Grade 8 Citizenship Education Textbook PDF

[Restricted]  [Restricted] CITIZENSHIP EDUCATION STUDENT TEXT BOOK GRADE 8 Writers Wondwossen Mengistu Yoseph watte Content Editor Dereje Fikre Curr....

[Restricted]  [Restricted] CITIZENSHIP EDUCATION STUDENT TEXT BOOK GRADE 8 Writers Wondwossen Mengistu Yoseph watte Content Editor Dereje Fikre Curr. and Inst.Design Editor Mulugeta Sharew Language Editor Shegaw Wedaj Illustrator Wasihun Dagne Tesfahunegn Minwuyelet Book Designer Zelalem Birhan  [Restricted] Contents Introduction............................................... 1 Unit One: Virtue Ethics..................................... 3 1.1. The concept of virtue ethics...................................4 1.1.1 Ethics and virtue ethics................................................5 1.2. The qualities and principles of virtue ethics................ 10 1.2.1. Honesty.................................................................... 12 1.2.2. Courage.................................................................... 15 1.2.3. Compassion.............................................................. 17 1.2.4. Generosity................................................................ 19 1.2.5. Fairness.................................................................... 21 1.2.6. Self-Discipline:......................................................... 23 1.2.7. Prudence................................................................... 25 1.2.8. Civic virtues:............................................................ 28 1.3. Importance of virtue ethics................................. 32 1.4. Virtue ethics in daily life..................................... 34 Unit summary.................................................... 38 Glossary.......................................................... 39 Unit Review Questions........................................... 40 II Citizenship Education Grade 8 Student textbook  [Restricted] Unit Two: State and Government........................ 44 2.1 State structures.............................................. 45 2.1.1 Unitary state structure............................................... 47 2.1.2 Federal state structure............................................... 52 2.1.3 Confederation (Confederal arrangement )................. 59 2.2 Systems of government...................................... 61 2.2.1 Parliamentary system of government........................ 62 2.2.2 Presidential systems of government.......................... 66 2.3 The Relationship and Difference between State and Government................................................. 70 2.4 Forms of government in Ethiopia........................... 73 2.4.1 Strengths and limitations of different forms.............. 77 of government in Ethiopia................................................. 77 Unit summary.................................................... 81 Glossary.......................................................... 82 Unite Review Questions.......................................... 83 Unit Three: Democracy.................................... 86 3.1 The concept of democracy................................... 87 3.2 Fundamental Principles of democracy....................... 91 Citizenship Education Grade 8 Student textbook III  [Restricted] 3.3 Values of Democracy........................................ 100 3.4 The importance of Indigenous democratic values and institutions................................................. 108 3.5 The challenges and opportunities of democracy in Ethiopia.................................................... 111 Unit summary................................................... 115 Glossary......................................................... 116 Unite Review Questions......................................... 117 Unit Four: Constitution......................................................... 120 4.1. The meaning of constitution and.......................... 121 constitutionalism.............................................. 121 4.2. The purposes of the constitution........................... 125 4.3. The importance of constitutionalism....................... 129 4.4 The Classifications of the constitution..................... 136 4.4.1. Written and Unwritten constitutions........................ 137 4.4.2. Flexible and Rigid Constitutions............................. 137 4.4.3. Effective and Nominal Constitution........................ 138 4.4.4. Federal and Unitary constitution............................ 140 4.5. The need for constitutionalism in.......................... 141 sustaining peace and stability................................. 141 Unit summary................................................... 144 IV Citizenship Education Grade 8 Student textbook  [Restricted] Glossary........................................................ 145 Unit Review Questions.......................................... 146 Unit Five: Human Rights......................................................149 Human Rights.................................................. 150 5.1 Classification of Human Rights............................. 151 5.1.1 The Right to Equality............................................... 155 5.2 Human Rights under Regional............................. 159 Constitutions of Ethiopia....................................... 159 5.3 Challenges of protecting human rights................... 163 in Ethiopia..................................................... 163 Unit summary.................................................. 171 Glossary........................................................ 172 Unit Review Questions.......................................... 173 Unit six: conflict resolution and peace building....... 176 6.1 The concept of Conflict and Peace........................ 177 6.2. The Causes of conflict..................................... 181 6.2.1. Conflict resolutions................................................. 186 6.2.2. Mechanisms of conflict Resolutions........................ 186 6.3. Peace building............................................. 194 6.3.1. Importance of Peace Building................................. 196 Citizenship Education Grade 8 Student textbook V  [Restricted] 6.4. Indigenous social institutions for resolving conflict in the community................................................. 