REBRANDING CIVIC EDUCATION FOR SMART ACHIEVEMENT OF CIVIC GOAL IN NIGERIA: A QUALITATIVE EXPLORATION

Abstract

Civic Education is a unique educational brand that is essential for capacity building to effectively practice democracy. Therefore, Civic Education was designed as a core, cutting-across subject in senior secondary education in Nigeria. However, there seems to be inadequate understanding of the subject's role and likely threats from other educational brand competitors affecting Civic Education's brand identity in Nigeria. Through qualitative exploration design, this study presented issues necessitating the rebranding of Civic Education to effectively position it for the achievement of civic goals. The researchers adopted content analysis and Focus Group Discussion (FGD) for data collection. Thematic coding was employed in data analysis which was presented in a rich narrative format. A sample size of 16 students for FGD was purposively selected using a non-probability method of sampling. The study helped to establish the current brand status of Civic Education in Nigeria, discover brand-competitor threats to Civic Education and chatted a rebranding process for repositioning the subject. The findings exposed Civic Education as a moderately strong (50%) educational brand. Although government was the main external brand competitor, the content analysis and FGD identified poor risk reduction and lack of strategic direction as the crucial internal weakness of Civic Education. Recommendations were made for the subject's rebranding process which comprised the government's urgent action to review the curriculum and upgrading teachers' pedagogy to enhance skillful presentation of the brand. These steps will essentially promote students' confidence in Civic Education brand through recognizable skills that could be engaged beyond classroom walls