Conference highlights relevance of Social Studies in national development

The Faculty of Social Science Education of the University of Education, Winneba (UEW) has organised the maiden National Social Studies conference at the university campus in Winneba.

The conference, on the theme: ‘Attitudes and values for national development: The role of Social Studies’, was aimed at highlighting the relevance of the study of social studies at the various levels of education.

In his address, the Director, Centre for Teacher Professional Development, College of Educational Studies at the University of Cape Coast (UCC), Professor Cosmas Cobbold, underscored the importance of the study of social studies, saying it helped to inculcate in learners the right type of attitudes and values needed for the survival of the individual and the society.

According to him, the study of social studies could help the country to obtain the much needed values and attitudes that were geared towards sustainable national development.

Prof. Cobbold further explained that social studies prepared learners for effective citizenship through the inculcation of the right culture and values required for democratic citizenship and sustainable national development.

Good values

He stressed that respect for law and human dignity, equality, hard work, fairness, patriotism, among others, were core values for national development which could be acquired with the study of social studies.

Prof. Cobbold indicated that “in order to develop the capacity to learn, acquire knowledge and skills that are essential for the transformation of the individual, there is the need for learners to imbibe socially acceptable behaviour and positive habits in them”.

He argued that social evils such as corruption in places, misappropriation and embezzlement of funds, drug abuse among the youth, among other attitudes that were counterproductive to national development, could be dealt with, with the study of social studies.

Presentation

In a presentation on the topic: ‘Citizenship education in national development’, the Dean, School of Management Sciences and Law, University of Energy and Natural Resources (UENR), Sunyani, Professor Yaw Ofosu-Kusi, called on students to take the study of social studies seriously and acquire the needed values so that they could grow to become responsible adults capable of contributing to the nation’s development.

In a welcome address, the Dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences Education (FSSE) at UEW, Dr Seth Peter Frimpong, said the study of social studies helps the Ghanaian child to have positive attitude towards the environment, government property and cherish the values of hard work, patriotism, time consciousness, among others.

The Director of Quality Assurance at the UEW, Prof. Yaw Ameyaw, who chaired the occasion, said that social studies continued to play important roles in the socio-economic development of the country.