Class: Junior Secondary School 2 (JSS 2 / JS2)
Term: 3rd Term
Week: 9
Age: 13 years
Duration: 45 minutes
Subject: National Values Education
Curriculum Theme: Civic Education
Previous Lesson: .
Topic: CAUSES OF ELECTORAL MALPRACTICES
Subject Matter: Greed, poverty, ethnicity, ignorance, Favouritism, lack of political awareness. Inadequate arrangement by the INEC

Specific Objectives

By the end of the lesson, pupils should be able to:

Cognitive Domain:

Define electoral malpractice.
List at least three causes of electoral malpractices.
Explain how different factors contribute to electoral malpractices.

Affective Domain:

Appreciate the importance of free and fair elections for national development.
Condemn all forms of electoral malpractices.
Develop a sense of responsibility towards ethical electoral practices.

Psychomotor Domain:

Identify instances of electoral malpractice in their community.
Suggest ways to prevent electoral malpractices.

Advocate for transparency and fairness in electoral processes.
Participate in discussions about improving electoral conduct.

Reference Materials

The following resources were used in planning this lesson:

9 Years Basic Education Curriculum for Junior Secondary Schools.
State Unified Scheme of Work.
National Values Education for Junior Secondary Schools 2.
https://www.inecnigeria.org

Instructional Materials

The teacher will teach this lesson with the aid of:

Charts showing images of election processes.
Pictures depicting various forms of electoral malpractices.
Whiteboard/Blackboard and markers/chalk.

Rationale for the Lesson

This lesson helps pupils understand the reasons behind unfair elections, which can affect governance and development. It enables them to identify electoral issues and encourages them to advocate for better electoral practices in society.

Prerequisite/Previous Knowledge

Pupils have basic knowledge of elections, voting, and the importance of choosing leaders.

Lesson Content/Board Summary

CAUSES OF ELECTORAL MALPRACTICES

Definition of Electoral Malpractice

Electoral malpractice refers to any illegal or fraudulent act committed during an election process with the aim of manipulating the outcome. This includes actions that violate electoral laws and undermine the fairness and integrity of an election.

Causes of Electoral Malpractices

The following are common causes of electoral malpractices:

Greed: The desire for money or material gain often leads individuals to engage in vote-buying, selling votes, or other corrupt practices during elections.
Poverty: Economic hardship can make people vulnerable to manipulation, leading them to accept money or gifts in exchange for their votes, thereby compromising the electoral process.
Ethnicity: Over-reliance on ethnic sentiments can lead to voters supporting candidates based on their ethnic background rather than their competence or policies. This can also lead to politicians exploiting ethnic divisions for votes.
Ignorance: A lack of awareness about electoral laws, voter rights, and the importance of their vote can make some citizens susceptible to manipulation or prevent them from reporting malpractices.
Favouritism: When electoral officials or political party agents show undue preference for a particular candidate or party, it can lead to unfair advantages, ballot box stuffing, or manipulation of results.
Lack of Political Awareness: When citizens are not well-informed about political issues, candidates’ manifestos, or the implications of their choices, they can easily be misled or manipulated during elections.
Inadequate Arrangement by the INEC: Poor planning, insufficient training of ad-hoc staff, late arrival of materials, or inadequate security measures by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) can create opportunities for electoral malpractices.

Teaching Methods/Instructional Techniques

Discussion, Lecture, Demonstration, Question and Answer, Visual Aids

Instructional Procedures

Step 1: Introduction

Time: 5 minutes
Teaching Skill: Set Induction
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher greets the pupils and reviews the previous lesson on the importance of elections. The teacher then introduces the new topic by asking pupils if they have ever heard about issues during elections.
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils respond to the greetings, recall the previous lesson, and share their thoughts on election issues.
Learning Point: Pupils connect previous knowledge to the new topic and are engaged in the lesson.

Step 2: Definition of Electoral Malpractice

Time: 10 minutes
Teaching Skill: Explanation/Definition
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher defines electoral malpractice clearly, providing examples like vote-buying, ballot box snatching, and result manipulation. The teacher writes the definition on the board.
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils listen attentively, ask questions for clarity, and copy the definition into their notebooks.
Learning Point: Pupils understand what electoral malpractice means.

Step 3: Causes – Greed and Poverty

Time: 8 minutes
Teaching Skill: Explanation/Discussion
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher explains how greed and poverty contribute to electoral malpractices, giving relevant examples. The teacher encourages pupils to discuss how these factors influence voters and politicians.
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils listen, contribute to the discussion, and note down the points.
Learning Point: Pupils understand how economic factors lead to malpractices.

Step 4: Causes – Ethnicity and Ignorance

Time: 7 minutes
Teaching Skill: Explanation/Illustration
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher explains how ethnic sentiments and a lack of voter education (ignorance) can be exploited during elections, leading to malpractices. The teacher provides local examples where possible.
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils listen to the explanations and offer their own examples or observations.
Learning Point: Pupils learn how social and educational factors contribute to malpractices.

Step 5: Causes – Favouritism and Lack of Political Awareness

Time: 7 minutes
Teaching Skill: Elaboration/Engagement
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher discusses how favouritism by electoral officials and a general lack of political awareness among the populace can pave the way for electoral fraud. The teacher asks pupils what it means to be politically aware.
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils listen, answer questions about political awareness, and contribute ideas.
Learning Point: Pupils understand the role of impartiality and information in fair elections.

Step 6: Causes – Inadequate Arrangement by INEC

Time: 3 minutes
Teaching Skill: Explanation
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher explains that shortcomings in INEC’s planning and execution, such as late material delivery or poor security, can also be a cause of malpractices.
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils listen and note down this significant point.
Learning Point: Pupils recognise the institutional role in preventing malpractices.

Step 7: Evaluation/Review

Time: 5 minutes
Teaching Skill: Questioning/Assessment
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher evaluates the learning by asking the following questions:

What is electoral malpractice?
Mention three causes of electoral malpractices.
How can poverty lead to electoral malpractice?
Explain how a lack of political awareness contributes to electoral malpractice.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils answer orally and in writing.
Learning Point: Pupils demonstrate understanding of the lesson.

Step 8: Conclusion

Time: 2 minutes
Teaching Skill: Summarization/Assignment
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher summarizes the key causes of electoral malpractices and emphasizes the importance of free and fair elections. The teacher assigns homework: “List two ways electoral malpractice can be prevented in your community.”
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils listen to the summary and copy the homework assignment.
Learning Point: Pupils consolidate their learning and prepare for further engagement with the topic.

Lesson Keywords

Electoral malpractice – Illegal or fraudulent acts committed during an election to manipulate the outcome.
Greed – Intense and selfish desire for wealth or power.
Poverty – The state of being extremely poor.
Ethnicity – The fact or state of belonging to a social group that has a common national or cultural tradition.
Ignorance – Lack of knowledge or information.
Favouritism – The practice of giving unfair preferential treatment to one person or group at the expense of another.
INEC – Independent National Electoral Commission.

Differentiation

For pupils who grasp concepts quickly, the teacher can challenge them to think about the long-term effects of electoral malpractice on national development. For pupils needing more support, the teacher will provide simplified definitions and more direct examples, possibly using visual aids more frequently.

Note for teachers using this lesson plan

Teachers should encourage pupils to relate the causes of electoral malpractices to real-life situations they may have observed or heard about. Emphasize that preventing these malpractices is a collective responsibility. Encourage open discussion while maintaining respect for diverse opinions. Ensure all pupils understand the importance of their role as future voters.