SOCIAL STUDIES CONTENT AREAS FOR JHS

S/N Content Areas Competencies Descriptive Statements

1 Environment Demonstrate application of • Define the concepts environment and sanitation

knowledge, skills and attitudes to • Explain the three types of environments i.e. physical

deal with environmental problems environment, social environment and cultural/artificial

of Ghana environment

• Examine the various causes of environmental problems in

Ghana (land degradation, water pollution, and air

pollution)

• Explain the effects of environmental problems on people

and society (effects of land degradation, effects of water

pollution, and effects of air pollution)

• Suggest strategies to address environmental challenges of

Ghana (land degradation, water pollution, and air

pollution)
 • Examine sources of energy and demonstrate the skills of

conserving energy in Ghana (hydro, fuel wood, solar,

thermal, nuclear energy etc.)

2 Mapping skills Demonstrate an understanding of • Examine the major features of the earth (atmosphere,

the world around us and apply the lithosphere, vegetation, highlands and lowlands, and water

knowledge and skills in their bodies)

everyday life • Using maps to locate the physical features of the earth:

such as water bodies like Rivers Densu, Ankobra, Black

and White Volta, Tano, Bia, Offin and the Volta lake;

vegetation such as moist, semi-deciduous forest, tropical

rain forest, savannah, costal, scrub and grassland, strand

and mangrove and continents such as Africa, Oceania,

North America, South America, Antarctica, Asia, Europe

3 Family life Demonstrate knowledge and • Define the concepts of adolescents and reproductive

understanding of adolescent health

 behaviour and reproductive health • Discuss what constitutes responsible adolescent

issues reproductive health behaviour (ABC, chastity, safe

abortions, use of contraceptives), among others.

• Explain changes adolescents experience (physical,

emotional, cognitive, social)

• Discuss challenges faced by adolescents and suggest

strategies to address those challenges

4 Sense of purpose Demonstrate knowledge and • Define the concepts self and self-identity

understanding of self as a unique • Explain attitudes and behaviours that enhance self-worth

individual including self-confidence, can do spirit, and positive

attitude towards

• Identify one’s strengths and weaknesses as unique

individuals

• Examine reasons for knowing one-self including

accepting oneself, identification of one’s potentials and

abilities
 • Describe how an individual can develop his/her

capabilities through education and training, counselling

and continuous practice.

5 Law and Order Analyze the rights and • Define the concept citizenship and discuss ways of

responsibilities of Ghanaian acquiring citizenship in Ghana.

citizens towards nation building • Unpack various rights and responsibilities of Ghanaian

citizens in nation building

• Define human rights and provide examples of human

rights as enshrined in the 1992 Constitution of Ghana.

• Discuss importance of human rights protection

• Suggest ways of promoting peace and security in Ghana

• Explain importance of peace and security in community

development.

• Explain the concepts democracy and election

• Examine roles of free and fair elections in promoting

democracy and good governance

 • Examine processes involved in conducting free and fair

election

• Assess the role of Electoral Commission in conducting

elections in Ghana

6 Citizenship and Demonstrate knowledge and • Define the term socialization

Human Rights understanding of the importance of • Examine the agencies and agents of socialization

socialization in nation building • Discuss roles of agents and agencies in the socialization

process

Demonstrate knowledge and • Explain the term population growth

understanding of the population • Narrate how population of Ghana has changed in the
structure in Ghana and its related recent past
issues • Discuss the following factors of population change (birth

rate, death rate, and migration).

• Assess causes of population growth in Ghana in terms of

high birth rate, high death rate.

 • Examine the compositions and functions of the nuclear

and extended families

• Identify and discuss the systems of inheritance in Ghana

(patrilineal, matrilineal, and intestate succession)

7 Socio-Economic Demonstrate knowledge and • Define the concept human resource and human resource

Development in understanding of human resource development

Ghana development in Ghana • Explain ways of developing human resources in Ghana

• Discuss the importance of human resource development in

Ghana

• Examine challenges associated with human resource

development in Ghana and suggest strategies to address

those challenges

8 Tourism and Demonstrate knowledge and • Define the concepts tourism and leisure

Leisure understanding on how tourism and • Identify and explain some attractive tourist sites in Ghana

leisure promote national • Examine contributions of tourism towards the socio-

development economic development of Ghana

 • Identify challenges facing the tourism industry in Ghana

and suggest was of addressing those challenges

Demonstrate knowledge and • Explain the concepts entrepreneur and entrepreneurship

understanding of entrepreneurial • Discuss the qualities of an entrepreneur

skills and apply the knowledge and • Discuss roles of women entrepreneurs

skills to set up their own small scale • Examine ways of acquiring entrepreneurial skills
businesses • Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of financial

management

9 Science, Demonstrate knowledge on • Define the concept: science, technology and innovation

Technology and contribution of science, technology • Discuss how science, technology and innovation are used

Innovation and innovation to national for national development

development • Identify challenges of the application of science,

technology and innovation in Ghana and suggest

strategies to address those challenges

10 Nationhood Demonstrate the knowledge and • Narrate the events from 1948 riots leading to the

understanding of how Ghana independence of Ghana in 1967 (focusing the formation of

became an independent nation Watson Commission, the formation of the UGCC and

CPP)

• Discuss the outcomes of the 1951, 1954, and 1956

election in Ghana

• Appraise the nature of government of Ghana from 1957 to

1960.

• Narrate how the military rule was established in Ghana in

1966 by National Liberation Council (NLC); 1972 by

National Redemption Council (NRC); 1978 by Supreme

Military Council (SMC I & II); 1979 by Armed Forces

Revolutionary Council (ARFC); and 1982 by Provisional

National Defense Council (PNDC).

• Discuss the formation of ECOWAS and AU and examine

their achievements and challenges.

 TABLE OF SPECIFICATIONS

DEPTH OF KNOWLEDGE IN JHS SOCIAL STUDIES

Content Areas Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Level 4 Total

Remembering Understanding Applying Analyzing/Creating

(Recall) (Skill/Concept) (Strategic Thinking) (Extended Thinking)

1 Environment 2 3 6 5 16

2. Mapping skills 1 3 3 2 9

3. Family life 2 3 3 3 11

4. Sense of purpose 1 1 2 2 6

5. Law and order 2 2 3 3 10

6. Citizenship and human rights 1 3 3 3 10

7. Socio-economic development in Ghana 2 3 3 3 11

8. Tourism and leisure 2 3 2 3 10

9. Science, Technology and Innovation 1 3 3 3 10

10.Nationhood 1 1 2 3 7

Total 15(15%) 25(25%) 30(30%) 30(30%) 100