Nation Building

Moral education, like character education, is not a new idea - it is as old as society and education. It addresses ethical dimensions of the individual and society and examines how standards of right and wrong are developed. Thus, moral education teaches core moral values, such as honesty and responsibility, care, etc, and helps to raise morally responsible and self-disciplined citizens. Problem solving, decision making, and conflict resolution are also important parts of developing good moral character. Good role modeling in the classrooms and out in the communities is important in moral education because through role playing and discussions students could see how their actions and decisions affect others in the society. Thus, it has been noted that morals are “caught, not taught,” and “classroom life is saturated with moral meaning that shapes students ' character and moral development.
Serious societies since the time of Plato have made moral education a deliberate aim of schooling. They educated for good character as well as intellect, decency as well as literacy, virtue as well as knowledge; and they tried to train citizens who would use their intelligence to benefit others as well as themselves.

That was the case in the early years in Nigeria. But as the society began to worship money and material wealth (with less regard for good character) support for old-fashioned character education in the society crumbled, with morality taking a dangerous nosedive. The schools in Nigeria are today strewn with cases of vandalism and cultism and cheating in school examinations, disrespect for authority and an upsurge in prostitution, drug abuse and other self-destructive behaviors. Most of the youths continue with these anti-social behaviors in their adult lives thereby causing the rampant bribery and corruption and electoral frauds in the society. Moral education is must. We often hear people around us grumble that the world is in-every pad_shape. There is much of

References: Victor E. Dike (Oct 2007) “Tackling Corruption through Character and Moral Education” Online Nigeria Village Square “ The Need for Moral Education” (www.Studymode.com) Journal Of Moral Education: Moral Education in Nigeria (www.eric.ed.gov) Educating for Good Character and the Moral life of the Nation (www.nigerdeltacongress.com). Moral Education - A Brief History of Moral Education, The Return of Character Education, Current Approaches to Moral Education (education.stateuniversity.com/pages/2246/Moral-Education.) | | | |