Citizenship education is the process by which the citizens of a state acquire the relevant knowledge about their rights and obligations in order to become responsible citizens in the state. The primary objective of citizenship education is to create awareness of the rights the citizens are entitled toenjoy within the provisions of the constitution and their duties to the state as citizens.
IMPORTANCE OF CITIZENSHIP EDUCATION
The importance of citizenship education is discussed below.
1. It helps the citizens to know their rights: The first goal of citizenship education is to help the citizens to identify their fundamental rights and ensure that these rights are not infringed upon. It is this awareness that enables the citizens to seek for redress whenever their privileges are denied or violated either by the state, organization or an individual.
2. It promotes responsible citizenship: Citizenship education enables the citizens to be law abiding in their relationship with the government and fellow citizens in a state.
3. It helps to promote unity in a state: Citizenship education teaches tolerance, love and hospitality. These are the basic ingredients of unity. Citizenship education enables citizens to see far beyond ethnic, tribal and religious lines. Hence, there is promotion of unity among the diverse groups and interests in the society.
4. It promotes law and order in the society: Citizenship education enables the citizens to be law abiding and show respect for the nation’s constitution. Informed citizens will observe decorum in public places, respect other citizens’ rights including respect for constituted authority.
5. It prepares the youths for leadership: Citizenship education equips the youths with the relevant knowledge and skills needed for leadership. It takes informed youths to make a great nation.
6. It helps to promote development and progress in the society: The knowledge of citizenship education creates an environment of unity and peace which enables development and progress in the society.
7. It ensures political stability in the country: A country where people know their rights and obligations tend to enjoy relative peace that enhances political and economic stability in the state. Besides, citizenship education helps to reduce cases of human rights abuses in the society. The level of acrimony is reduced thereby ensuring stability in the country.
8. It ensures good followership: Citizenship education inculcate good values that help the citizens to be loyal followers of their leaders and people in positions of authority.
EVALUATION
1. Define citizenship education.
2. Mention five importance of citizenship education.
GENERAL EVALUATION
1. What do you understand by the term ‘Citizens’?
2. Mention seven responsibilities of citizens.
3. Define political parties and explain five of their functions.
4. State four roles of free press in the society.
5. Mention four problems of election in Nigeria?
READING ASSIGNMENT
Importance of Citizenship Education – Fundamentals of Civic Education for SS Book 2, by Sola Akinyemi, Pages 1-5.
WEEKEND ASSIGNMENT
SECTION A
Instruction: From the options lettered A-D, choose the letter that is most appropriate for the following questions. Answer all the questions.
1. Citizenship education promotes the following EXCEPT
A. tolerance B. hostility C. unity D. diligence.
2. Development and progress are possible under the atmosphere of
A. hatred B. rivalry C. peace D. intolerance.
3. Citizenship education is necessary for the survival of the following EXCEPT
A. democracy B. stability C. national development D. poverty.
4. Another word for acrimony is A. hatred B. peace C. love D. crime.
5. The education that helps the citizens to be conscious of their relation actions in the society is known as A. education consciousness B. relationship education C. citizenship education D. societal education.
SECTION B
1. Give two definitions of citizenship education.
2. Describe five relevance of citizenship education to the society.
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