THE IMPORTANCE OF INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS IN TEACHING ISLAMIC STUDIES AMONG SENIOR SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN THE NORTH-EAST ZONE, NIGERIA

This study examined the importance of instructional materials in teaching Islamic Studies among senior secondary schools in the North-East Zone of Nigeria. The study adopted a descriptive survey research design to investigate the availability, utilization, and perceived importance of instructional materials in Islamic Studies classrooms. The population comprised Islamic Studies teachers in senior secondary schools across the North-East Zone, from which a representative sample was selected using stratified random sampling techniques. Data were collected through a structured questionnaire and analysed using descriptive statistics, including frequencies, percentages, and mean scores. Findings revealed that while basic instructional materials such as textbooks and the Qur’an were relatively available, modern instructional resources such as audio-visual and ICT-based materials were largely inadequate. The study also found that teachers moderately utilized instructional materials despite strongly acknowledging their importance in enhancing students’ understanding, interest, and academic performance in Islamic Studies. Major challenges identified included inadequate funding, poor infrastructure, insufficient teacher training, and security-related constraints. The study concludes that effective teaching and learning of Islamic Studies depend largely on the availability and proper utilization of instructional materials. It therefore recommends improved funding, provision of modern instructional resources, continuous teacher training, and integration of information and communication technology to enhance instructional delivery in senior secondary schools in the North-East Zone of Nigeria.