Citizenship Education for School Students (original) (raw)

2021, THE COMPASS: An International Peer-Reviewed Journal of Education in Universal Human Values

Citizenship education is the preparation of individuals to participate as active and responsible citizens in a democracy (Hebert and Sears, 2001). It is also an opportunity for children to reflect on local, national and global issues, on their own beliefs and values as young citizens, and on the kind of society in which they wish to live in. This research paper on citizenship education is an effort to develop a conceptual understanding about citizenship education, the various domains, aims and objectives, the various approaches taken to ‘teach’ citizenship education in schools. Over the last six decades, there have been suggestions from various sociologists and educationists about the various domains of citizenship education. The major domains include political, social, cultural and economic domain. Domains have also been identified as content domain, cognitive, attitudinal, behavioural and socio emotional. Halstead and Pike have said that the aim of citizenship education is “to produce autonomous, critically reflective citizens who participate in political debate and discussion and campaign actively for change where they consider in it appropriate”. Hence there are certain core competencies to be developed in citizens to help them function effectively in a parliamentary democracy, which centre on the development of ‘knowledge, attitudes and opinions, intellectual and participatory skills’ in students. (Ruud Veldhius 1997). This research paper further explores the approaches used to incorporate citizenship education in schools from being conducted as one off activities or providing once a week exposure to students; to an interdisciplinary and whole school approach. It also looks at how citizenship education need not be limited to the social sciences but can be taught through subjects such as the pure sciences, literature and language, art and drama. The paper also briefly explores the role of teachers and need for their capacity building.