International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science (IJRISS) | Volume VI, Issue I, January 2022 | ISSN 2454–6186

Challenges of Teaching Civic Education as part of the Integrated Social Studies Curriculum in Zambia: A Case of Selected Secondary Schools in Chongwe District

Sianyama Justine and Dr. Oliver Magasu (PhD)
Kwame Nkrumah University, Zambia

Abstract:
This study is an exploration of the challenges of teaching Civic Education as part of the integrated Social Studies Curriculum in some secondary schools of Chongwe District in Zambia. A Case study design was used since the study employed a qualitative approach. The total study sample was 24 participants. A purposive sampling technique was used to identify Deputy Headteachers, Heads of Departments (HoDs), teachers, and pupils. Data was collected using an interview guide and a focus group guide. Thematic analysis was applied to analyze the data. The key findings included difficulties in assessing and consolidating learner results, lack of trained teachers in Social Studies, and inadequate Civic Education contact time. Lastly, it was established that some participants had a negative attitude towards the revised Social Studies because they lacked information on its implementation. Based on the findings, the study recommends that the Ministry of Education (MoE) should spearhead Continuing Professional Development activities for teachers, train Social Studies graduates and through the Curriculum Development Center (CDC), carefully revise the substandard teaching and learning materials in schools.
Key words: Civic Education; Junior Secondary School Education; Curriculum Integration; Social Studies

Backgrounds
An integrated curriculum is one which children broadly explore knowledge in various subjects related to certain aspects of their environment (Drake, Reid and Kolohon, 2014). The concept emanated in the early 20th Century when John Dewey questioned the purpose of education and criticized what he saw as the prevailing education environment (Drake and Burns, 2004). Further, Stack (1961) traced the philosophical and psychological antecedents of the integrated curriculum as far back as the writings of Herbert Spencer in the 1800s. He together with other philosophers debated the benefits of teaching an integrated curriculum versus a discipline based approach. It emerged that an integrated curriculum was an innovative method of teaching.
In Zambia, the issue of an integrated curriculum emanates from the execution of the curriculum reforms recommended in the National Education Policy Document (MoE, 1996). In 2013, a separate implementation plan called the Revised Zambia Education Curriculum Review was put in place. The document recommended a new curriculum in which some subjects to be taught and learned in secondary schools were to be integrated and reduced from fragmented learning areas. The Directorate of Curriculum and Standards through the Curriculum Development Centre (CDC) in response to this policy direction, embarked on the revision of the entire school curriculum. Among other issues, this revision saw the integration of Civic Education, History and Geography into Social Studies because they were related and have similar competences and contents. This was meant to equip learners with skills, values attitudes and competences that would enable them to respond to the changing needs of the society (CDC, 2013). However, Civic Education was introduced as a standalone subject at senior secondary school level in 2004 with the aim of producing learners who would be versed in the ideals and practices of a democratic community and reduce the gap created by the teaching of Civics at junior secondary school level (Muleya, 2019); Magasu, Muleya and Mweemba, 2020).
Besides, some scholars such as Samwambila (2017) and Isiteketo and Siame (2019) revealed some hitches which have impacted classroom practice and proper implementation of curriculum changes among teachers and learners. The Examination Council of Zambia (2017) and Ministry of General Education (2019) also noted poor performance of learners in Social Studies since its introduction in 2013. An important consideration that made this study feasible for undertaking was that a scholarly exploration of the challenges of teaching Civic Education as a component of the integrated Social Studies curriculum seemed not to have received the attention it deserved. Much of the studies focused on the challenges of teaching Social Studies as a subject. So, research evidence in this case remained insufficient. This implied that there is need for a complete research to be undertaken to address issues surrounding challenges of teaching Civic Education as a component of Social Studies. It was from this background that a study was undertaken to establish challenges of teaching Civic Education as part of the Social Studies curriculum in selected secondary schools of Chongwe District in Zambia.