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PHILOSOPHICAL ANALYSIS OF DEWEY’S CONCEPT OF DEMOCRACY AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF LEADERSHIP SKILLS AMONG SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

 BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY

Nigeria is a democratic country according to the national constitution. The Student participation for a country’s democratic freedom is crucial for economically developing country. Yet, establishing democratic values such as freedom of expression, fairness, justice, equality and the development of leadership skills which involves fostering qualities like decision-making, effective communication teamwork, motivation and strategic thinking were undermined for long time in the Secondary School Education system in Nigeria. The Federal Republic of Nigeria pointed out the importance of democratic, moral civic and citizenship perspectives in securing future democratic citizens. This study is an attempt to identify understanding, existence and practice of democracy related values and the development of leadership skills at secondary schools level in Nigeria.¹ Dewey’s viewpoints on democratic values of participation, freedom, equality, justice and courage will be utilized to assist in the inquiry of the main research questions of this study.

            Democracy is one of the basic issues and indicators of social development. However, the application of democratic values in education is not only an issue of the social or political arrangement. According to its origin in the Greek-City states, democracy meant the rules of the common People (demos) and was viewed as opposed to aristocracy or autocracy which means the rules of the elite, though the rule by the people played an important part in the democracies of the Greek city States.

Thus, the concept of leadership cannot be overlooked in this work. Jacques² viewed leadership as a process in which an individual provides direction for other people and carries them along in that direction with competence and full commitment. Basing on the contemporary context,

            Dubrin³ assert that leadership is the ability to inspire confidence and support among followers who are expected to achieve organizational goals. Additionally, leadership involves a combination of interpersonal skills, vision, and the capacity to make effective decisions. Leadership goes beyond formal authority, encompassing qualities such as communication, empathy, accountability, resilience, vision, integrity and the ability to adapt to various situations. A democratic leader foster collaboration, motivates others, and provides direction, creating a positive and productive environment.  For the purpose of this work, this concept of leadership will be applied, for it has lots to do with change, inspiration, and motivation, the ingredients of which are critical for development of leadership skills among secondary school students.

            The lack of effective democratic leadership skills within the society presents a significant challenge to the development of leadership skills among secondary school students. This challenges is characterized by a deficit in inclusive decision making, limited transparency, insufficient efforts to empower and engage diverse stakeholders and the failure of infrastructure and amenities the cry in society regarding and breakdown of young people, point to socialization problems such as killings, rape, cultism and drug abuse usually call for a rethink of leadership skills. Democratic leadership can benefits the society in addressing issues of social inequality/injustice by involving diverse voices in decision making processes and promoting policies that aim for equitable outcomes. In the face of environmental challenges, a democratic leadership approach encourages collaboration among various stakeholders to formulate and implement sustainable solutions. Addressing healthcare disparities requires input from diverse perspectives, and democratic leadership can facilitate inclusive approaches to improving healthcare access and outcomes. Democratic leadership skills can enhance civic participation, leading to more informed and engaged societies that actively contribute to democratic process.

            Therefore, Education entails more than just those activities that are being carried out in schools. While Peters viewed education as a process of socialization, enculturation, and transmission of what is worthwhile to those who are committed to it. Dewey explains the concept of education by presenting education as preparation for life, renewal of life by transmission and as a social function.² Okafo, also viewed education as a process of acculturation, that is, a process through which an individual is helped to attain the development of his potentialities and their maximum activations when necessary, according to right reasons and to achieve his perfect fulfillment. Education is expected to build the individuals as citizens granting opportunities to maximize the potentials for the benefits of fitting into the society and helping build the society.³ Education is argued to promote democratic values and principles because it enables a culture of democracy to develop leading to greater prosperity.

            The philosophy of Nigeria as stipulated in the National Policy on Education is to live in unity and harmony as one indivisible, indissoluble, democratic and sovereign nation founded on the principle of freedom, equality and justice and this will promote inter-African solidarity and World peace through understanding. The emphasis on being democratic is reiterated in the national goals. As specified in the five main national goals, such as:

1. A free and democratic Society
2. A just and egalitarian society
3. United, strong and self-reliant nation
4. A great and dynamic economy, and
5. A land full of bright opportunities for all citizens.