197 Unit summary................................................... 204 Glossary......................................................... 205 Unit Review Questions.......................................... 206 Unit Seven: Critical Thinking and Problem-Solving Skills........................................................... 209 7.1 The meanings of problem solving.......................... 210 7.2 Problem-solving steps...................................... 213 7.3 Steps of Critical thinking in decision........................ 218 making processes.............................................. 218 7.4 Skills and habits of critical thinking and problem solving 223 7.5 Strategies for Improving Critical Thinking in Students..... 229 7.6 The importance of critical thinking skills in problem solving................................................................... 232 Glossary......................................................... 236 Unit summary................................................... 236 Glossary......................................................... 237 Unit Review Questions.......................................... 238 VI Citizenship Education Grade 8 Student textbook  [Restricted] Introduction Moral and Citizenship Education has now become part of the new Ethiopian education curriculum reform. The major purpose of introducing this subject is to contribute to the democratisation and all rounded development process in our country. Moral and Citizenship education does so to produce responsible, informed, active and virtuous citizens. These qualities of citizens, if achieved successfully, are determinants of social, political and economic development of the country. Cognizant of this fact, this textbook is written for students studying Citizenship Education in Grade 8 for effective realisation of the above values. Thus, it will guide you through the seven units namely virtue ethics, state and government, democracy, constitutionalism, human rights, conflict resolution and peace building, critical thinking and problem solving skills. Each unit begins with a description, the learning out comes and contents. It also provides a list of the key words and concepts to be remembered while you go through each unit. Each unit has sections and section objectives. Brainstorming questions are designed as a starter activity to encourage you to each section and sub sections. The section and sub section number are in the top right corner of each page. On many pages, you will find illustrations, photographs or pictures which illustrate the topic you are studying. Citizenship Education Grade 8 Student textbook 1  [Restricted] Case studies, role play scenarios and other activities are to provide real or simulated examples of the concept you are studying. At the end of each unit there is also a summary of what you have learned. There is also a glossary of some words which you have been introduced to. Moreover, there are unit review exercises to enable you to test your knowledge, skill and attitudes of the unit content. Each unit goes on in the same way with the unit number and title at the top of each page. This textbook is just one resource which you and your fellow students will use to learn about Citizenship Education at this grade level. Information to support this book will be located with your teacher, in the teacher’s guide book, in other books and in various documents of the ministry of education. It is hoped you will find Citizenship education as one of your favourite subject, since it equips you with the basic concepts of State, Government, Democracy, Human rights, Conflict resolution and Peace building, Critical thinking and of other ethical values. 2 Citizenship Education Grade 8 Student textbook  [Restricted] UNIT 1 VIRTUE ETHICS Unit Description This unit of grade eight citizenship education builds on the learning areas of moral education already learned at various grade levels. In this way, the basic concepts of virtue ethics, qualities of virtue eth- ics, the importance of virtue ethics, and virtue ethics in daily life will be introduced and explored. As a result, you are expected to apply virtue and ethical qualities to the promotion of daily activi- ties and the public interest. Keywords Virtue ethics, Ethics, Honesty, Courage, Compassion Generosity, Fairness, Self-discipline, prudence Citizenship Education Grade 8 Student textbook 3  [Restricted] Learning Outcomes: Lessons: At the end of this unit, learners will be able to  Explain the concept of virtue 1.1 The concept of virtue ethics ethics; 1.2. The qualities and principles  Value the qualities and principles of virtue ethics of virtue ethics; 1.3. Importance of virtue ethics  Describe the importance of virtue 1.4. Virtue ethics in daily life ethics;  Demonstrate the qualities of vir- tue ethics in daily life. Figure 1.1. Students are helping each other in the classroom. 1.1. The concept of virtue ethics 4 Citizenship Education Grade 8 Student textbook  [Restricted] 1.1.1 Ethics and virtue ethics At the end of this section, you will be able to:  Explain what virtue and virtue ethics is ;  Differentiate virtue characters from vices;  Define what Ethics is;  Describe the relationship between Ethics and virtue Ethics;  Analyse steps for ethical decision making.  What do you think of virtue or virtue ethics? Virtue ethics is concerned with the development of one’s character in order to prepare one for good citizenship in an organised community, with the belief that a community composed of people of good character would be a good community. It is the pursuit of understanding and living a moral life. Virtues are citizen dispositions, habits, or characteristics that are conducive or beneficial to the healthy functioning and common good of a community. In other words, these dispositions encompass all positive behaviours and actions. Citizenship Education Grade 8 Student textbook 5  [Restricted] In society, responsible citizens are expected to exhibit qualities such as courage, generosity, and honesty, among others. This character based approach to morality holds that virtue is acquired through practice. Moral virtue does not come naturally to us. Moral virtues are habits that we develop through practice and imitation of exceptionally virtuous people or especially virtuous actions. It believes that virtue ethics provides an account of what is right and wrong based on what a “virtuous agent” would do. A virtuous person is one whose character traits are all virtues or good and has no vices or bad.  “A virtue,” or “virtues,” is specific character traits that tend to make a person virtuous, or good. For example, honesty, compassion, courage, and so on.  The term “vice” is often associated with bad habits. Vices are the polar opposite of virtues, and they refer to evil or personal corruption. For instance, dishonesty, cowardice, or selfishness, injustice, and so on. Activity 1 Copy the following table into your exercise book and discuss in a group to distinguish between virtues and vices using the example given. Mention those traits of moral Mention those traits of moral charac- character that make a person ter that make a person morally Vices morally good or bad. 1 Honesty Dishonesty 2 3 4 6 Citizenship Education Grade 8 Student textbook  [Restricted] Case study The Fox in The Well A fox fell into a well once upon a time. He was not injured as a result of his fall. He was not in danger of drowning because there was little water in the well, but he couldn’t get out. “Help! Help! Help! Help!” he cried, but no one could hear him. A wolf eventually passed by the well. He was awakened by the call. “Who is down there?” he inquired as he gazed into the well. “It’s me,” exclaimed the fox. “I am grateful that you have come to assist me.” “How did you get down there?” the wolf inquired. “Have you been there a long time? Is the water quite deep? I pity you, poor fellow! That’s not the place for you. I see you have a bad cold. I wish you were there.” “Please don’t talk to me,” the fox cried. “I require assistance. Get me out, and I’ll know you’re sorry for what happened to me.” Activity 2 What did you learn from the above case study? Do you believe the wolf ’s act is one of virtue or vice? Provide adequate justification. What do you suggest about the Wolfs act?  What do we mean by the term ‘ethics’? Before the lesson, take a few moments to write down a definition of what you think the term means. Citizenship Education Grade 8 Student textbook 7  [Restricted] The study of what good and bad ends to pursue in life, as well as what is right and wrong to do in daily life, is known as ethics. It is the creation of reasonable standards and procedures for making ethical decisions. On the other hand, virtue ethics is a branch of ethics developed primarily by Aristotle and other ancient Greek thinkers that emphasises the role of an individual’s character and virtues in determining the rightness of an action, as opposed to approaches that emphasise duties or rules or the consequences of actions. REMEMBER  Deals with the moral (good) and immoral (bad) aspects of human behaviour,  Is a set of principles or generally accepted guidelines for what is and is not acceptable behaviour. Every day, we make decisions. Every morning, moral issues greet us; they confront us individually, at school or in our daily lives. Dealing with moral issues is sometimes challenging. What questions should we ask and how should we think about an ethical issue? What factors should we take into account? This will bring us to steps in ethical decision making.  Are you the type of person who always tries to do the right thing? How do you know what is the “right thing” to do? 8 Citizenship Education Grade 8 Student textbook  [Restricted] Steps in Ethical Decision Making How do people try to solve ethical issues by making the right decisions or choices? The answer lies in ethical decision making methods. There are five simple and inseparable steps to solving an ethical problem. 1. Identify the central ethical problem: The first step is to undertake research, investigation, and study until the whole problem is understood. 2. Identify stakeholders and their interests: Determine who will be affected by the decisions made. This can be anyone who is affected by the problem and is involved in the outcome of the problem. 3. Find a possible solution to the dilemma: This step is to develop and solve the entire set of alternatives. The information gathered will be used to develop an alternative course of action. 4. Evaluate each solution:Weigh the strengths and weaknesses of each option and select the alternative with the most strengths and weaknesses. 5. Select and justify the solution that best solves the dilemma:This step makes a selection. You need to choose the best option. Citizenship Education Grade 8 Student textbook 9  [Restricted] Activity 3 Personal research and Group work.  Identify certain ethical problems in your area or locality and discuss in group on how to apply the five steps in ethical decision making. Virtue ethics Rather than focusing on following rules, the emphasis in virtue ethics is on developing oneself as a good person. For example, suppose you were given the opportunity to donate to a charity. Donating, according to virtue ethicists, is the type of action that a virtuous person would take. Another example is deciding whether to lie or tell the truth; virtue ethicists ask whether they want to be honest or dishonest. Virtue ethicists’ value being a person who is honest, trustworthy, and generous, as well as other virtues that leads to a good life, over one’s ethical duty or obligations. Activity 4 Think pair activity.  Do you think of yourself as a “good person”? How do you intend to demonstrate in your area or community? Discuss your concept with your partner. 