INTRODUCTION

Background to the Study

Educating the individual for self-reliance and productive citizenship is a major concern of the Nigeria educational system. At every level of the nations education strata, the quest for productive citizenship has become a critical factor such that without it, the nation’s developmental objectives would seem to be ineffective. The National Policy on Education 4th edition (F.R.N 2004) see a situation where every citizen of the nation is offered life-long education; education that will be centered on the learner for maximum self-development and fulfillment; education that will be related to the community’s needs amongst others. It also referred to primary education as the education given to institutions for children aged 6 – 11 years plus and that the rest of the education system is built upon it. Therefore the primary level is the key to successes or failure of the whole system. The goal of the primary education as stated in the National Policy on Education (F.R.N. 2004) is as follows:

a. permanent literacy and numeracy, and ability to communicate effectively;

b. laya sound basis for scientific and reflective thinking;

c. give citizenship education as a basis for effective participation and contribution to the life of the society;

d. mould the character and develop sound attitude and morals in the child,

e. develop in the child the ability to adapt to the child’s changing environment,

f. give the child opportunities for developing manipulative skills that will enable the child function effectively in the society within the limits of the child’s capacity; and

g. provide the child with basic tools for further educational advancement, including preparation for trades and crafts of the locality.

The document went further to say that these goals will form the basis of primary education in all the States of the Federation. In pursuance of the goals, primary education was made tuition free, universal and compulsory.