Chapter one

Introduction

Background to the study

Education is one of the most powerful instruments of social change and control.

Education can remove darkness of ignorance and narrow-mindedness of human mind and infuse

new ideas, new light and new direction for change and development. . It is also the greatest

investment that a nation can make for quick development of its economic, political, sociological

and human resources. Education is the process of facilitating learning or acquisition of skills,

knowledge, and values that involve discussions, learning, and training in a disciplinary program.

Education is an indispensable part of life, both for an individual and society. A society without

education cannot flourish or grow.

The essence of school goes beyond teaching learners how to read and write, but also to educate

them on what is wrong and right. Coincidentally the school age is the formative age in character

development in children. This is where the child learns new habits, as reinforced by the variables

in the environment. These habits go on to form the core of the child’s character. This is the moral

character of the child. Pervin (1994) defines moral character as “a disposition to express

behavior in consistent patterns of functions across a range of situations.”

Interestingly, every society has acceptable standards for the expression of these consistent

behaviors. This enables the society to pass judgement on the wrongness or rightness of behavior.

And in as much as every society has a set of values it presumes moral, virtually all societies are

in agreement that such qualities as empathy, courage, fortitude, loyalty, honor, strong will for

doing right, and the likes are good moral values.

children. Consequently the school should receive its own share of the blame when the society

goes morally bankrupt. Several questions become relevant at this point. The school as a social

institution begins to wonder where it missed it. Perhaps it neglected the teaching of morals

completely? Often times the answer is not in the affirmative. But what is true of the case includes

several factors amongst which is the possibility that the teaching process—that is the process of

teaching morals— is faulty. After all learning is measured through observable change in

behavior. So when the behavior is observed to change for the worst, the teaching/learning is

undoubtedly faulty.

Morality constitutes a system of moral principle followed by a particular group of people. It

concerns the issues of right and wrong, or good and bad behaviour, as it affects the people and

the society at large. Children, youths in general are more vulnerable to these nuisances in every

society. For instance, children and youths and even adults are not immune to upsurge of crime

and violence seen in Nigeria over the past two decades. Hence, morality can be seen as the

differentiation of intentions, decisions and actions between those that are distinguished as poor,

and those that are improper.

Literature portrays the totality of the way of life of people, their customs, beliefs,

traditions and philosophies expressed through creative writing. It involves the continuous

reflection of human life and all the complexities and conflicts which vary from situation to

situation, and from individual to individual. Literature is a subject of study at the secondary

level.

As an integral part of the school curriculum, literature goes a long way to fill an essential

gap in helping individuals within the society to develop and achieve moral uprightness. Many
literary works deal with moral teaching and development of individuals that form the citizenry.

Fafunwa (1971) states that functionality is the watch-word of traditional African society. And

indeed literature as a course of study constitutes man’s way of life that helps in preparing the

individual child for a meaningful integration into society and effective functionality for a total

development of the society.

Literature as a field of study is a social art that studies human expressions. It is a subject

that studies the cultural way of life in a given society, and behavior of the individuals in such a

society. Chubb (1984) observes that “literature is the expression of life and cultural experience of

a people”. Literature as a subject is classified into genre drama, prose and poetry. Literature as a

subject of study, inculcates in the youths moral values, attitude to maintain peace and harmony,

love of humanity, as well as to have value for life and property.

1.2 Statement of the Problem

The society we live in is morally blind and bankrupt to the extent that the issue of moral

decadence has become very controversial, as the society has lost its sense of morals. The issue of

moral decadence as it affects secondary school students which includes exhibition of vices such

as prostitution, cultism, disobedience, robbery, cheating in the examination hall, lack of respect

for elders and other social vices are threats to the society. Literature can be used as an instrument

in correcting these decadence especially in secondary schools, but literature has long been a

fascination for some few students. It is a dull boring requirement for many more. It is a known

fact that literature is not taught well in schools. It is not an overstatement to say that literature is

almost dying.
1.3 Purpose of the Study

The purpose of this study is to find out the benefits of teaching literature on the morality

of secondary school students and this broad goal is further broken down into the specific

objectives below:

Determine the meaning of moral uprightness in the immediate environment.

Determine the kinds of literature to be used in inculcating morals.

Find out whether literature is taught well in secondary schools in Azare

Discover the moral problems encountered in teaching and learning of literature.

1.4 Research Questions

In order for the researcher to have guide, the following questions are formulated which

answers are hoped to be provided for by the end of the research:

What is the meaning of moral uprightness in the immediate environment?

What are the kinds of literature which can be used to inculcate morals?

How well is literature taught in secondary schools in Azare?

What are the moral problems encountered in teaching and learning of literature?

1.5 Significance of the Study

The significance of this study cannot be overemphasized, as literature serves as a way out

and a means to help our youths, think out of the box; to see the essence of morality and to value
other people and their culture. To take the importance of literature to the door steps of our

teachers, so as to take and teach literature seriously. This research will serve as a basis for further

research works on this topic or related topics and if implemented, the recommendations in this

study, will go a long way in improving the standard and level of literature teaching and learning

in schools.

1.6 Scope/Delimitation of the Study

This work covers the effect of teaching literature on the morality of students in secondary

schools.. The research is limited to some selected secondary schools of Azare District in

Katagum Local Government Area. These schools are:

a) Demonstration Secondary School.

b) Ahmad Turaki Upper Basic Secondary School.

c) Government Day Secondary School, Azare.

d) Ummul – Qura Science Academy, Azare.

e) Bilal Academy, Azare.

f) Al – Amin Academy, Azare.

g) Abdullahi Memorial College

h) Islamic Orientation School

i) Ma’ahad Sheikh Muhammad Wahi

However, despite the fact that the study is limited to Katagum Local Government Area,

its findings will be generic – it can be generalized to other parts of the country as well.