1.2. The qualities and principles of virtue ethics 10 Citizenship Education Grade 8 Student textbook  [Restricted] At the end of this section, you will be able to:  Define about moral virtues;  Explain what honesty is;  Describe the importance of honesty;  Behave honestly towards friends, teachers and other people;  What do you understand about Moral virtues? It is a known fact that humans enjoy virtue. Virtue, both civic and moral, is the path that leads to the greatest happiness for humans. This will lead us to a discussion of the virtue ethics principles and qualities. Thus, Virtue Ethics can be divided into two categories: moral virtues and civic virtues. Let us first talk about moral virtues and the dispositions that go with them. Moral virtues:refers to behaviours that allow a person to live reasonably in his or her community, region, or world. Moral virtues are dispositions that allow a person to live in accordance with their values. As a result, citizen dispositions conducive to the healthy functioning of our community at large include the following: Citizenship Education Grade 8 Student textbook 11  [Restricted] 1.2.1. Honesty Figure 1.2. Returning the Lost Wallet to the Owner.  Individually develop your own definition of honesty and share it with your partner. Story telling Truth, Falsehood, Water, and Fire were travelling together and came upon four heads of cattle. They decided to split the cattle evenly and each takes an equal share. But Falsehood was greedy and told Water that Fire was going to burn his land and steal his cattle. Water believed him and jumped on Fire and put him out. Falsehood tricked Truth into believing that Water was going to steal their cattle so they took them to the top of a hill for Water cannot run uphill. 12 Citizenship Education Grade 8 Student textbook  [Restricted] Falsehood laughed that he had tricked everyone and Truth, realising Falsehood had lied, began to fight him for the cattle. They called Wind to determine who the cattle belongs to, but Wind could not determine who the cattle belongs to. Activity 5  What did you understand from the above African fable story? Describe a falsehood character for its dishonesty and what do you suggest for a falsehood? What is wrong with the water and the wind, provide appro- priate justification?  Being truthful in what you say and do is what honesty entails. Honesty is a moral quality that entails positive and virtuous charac- teristics such as being truthful, trustworthy, loyal, fair, and sincere. Honesty is defined as the behaviour and attitude of not telling or accepting lies. It is the practice of not stealing or cheating. Be- ing honest means being loyal to one’s fellow, one’s responsibility, and one’s country. At home, with our friends, in our community, at work, and at any other time in our lives, we must all be honest. Honesty is always admired in the family, among friends, in civ- il society, and throughout the world. Everyone respects someone who is truthful. Being regarded as an honest person by society is one of the best compliments a person can receive in his or her en- tire life. In today’s society, a lack of honesty is a way for disaster. Individuals with public responsibility have been observed abusing public property on occasion. This is dishonesty. Citizenship Education Grade 8 Student textbook 13  [Restricted] All of these are not characteristics of responsible citizens. Corrup- tion not only leads to the mismanagement and abuse of resources, but it also has an impact on people’s minds. As a result, as respon- sible citizens, we must all fight dishonest and corrupt behaviour. These are detrimental to progress and development. Figure 1.3. ‘No to Corruption’. Activity 6 Group discussion, scenarios and individual activity.  What is the significance of honesty? Discuss it as a group and then present it to your representatives.  Consider times when you were honest or dishonest at home, school, or in the community and share your experience or results of being honest and dishonest with your partner.  What do you think of the consequences of dishonesty? 14 Citizenship Education Grade 8 Student textbook  [Restricted] 1.2.2. Courage At the end of this section, you will be able to:  Explain what courage is;  Describe the importance of being courageous; Act courageously in individual or public issues. Figure 1.4. Athlete Tirunesh Dibaba and Kenenisa Bekele  What do you understand about courage?  What do you think is the benefit of being courageous?  What are some ways you can show courage. Courage is the attitude of confronting and dealing with what is perceived to be difficult or painful rather than avoiding it; it is a quality of being fearless or brave. It means trying again and again until you succeed. It is the determination to work hard despite any odds or obstacles that may exist. Our lives are filled with difficulty. Citizenship Education Grade 8 Student textbook 15  [Restricted] Only consistent efforts can lead to life success. It is to insist and be firm in getting something done and not to give up. Nobody can succeed in life unless they have the courage. There is no shortcut to success. A courageous person never loses heart despite failing once or twice. For example, if Thomas Edison, the American in- ventor who invented the electric light bulb, had given up after fail- ing many times, this marvellous invention might not have been a possibility as early as 1879. All great men’s lives were filled with difficulties and sufferings. They become great and noble as a result of their battles and victories. We must try again and again until we achieve our goal. As a result, it is said that courage is the key to all success. Case study Scotland’s king, Robert Bruce, fought against the English for his country’s freedom. Unfortunately, he was defeated over and over again. But he didn’t give up. He went to a cave and pondered the fate of his countryman. Suddenly, he discovered a spider attempt- ing, again and again, to climb up the wail using his own made net. After several attempts, the spider finally succeeds in climbing the wall. Seeing that the English were determined to fight, they jumped over them. It was on his seventh attempt that he was successful. Activity 8  Form groups and talk about what you learned from Robert Bruce and the spider in the case study. The class should hear from the group lead- ers about their ideas. 16 Citizenship Education Grade 8 Student textbook  [Restricted] Activity 7  Students! Work in small groups to role play situations in which a per- son shows courage. Apart from the teacher’s choice, you can also rely on the following scenarios.  You are at school and one of your friends is saying unkind things about someone you know.  You see someone at the park who is littering. 