AN EXAMINATION OF FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTS’ BEHAVIOUR IN CULTURAL AND CREATIVE ARTS

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1Background of the study.

Cultural and Creative Arts education is a subject which leads children towards the understanding and appreciation of arts and culture. It develops the creative skills and aesthetic sensibilities of children. It involves the philosophy, psychology and sociology of education in learning situation.Cultural and Creative Arts programme is designed to meet the professional needs of students who plan to specialize in Fine Arts, Drama, and Music. Creative Arts provide and trains teachers for the schools and colleges. Nigerian government realizes the importance of Cultural and Creative Arts and therefore include it in the National Policy on Education (Federal Ministry of Education,1981, 2004, 2007).The teaching of the subject is compulsory in Junior Secondary School and it is made optional at the senior secondary level. To ensure successful implementation of this programme, the federal government provided Cultural and Creative Arts syllabusfor all Junior Secondary Schools in Nigeria. Crowder in Akolo (2000)perceived that a way of preserving the arts in Nigeria is to encourage effective teaching – learning through provision of adequate materials and funds. Funds are not adequately allocated to Cultural and Creative Arts Secondary Schools principals. There is need for attitudinal change on the part of parents, teachers and school administrators as suggested by Olorukooba (1990; 2006); Mbahi,(1990; 2008). The attitudinal change on the part of the administrators is also part of the problem of the Cultural and Creative Arts. Teachers and students also make negative statements about Creative Arts to people in authority. Such attitudes have to change for the students to be receptive to the teaching of Cultural and Creative.