The national policies on education place much emphasis on the democratic education, which means that democratic values are supposed to be reflected in the educational system and be taught in classrooms. The core universal democratic values include freedom, equality, responsibility and the protection of universal human rights are designed and followed, thus directly or indirectly affecting firms or individuals who benefit from the directives and increase their growth, which in turn foster the development of leadership skills, provides efficient government, guarantees the rights of students, provides equality, educates the people, and promotes national character. The Federal Republic of Nigeria must ensure that Secondary Schools Students practice democratic values; this will help in the development of their leadership skills. The emphasis on democratic education necessitated this research on how appropriate such democratic values can be applied in the classroom in the development of leadership skills.

1.2       STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

There are certain democratic values such as freedom of expression; justice, equality, fairness, and tolerance are integrated in the secondary school curriculum as advised by the Nigerian national Philosophy and policy on education. One of the problems concerning Democratic values in the secondary schools is resulting from academic freedom, equality of students in terms of placements and consultation. There are limits to freedom of expression of students in secondary schools which can help in the development of their leadership skills. It is important to recognize these expressions as their right to participate in a collective democratic atmosphere. Secondary school students have a democratic right to be heard on matters they consider important, and not just as a means of raising levels of achievement. When the business of education is democratically teacher-guided and student-informed, it presents the case for democracy in the classroom. Democratic values entails that students have their own voice, opinions and right to participate in collective decision making processes. These features make students competent citizens and helps in the development of their leadership skills.

More so, the inadequate development and application of democratic leadership skills like effective communication, decision making, strategic thinking, motivation, integrity, within secondary education settings pose a pressing challenge. This issue manifests in a lack of opportunities for students to actively participate in decision making processes, limited emphasis on inclusive and collaborative approaches, and insufficient incorporation of democratic values into the educational system. Addressing this problem is essential for developing a generation of future leaders who are well equipped with democratic principles and can contribute positively to society.

Another problem concerning Dewey’s concept of democratic values in classroom emanated from the ambiguity regarding the meaning of the word “democracy” which has been highly debated throughout history leading to a lot of misconceptions. The literal meaning of democracy is ‘rule by the people’ (demos). This literal meaning has different interpretations of democracy which is always changing, getting challenged and inclusive because of its nature of continuous reassessment of what it means and entails. On the whole, the misconception of the term “democracy” may be viewed as apparently creating some controversies and doubts as to its relevance in education. Relating to the democratic Values, such as individual autonomy, justice, equality, tolerance, freedom of expression, the most distinctive features of and necessary for democratic education are not giving proper attention in the secondary Schools.  It is in view of this that the researcher has deemed it fit to research on the Philosophical analysis on Dewey’s concept of democracy and the development of leadership skills among secondary school students.

1.3       AIM AND OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY

The aim of the study is to philosophically analyse Dewey’s concepts of democracy and the development of leadership skills among secondary school students. The objectives of the study are to:

1. examine the concept of democracy
2. examine Dewey’s insights about democracy and Leadership.
3. examine the implication of Dewey’s democratic values to the Development of Leadership skills.
4. critically analyze the democratic values and see how they will assist in the Development of Leadership Skills.
5. Justify how Dewey’s concept of democratic values can be applied in Nigerian education.
6. Articulate the logically necessary conditions for the application of Dewey’s concepts of democracy in the Development of Leadership Skills.

1.4       RESEARCH QUESTIONS

In other to guide the research in the philosophical analysis of Dewey’s concepts of democracy and the development of leadership skills among secondary school students, it will be driven by a set of research questions:

1. What is the concept of Democracy?
2. What is the Dewey’s insight about democracy and Leadership?
3. What are the implications of Dewey’s democratic values to the Development of Leadership Skills?
4. To what extent can democratic values assist in the Development of Leadership Skills?
5. Can Dewey’s concept of democratic values be justified in Nigerian Education?
6. What are the logically necessary conditions for the application of Dewey’s concepts of democracy in Development of Leadership Skills?

1.5       SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

This study hope’s to be of significance to Students, teachers, Parents, Peer group, Federal ministry of education, educational policy makers and researchers. The study would help students, at all level of education to engage fully in community participation that will facilitate learning rather than remain docile. Secondary school students will have information and knowledge which will help them constructively in fostering the development of leadership skills and to have an input in the teaching and learning process. The findings of the study will make secondary school students to know that education is the birth of every individual, so it ought to be provided to all individuals and to participate in educational matters regardless of age, ethnic orientation, religion, race or geographical background.

