Objectives of Secondary Education

National and Specific Objectives in Secondary Education

• Secondary education is defined as the education received after primary and before tertiary stages.
• It can also be defined as the education received automatically after primary education.
• Secondary education is also the education given in a secondary school.
• Secondary schools include modern, commercial, grammar, technical, trade and craft schools, as well as teacher training institutions.
• The term "secondary education" has multiple meanings.

National Objectives in Nigeria

• Building a free and democratic society.
• Building a just and egalitarian society.
• Building a united, strong, and self-reliant nation.
• Creating a great and dynamic economy.
• Creating a land full of bright opportunities for all citizens.

Goals of Secondary Education

• Preparing individuals for useful living within society.
• Preparing individuals for higher education.

Specific Objectives of Secondary Education

• Providing primary school leavers with opportunities for higher education, regardless of background.
• Offering diversified curricula to cater to varied talents, opportunities, and future roles.
• Providing trained manpower in applied science, technology, and commerce at sub-professional levels.
• Developing and promoting Nigerian languages, art, and culture.
• Inspiring students with a desire for self-improvement and achievement of excellence.
• Fostering national unity by emphasizing common ties.
• Raising a generation of people who can think for themselves and respect the views of others.
• Providing technical knowledge and vocational skills for agricultural, industrial, commercial, and economic development.

Values and Attitudes in Secondary Education

• Value is defined as how much something is worth, its usefulness or importance, and how one perceives something.
• Attitude is the way one thinks or feels about something, influencing behavior.
• Values and attitudes are inferences, abstract, and cannot be physically perceived.
• Values influence individual actions.
• Values and attitudes are personal.
• Values and attitudes have intensity (strong or mild).
• Values and attitudes are maintained over time.
• Values and attitudes can be learned or copied from the environment and interactions with others.
• National consciousness and community participation are taught in subjects like Civic and Social Studies, Christian and Islamic Religious Studies.
• Elements like democracy, freedom, responsibility, love, togetherness, hard work, honesty, and integrity are part of the curriculum.

Suggestions for Improvement

• School administrations should guide students to promote peaceful living.
• Students should avoid criminal tendencies.
• Students should obey school rules and regulations.
• Students should avoid vandalism.
• Students should develop a spirit of sharing.
• Students should have a positive attitude towards labor.
• Students should be willing to serve others.
• Students should develop a positive attitude toward self-reading.

Specified Standards in Secondary Education

• Secondary school has a six-year duration, split into Junior (JSS) and Senior (SSS) stages of three years each.
• Junior Secondary School (JSS) should be pre-vocational and academic, tuition-free, universal, and compulsory.
• Students should offer a minimum of 10 and a maximum of 13 subjects
• Students must take all subjects like English, French, and Maths, as well as at least one subject from Group B or C.
• Languages should be taught as L1 with an emphasis on literature and as L2 with an emphasis on orals if orthography is not available.
• Group B consists of pre-vocational electives like Agriculture, Business studies, and Home Economics, with an emphasis on practicals.
• Students who complete Junior Secondary School stream into Senior Secondary School, Technical College, Vocational Training Centers, or apprenticeship schemes.
• Streaming is based on tests to determine academic ability and vocational interest, aiming for a 50:50 ratio.