Citizenship Education

Introduction

• In the 1990s, global concerns about citizenship quality increased due to life-threatening issues.
• Effective citizenship development through education is a challenge that requires attention.
• Governments are being challenged to address local and regional issues like poverty and harmful cultural practices.
• The United Nations championed citizenship education through the Education for Sustainable Development (ESD).
• Nigeria faces social, economic, political, and religious problems since its amalgamation in 1914.
• Corruption, ethnicity, war, and terrorism are denting Nigeria's corporate existence.
• Nigeria's issues are likely due to the population's subservience and inability to empower themselves.
• Excellent citizenship education can strengthen democracy and meet the challenges of this millennium
• A resuscitated educational system is the best hope for saving ourselves from ethical shipwreck
• Citizenship education cultivates desirable habits, values, and patriotism in juveniles.
• Citizenship education is a tool for educating citizens about their rights and responsibilities.

The Concepts of Citizen and Citizenship

• Citizens and aliens make up every country or state.
• In the Western world, a citizen has full rights as a member of a society or nation.
• Traditionally, a citizen means a freeborn person of any community.
• A citizen is a legal member of a state with all rights and privileges, unlike aliens.
• Rights and responsibilities of citizens are in the constitution.
• Citizenship is a legal status acquired through birth, registration, or naturalization in Nigeria.
• Types of citizens include: personally responsible, participatory, and social-justice citizens.
• Personally responsible citizens behave responsibly, assist the needy, work, and pay taxes.
• Participatory citizens are actively involved in community activities.
• Social-justice citizens assess social, political, and economic structures.
• Good citizenship involves weighing different perspectives, exploring change strategies, and democratic involvement.

The Concept of Citizenship Education

• Citizenship education teaches citizens the skills to participate in civil society.
• Citizenship education teaches citizens how to behave in a state or nation both formally and informally.
• Education prepares young people for their roles and responsibilities as citizens.
• Schools are a place for young people to gather democratic experiences and ruminate upon them
• Citizenship education develops young people into responsible citizens with an understanding of their rights
• The subject teaches students how to be politically literate using real life situations.
• Citizenship education involves people making their own decisions and taking responsibility for their own lives and society.
• The concept of citizenship is at the core of education for democracy.
• Citizenship education teaches people (citizens) their rights and obligations in the place where they live
• Citizenship education teaches about democracy, justice, politics, the economy, and the law.
• Citizenship education helps achieve goals like social sciences, world studies, and life skills.
• Citizenship education is specifically designed to produce healthy, good, and active citizens who are patriotic and responsible.
• Citizenship education involves shaping the development of character with a view to the improvement of man and the society.
• Citizenship education shares close semblance with education for sustainable development

Emergence of Citizenship Education in Schools

• Before 1969, citizenship education was taught as Civics.
• Citizenship education became Civic Education on November 8th, 2007.
• The Federal Government made Civic Education compulsory with the 9-year Basic Curriculum.
• The National Empowerment and Development Strategy (NEEDS) addresses changes in social and economic spheres.
• NEEDS includes ten themes: values, citizenship, national consciousness, human rights, democracy, etc.
• Citizenship education or civic education is now compulsory in senior secondary school.
• One must pass citizenship education to pass the o'level irrespective of subject combination.
• ICPC and NOA teach citizenship through advocacy, awareness, and sensitization.

Issue-oriented Citizenship Education

• Pedagogical strands of citizenship education: education about, through, and for citizenship.
• Education about citizenship provides knowledge of national history, government structures, and political life.
• Education through citizenship engages students in learning by doing via active participation.
• Education for citizenship equips students with the tools to participate actively in their adult lives.
• Nigeria subscribes to the issue-based curriculum approach.
• Contemporary issues include youth unemployment, environmental issues, drug abuse, and family life education.

Usefulness of Citizenship Education

• Controversial issues in teaching underline the importance of good citizenship education.
• Children can discuss differences rationally and investigate topical, ethical, and controversial issues.
• It helps prepare young people to cope with problems and turmoils maturely and tolerantly.
• Objectives go beyond collecting, locating, discussing, and describing.
• Specialist teachers of citizenship education will help schools produce responsible citizens.
• Citizenship education provides the chance to learn about, investigate, and actively participate in political and social communities.

Citizenship Education Aims

• Citizenship education provides knowledge of the state, duties, obligations, rights, and expectations.
• Citizens show total conformity with accepted ways and standards of life.
• Relevant education transforms citizens to live legally and contribute meaningfully to society.
• Civic skills include investigating issues, recognizing dimensions, analyzing issues, and participating in action.
• Citizenship education builds these skills for a sustainable future.
• Active democratic citizenship is an underlining feature of a sustainable society.
• Students demonstrate citizenship through their actions in society.
• Citizenship education builds character and soft skills like teamwork and communication.
• Citizenship entails active, informed, and responsible citizens contributing to the political process.
• Citizens should be conscious of their rights, have knowledge, show concern for others, and be responsible.
• The world requires a robust approach to citizenship education.
• Citizenship education must be inclusive, pervasive, and lifelong.
• Citizenship education helps learners develop self-confidence and tackle life challenges.
• It enables learners to develop the expertise and training needed to claim their rights and know their responsibilities.
• This education focuses on the development of individuals.
• Orderliness is maintained in public places.
• Citizens are more law-abiding.
• Citizens know it is unlawful to break traffic rules, bearing in mind the penalties accrued to defaulting.
• Citizenship education has opened the eyes of the citizenry to understand that nobody can be a life-leader.
• Citizens understand their rights, the constitution, and their duties.
• The significance of citizenship education is to make citizens responsible and analytical.

Summary, Conclusions, and Recommendations

• Citizenship education is a necessity.
• School is not the only place where citizenship can be learned.
• Dialogue and discussion in the classroom can promote the development of citizenship.
• Citizenship education, including classroom activities, promotes citizenship development.
• The forming of responsible minds that take informed decisions is the onus of citizenship education.
• Citizenship education breeds national consciousness, peaceful co-existence and forging national unity.
• Learning experiences help people develop citizenship competences.
• Since it is not only the school that helps in the teaching of citizenship education, the home, religious bodies, mass-media and agencies like NOA, and ICPC should intensify efforts in fostering the education of citizens.
• Contents of citizenship education should accommodate some other issues.
• Certification in citizenship education should be a criteria in getting some appointments, employment or issuance of licenses etc.
• Citizenship education should concentrate more on the dialogue and cooperation between students during class.