Promoting civic virtues in Nigerian youths through civic education: a panacea for contemporary social pathologies

Abstract

It is evident that lack of appropriate civic values among Nigerians has deeply eroded the fabric of Nigerian society, and the only remedy is to inculcate fundamental patriotic values in the younger ones, who are the future leaders, through the learning of Civic Education. It is pertinent to note that a successful process of solving the present challenges of our society through inculcation of civic virtues in our youths requires effective civic education in our schools. This study examined the social challenges of Nigeria, the civic virtues needed to be imbibed by Nigerian youths towards the ameliorating of the social challenges in Nigeria and the role of Civic Education in the promotion of civic virtues in Nigerian youths. The study enunciated that Civic Education was re-introduced into the Nigerian curriculum in order to empower learners with knowledge, skills and values necessary to thrive actively and responsibly in democratic citizenship, and to groom them for leadership roles for nation building. The study concluded that civic education is a very viable tool for the promotion of civic virtues in Nigerian youths which will no doubt contribute to peace building and development of our country. Among others it was recommended that government should establish value and cultural enrichment programmes for all citizens, aimed at revitalizing cherished values that have been lost. Additionally, formal and non-formal education and training forums should be created for all citizens, with a particular focus on the younger generation, to foster a sense of cultural heritage and civic responsibility.