1.2.3. Compassion At the end of thissection, you will be able to:  Explain what compassion is;  Describe the importance of compassion;  Act compassionately towards others.  What do you understand about compassion?  Mention the benefits of being compassionate? Figure 1.5. Showing compassion to others Citizenship Education Grade 8 Student textbook 17  [Restricted] Compassion is an empathic understanding of another person’s feel- ings, accompanied by unselfishness or a desire to act on that per- son’s behalf. Compassion is the ability to empathise with others and care about their well-being, and it is thus an essential char- acteristic of citizens in a society dedicated to the common good. For example, our friends may require words of encouragement or appreciation, someone may require the gift of being listened to, or someone may simply require to be understood. People who are compassionate in spirit are willing to appreciate those with whom they may disagree on some issues; we can show compassion in a variety of ways. There would be far less hunger, conflict, home- lessness, and unhappiness if we showed more compassion to one another and to our community. Case study The Two Sisters Two sisters lived in the woods. The younger one went to draw wa- ter from the spring one day and was met by a poor old woman who asked for a drink of water. The younger sister kindly gave the old woman a drink. The older sister also went to draw water from the spring and was met by a beautiful but thirsty princess who asked for a drink of water. The older sister refused and told the princess to fetch her own water. 18 Citizenship Education Grade 8 Student textbook  [Restricted] Activity 9  What did you learn from the above case study? Which sister showed compassion? Which one is not? Discuss in a group and present it to your class. Activity 10 Role play scenarios  Students, you may choose one of the following scenarios and role play it in your class at your choice.  You got into an argument with a friend for the fifth time this week because she wants to borrow your phone charger! Play out a sce- nario in which you handle the situation compassionately rather than angrily.  Your brother is having a bad day and is shouting at you and the rest of the people in your house. Act out a scenario in which you show compassion to your brother instead of yelling at him. 1.2.4. Generosity Figure 1.6. Sharing what we have with others Citizenship Education Grade 8 Student textbook 19  [Restricted] At the end of this section, you will be able to:  Explain what generosity is;  Describe the importance of generosity;  Demonstrate being generous to others;  Appreciate the importance or benefit of generosity.  How do you explain generosity Generosity is defined as a moral disposition to expend time, effort, and resources for the benefit of others. The virtuous citizen is gen- erous to others and the community as a whole. It is the quality of being kind and understanding, as well as the willingness to give others valuable things that is frequently defined as an act of self- lessness. Doing good deeds with good intentions will result in positive out- comes. Being generous can make people feel good because they know they have made someone happy. Generosity is a natural con- fidence booster as well as a natural repellent of self-hatred. It also fosters social connections and strengthens relationships. When we give to others, we not only bring them closer to us, but we also bring ourselves closer to them. This is due to the fact that being generous and kind encourages us to see others in a more positive light and fosters a sense of community, a sense of interconnected- ness. 20 Citizenship Education Grade 8 Student textbook  [Restricted] Activity 11 Think pair and role play.  In pairs, discuss the importance of generosity.  Form groups and try to demonstrate generosity in your class through role play. 1.2.5. Fairness At the end of this section, you will be able to:  Define what fairness is;  Analyse the concept of fairness;  Apply fairness while dealing with others.  What do you consider to be fairness? Discuss this issue in the classroom  I treat everyone fairly and equally, giving everyone the same chance and applying the same rules to everyone. Fairness entails treating people fairly and not allowing your per- sonal feelings to influence your decisions about others. Fairness is frequently defined as a method of evaluatingpeople or situations that is free of bias. Citizenship Education Grade 8 Student textbook 21  [Restricted] It means that everyone in a group has a chance to benefit. For example, if someone offers a reward for finishing a task, it is fair if everyone has equal ability and time to finish the task and thus earns the reward. It is not fair if the reward is only given based on a Figure 1.7. Symbol of person’s characteristics or the reward Fairness giver’s opinion of them. It seeks to es- tablish an equitable method of dealing with decisions that have an impact on others. Fairness has also been used to refer to the ability to make judgments that are concrete and specific to a particular case rather than being overly general. We must recognize that being fair does not always imply treating ev- eryone the same way in every situation. REMEMBER In short, fairness requires that we:  Treat all people equitably based on their merits and abilities;  Handle all essentially similar situations similarly and consistently;  Base all decisions on appropriate criteria, free of undue favouritism or prejudice. 22 Citizenship Education Grade 8 Student textbook  [Restricted] Activity 12 Individual activity and Role play scenario  What are some ways we can demonstrate fairness at our school? Dis- cuss in pairs.  Write down various “crimes” on slips of paper, such as cheating on a test, disobeying a teacher, and stealing a cookie from the cafeteria. Allow the students to act out a scene in which the “criminal” selects a crime from a hat and the “jury” (the class) decides his sentence. How severe should the punishment be for each crime? Should some crimes be punished more harshly than others? Discuss the fairness of the jury’s decision on punishments (class). 