Research Paper
Year: 2018 | Month: September | Volume: 5 | Issue: 9 | Pages: 31-42
Basis of Civic Education in the Philosophy of Aristotle: A Nigerian Reflection
Enyiaka J.U, Aminigo I.M, Osaat S. D
Department Educational Foundations, Faculty of Education, University of Port-Harcourt, Port-Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria.
Corresponding Author: Enyiaka J.U
ABSTRACT
Citizenship and national development have been proven to be very synergistic. This means that proper education of citizens on their civic responsibilities is a sure way to development. The quality of civic education a country practice is to a large extent determines the civility and the level development and civilization possible in a country. Aristotle placed much importance on civic education to cultivate humans who will contribute to national development. Therefore, this research was carried out to investigate Aristotelian civic education and how it reflects civic education practiced in Nigeria. Aristotle’s position on civic education is on the assumption that good government and citizenship are intimately associated; as the disintegration of any government is inevitable if citizens neglect to actively and virtuously support it through civic practices. However critical analysis of the Nigerian system in correlation with civic education has shown that Nigeria practices a modified and adulterated version without reflection of the original concept as established by Aristotle. However, this problem could be attributed to apparent lack of political will, bad national policies and leadership quality observed in today’s leaders of Nigeria. Issues militating against the proper implementation of civic values in Nigeria are; misconception of the ideology behind civil education vaguely defined and unelaborated purpose, nature and practise of civic education, monitoring and implementation of programmes among others. The above listed and many more are factors that have fractured the purpose of civic education and consequently, detrimentally affecting national development. However, with extensive consultation and critical review, all hope is not lost as there are in this work, good recommendations which will enhance the implementation of civic education which serves as a vehicle for individual national development. These include policy restructuring, overhauling of the practice of civic education to capture the Aristotelian philosophy and government commitment to ensure success of the programme
Key words: [Aristotle, Civil education, Citizenship, Nigeria]
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