Abstract:
The Federal government directive through the National Orientation Agency (NOA), that schools in Nigeria should re-introduce the teaching of civic education is a welcome development that will inculcate in students, national values and consciousness from the foundation level. The national values of honesty, obedience, hard work, tolerance and faith which are germane to stabilising national life are important for determining the development and progress of a nation [as] they regulate the life of the nation and project good image for the country. As schools nationwide gear up to fully implement the federal government directive on re-introduction of the teaching of civic education, reactions from Nigerians indicate that there is more to do especially in the production of teachers to implement the new curriculum if the gains of civic education are to be realized in the country. Proper implementation of the new curriculum poses a lot of challenges to the Social Studies teachers since the subject matter of the new curriculum is very related to their discipline. This paper discusses the rationale for re-introducing civic education into the nation schools, its important elements, its contents, the mode of its implementation and the challenges which its proper implementation pose to the Social Studies teachers.