The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) syllabus for Government 2024 outlines the topics and areas of focus for the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) in Government. This article provides a detailed breakdown of the syllabus, helping candidates prepare effectively for the exam.
General Objectives
The JAMB Government syllabus aims to assess candidates’ knowledge and understanding of government concepts, principles, and institutions. The objectives include:
- Understanding the concept of government and its importance
- Analyzing the structure and functions of government
- Identifying the roles and responsibilities of government institutions
- Evaluating the relationship between government and citizens
- Applying government concepts to real-life situations
Topics and Sub-Topics
The 2024 JAMB Government syllabus covers the following topics and sub-topics:
Topics/Contents/Notes
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- Basic Concepts in Government
- Power, Authority, Legitimacy, Sovereignty
- Society, State, Nation, Nation-State
- Political Processes
- Political Socialization, Political Participation, Political Culture
- Forms of Government
- Monarchy, Aristocracy, Oligarchy, Autocracy, Republicanism, Democracy
- Definitions, features, merits, and demerits
- Arms of Government
- The Legislature
- Types, structure, functions, powers
- The Executive
- Powers, types, functions
- The Legislature
- The Judiciary
- Functions, powers, components
- Relationships between the arms of government
- Structures of Governance
- Unitary: features, reasons for adoption, merits, and demerits
- Federal: features, reasons for adoption, merits, and demerits
- Confederal: features, reasons for adoption, merits, and demerits
- Systems of Governance
- Presidential
- Parliamentary
- Monarchical
- Political Ideologies
- Communalism
- Feudalism
- Capitalism
- Socialism
- Communism
- Totalitarianism
- Fascism
- Nazism
- Constitution
- Meaning, sources, functions, types (Written, Unwritten, Rigid, Flexible)
- Principles of Democratic Government
- Ethics and Accountability in Public Office
- Separation of Power
- Checks and Balances
- Individual and Collective Responsibility
- Constitutionalism
- Rule of Law
- Representative Government
- Processes of Legislation
- Legislative Enactments (Acts, Edicts, Bye-laws, Delegated Legislation, Decrees)
- Citizenship
- Meaning, types
- Citizenship rights
- Dual citizenship, renunciation, deprivation
- Duties and obligations of citizens and the state
- The Electoral Process
- Suffrage: evolution, types
- Election types, ingredients of free and fair election
- Political Parties and Party Systems
- Political parties: definition, organization, functions
- Party Systems: definition, organization, functions
- Pressure Groups
- Definition, types, functions, and modes of operation
- Differences between Pressure Groups and Political Parties
- Public Opinion
- Meaning, formation, and measurement
- Functions and limitations
- The Civil Service
- Definition, characteristics, functions, structure, control, and problems
- Process of Decolonization
- Nationalism: meaning, types
- Nationalist Movements: emergence, goals, strategies
- Nationalist Leaders: Herbert Macaulay, Nnamdi Azikiwe, Obafemi Awolowo, Ahmadu Bello, Ladipo Solanke, Aminu Kano, J. S. Tarka, Tafawa Balewa, and others
- Emergence of nationalist parties
- Influence of external factors
- Constitutional Development in Nigeria
- Hugh Clifford Constitution (1922)
- Arthur Richards Constitution (1946)
- John Macpherson Constitution (1951)
- Oliver Lyttleton Constitution (1954)
- Independence Constitution (1960)
- Features, merits, and demerits
- Post-Independence Constitutions
- 1963, 1979, 1989, and 1999 constitutions: characteristics and shortcomings
- Institutions of Government in Post-Independence Nigeria
- The Legislative: structures, functions, and workings
- The Executive: structure, functions, and workings
- The Judiciary: structure, functions, and workings
- Public Commissions Established by the 1979 and Subsequent Constitutions
- The Civil Service Commission
- The Public Complaints Commission
- Electoral Commissions
- National Commission and others: functions and problems
- Political Parties and Party Politics in Post-Independence Nigeria
- First Republic
- Second Republic
- Third Republic
- Fourth Republic
- Evolution, membership spread, structure, etc.
- The Structure and Workings of Nigerian Federalism
- Rationale for a Federal System
- Tiers of government and relationship
- Creation of States (1963, 1967, 1976, 1987, 1991, 1996)
- Problems of Nigerian Federalism (census, revenue allocation, conflicts, etc.)
- Solutions (e.g. Federal character, etc.)
- Public Corporations and Parastatals
- Definition, types, purpose, functions
- Finance, control, and problems
- Deregulation, privatization, and commercialization (objectives, features, merits, and demerits)
- Comparison between public corporations and parastatals
- Local Government
- Local government administration prior to 1976
- Features of local government reforms (1976, 1989)
- Structure, functions, inter-governmental relations
- Traditional rulers and local governments
- Problems of local government administration in Nigeria
- The Military in Nigerian Politics
- Factors that led to military intervention
- Structure of military regimes
- Impact of military rule (political, economic, etc.)
- Processes of military disengagement
- Foreign Policy
- Definition, purpose, determining factors
- Formulation and implementation
- Nigeria’s Foreign Policy
- Relations with developing countries (e.g. Technical Aid Corps (TAC))
- Relations with major powers
- Nigeria’s Non-Alignment Policy
- Nigeria’s Relations with African Countries
- Africa as the “centre piece” of Nigeria’s foreign policy
- Guiding principles, implementation, and implications
- NEPAD (origin, objectives, and implications)
- Nigeria in International Organizations
- The United Nations
- The Commonwealth
- The Organization of African Unity (OAU)
- The African Union (AU)
- The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS)
- The Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC)
- International Organizations
- ECOWAS
- OAU, AU
- Commonwealth
- OPEC
- UNO
- African Petroleum Producers Association
Recommended Texts for Government Syllabus
- Adigwe, F (1985) Essentials of Government for West Africa, Ibadan: University Press Plc.
- Anifowose, R and Enemuo, F. C. (eds) (1999) Elements of Politics, Lagos; Malthouse Press Limited.
- Appadorai, A. (1978) The Substance of Politics, London: Oxford University Press.
- Ball, A. R. (1983) Modern Politics and Government, London: Macmillan.
- Ofoegbu, R. (1977) Government for the Certificate Year, London: George Allen and Unwin.
- Olawale, J. B (1987) New Topics on Ordinary Level Government, Ilesha: Jola Publishing.
- Oyediran, O. Nwosu, H., Takaya, B., Anifowoshe, R., Femi, B., Godwill, O. and Adigun, A. (1990) Government for Senior Secondary Schools, Books 1, 2 and 3, Ibadan: Longman.
- Oyeneye, I., Onyenwenu, M. and Olusunde, B. E. (2000) Round-Up Government for Senior Secondary School Certificate Examination: A Complete Guide, Ibadan: Longman.
- Oyovbaire, S., Ogunna, A. E. C., Amucheazi, E. C., Coker, H. O. and Oshuntuyi, O. (2001) Countdown to Senior Secondary Certificate Examination: Government, Ibadan: Evans.
Conclusion
The JAMB Government syllabus provides a comprehensive outline of topics and areas of focus for the UTME exam. Remember to practice and develop critical thinking skills to excel in the Government paper. Wishing you all the best in your examination.