INFLUENCE OF FAMILY ETHICAL EDUCATION ON SUSTAINABLE NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT IN PUBLIC RIVERS STATE-OWNED UNIVERSITIES

Abstract

This study investigated the influence of family ethical education on sustainable national development in Rivers State-owned universities, emphasizing two key constructs: family role modeling and direct moral instruction. Ethical education, primarily initiated within the family setting, plays a critical role in shaping students’ moral framework and developing responsible citizens. The study adopted a descriptive survey design involving 548 respondents, including 148 parents who are lecturers from Rivers State University and Ignatius Ajuru University of Education and 400 students in both institutions. A self-structured questionnaire titled "Influence of Family Ethical Education on Sustainable National Development in Rivers State University Questionnaire (IFEESNDQ)" was used for data collection. The instrument was validated and achieved acceptable reliability indices. Data were analyzed using mean, standard deviation, and z-test statistics at a 0.05 significance level. Findings revealed that both family role modeling and direct moral instruction significantly influence sustainable national development from the perspectives of parents and students. While both groups acknowledged the high extent of influence, the z-test indicated no significant difference in perceptions regarding role modeling. However, a significant difference was observed in the perception of the influence of direct moral instruction, suggesting variability in how moral values are transmitted and interpreted. The study recommended among others, that parents should consistently demonstrate ethical behavior in their daily actions by serving as role models where honesty, respect, empathy, and responsibility is the sure word.