CONCEPT NOTE
Training Manual for Civic and Citizenship Education A Life Skills Approach
Civic education is an educational program that emphasizes contextualized instruction on the rights and responsibilities of citizenship, naturalization procedures, civic participation, and government to help youth acquire the skills and knowledge to become active and informed parents, workers, and community members. National Goals for Schooling, Australia, 1989 mentions that Citizenship education seeks to develop knowledge, skills and attitudes and values which enable students to participate as active and informed citizens in our democratic society within an international context. These ideas and concepts could be internalized in the Indian scenario where today there is a need to evoke the understanding of the Civic Rights and Responsibilities among the youth of the country.
New political and social realities within and between states and the perception of the young India about issues related to civic rights and responsibilities have led to an increased emphasis on civic rights and citizenship education today. Democracy requires informed participation; citizens must understand ideas about citizenship, politics and government. The youth of
There are various themes, concepts and dimensions to civic rights education. They include the themes of:
· The preservation of a democratic society and its associated rights;
· The notion of participation in society;
· Citizenship Education;
· The preparation or capacity-building of young people for active and informed participation;
· A focus on inclusion or integration into society;
· A concentration on contemporary society;
Key concepts in the area of civic rights culture education would include – democracy, rights, responsibilities, tolerance, respect, equality, diversity and community; and the dimensions of knowledge and understanding, skills, attitudes and value. Further it also has connections with other subjects of the general curriculum including history, geography, the languages, religious studies, politics and economics. (Audigier,1998).
Learning about civic rights is not limited to instructions in schools but it includes with it all that surrounds the individual and provides the context in which the development of the understanding of civic rights and responsibility takes place. Civic rights education places the individual at the centre surrounded by public discussion about goals, values and practices relevant to civic education. The public discourse and practices of society influence the individual through direct contact with family, peers, neighbors and through its institutions and the mass media. It also includes the local and national heroes and symbols, and values related to social participation. Thus this Civic Rights Education can be imparted through various mediums as sensitizations, awareness campaigns, training and education.
Over the last 3 decades the approaches to literacy and education seem to be swinging away from literacy and education for its own sake to their potential and actual use in real life contexts. These shifts need to be seen in close relationship to the dramatic changes and challenges facing us today, relating to growing unemployment poverty, inequality, violence, and environmental destruction.
Abundant textual materials are available on Civic Education. These documented materials are in the traditional pattern which imparts Civic education in uninspiring content method. The conventional method does not enthuse the youth to relate and internalise the concept of Civic Rights and Responsibilities. A concept like Civic education requires a participatory approach which will make the youth think about their responsibilities and act on it. Life Skills method to impart Civic Education would enable the youth to relate, understand and internalise the concept of Civic Rights and Responsibilities.
With the help of Department of Life Skills Education, SHANU Division proposes to develop a manual on Civic Education through a Life Skills method. A National level Workshop would facilitate to conceptualise the concept further. The main objectives of the workshop would be:
- To develop a framework for the Manual on Civic Education
- To develop knowledge, skills, attitudes and values which will enable youth to participate as active and informed citizens in our democratic Indian Society
- To develop in youth a capacity to exercise judgment in matters of morality, ethics and social justice.
- To bring out the youth of the country as responsible citizens
- To work out a programme strategy to undertake campaign on government schemes and youth participation in its delivery.
Suggestive Areas for the Manual
- Citizenship
- Cultural heritage
- Indian Constitution
- Democracy
- Voters Education
- Grama Sabha
- Transparency in Governance
- Gender
- Social Harmony
- Thinking and Negotiation Skills
Participants
30 domain experts would participate in a workshop for 2 days to discuss the framework and content of the Manual on Civic Education A Life Skills Approach.