuous individual is perceived as someone who is capable of accessing the relevant markets and performs as a competent person in them. Owing to neoliberal reforms, curriculum is focused on human capital development and employability. On the contrary, neoliberalism contributes much to inequality and a widening in the performance gap between students from rich and indigent backgrounds. Moreover, this essay which is contextualised in Nigeria, foregrounds the policy issues associated with character education, from the National Policy on Education (NPE), which focuses on development of individual into an effective, refined and sound citizen, among others. The study accordingly indicated that the NPE has touched vital aspects of Nigeria as a multi-ethnic entity. Therefore, the most prominent phase of this integration is to emphasise the teaching of moral values and entrepreneurship. The challenges that confront the teaching of character education in Nigerian secondary schools are identified. These include challenges of ineffective or non- implementation of policy, lack of political willingness, corruption and discontinuity of programmes. There is also absence of value clarification, etcetera. Finally, conclusion is drawn and recommendations are also proffered, including teaching of functional character education, eschewing corruption, among others.