Government Waec Syllabus

SECTION A: ELEMENTS OF GOVERNMENT

1. MEANING AND SCOPE OF THE SUBJECT MATTER - GOVERNMENT
   • Government as an institution of the state
   • Government as a process or art of governing
   • Government as an academic field of study
2. BASIC CONCEPTS AND PRINCIPLES OF GOVERNMENT
   • Basic Concepts – Power, Authority, Legitimacy, Sovereignty, Democracy, Political Culture , Political Socialization, Communalism, Socialism, Communism, Capitalism, Feudalism, Fascism, Nazism, Totalitarianism, Society, State and Nation, Colonialism and Nationalism.
   • Basic Principles – Rule of Law, Fundamental Human Rights, Separation of Powers/Checks and balances, Constitutionalism, Political Participation, Representative Government, Centralization and Decentralization – (Delegated Legislation, Devolution and Deconcentration).
3. CONSTITUTIONS
   • Definition and sources
   • Scope
   • Types – Written and Unwritten; rigid and flexible
   • Functions
4. TYPES/FORMS OF GOVERNMENT
   • Unitary, Federal, Confederal, Presidential or non-parliamentary, Parliamentary or Cabinet, Monarchical and Republican
5. ORGANS OF GOVERNMENT
   • The Executive, the Legislature and the Judiciary. (Types/structure, composition/membership; functions; power and limitations)
6. CITIZENSHIP
   • Status, Rights, Duties and Obligations of Individuals in the State
7. POLITICAL PARTIES AND PARTY SYSTEMS
   • Political Parties – definition, organization, types and functions
   • Party Systems – definition, types and characteristics
8. THE ELECTORAL PROCESS
   • Meaning, Types and Suffrage
   • Purposes of Elections
   • Organization of Elections – Features of free and fair elections; stages of elections
   • Types and characteristics of Electoral systems
   • Electoral Commission – Roles or duties of electoral commissions. Problems, Organization and Characteristics.
9. PRESSURE GROUPS AND PUBLIC OPINION
   • Pressure Groups – definition, types, characteristics, mode of operation and functions
   • Public Opinion – definition, formation, measurement and functions.
10. PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION
    • Definition of Public Administration
    • Civil Service – Meaning, Structure, Characteristics and Functions
    • The Public/Civil Service Commission – Composition and Functions
    • Public Corporations – definition, purposes, functions, organization, control and problems
    • Local Governments – Meaning, Types, Purposes, Functions, Sources of Revenue, Control, Problems and Reforms.

SECTION B: POLITICAL AND CONSTITUTIONAL DEVELOPMENTS IN WEST AFRICA AND INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

1. SECTION B: POLITICAL AND CONSTITUTIONAL DEVELOPMENTS IN WEST AFRICA AND INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

   The Structural Organization of the following:

   • Nigeria – Hausa/Fulani, the Yoruba and the Igbo
   • Ghana – The Akan, the Ewe and the Mole Dagbani
   • Sierra Leone – The Mende and Temne
   • The Gambia – The Wolof and Mandingo
   • Liberia – The Vai and the Kru
2. COLONIAL ADMINISTRATION
   • Reasons for Colonialism
   • The policy and structure of the British Colonial Administration—Crown Colony, Protectorate and Indirect Rule
   • The policy of French Colonial Administration: Assimilation and Association
   • Chieftaincy during the colonial period: status and functions
3. NATIONALISM IN WEST AFRICA
   • Nationalism before the Second World War (Proto-nationalism) – Meaning, features and factors
   • Nationalism after the Second World War – factors, growth and effects
4. CONSTITUTIONAL DEVELOPMENTS OF CANDIDATES’ RESPECTIVE COUNTRIES

   Pre-independence Constitutions (Background, main features, merits and demerits)

   • Nigeria
     • Clifford 1922
     • Richards 1946
     • Macpherson 1951
     • Lyttleton 1954
   • Ghana
     • Clifford 1916,
     • Guggisberg 1925,
     • Burns 1946,
     • Arden Clarke 1951,
     • Nkrumah 1954.
   • Sierra Leone
     • Slater 1924,
     • Stevenson 1947,
     • Beresford Stooke 1951,
     • The 1956 and 1958 Constitutions.
   • The Gambia
     • 1947, 1951, 1954, 1960, 1962 and 1963 Constitutions

   Post-independence Constitutions (Background, main features, merits and demerits)

   • Nigeria
     • Independence Constitution 1960,
     • Republican Constitution 1963,
     • The 1979, 1989 and 1999 Constitutions.
   • Ghana
     • Independence Constitution 1957,
     • Republican Constitution 1960,
     • 2nd Republican Constitution 1969,
     • The 1979 and 1992 Constitutions.
   • Sierra Leone
     • Independence Constitution 1961,
     • Republican Constitution 1971,
     • The 1978 and 1991 Constitutions
   • The Gambia
     • Independence Constitution 1965,
     • Republican Constitution 1970.
   • Liberia
     • Independence/Republican Constitution 1985
5. DEVELOPMENT OF MAJOR POLITICAL PARTIES IN THE CANDIDATES’ RESPECTIVE COUNTRIES
   • Nigeria
   • Ghana
   • Sierra Leone
   • The Gambia
   • Liberia
   • The formation, objectives, achievements, and failures
6. MILITARY RULE IN THE CANDIDATES’ RESPECTIVE COUNTRIES
   • Nigeria
   • Ghana
   • Sierra Leone
   • The Gambia
   • Liberia
7. FEDERAL/UNITARY SYSTEMS OF GOVERNMENT IN WEST AFRICA
   • Factors, Structures, Features and Problems
8. FOREIGN POLICIES OF THE CANDIDATES’ RESPECTIVE COUNTRIES
   • Nigeria
   • Ghana
   • Sierra Leone
   • The Gambia
   • Liberia.
   • Definitions, Factors, Advantages and Disadvantages
9. INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
   • The United Nations Organization (UNO);
   • The Organization of African Unity (OAU);
   • The Commonwealth;
   • The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).
   • Origin, aims/objectives, organizational structure, functions, achievements, and problem

W.A.S.S.C.E GOVERNMENT SUGGESTED READING LIST

1. A. APPADORAI - The Substance of Politics
2. J. H. PRICE - Political Institutions in West Africa
3. C. A. LEEDS - Political Studies
4. C. F. STRONG - Modern Political Institutions
5. W. E. F. WARD - Government in West Africa
6. G. Y. AMOAH - Groundwork of Government for West Africa
7. ROBER S. JORDAN - Government and Power in West Africa
8. DARE & OYEWOLE - A Textbook of Government for Senior Secondary Schools
9. OYEDIRAN & OTHERS - Government for Senior Secondary Schools (Books 1 – 3)
10. FRANCIS ADIGWE - Essentials of Government for West Africa
11. DENNIS AUSTIN - Politics in Ghana 1946 – 1960
12. T. HODGKIN - African Political Parties
13. E. A. KEAY & H. THOMAS - West African Government