The Nature and Scope of Social Studies Education for the 21st Century

Abstract

Social studies is an innovative concept with an eclectic field involving the arts, sciences, technology and social sciences. To be a successful teacher, one needs to orient oneself towards seeing social studies as man in his environment concerned with the problem of human survival irrespective of the inevitable changing life situations and as a way of life which gives man citizenship education. The philosophy behind this subject was to make it help solve the numerous problems associated with nation building in Nigeria. Today, there are burning global issues which social studies should dwell on e.g. information and Communication Technology, AIDS/HIV education, women empowerment, peace education, New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD), child abuse and human trafficking. It is recommended that curriculum planning be given adequate funding to plan educational programmes that centre on child labour, HIV/AIDS and human trafficking.