Civic Values Education as A Strategy For Reducing Cultism and Violence Among Male Senior Secondary School Students: Evidence from Ijebu-Ode, Ogun State, Nigeria

Abstract

Secondary education in Nigeria is expected to produce responsible citizens who respect the 
law, value peaceful coexistence, and contribute meaningfully to national development, yet 
cultism and violence continue to threaten these goals in many schools. This study examined the 
impact of learning civic values on the reduction of cultism and violence among male senior 
secondary school students in Ijebu-Ode Local Government Area of Ogun State, Nigeria. A 
descriptive survey design was adopted for the study, with 150 male students purposively 
selected from five public senior secondary schools. Data were collected using the Reduction of 
Cultism and Violence Questionnaire (RCVQ), and the instrument yielded a Cronbach’s alpha 
reliability coefficient of 0.77. Data were analysed using frequency counts, percentages, and an 
observation checklist, so the findings are best interpreted as descriptive evidence of perceived 
influence rather than causal proof. The findings showed that civic values are well represented 
in the Civic Education curriculum and are perceived by students to reduce cultism and 
violence. For cultism reduction, obedience recorded 90%, honesty 88%, loyalty and integrity 
85%, respect and humility 81%, and unity, responsibility, and equality 80%. For violence 
reduction, tolerance recorded 90%, self-discipline 87%, unity 85%, respect 82%, integrity and 
responsibility 80%, and honesty 79%. The study concluded that civic value education remains 
a useful school-based strategy for promoting lawful behaviour and discouraging violent and 
cult-related tendencies among male students. It recommended mentoring programmes, reward 
systems, early identification of cult-related tendencies, stronger collaboration among schools, 
parents, and communities, and the engagement of male students in leadership roles as positive 
role models. It recommended mentoring programmes, reward systems, early intervention 
strategies, and stronger collaboration between schools, parents, and communities to sustain 
peaceful coexistence in an academic environment which will enhance academic performance.