CONCEPTUALIZING SOCIAL JUSTICE IN SOCIAL EDUCATION: TRANSFORMATIVE PEDAGOGY AND CHALLENGES FOR SOCIAL EDUCATORS

This paper examined the conceptual framework of social justice within social education. It argues that effective delivery must be rooted in a transformative pedagogy that fosters critical consciousness and actionable change. Social justice is conceptualized as a commitment to equity and learners' active participation. This article highlights how social educators cultivate self-awareness, challenge systemic inequalities like racism, sexism, and classism, and empower students to become socially responsible citizens. It uses classroom observations and teacher interviews to explore transformative pedagogical approaches. These include role-play, project-based learning, inquiry-based learning, dialogic and reflective learning, culturally sustaining pedagogy, and experiential learning. Three research questions guided this work. Interviews revealed that social educators conceptualize social justice, adopt transformative pedagogy, and face challenges in teaching for social justice, yet consistently find ways to overcome them. The study used a qualitative research design to capture teachers' experiences. Data were collected through in-depth interviews and classroom observations involving 15 teachers from a secondary school in Calabar South. Simple bar charts presented the teachers' responses as percentages. The findings suggest that systemic support and targeted professional development should be prioritized to promote social justice in schools and society. Recommendations and suggestions for further research are offered