1.2.6. Self-Discipline: Figure 1.8. Students showing self-discipline in the classroom Citizenship Education Grade 8 Student textbook 23  [Restricted] At the end of this section, you will be able to:  Define self-discipline;  Identify the importance of self-discipline;  Practice the quality of self-discipline.  What exactly is self-discipline?  How do you demonstrate self-discipline in your home, class, and community? Self-discipline entails acting and behaving in accordance with cer- tain acceptable standards. There are some rules and regulations that must be followed in all situations. These rules and regulations aid in directing our actions. As a result, we should be able to follow these rules and standards in our daily activities. When we do this freely and on our own initiative, we are said to be self-disciplined. That is, we perform the acts in the absence of any external controls or impositions. For example, denying oneself an extravagant plea- sure in order to accomplish a more demanding charitable deed is a display of self-discipline. Thus, self-discipline arises from within us without being forced or controlled by outside expectations, and we believe that the be- haviour is good. Self-discipline enables you to stay focused on your objectives. It allows you to maintain control over yourself and your reaction to any situation. 24 Citizenship Education Grade 8 Student textbook  [Restricted] Activity 13 Group discussion.  Discuss the significance of self-discipline.  Discuss the consequences of a lack of self-discipline and reflect it to the class. 1.2.7. Prudence At the end of this section, you will be able to:  Explain what prudence is;  Describe the importance of prudence;  Practice the quality of prudence.  What do you know about prudence? Citizenship Education Grade 8 Student textbook 25  [Restricted] Figure 1.9. Groups of people who are engaged in long and short term planning  “I act carefully and cautiously, looking to avoid unnecessary risks and planning with the future in mind.” Prudence is the ability to make sound decisions in order to avoid danger or risk. It is an act of care, caution, and good judgement, as well as foresight. It entails exercising caution in your decisions and pausing to reflect before acting. When you are prudent, you avoid unnecessary risks and do not say or do things that you may later regret. It is also known as prudent wisdom, practical wisdom, and practical reason. It is the ability to objectively examine the po- tential consequences of your actions and control yourself based on that examination. Prudence entails both long-term and short-term goal-oriented planning. 26 Citizenship Education Grade 8 Student textbook  [Restricted] REMEMBER A prudent person is someone who:  Take the time to think before making a decision.  Asks within her or him, “What is the right and kind thing to do?”  Recognizes and learns from past mistakes. Activity 14 Self-check exercise. Copy the following table on your exercise book and workout on the following prudence activities through a thick () mark. Prudence Very Well Needs Well work I think before acting when faced with a moral 1 dilemma 2 I reflect on past mistakes before acting. 3 I keep my promises. I respect learning and the learning of others 4 and I am open to new ideas. I say I am sorry and try to make up for past 5 mistakes. 6 I think of others when making decisions. Activity 15  Students, with the help of your teacher, you will role play various sce- narios in which you will practice making wise and prudent decisions. Citizenship Education Grade 8 Student textbook 27  [Restricted] 1.2.8. Civic virtues: At the end of this section, you will be able to:  Explain what civic virtue is;  Describe the different manifestations of civic virtue;  Practice different civic virtues in the class.  What do you understand about civic virtue?  What are the manifestations of civic virtue? A civic virtue is a reasoned devotion or commitment that all citi- zens of a given state are expected to discharge or fulfil. It is pro- foundly applied or practised if and only if citizens and students persistently internalised the aforementioned and other moral vir- tues, thereby incorporating them into their behaviour or conduct. It refers to citizens actively participating in democracy for the private as well as the public good. A citizen’s generosity is measured by the extent to which he or she is willing to work for the benefit of both individuals and society as a whole. The following are some examples of civic virtues: 28 Citizenship Education Grade 8 Student textbook  [Restricted] 1. Paying Fair Taxes  What do you consider to be a fair tax? In addition to the other civ- ic dispositions mentioned above, paying fair taxes as a member of society is one of the responsibilities and obligations of a good citi- zen. Paying taxes allows the Picture 1.10. Cash register machine government to carry out its functions. As a result, every member of society must contribute to the government’s support. Tax evasion is the major problem of var- ious countries. If a country is to proceed with its development, all citizens with income need to pay the right amount of tax. The con- tribution must be proportional to their respective income as much as possible. In other words, the more money one earns, the more taxes he or she must pay. Beside tax evasion, contraband is another problem that affects the economy of the country. It is an attempt to bring in or take out of the country commodities without paying the required taxes to the government. Activity 16 Group discussion  What do you believe is the advantage of paying a fair tax?  