TABLE OF CONTENTS
About Us..................................................................................Page 3
Chapter One
Marking Guides........................................................................Page 5
Chapter Two
Syllabus...................................................................................Page 6
Chapter Three
Recommended Textbooks.......................................................Page 12
Chapter Four
WAEC Grading System.............................................................Page 13
ABOUT US
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Chapter One
Aims & Objectives
About
The WAEC syllabus for Government is a compilation of the important topics that
your exam questions will cover.
Anyone writing Government in the upcoming WAEC exams should read this article to
the very end because you will get to see the list of topics WAEC will set questions
from and a list of textbooks that will help you understand these topics better.
Marking Guides & Sections
There will be two papers – Paper 1 and Paper 2. Papers 1 and 2 will be written in one
sitting.
PAPER 1: This will consist of fifty multiple-choice objective questions drawn from
the entire syllabus. Candidates will be required to answer all the questions in 1 hour
for 40 marks.
PAPER 2: This will be a 2-hour essay-type test consisting of Sections A and B
Section A: Elements of Government Shall contain five questions out of which candi-
dates shall be required to attempt any two.
Section B: Political and Constitutional Developments in West Africa and Interna-
tional Relations Shall have sets of five questions each; one set for one member
country.
Each candidate is to answer two questions chosen from the set in the country in
which he/she is taking the examination. The paper shall carry 60 marks.
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Chapter Two
WAEC SYLLABUS FOR GOVERNMENT
SN TOPICS OBJECTIVES
THEME
1 MEANING AND SCOPE OF THE (i) Government as an institution of the state
SUBJECT MATTER – GOVERNMENT . Definition of state, features, structure and
functions.
(ii) Government as a process or art or
governing.
(iii) Government as an academic field of study
– reasons for studying government.
2 BASIC CONCEPTS AND PRINCIPLES (i) Basic concepts – State, *Society, *Nation,
OF GOVERNMENT Power, Authority, Legitimacy, Sovereignty,
Democracy, Political Culture and Socialization,
Communalism, Feudalism and oligarchy,
*Liberalism, Socialism, Communism,
Capitalism, Fascism, Aristocracy,
Totalitarianism.
Meaning and features.
(ii) 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).
3 CONSTITUTIONS (i) Definition and Sources
(ii) Functions
(iii) Types and Features , (Written and
Unwritten, Rigid and Flexible).
4 ORGANS OF GOVERNMENT The Executive, the Legislature and the
Judiciary – Judicial Independence. (Types,
Structure, Composition/membership;
Functions; powers and limitations).
5 STATE STRUCTURE AND (a) Types - Unitary, Federal, Confederal,
CHARACTERISTICS OF GOVERNMENT Presidential or Non-parliamentary,
Parliamentary or Cabinet, Monarchical and
Republican.
Meaning, types, features, merits and demerits.
6 CITIZENSHIP Meaning, mode of acquisition, rights, duties
and obligations of individuals in the state.
7 Means of safeguarding rights of citizens.
7 POLITICAL PARTIES AND PARTY (i) Political Parties – definition,
SYSTEMS organization/structure, and functions.
(ii) Party Systems – definition, types, merits
and demerits.
8 PRESSURE GROUPS, PUBLIC OPINION (i) Pressure Groups – definition, types, mode
AND MASS MEDIA of operation and functions;
(ii) Public opinion – definition, formation,
Measurement and importance;
(iii) Mass Media – definition, roles and impact.
9 THE ELECTORAL SYSTEMS, (a) Electoral Systems and Processes
PROCESSES AND ELECTORAL (i) Election- Meaning and purpose of
MANAGEMENT BODY elections.
(ii) Franchise – meaning, and limitations.
(iii) Types, advantages and disadvantages of
Electoral Systems.
(b) Electoral Management Body – definition,
functions, problems/constrains.
10 PUBLIC/CIVIL SERVICE (i) Public/Civil Service – Meaning, Structure,
ADMINISTRATION Characteristics and Functions.
(ii) Public/Civil Service Commission –meaning
and Functions.
(iii) Public Corporations – definition, purposes,
functions, control, challenges, need for
commercialization and privatization.
(iv) Local Governments – Meaning, structure,
Purposes, Functions, Sources of revenue,
control and problems.
11 PRE-COLONIAL POLITICAL SYSTEM The Structural Organization of the following:
OF CANDIDATES’ RESPECTIVE
COUNTRIES (a) Nigeria - Hausa/Fulani, the Yoruba and the
Igbo.
