Project – Effect of Inquiry-Based Teaching Method on Students’ Academic Achievement in Christian Religious Studies among Senior Secondary Schools in Abuja Municipal Area Council, FCT

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background to the Study

Education is widely regarded as a powerful instrument for individual and societal transformation. In Nigeria, secondary education plays a critical role in preparing learners for higher education and equipping them with the moral, intellectual, and social competencies required for national development. Within this context, Christian Religious Studies (CRS) is an important subject that contributes to the moral upbringing of students by instilling values such as honesty, integrity, obedience, and respect for human dignity.

However, despite its importance, CRS has often been taught using traditional teacher-centred methods, particularly the lecture method, which emphasizes memorization and passive learning. This approach has been criticized for limiting students’ engagement and critical thinking abilities. According to Hmelo-Silver, Duncan, and Chinn (2020), teacher-centred instruction often reduces students to passive recipients of knowledge rather than active constructors of meaning.

In contrast, contemporary educational theories emphasize learner-centred approaches such as inquiry-based teaching. Inquiry-based teaching is rooted in constructivist theory, which posits that learners actively construct knowledge through exploration, questioning, and interaction with their environment (Piaget, 1972; Vygotsky, 1978). Inquiry-based learning encourages students to investigate problems, analyze evidence, and draw conclusions independently, thereby promoting deeper understanding and long-term retention of knowledge.

Empirical evidence suggests that inquiry-based instruction enhances students’ academic achievement across various subjects. For example, Okeke and Ramaila (2025) found that cognitively guided inquiry-based instruction significantly improved secondary school students’ achievement in physics in Nigeria, compared to conventional teaching methods. Similarly, Ibok and Ntibi (2020) reported that inquiry learning approaches significantly influenced students’ academic achievement in mathematics and physics in Calabar Municipality, Nigeria, demonstrating the effectiveness of student-centred instructional strategies in improving academic outcomes.

In the context of CRS, inquiry-based teaching allows students to critically examine biblical texts, engage in discussions, and relate religious teachings to contemporary moral and social issues. This makes learning more meaningful and relevant. Ikwuka and Adigwe (2021) also observed that interactive instructional approaches such as video and multimedia packages improved CRS students’ academic achievement compared to traditional methods, suggesting that engagement-based instruction plays a key role in learning effectiveness.

Despite these advantages, many CRS teachers in Nigerian secondary schools still rely heavily on lecture-based instruction due to factors such as large class sizes, inadequate training, examination-oriented curriculum, and lack of instructional materials. This situation has contributed to students’ low interest and declining performance in CRS. Studies on Nigerian secondary education have consistently highlighted that overreliance on conventional teaching methods negatively affects students’ achievement and retention (Uzokife & Ihekweme, 2023).

In Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC), CRS is a core subject in senior secondary schools, yet students’ performance in external examinations such as WAEC and NECO remains inconsistent. This raises concerns about the effectiveness of instructional methods used in teaching the subject. Given the global shift toward learner-centred education, there is a need to explore the extent to which inquiry-based teaching can improve students’ academic achievement in CRS.

Therefore, this study investigates the effect of inquiry-based teaching method on students’ academic achievement in Christian Religious Studies among senior secondary schools in Abuja Municipal Area Council, FCT.

1.2 Statement of the Problem

Christian Religious Studies is designed to promote moral development, ethical reasoning, and spiritual awareness among secondary school students. However, despite its importance in the Nigerian school curriculum, students’ academic performance in CRS has continued to decline in many schools, including those in Abuja Municipal Area Council.

Reports from external examination bodies such as WAEC and NECO indicate that a significant number of students fail to obtain credit-level passes in CRS. This persistent underperformance raises concerns among educators, parents, and policymakers regarding the effectiveness of teaching strategies used in classrooms.

One major contributing factor to this problem is the continued dominance of teacher-centred instructional methods, particularly the lecture method. In many CRS classrooms, teachers dominate the lesson while students remain passive listeners. This limits students’ opportunities to engage critically with biblical concepts, ask questions, or participate in meaningful discussion. As a result, learning becomes mechanical and less meaningful.

Research has shown that when learners are not actively involved in the learning process, their academic achievement tends to decline. For instance, Ogheneakoke (2023) found that guided inquiry methods significantly improved students’ academic achievement compared to expository teaching methods in Nigerian secondary schools, indicating the importance of active learning approaches.

Furthermore, CRS content is often taught in an abstract manner without sufficient connection to real-life situations. This makes it difficult for students to apply religious principles to everyday moral and social issues. Consequently, students may perceive CRS as uninteresting or irrelevant, leading to low motivation and poor academic performance.

Although inquiry-based teaching has been identified as an effective instructional strategy that promotes active learning and improves achievement (Bashir et al., 2026), many CRS teachers in AMAC have not fully adopted it. This may be due to lack of training, inadequate teaching resources, or resistance to change from traditional methods.

The problem of this study, therefore, is that despite the recognized importance of CRS and the potential benefits of inquiry-based teaching, students’ academic achievement in CRS in senior secondary schools in Abuja Municipal Area Council remains relatively low. It is against this background that this study seeks to determine the effect of inquiry-based teaching method on students’ academic achievement in Christian Religious Studies in AMAC, FCT.

1.3 Objectives of the Study

The main objective of this study is to examine the effect of inquiry-based teaching method on students’ academic achievement in Christian Religious Studies in senior secondary schools in Abuja Municipal Area Council, FCT.

Specifically, the study seeks to:

1. Determine the academic achievement of students taught CRS using inquiry-based teaching method.
2. Determine the academic achievement of students taught CRS using lecture method.
3. Examine the difference in academic achievement between students taught CRS using inquiry-based teaching method and those taught using lecture method.

1.4 Research Questions

1. What is the academic achievement of students taught CRS using inquiry-based teaching method?
2. What is the academic achievement of students taught CRS using lecture method?
3. What is the difference in academic achievement between the two groups?

1.5 Research Hypothesis

H₀₁: There is no significant difference in the academic achievement of students taught Christian Religious Studies using inquiry-based teaching method and those taught using lecture method in senior secondary schools in Abuja Municipal Area Council, FCT.

1.6 Significance of the Study

The findings of this study will be beneficial to CRS teachers, students, school administrators, curriculum planners, and researchers.

To teachers, it will provide evidence on the effectiveness of inquiry-based teaching in improving students’ academic achievement. To students, it will enhance active participation, deeper understanding, and improved performance in CRS.

School administrators will benefit by identifying the need for professional development and instructional support for teachers. Curriculum planners will gain insight into improving CRS curriculum delivery methods. Researchers will use the findings as a reference for further studies on instructional strategies and academic achievement.

1.7 Scope of the Study

This study is limited to senior secondary school students in Abuja Municipal Area Council, FCT. It focuses on the effect of inquiry-based teaching method on students’ academic achievement in Christian Religious Studies, with comparison to lecture method.

1.8 Operational Definition of Terms

Inquiry-Based Teaching Method: A learner-centred instructional strategy where students actively explore, question, and investigate CRS concepts to construct knowledge.

Academic Achievement: Students’ performance in CRS as measured by test scores.

Christian Religious Studies (CRS): A school subject that teaches biblical principles and Christian moral values.

Lecture Method: A teacher-centred instructional approach where learners passively receive information.

Senior Secondary School: The final three years of secondary education in Nigeria (SS1–SS3).

Project – Effect of Inquiry-Based Teaching Method on Students’ Academic Achievement in Christian Religious Studies among Senior Secondary Schools in Abuja Municipal Area Council, FCT