BENEFITS OF TEACHNG LITERATURE ON THE MORALITY OF STUDENTS IN SENIOR SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN GINDIRI, MANGU LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA

TABLE OF CONTENTS
Title Page – – – – – – – – – i
Declaration – – – – – – – – – ii
Approval Page – – – – – – – – – iii
Dedication – – – – – – – – – iv
Acknowledgments – – – – – – – – v
Table of Content – – – – – – – – vi
Abstract – – – – – – – – – x

CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1. Background of the Study – – – – – – 1
1.2. Statement of the Problem – – – – – 3
1.3. Purpose of the Study – – – – – – 4
1.4. Research Questions – – – – – – 4
1.5. Significance of the Study – – – – – – 5
1.6. Scope and Delimitation of the Study – – – – 5

CHAPTER TWO
REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE

CHAPTER THREE
METHODOLOGY
3.0 Introduction – – – – – – – – 26
3.1 Research Design – – – – – – – 26
3.2 Population of the Study – – – – – – 27
3.3 Sample of the Study – – – – – – – 27
3.4 Sampling Technique – – – – – – – 28
3.5 Instrument for Data Collection – – – – – 29
3.6 Validity and Reliability – – – – – – 30
3.7 Procedure for Data Collection – – – – – 30
3.8 Method of Data Analysis – – – – – – 30

CHAPTER FOUR
DATA ANALYSIS AND DISCUSSION
4.0 Introduction – – – – – — – – 33
4.1 Presentation of Results – – – – – – 33
4.2 Discussion – – – – – – – – 48

CHAPTER FIVE
SUMMARY OF FINDINGS, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS
5.1 Summary of Findings – – – – – – – 52
5.3 Conclusion – – – – – – – – 53
5.2 Recommendations – – – – – – – 54
References – – – – – – – – 56
Appendices – – – – – – – – 58

Abstract
This study was carried out in order to determine the benefit of teaching literature on the morality of students in Senior Secondary Schools in Gindiri, Mangu Local Government Area. The main objective of the study was to find out how literature can be beneficial to the morals of the students. The research design used was the survey research design. The population of the study consisted of all literature teachers in Mangu Local government Area. The sample of the study consisted of 10 selected secondary schools from the local government. A total of 29 teachers were gotten from the selected schools who served as respondents. The instrument used for the collection of data was the questionnaire. Some of the findings include: literature is not offered as a compulsory subject in secondary schools as the curriculum has placed it optional, drama is not staged; poems are not recited, teachers of literature do not relate the teaching of literature to moral values as well as expose students to the dangers of some vices of decadence of their lives and the society at large. In the light of these findings, it was recommended among others that: literature should be taught as a compulsory subject in all secondary schools in the nation so as to enhance moral upliftment in secondary schools, teachers of literature should ensure that drama texts are acted and staged by students as this has lasting effects on them and helps to develop their character and bring out potentials in them, among others.

CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background to the study
Education is the greatest force that can be used to bring about change. 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 the acquisition of knowledge, skills, values, beliefs and habits. Education is an indispensible part of life ,both for an individual and society. A society which is uneducated cannot think along rational lines.
The school does not function only to teach 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 behaviour in consistent patterns of functions across a range of situations.”
Interestingly, every society has acceptable standards for the expression of these consistent behaviours. This enables the society to pass judgement on the wrongness or rightness of behaviour. And inasmuch 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, honour, strong will for doing right, and the likes are good moral values.
Therefore the society looks upon the school to assist in the teaching of its moral values to its 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 behaviour. So when the behaviour 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 find out the benefits of teaching literature on the morality of secondary school students and this broad goal s further broken down into the specific objectives below:
i. Determine the meaning of moral uprightness in the immediate environment.
ii. Determine the kinds of literature to be used in inculcating morals.
iii. Find out whether literature is taught well in secondary schools in Gindiri.
iv. 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:
i. What is the meaning of moral uprightness in the immediate environment?
ii. What are the kinds of literature which can be used to inculcate morals?
iii. How well is literature taught in secondary schools in Gindiri?
iv. 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 Gindiri District in Mangu Local Government Area. These schools are:
a. Hope Christian Secondary School
b. Spring Board Academy
c. Miracle Vine Secondary School
d. Government Secondary School Bwalbwang
e. Pyem Community Secondary School
f. COCIN Comprehensive College Gindiri
g. Boys Secondary School Gindiri
h. Girls’ High School Gindiri
i. Manchet Secondary School (K/Ali) Pumbush
j. Sunshine Academy Sabon Barki
However, despite the fact that the study is limited to Mangu Local Government Area, its findings will be generic – it can be generalized to other parts of the country as well.