(b) Ghana - The Akan and the Talensi.
(c) Sierra Leone - The Mende and Temme.
(d) The Gambia - The Wolof, Mandingo and
Jola.
(e) Liberia - The Vai and the Kru.
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12 COLONIAL ADMINISTRATION (i) The Policy and Structure of the British
Colonial Administration – Crown Colony,
Protectorate and Indirect Rule.
(ii) The Policy of French Colonial
Administration – Assimilation and Association
(Loi Cadre).
(iii) Impact, Advantages and disadvantages of
Colonial Rule.
13 NATIONALISM IN CANDIDATES’ (i) Nationalism: Meaning, factors and effects.
RESPECTIVE COUNTRIES
(ii) Key Nationalist leaders/movements and
their contributions.
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14 CONSTITUTIONAL DEVELOPMENTS (i) Pre-Independence Constitutions -
IN CANDIDATES’ RESPECTIVE (a) Nigeria (features) - Clifford 1922
COUNTRIES Richards 1946
Macpherson 1951
Lyttleton 1954
(b) Ghana (features, merits and demerits) -
Clifford 1916
Guggisberg 1925
Burns 1946
Arden Clarke 1951
Nkrumah 1954
(c) 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, strengths
and Weaknesses.
(b) Ghana - Independence Constitution, 1957
Republican Constitution 1960 2 nd Republican
Constitution 1969 3 rd Republican
Constitution 1979
4 th 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. 2 nd Republican
Constitution 1997
(e) Liberia - Independence/Republican
10 Constitution 1947
2 nd Republican Constitution 1985
15 DEVELOPMENT OF MAJOR - Nigeria
POLITICAL PARTIES IN THE - Sierra Leone
CANDIDATES’ RESPECTIVE - The Gambia
COUNTRIES - Liberia
Formation, Objectives, Sources of Finance,
Achievements and Failures
16 MILITARY RULE IN THE CANDIDATES’ - Nigeria
RESPECTIVE COUNTRIES. - Ghana;
- Sierra Leone
- The Gambia
- Liberia
Causes, effects and various military regimes.
17 FEDERAL/UNITARY SYSTEMS OF - Nigeria
GOVERNMENT IN WEST AFRICA - Sierra Leone
- The Gambia
- Liberia
Origin, Factors, Structure, Features and
Problems
18 FOREIGN POLICIES OF THE - Nigeria
CANDIDATES’ RESPECTIVE - Ghana
COUNTRIES - Sierra Leone
- The Gambia
- Liberia
Definitions, Factors, objectives, advantages
and disadvantages.
19 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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Chapter Three
Recommended Textbooks
ADU BOAHEN, Ghana Evolution and Change in the 19th and 20th Centuries
SHILLINGTON K. Ghana and the Rawlings Factor
A HODGKIN T. African Political Parties
GARBRAH H. K Foreign Policies of Major Countries, Subject Publications, New
Delhi
ADDAE P. G. Senior Secondary School Government Bks. 1&2
NOFIU S. O. A. A – ONE in Government
ECHIEFU S. M Modern Government
APPADORAI A. The Substance of Politics
PRICE J. H. Political Institutions in West Africa
LEEDS C. A. Political Studies
AMOA G. Y. Groundwork of Government in West Africa
DARE AND OYEWOLE A Textbook of Government for Senior Secondary School
OYEDIRAN AND CO. Government for Senior Secondary School.
FRANCIS ADIGWE Essentials of Government
DENNIS AUSTIN Politics in Ghana 1946-1960
PRAH ISAAC Government for Senior Secondary School
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Chapter Four
WAEC Grading System
Having a good grade is very important in every exam especially one like WAEC which
will determine your admission status in higher institutions. Below is a table showing
how WAEC grades you depending on your score
75-100 A1 Excellent
70-74 B2 Very Good
65-69 B3 Good
60-64 C4 Credit
55-59 C5 Credit
50-54 C6 Credit
45-49 D7 Pass
40-44 E8 Pass
39 and below F9 Fail
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________________________________________________________________ WAEC Grading System
It is very important to score at least 50% which will give you a C6 in the 4 compul-
sory subjects as well as your core subjects or you could have problems getting admis-
sion and may have to re-write the exams.
For example, if you want to study Medicine and Surgery, you should try hard to score
high in Mathematics, English, Civic Education, and the trade subject you are writing
and your core subjects which are: Physics, Biology, and Chemistry
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