Brief History of the Department of Social Science Education

The Department of Social Science Education first emerged as a sub-department (carved out of the Department of Science Education) on November 27th 2007 during the tenure of Venerable Professor Chinedu Ositadinma Nebo of the Vice Chancellor of University of Nigeria, Nsukka.  However, on the 28th of January 2008, it became a full-fledged Department of Social Science Education sequel to Senate official approval.  This development was based on the recommendations of the National Universities Commission (NUC) Accreditation reports (2005 and 2007) which favoured the establishment of a separate department of Social Science Education from Science Education Department.

With the above developments, the administration of the department was firmly established.  Furthermore to ensure more efficient service delivery in the department, several committees were set up.  Other remarkable developments include the commencement of the publication of Departmental Journal (Nigeria Social Science Education Review)which still remains as at today as an official research/publication outlet of Department.

Currently, the department has four undergraduate academic programmes namely:

  • Economics Education
  • Geography and Environmental Education
  • Political Science Education
  • Social Studies Education

At the Post-graduate level, three key programme areas have been developed, and approved by the senate of the university and are currently being run by the Department.  These are postgraduate Diploma (PGD) in Geographic and Environmental Education; Masters in Education (M.Ed) and Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D) Degrees in Education in specific areas of Economics Education, Geography and Environmental Education, Environmental Education, Political Science Education, Population and Family Life Education and Social Studies Education respectively.

The department since its inception has been headed by

*Dr. O. O. Nwaubani – Co-ordinator (Sub-Department Status), 27th November 2007 – 28th January 2008;

*Dr. (Mrs.) F. N. Akubue, Acting Head, 2nd August 2008 – August 2010;

*Dr. (Mrs.) B. N. Ezegbe, Acting Head, August 2010 – August 2012;

*Prof. S. A. Ezeudu, Head,  August 2012 – August 2015, and

*Dr. O. O. Nwaubani, Current Acting Head August 2015 – till date.

The philosophy of the Social Science Education programmes is consistent with Nigeria’s philosophy of Education, which is based on the need to develop the Nigerian child into an all round effective citizen as well as the integration of the child into the Nigerian multi-ethnic community (cf FRN, 2004).

 

The basic objective of the Department of Social Science Education is to train Social Science teachers who are academically and professionally competent to educate pupils at any level of the Education system.  The main purpose of the (undergraduate and postgraduate degree) programmes in Social Science Education is to turn out dedicated and reliable Social Science Educators, knowledgeable in their respective areas of academic interest and skillful in classroom management as well as in dealing with human beings.  In more specific terms, the programmes are aimed at:

  • producing highly motivated, conscientious, skillful, innovative and efficient classroom teaches for all levels of Nigerian educational system;
  • training teachers who are mindful, proud and protective of the socio-cultural, political and economic institutions of Nigeria; and
  • equipping teachers of the Social Sciences with requisite physical and intellectual skills for effective leadership, followership and cooperative roles in different sectors of Nigerian society.