2024/03/12 by Isidore Agbanero, Agbanero, Isidore
paper · doi:10.34862/tce/2024/02/25/tlag-mu
Moral instruction in the Nigerian secondary school curriculum is intended to help students develop good moral behaviour. However, the prevalence of deviant and unethical behaviours among students in Nigerian secondary schools raises concerns about the effectiveness and viability of the country’s moral instruction and curriculum. While this issue may be attributed to pedagogical dynamics in Nigeria, particularly in translating the curriculum into practice, the current study argues that the application of moral theories is essential in understanding the complexities of moral instruction in Nigerian secondary schools. This approach aims to uncover the underlying reasons for the interaction between students’ moral conduct and the ethical principles taught in moral instruction. By conducting in-depth and critical data exploration, as well as drawing on Kant’s categorical imperative, the current study advocates for the incorporation of normative moral theory into the existing curriculum. This will provide students with clear ethical guidelines to help them understand how their actions will impact their own interests and those of others.