What are the consequences of failing to pay fair taxes? Citizenship Education Grade 8 Student textbook 29  [Restricted] 2. Staying informed: Figure 1.11. Bieng informed through reading newspaper. It entails keeping up with current events by reading newspapers, listening to the radio, and watching television. This would inform citizens about what the government is doing and allow them to make informed decisions. Citizens and students, for example, must evaluate and be informed about social, economic, and political is- sues in their communities, regions, and country level. As a result, they are better able to make informed decisions. This could also assist citizens in carrying out their responsibilities effectively. It would also assist citizens in understanding what they are expected to do. 30 Citizenship Education Grade 8 Student textbook  [Restricted] 3. Participating in public government: Picture 1.12. Individuals who are queuing for election. You are already aware that in a democracy, political power is vest- ed in the people. As a result, it necessitates citizens’ active partici- pation in their own affairs. Participation entails being involved in a variety of affairs at various levels and situations. This can occur at the local, regional, and national levels. Some of the ways in which you may participate include the following:  Attending community meetings;  Debating on issues of major concern;  Becoming a member of association or clubs;  Joining campaigns and civic societies;  Voting in elections;  Reading and writing about issues;  Serving in the defence force, and in other institutions. Citizenship Education Grade 8 Student textbook 31  [Restricted] Activity 17  Dear students, with the help of your teacher, you will raise a specific debatable issue in your area and hold debates among various groups. 1.3. Importance of virtue ethics At the end of this section, you will be able to:  Identify the importance of virtue Ethics;  Analyse the importance of virtue ethics;  Appreciate the importance of virtue ethics to individu- als’ life and society’s well beings  What do you think is the importance of virtue Ethics? To educate a man in mind and not in morals is to educate a men- ace to society. _Theodore Roosevelt  What do you learn from this proverb and do you agree with this proverb why and why not? 32 Citizenship Education Grade 8 Student textbook  [Restricted] Virtue ethics is critical for both individuals and societies. It instils life’s ideals and virtues. The following are some of the reasons why virtue ethics is important: It helps one to distinguish between right and wrong: Individ- uals’ social thinking is influenced by virtue ethics, which teaches them to distinguish between what is right and what is wrong. Vir- tue ethics is a basic requirement in today’s world, where moral values are rapidly deteriorating. Virtue ethics is important because it teaches values such as diversity, tolerance, mutual respect, and pluralism. Enables to become responsible and contributing members in the society: virtue ethics is a process of assisting children in devel- oping the virtues or moral habits that will enable them to live good lives as individuals while also becoming productive and respon- sible members of their communities. Accordingly, virtue ethics should benefit not only students as individuals, but also the social cohesion of a community. It helps in finding out the true purpose of life: There can be no future human civilization if this value is not taught to students, we as a society rely on one another to survive. Morals such as respect, love, compassion, kindness, forgiveness, and honesty aid in instill- ing this essential value in citizens from a young age Citizenship Education Grade 8 Student textbook 33  [Restricted] It also helps in building a positive approach to things: An effec- tive Virtue ethics would help learners develop a positive attitude towards difficult situations and boost their self-esteem. It assists them in discovering their life’s purpose, motivations, and goals, and it inspires them to devote themselves to the cause of social well-being. It helps to eliminate problems of social evils from one’s life:In the process of eradicating social evils such as gender discrimi- nation, oppression, violence, racial discrimination, and violence against minorities, virtue ethics is humanity’s only hope. In order to create a better tomorrow and ensure the continuation of overall development, students must be taught virtue ethics. Activity 18 Group Discussion  Discuss the importance of virtue ethics in a group setting by using relevant examples. A representative from the group will make a pre- sentation to the class. 1.4. Virtue ethics in daily life At the end of this section, you will be able to:  Apply virtue ethics in daily life. 34 Citizenship Education Grade 8 Student textbook  [Restricted]  What do you think the role of virtue ethics is in everyday life? You were introduced to the various virtues and principles of virtue ethics in previous lessons. These are positive characteristics such as honesty, compassion, truthfulness, fairness, prudence, generosity, self-discipline, and so on. Moral virtues are the worthy principles that one follows to distinguish between what is right and what is wrong. These virtues are regarded as valuable in the development of a person’s character. Ethiopia’s future is in the hands of students. Our country’s future is dependent on the moral values instilled in them during their school years. As a result, this lesson is a place where you connect your previous learning in class with the outside world (i.e. extracurricu- lar activities, at your home and in the community). Different activ- ities, including cases and follow-up scenarios, will be provided to ensure that the lesson is completed properly. Citizenship Education Grade 8 Student textbook 35  [Restricted] Case study: Abebech Gobena Abebech Gobena is the found- er of Ethiopia’s first orphan- age. She picks up a baby and brings her home on her jour- ney to Wollo province. She then brought home a second baby, who was lying next to his dead father. She brought home 21 children in one year. This simple act of kindness Picture 1.13. Abebech Gobena, “Africa’s Mother Teresa”,Founder of grew. She was bringing home Ethiopia’s Oldest Orphanage more children and raising them with her own money. The children quickly grew to 200, and in 1988 she was granted permission to raise them as orphans. Her unusual actions have resulted in the establishment of six branches of the Abebech Gobena Children’s Care and Development organi- sation, which now serves over 12,000 children. When asked about her commitment, she stated, “Commitment is everything to me.” To begin, the first thing I did was fully commit myself. Without commitment, my vision would have remained a pipe dream. I had no idea how to proceed, but I was certain that the only way forward was for me to work hard with my children in order to become self-sufficient. 