2023/2024 WAEC Syllabus for Government (Paper 1 & Paper 2)

Filed in Education by on March 13, 2023 • 0 Comments

Just as examinations are methods to prove a student’s understanding of what he/she has been taught in a particular subject, the WAEC examination aims at reviewing student’s understanding of what they were taught in the classrooms in different countries of West Africa.

Note that this examination will be written with so many external bodies coming in to invigilate, to the course, every candidate must be well prepared for this examination. The WAEC syllabus for Government is a document containing areas of concentration, you should study every topic in it, as questions will stem out of each topics.

For the Government examination, there will be two papers – Paper 1 and Paper 2, both of which must be taken, and sections A and B.

While

Section A includes questions concerning Elements of Government

Section B includes Political and Constitutional Developments in West Africa and International Relations

WAEC Syllabus for Government

Section A: Elements of Government
  • Meaning and Scope of the Subject Matter – Government
  • Government as an institution of the state
  • Definition of state, features, structure and functions.
  • Government as a process or art or governing.
  • Government as an academic field of study – reasons for studying government.

Basic Concepts and Principles of Government

  • Basic concepts – State, *Society, *Nation, Power, Authority, Legitimacy, Sovereignty, Democracy, Political Culture and Socialization, Communalism, Feudalism and oligarchy, *Liberalism, Socialism, Communism, Capitalism, Fascism, Aristocracy, Totalitarianism.

Meaning and Features

  • 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 Decentralization).

Constitutions

  • Definition and Sources
  • Functions
  • Types and Features, (Written and Unwritten, Rigid and Flexible).
  • Organs of Government
  • The Executive, the Legislature and the Judiciary – Judicial Independence. (Types, Structure, Composition/membership; Functions; powers and limitations).

State Structure and Characteristics of Government

  • Types – Unitary, Federal, Confederal, Presidential or Non-parliamentary, Parliamentary or Cabinet, Monarchical and Republican.
  • Meaning, types, features, merits and demerits.
  • Citizenship
  • Meaning, mode of acquisition, rights, duties and obligations of individuals in the state. Means of safeguarding rights of citizens.

Political Parties and Party Systems

  • Political Parties – definition, organization/structure, and functions.
  • Party Systems – definition, types, merits and demerits.
  • Pressure Groups, Public Opinion and Mass Media
  • Pressure Groups – definition, types, mode of operation and functions;
  • Public opinion – definition, formation, Measurement and importance;
  • Mass Media – definition, roles and impact.
  • The Electoral Systems, Processes and Electoral Management Body
  • Electoral Systems and Processes
  • Election- Meaning and purpose of elections.
  • Franchise – meaning, and limitations.
  • Types, advantages and disadvantages of Electoral Systems.
  • Electoral Management Body – definition, function, problems/constrains.
  • Public/Civil Service Administration
  • Public/Civil Service – Meaning, Structure, Characteristics and Functions.
  • Public/Civil Service Commission –meaning and Functions.
  • Public Corporations – definition, purposes, functions, control, challenges, need for commercialization and privatization.
  • Local Governments – Meaning, structure, Purposes, Functions, Sources of revenue, control and problems.

SECTION B

Political and Constitutional Developments in West Africa and International Relations

SECTION B: Political And Constitutional Developments In Pre-colonial Political System of Candidates Respective Countries

The Structural Organization of the following:

  • Nigeria –  Hausa/Fulani, the Yoruba and the Igbo.
  • Ghana –  The Akan and the Talensi.
  • Sierra Leone –   The Mende and Temme.
  • The Gambia –   The Wolof, Mandingo and Jola.
  • Liberia –   The Vai and the Kru.

Colonial Administration

  • The Policy and Structure of the British Colonial Administration – Crown Colony, Protectorate and Indirect Rule.
  • The Policy of French Colonial Administration – Assimilation and Association (Loi Cadre).
  • Impact, Advantages and disadvantages of Colonial Rule.
  • Nationalism in Candidates respective Countries
  • Nationalism: Meaning, factors and effects.
  • Key Nationalist leaders/movements and their contributions.

Constitutional development in Candidates Respective Countries

(I)  Pre-Independence Constitutions

1. Nigeria (features) –

  • Clifford 1922
  • Richards 1946
  • Macpherson 1951
  • Littleton 1954.

2. Ghana (features, merits and demerits) –

  • Clifford 1916
  • Guggisberg 1925
  • Burns 1946
  • Arden Clarke 1951
  • Nkrumah 1954

3. Sierra Leone (features, merits and demerits) –

  • Slatter 1924
  • Stevenson 1947
  • Beresford Stooke 1951
  • The 1956 and 1958 Constitutions.

(D) The Gambia (features, merits and demerits) –

The 1947, 1951, 1954, 1960, 1962 and 1963 Constitutions.

(II)  Post-Independence Constitutions – Features

(A) Nigeria – Independence Constitution, 1960

Republican Constitution 1963

The 1979 and 1989 Constitutions

1999 Constitution – Origin, features, strength and Weaknesses.

 (B) Ghana –  Independence Constitution, 1957

Republican Constitution 1960

2nd Republican Constitution 1969

3rd Republican Constitution 1979

4th Republican Constitutions 1992.

(C) Sierra Leone – Independence Constitution 1961

Republican Constitution 1971

The 1978 and 1991 Constitutions,

(D) The Gambia –   Independence Constitution  1965

Republican Constitution 1970.

2nd Republican Constitution 1997

 (E) Liberia – Independence/Republican Constitution 1947

2nd Republican Constitution 1985

Development of Major Political Parties in the Candidate’s Respective Countries

  • Nigeria
  • Sierra Leone
  • The Gambia
  • Liberia
  • Formation, Objectives, Sources of Finance, Achievements and Failures

Military Rule in the Candidates’ Respective Countries

  • Nigeria
  • Ghana;
  • Sierra Leone
  • The Gambia
  • Liberia
  • Causes, effects and various military regimes

Federal/Unitary Systems of Government in West Africa

  • Nigeria
  • Sierra Leone
  • The Gambia
  • Liberia
  • Origin, Factors, Structure, Features and Problems

Foreign Policies of the Candidates’ Respective Countries

  • Nigeria
  • Ghana
  • Sierra Leone
  • The Gambia
  • Liberia

Definitions, Factors, Objectives, Advantages and Disadvantages

  • International Organizations
  • The United Nations Organizations (UNO),
  • The Commonwealth of Nations,
  • African Union (AU) – NEPAD,
  • The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).
  • Origin, aims/objectives, achievements and problems.

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