Abstract

The purpose of the study was to evaluate the adequacy of the English component of the General Studies (GNS) curriculum of the Nigerian Polytechnics and level of achievement of its objectives using a modification of the context-input-process-product (CIPP) evaluation model of Stufflebeam (1971). The target population was all the lecturers and students of Nigerian Polytechnics.

Using the stratified random sampling technique, eight polytechnics were selected and the subjects consisted of eighty (80) lecturers of English, eighty (80) lecturers of other academic disciplines, and two hundred and forty (240) students. The tools for the research were six in all.

Three researcher-designed questionnaires were used to seek the opinions of students and lecturers. Also, an interview protocol was used to elicit data from heads of departments. In addition, the academic records of students were analyzed while the researcher personally observed the conduct of lecturers in two of the eight polytechnics. The data gathered for the study were analyzed using Chi-Square (X²) and Analysis of Variance (ANOVA).

The findings of the study revealed that while the objectives of the components were adequate, the underlying assumptions were defective, while the needs of the students were only being partially met. The resources available for the implementation of the component were found to be grossly inadequate. The lecture method was observed to be the most common, while only few of the interest groups involved had a positive attitude. It was concluded that there are weakness in the component that would necessitate some rethinking in the dimension of the CIPP. Thus, it was recommended, amongst others that the funding and facilities made available for implementation of the component be improved upon, and all GNS units be upgraded to the status of an institute or school.

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