This study would hopefully spur teachers to involve secondary school students democratically in the teaching and learning process. This will greatly influence the education system in Nigeria to follow the provision of the National Policy on education in relation to maximizing the full integration of the individual into the community. The study will enable teachers to adhere to the doctrine of the full integration of the individual into the community and learning process as enshrined in the National Policy on education. This is because teachers are the implementers of the National Policy on education. The study would also provide teachers with the knowledge or methods of how to integrate students in teaching and learning such that every student is given equal treatment in the class without discrimination and prejudice. Thus, teachers will take note of student’s different learning challenges.

The study will provide parents with information to see the needs necessary to encourage participation of children in a democratic community. It is expected also that the findings of the study will be useful to the Nigerian Populace. This is because education is a social emancipation, by which democracy establishes, maintains and protect the spirit of equality amongst its members. The integration of secondary school students in a democratic community will lay a strong foundation for the formation of an egalitarian society and the development of leadership skills which the Nigerian Populace is advocating for.

This study would be of great benefit to school proprietors to ensure the implementation of a good pedagogical approach in facilitating knowledge and development of leadership skills among secondary school students. Educational planners would benefits from this study in the sense that this study will expose them to the need to plan educational programmes and the school curriculum such that it will encourage secondary school students in democratic learning environment.

This study would hopefully spur educational Policy makers to cogent educational policies that would emphasize and focus on pedagogical method to ensure its feasibility in Nigerian educational system. The Nigerian secondary school students will have a sense of belonging and the possibility of becoming self –reliant in the future. When completed, this research will serve as a reference material to prospective scholars who intend to undertake researches on related area because the proper application of Dewey’s democratic values to the development of leadership skills among secondary school students will lead to overall national development and eliminates several societal problems in Nigeria.

1.6    THEORITICAL/CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK       

This research is hinged on progressive theory of education. The progressive education is a philosophical school (pedagogical movement) that gives much consideration to the personal experiences of the learner as the most important aspects of education. The progressivist holds that the whole self is developed wholly and entirely in the learning process through one’s experiences, this includes the body, emotional needs and spiritual needs. Therefore, education should focus on the development of the whole self. In addition, the leaner’s experiences should be considered as very important in the teaching and learning process. This school also believes that through such aims, education would be better positioned to improve the lives of the learners. The school emphasizes learner’s freedom, democratic learning environment and learner’s involvement in decision making. Following the importance place by the progressive school of education, it also emphasizes that areas of learners interest should be emphasized in education towards their progress and development. Generally, the progressive school holds that education should enhance individual progress and social development among its aims.

            Dewey⁴ was a major voice in pragmatic pedagogical movement that started in 1880s and lasted for about 60 years in the United State of America where he established his University Laboratory School at the University of Chicago in 1896. The philosophy of Dewey on education believe that the traditional school system as failed because it did not consider in its system the extraordinary changes that takes place in the society which makes it product (student) not be able to fit in adequately to the ever changing society. In a sense, schools that best teach students the leadership skills to participate actively in democracy are themselves institutions that reflect democratic principles not only in word, but also in practice. Dewey throughout his most original works, he constantly emphasizes particularly the idea of learning by doing and practicing democratic values such as freedom of expression, justice and equality.  Therefore, to adequately understand the Dewey’s concept of democracy and the development of leadership skills among secondary school students, a clear understanding of philosophy of educational progressivism of John Dewey is essential.

1.7       SCOPE OF THE STUDY

The study is a philosophical analysis of Dewey’s concepts of democracy and the development of leadership skills among secondary school students. The work will examine the concept of democracy and the development of Leadership Skills. The work will focuses on the various scholars whom had contributed much on the topics, democracy, Leadership and education. The study will be limited to Secondary Schools due to their pivotal role in shaping students’ academic and personal development during a critical phase. Focusing on secondary school level allows for an in-depth analysis of educational practices, challenges, and outcomes specific to this demographic. Other areas may not be covered due to resource constraints, time limitations, or the need for a targeted investigation to provide meaningful insights on how these democratic leadership skills can be inculcated in the secondary school students to prepare them for the future.