Third Term Lesson Note for Week
Class : Primary 6
Subject : CIVIC EDUCATION
Topic : Advantages and Disadvantages of Pressure Groups
Duration : 40 minutes
Period : Single Period
Reference Book :
- Civic Education for Nigerian Primary Schools, Book 6
- Lagos State Unified Schemes of Work for Primary Schools
- Online Resources
Content :
Pressure Groups are groups of professionals that come together with the aim of protecting the interest of their members.
There are different types of pressure Groups.
1. Village groups : Umuahia Progressive Union
2. Religious groups : Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), The Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs
Examples of pressure groups in Nigeria are:
i. Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC)
ii. Nigerian Union of Teachers (NUT)
iii. Nigerian Union of Journalist (NUJ)
iv. Farmers Union (FU)
Advantages of pressure Groups
1.They advise people in power or government on how to make good policies that will favour members of their pressure Groups.
2. They are the people that provide wheel of progress by providing good quality service towards the development of the country.
3. Pressure Groups are democratic in nature as they conduct elections at regular periods to vote in key officials into various elective posts.
4. They educate members of the public in respect of their professional, economic or religious groups that they are.
5. Members of various pressure groups are so versatile and productive and they use their knowledge for the common growth of the nation.
6. Pressure Groups protect the interest of their members.
7.They keep the actions and activities of government in action.
8. They set benchmark or standard for various pressure groups that they belong.
Disadvantages of Pressure Groups
1. They can make governance of a country very difficult at times with their protests or strike.
2. At times Labour unions demands are too high and unrealistic for government to meet.
3. They may lockdown or shut down the whole economic or social life of a country through their prolonged strike or industrial actions.
4. Top members of pressure Groups may secretly become active in politics and they may be used by opposing party to tackle the political party in government.
5. Pressure groups may misinform the members of the public if their activities are not properly regulated.
6. At times the demands of members of the pressure groups only favour the minority few.
7. When pressure groups are given the opportunity to express their fundamental right to freedom of expression, these rights are always abused or At times protests are hijacked by hoodlums are such protests may become violent.
8. At times protests may lead to loss of lives.
Presentation Steps :
Step 1 : Revision of the previous lesson with the learners by asking questions orally
Step 2 : Introduces the new topic by explaining pressure Groups with examples.
Step 3 : State advantages and disadvantages of pressure group
Evaluation :
1. What are Pressure Groups?
_____________________________________________
2. Mention two advantages of pressure groups
i. ___________________________________________
ii. ___________________________________________
3. Mention three examples of pressure groups.
i. _________________________________
ii. _________________________________
iii. ________________________________
Conclusion : At the end of the lesson, learners were able to answer the questions correctly.
Assignment :
1. State two advantages of pressure Groups.
i. ____________________________________________
ii. ___________________________________________
2. Mention two disadvantages of pressure Groups
i. ____________________________________________
ii. ___________________________________________