They include voting, democratic decision-making, raising awareness of the ethical values of living together, and learning about rights and duties (Children’s / Human Rights). Their practice builds a sense of belonging.
In 2008, the Fondation Éducation et Développement (1) defined citizenship education as learning the skills that enable :
– analyze situations that constitute social debates;
– understand local, national and international institutions;
– practice citizenship: debate, argumentation, conflict management;
– look at things critically and independently; position themselves according to explicit knowledge, skills and values;
– change their analytical perspective and identify interdependencies;
– imagine and implement possible courses of action.
She writes:
The primary function of citizenship education (…) is to pass on a heritage and teach the ethical principles and legal frameworks (national and international) that determine how we live together.
But today, more than ever, society is facing rapid change and challenges that are part of complex global systems. These challenges call for societal choices in which citizens must be able to participate. However, transmission and teaching alone are no longer enough: education for citizenship must enable the exercise of new skills: entering into complexity, managing uncertainty, situating oneself, imagining new solutions and participating in their implementation.
Source: L’Éducation à la citoyenneté, Charly Maurer, Fondation Éducation et Développement, 4 pages, 2008.
(1) Since renamed Education 21. Based in Switzerland, it is a national competence center foreducation for global citizenship, promoting education that encourages children and young people to act responsibly in a global society. This education also covers peace education, intercultural learning and education for the environment and sustainable development.