36 Citizenship Education Grade 8 Student textbook  [Restricted] I sold all of my gold ornaments during those six years. I tore all of my dresses and renewed them to fit the children. I didn’t have a sewing machine back then. I was with them 24 hours a day, seven days a week.” (Vol. 2 of Making a Difference for Population and Development: Leaders in Action) Activity 19 Group Discussion  Form groups and talk about what you learned from Abebech Gobe- na’s case study. In your discussion, list important virtues from the case study and reflect on them in front of the class. Figure 1.14: Students are practising virtue through donating blood, participating in environmental protection and keeping their hygiene in the school compound. Citizenship Education Grade 8 Student textbook 37  [Restricted] Activity 20 Role Play Scenarios.  Hello, students, you act out various scenarios in which you practice virtues such as compassion, generosity, and self-discipline in various clubs, at home, and in the community. The teacher will assist you in developing those scenarios. Unit summary This unit introduced you to some of the key concepts associated with the study of Virtue ethics and Ethics. It also allows you to capture the most important key principles and virtue ethics qual- ities. If students are fully acquainted with virtue ethics qualities and principles such as honesty, courage, fairness, compassion, and generosity, they will be decisive for the well being of the indi- vidual and the society. Furthermore, we discussed the significance of virtue ethics from various perspectives. Some of the benefits of virtues ethics include becoming a responsible and contributing member of society and developing a positive attitude. Finally, you examined how you intend to apply virtue ethics in your daily life by examining various cases and activities. Hopefully, you now un- derstand the significance of virtue ethics and are aware of some of the ways in which virtue ethics principles and qualities are used and applied.. 38 Citizenship Education Grade 8 Student textbook  [Restricted] Glossary Compassion: is the ability to understand or feel what another person is going through from within their own frame of refer- ence, or the ability to put oneself in another’s shoes. Courage: is the attitude of confronting and dealing with what is perceived to be difficult or painful rather than withdrawing from it. Ethics:is a field of study which is concerned with what is good or bad, right or wrong actions. Fairness: is frequently defined as a method of evaluating people or situations that is free of bias. Generosity:is the moral disposition to expend time, effort, and re- sources for the benefit of others. Honesty: is defined as the practice of not telling or accepting lies, as well as being truthful or accurate in one’s actions. Prudence: is a type of practical reasoning, the ability to objective- ly examine the potential consequences of your actions and control yourself based on that examination. Self-Discipline: is the ability to behave and work in a controlled manner, which includes adhering to specific rules or standards. Virtue ethics:offers an account of right and wrong based on what a ‘virtuous agent’ would do. Citizenship Education Grade 8 Student textbook 39  [Restricted] Unit Review Questions Do these review exercises in your exercise book Part I: True or False Items 1. Human beings have the same level of virtues and characters. 2. Virtue ethics qualities are important in creating a positive attitude. 3. The best policy is honesty, which is the habit of telling the truth. 4. Fairness means everyone receives and shares exactly the same thing. 5. To stand up and give a speech in front of the class requires courage. Part II: Multiple Choices Questions 1. Which one of the following is not a way of participating in public government? A. Becoming a member of associations or clubs. B. Debate on issues of importance and concern. C. Showing apathy to issues of prime concern D. Reading and writing about issues 40 Citizenship Education Grade 8 Student textbook  [Restricted] 2. evaluates action in terms of virtues or good character one possesses. A. Vices C. Ethics B. Virtue ethics D. All are correct answers 3. Among the following, which one is the consequence of dishon- esty? A. Results in respect among friends and the community. B. Erodes trust among friends and the community. C. An honest person earns a good status among the community. D. It is one of the best compliments a person can receive. 4. Which one of the following is not an example of showing com- passion? A. Helping someone in pain B. Leaving a form of gift C. Understanding another personal feeling D. Expressing appreciation to another person 5. Which one of the following is different from the others? A. Paying fair tax C. Self-discipline B. Being informed D. Participation in government Citizenship Education Grade 8 Student textbook 41  [Restricted] Part III: Matching: Match qualities of virtue ethics under col- umn ‘A’ with the concept under column ‘B’ No “A” “B” Allows the government to carry out 1 Self-discipline A its functions Evolves behaving in accordance with 2 Courage B certain acceptable standards. It is the ability to objectively exam- 3 Paying fair Tax C ine the potential consequences of your actions It is the determination to work hard 4 Prudence D despite any odds or obstacles that may exist. Part III: Fill in the blank space with the correct answers. 1. is a reasoned devotion or commitment expected to be discharged or fulfilled by all citizens of a given state. 2. is the disposition to expend time, effort, and resources in a moral context for the benefit of others 42 Citizenship Education Grade 8 Student textbook  [Restricted] Part IV: Give Short answers for the following questions. 1. Write the importance of generosity for oneself, friends, and the community? 2. Explain the importance of qualities and principles of virtue ethics? 3. Describe the ways in which you can demonstrate courage in your daily life. 4. Discuss the ways in which you can demonstrate qualities of vir- tue Ethics in your daily life. Citizenship Education Grade 8 Student textbook 43  [Restricted] UNIT 2 STTE AND Unit GOVERNMENT Description 1. 44 Citizenship Education Grade 8 Student textbook