Government Waec Syllabus
Below is this years Waec Syllabus for Government. Note that this syllabus is for both internal and external candidates.
Aims and Objectives
- define the concept of Government and show his understanding of its principles, institutions and processes
- recognize his role as an informed citizen and his contribution towards the achievement of national development;
- evaluate the successes, failures and problems of governments in West Africa;
- appreciate the role of his country as a member of the international community.
Scheme of Examination
Detailed Government Syllabus
SECTION A: ELEMENTS OF GOVERNMENT
-
- 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
-
- 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).
-
- CONSTITUTIONS
- Definition and sources
- Scope
- Types – Written and Unwritten; rigid and flexible
- Functions
-
- TYPES/FORMS OF GOVERNMENT
- Unitary, Federal, Confederal, Presidential or non-parliamentary, Parliamentary or Cabinet, Monarchical and Republican
-
- ORGANS OF GOVERNMENT
- The Executive, the Legislature and the Judiciary. (Types/structure, composition/membership; functions; power and limitations)
-
- CITIZENSHIP
- Status, Rights, Duties and Obligations of Individuals in the State
-
- POLITICAL PARTIES AND PARTY SYSTEMS
- Political Parties – definition, organization, types and functions
- Party Systems – definition, types and characteristics
-
- 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.
-
- PRESSURE GROUPS AND PUBLIC OPINION
- Pressure Groups – definition, types, characteristics, mode of operation and functions
- Public Opinion – definition, formation, measurement and functions.
-
- 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
-
- 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
-
- 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
-
- 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
-
- 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
-
- DEVELOPMENT OF MAJOR POLITICAL PARTIES IN THE CANDIDATES’ RESPECTIVE COUNTRIES
- Nigeria
- Ghana
- Sierra Leone
- The Gambia
- Liberia
- The formation, objectives, achievements, and failures
-
- MILITARY RULE IN THE CANDIDATES’ RESPECTIVE COUNTRIES
- Nigeria
- Ghana
- Sierra Leone
- The Gambia
- Liberia
-
- FEDERAL/UNITARY SYSTEMS OF GOVERNMENT IN WEST AFRICA
- Factors, Structures, Features and Problems
-
- FOREIGN POLICIES OF THE CANDIDATES’ RESPECTIVE COUNTRIES
- Nigeria
- Ghana
- Sierra Leone
- The Gambia
- Liberia.
- Definitions, Factors, Advantages and Disadvantages
-
- 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
-
- A. APPADORAI - The Substance of Politics
-
- J. H. PRICE - Political Institutions in West Africa
-
- C. A. LEEDS - Political Studies
-
- C. F. STRONG - Modern Political Institutions
-
- W. E. F. WARD - Government in West Africa
-
- G. Y. AMOAH -Â Groundwork of Government for West Africa
-
- ROBER S. JORDAN - Government and Power in West Africa
-
- DARE & OYEWOLE - A Textbook of Government for Senior Secondary Schools
-
- OYEDIRAN & OTHERS - Government for Senior Secondary Schools (Books 1 – 3)
-
- FRANCIS ADIGWE - Essentials of Government for West Africa
-
- DENNIS AUSTIN - Politics in Ghana 1946 – 1960
-
- T. HODGKIN - African Political Parties
-
- E. A. KEAY & H. THOMAS - West African Government
Download Complete PDF
View the Government Waec Syllabus as text below or download the syllabus as a PDF below. Please use the button below to Download offline PDF files for external or internal Waec.
Related Syllabus
Warning: Trying to access array offset on value of type bool in /home/waecsyllabus/public_html/wp-content/plugins/related-posts-thumbnails/related-posts-thumbnails.php on line 846
Deprecated: strpos(): Passing null to parameter #1 ($haystack) of type string is deprecated in /home/waecsyllabus/public_html/wp-content/plugins/related-posts-thumbnails/related-posts-thumbnails.php on line 907
Warning: Trying to access array offset on value of type bool in /home/waecsyllabus/public_html/wp-content/plugins/related-posts-thumbnails/related-posts-thumbnails.php on line 846
Deprecated: strpos(): Passing null to parameter #1 ($haystack) of type string is deprecated in /home/waecsyllabus/public_html/wp-content/plugins/related-posts-thumbnails/related-posts-thumbnails.php on line 907