What is Citizenship?
Citizenship is a when one have full constitutional rights or the legal right to belong to a particular country. This is seen as the state of being a citizen with all the rights and privileges in a particular country.
If you have citizenship rights of a country, you are legally accepted as belonging to the country to participate as a member. By this, a person can be said to have Nigerian Citizenship, in which case, he is a Nigerian citizen.
It is either by birth or by being granted such legal rights.
What Is The Meaning Of Citizenship Education?
Citizenship Education is the process of impacting knowledge and skills to persons with the goal of transforming them into good citizens. Citizenship Education can also be defined as the process of bestowing on the citizen the acquisition of their right privileges and responsibilities.
It could also be seen as the form of education given to citizens of a country with the view of making them responsible individual members of the society.
Citizenship education can further be defined as the type of education which instills desirable values, attitudes, skills and knowledge into people, to enable them participate actively in the affairs of their group or adjust functionally as good citizens. They cover topics like appreciating differences and respecting each other’s rights, communicating effectively, being a productive member of society, and following civic laws.
Nigeria’s citizens face numerous challenges, both in their personal lives and as a nation. In order to overcome these obstacles, which include poverty, corruption, unemployment, and religious extremism, it’s essential that all Nigerian citizens have access to good citizenship education
Nigeria’s Department of Education has identified 10 goals of citizenship education to be taught in its schools to learn over the course of 12 years, starting at the age of five
These goals can be used as a guideline and template by anyone seeking to teach these subjects. Let’s take a look at them and see what they can do for us.
1. To promote loyalty and patriotism
Loyalty and patriotism is the first goal of citizenship education in Nigeria. Citizens, it’s hoped, will develop an enduring sense of responsibility and commitment to the country by learning what their rights and responsibilities are as Nigerians.
And by understanding more about their past, present, and future. they will not be likely to try to change the country’s system through violence.
2. To build a democratic society
One of the reasons we engage our citizenship education is to teach people the responsibilities and rights of citizenship, including obligations to family, community, democracy, and nation.
We are making concerted efforts to understand how these purposes interact with one another.
A democratic society helps fulfill all the aforementioned goals.
For Instance, when citizens participate in the democratic process as voters and citizens, they learn about their responsibility to take part in the public discourse that shapes public policy, which is an obligation to democracy.
And when citizens meet their obligation as active participants in the process of government by voting or otherwise participating as citizen members of interest groups or parties within a system of participatory democracy, they help build democratic institutions such as parliaments or other legislative bodies that have been given powers by democratically elected governments that can address social problems and improve life conditions for all.
participation builds commitment among both participants and observers to live up to principles such as tolerance and nonviolence while also deepening understanding of what it means to be a responsible citizen who actively participates in creating solutions for pressing national problems at every level.
3. To develop moral character
Developing moral character is a crucial goal of citizenship education in Nigeria. Having good morals means you can build relationships with people, be a responsible citizen, and follow the law.
You need to be able to trust others and be trustworthy yourself.
You have to learn how to make choices that serve both you and your community.
These character traits are all achieved through respect, fairness, honesty, compassion, caring and courage.
These traits make up what we call good moral character.
4. To develop civic responsibility
Civic responsibility is more than simply being law-abiding and adhering to social norms. It’s about viewing people from different backgrounds, classes, faiths, abilities, genders, and se3ual orientations as individuals rather than members of different groups.
It means ensuring that all members of society are able to exercise their rights regardless of who they are or where they live.
5. To prepare students for the global community
To prepare students for the global community, they should be encouraged to think critically and be educated about their civic responsibilities.
This will help them to make informed decisions that have consequences for everyone. Young people need this knowledge now more than ever before. Let’s raise the next generation of leaders today!
6. To encourage cooperation
In order to encourage cooperation, schools in Nigeria could make it easier for students to form partnerships.
For example, some schools might put out a bulletin board where students can post their partnership proposal and see who is interested. This will ensure that cooperative opportunities are made readily available and give students the opportunity to find others with similar interests and talents.
In other words, this would eliminate the unnecessary competition that may lead to undesirable behavior such as not studying or cheating on exams.
7. To develop an awareness and appreciation of human rights
It is crucial that the students develop an awareness and appreciation of human rights. Students should be trained to value equality, freedom, and justice.
8. Develop positive attitudes toward science, technology, and the environment
Nigeria has a lot of great minds, and yet the country is plagued by challenges such as lack of infrastructure and access to natural resources. For this reason, it’s important that people who are exposed to science and technology take an interest in them.
Citizenship education can be taught to nurture scientific thinking from a young age. If Nigerians have an understanding of science and technology, they may start taking notice of these challenges and solve them.
9. To respect cultural diversity and human dignity
To respect cultural diversity and human dignity, citizens should be able to be aware of how they can promote a sense of responsibility and understanding of each other.
Teaching global awareness has become an essential element of civic education in many schools because it helps us to understand how our communities are interconnected with the world at large. It also helps youths understand that diversity is what makes the world a beautiful place!
10. To create an environment that encourages critical thinking about current social issues and life processes
A better society starts with its people. All citizens should have the opportunity to voice their opinions, learn about civic life and government, and work towards improving their communities.
It’s important that students gain a balanced understanding of social issues and processes so they can lead meaningful lives and create more inclusive communities.