An Evaluation Of Junior Secondary School Music Curriculum Implementation In Kwara State Of Nigeria

Abstract

This study investigated the implementation of the Junior Secondary School (JSS) music curriculum in Kwara State, Nigeria; determined the extent to which the Junior Secondary School (JSS) music curriculum has been implemented and how far it had achieved it desired curriculum aims and objectives. The study also identified problem areas 111 implementation of music as a school subject in the JSS curriculum and prescribed constructive strategies for curriculum improvement 111order to produce quality, effective and efficient music teachers and students at the Junior Secondary Schools in Nigeria. This study collected, recorded on audio-tapes; notated some Nigerian folk songs and at the same time documented on video-tapes folk instruments that can enhance the effective teaching and learning of music at the Junior Secondary Schools (JSS). In all, ten (10) research questions and seven (7) hypotheses were generated and tested in the course of the study. The population of the study embraced all the music teachers and music students in sixteen {16) Local GovernmentAreas (LGA) of Kwara State that offered music at the JSS level. Twenty (20) music teachers and one thousand (1000) music students made up the sample.

The Junior Secondary Schools (JSS) were selected on the basis of stratified random sampling while the subjects were selected using multiple stage random sampling after clustering the samples together. The main instrument for data collection was the questionnaire, which was administered to both music teachers and music students. The construction of the questionnaire owed much to standardized scales and instruments by music experts/supervisors. Data was also collected through interview schedule, classroom observational techniques, checklist, as well books, journals on related works and studies in the library research. For purposes of validation, questions were sent to teachers/experts in music education and supervisors at institutions of higher learning in Nigeria. A pilot study was also carried out to validate the questionnaire. It necessitateda revision of the questionnaire for the students. The descriptive survey and quasi- experimental pre-test and post-test research design were employed in the study. Analysis of Variance(ANOVA), Analysis of Co-Variance (ANCOVA), T-test, Regression and Tukey Honestly Significantly Difference (HSD) Post-hoc were employed to compare the mean scores and ascertain which of the variables were most significant. The results of the study showed that a significant relationship exist between the performance objectives, content coverage, practical activities, difficulty of music topics and academic performance of music students.

It has been suggested that music curriculum should be reviewed from time to time by trained music personnel, music as a school subject should be recognized as a core- subject, motivation and incentives for music teachers, provision of relevant and up-to- date instructional materials for teaching and learning music at the Junior Secondary School Level (JSS). Conferences, seminars and workshops should be organized for music teachers. Implications of these findings for teachers, curriculum developers, school administrators, government and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) were indicated The recommendations of the study centered on the need to improve music curriculum and promote effective teaching and learning of music at the Junior Secondary Schools in Nigeria.. '