Civic Education SS 1

First term note

Civic education is a subject under the social sciences. It is the study of the rights and duties of citizens,
it’s citizens concerning the government and the civic environment. It is also a study of the ways the
government works in a society.

Civic education can as well be called “Citizenship Education” or Civics. It is the educational and learning
activities specifically meant to create awareness, teach positive values, right attitude and behaviour that
are acceptable to the society.

Civic education can also be referred to as the form of education given to citizens of a country towards
making them responsible and functional members of the country. It is the process of extending the
knowledge of basic values of the society to an individual.

Reasons for studying civic education

The study enables us to know and understand our rights, obligations and duties.

It enables us to be aware of our civic, social and physical environments and communities.

The study helps us to inculcate good values, attitude as well as social habits in students. Values like
honesty, integrity, cooperation, self-reliance, contentment, discipline, courage are imbibed in students.

The study of Civic Education helps in producing useful, responsible and reliable citizens of the country
both now and in the future.

The study focuses on making the students good citizens of Nigeria. This makes them obey the law, rules
and regulation embedded in the constitution of the country.Civic Education develops the citizens’
national consciousness.

It enhances students’ knowledge and awareness of national identity through the learning of national
unity and the purpose of establishments of national institutions.

The study enables students to be aware of all they need to know about citizenship and the rights, duties
as well as obligation expected of the citizen under the rule of law.

Civic Education widens people’s knowledge and understanding of democracy and democratic set-ups,
especially in democratic dispensations.

Importance of civic education

Civic education is an integration of many subjects such as Social studies, Government, History, Sociology
and English Language.
Teaching and learning of Civic Education enable students to know and understand how each of these
subjects or courses relates.

It assists us to have more understanding of our social and cultural heritage.

Civic Education guides us to know more about our regional and national identities. We know how
heritages can be promoted.

We also understand the cultural heritage of other people.Civic Education makes it possible for people to
understand the roles of citizens, values such as honesty, cooperation, self-reliance. Etc.

Civic education inculcates into citizens the consciousness of Fundamental Human Rights.

Agencies of civic education

The FamilyCommunity Members

Religious bodies

School

Mass Media/Press

Week 2

Values

Meaning of value

Value means different things to different people. Values are the ideas, things or principles cherished by
people in a society. It signifies norms and behaviour traits which are generally accepted as being of great
worth in society. Values are moral principles, idea and beliefs which people hold dear and cherish, eg
honesty, contentment, faithfulness, justice, tolerance, fair play, among others. They are standard criteria
which determine how the people of a society, nation or state think and relate with one another. Values
refer to the worth attracted to things which may not be quantified, e.g., integrity, hard work,
perseverance, among others.

Values can be defined as the worth, merit or esteem which a person, individuals or group of people in
the society or community have for an object or an idea. In other words, they are standards or ideals with
which we evaluate actions, people, things, or situations. They are can also be referred to as ideals or
beliefs that a person holds desirable or undesirable. The variability in that statement is, first, what a
person could value, and second, the degree to which they value it. A person can value honesty and
wealth but not to the same degree. For example, a person might have to let their values towards
honesty slip a little when it involves increasing their wealth.

Kind/types of values

There are many types of values, some of them are as follows:

1. Positive Values: These are qualities that are good, acceptable, desirable and useful. Some of the
positive values of Nigerian society are honesty, humility, transparency, consistencies, commitment, and
gratitude, among others.

2. Negative Values: These refer to those qualities of things that are bad, harmful, undesirable,
unacceptable or worthless. These types of values have a harmful influence on society. It prevents
growth and development. Examples are improper dressing, dishonesty, sagging, embezzlement, lying,
among others.

General/Universal Values: These are common norms and traits which society view as good and
acceptable, examples are honesty, justice, liberty, equality, tolerance, hard work, selflessness, etc.

3. Personal Values: These refer to values considered right and suitable by individuals in society. It is an
individual’s interpretation and perception of general values.

4. Instrumental or Extrinsic Value:These are specific methods of behaviour which provide the means
through which we achieve our end goals. It mainly includes character, traits and personal characteristics.

5. Intrinsic Value: These are values expected of every member of the community which help to shape
the destiny of the individual and the nation. These are internalized norms, ideas which families, schools,
churches, mosques and different societies make effort to instil individually.

6. Group Values: These are values adopted, accepted and cherished by cliques, groups and gang of
people. In most cases, group values are against values held by general members of the society i.e. secret
cult.

Spiritual Values: It touches on the relationship between man and God. It refers to faith and believes in
God as well as obedience to the divine laws of God.

Material Values: These are values that are related to basic human needs (food, clothing, shelter) needed
for man’s survival.

Importance of value

Values provide for stabilities and uniformities in group interaction.

Values bring legitimacy to the rules that govern specific activities.

Values help to bring about some kind of adjustment between different sets of rules.

Values help to determine and control the behaviour of individual in society.They act as criteria or
measures for the judgment of individuals in society.

Values give focus and direction to individuals in the family and society at large.

Values help us with decision making.

Values modify our attitudes and feelings towards other people through tolerance of different opinions
and behaviour.

Values act as standards of conduct for people in a society.Values guide people towards the achievement
of declared objectives eg, individual, family, communal, corporate and national objectives, among
others.

Values encourage a sense of responsibility and hard work among Nigerian citizens.

Values help youths to resist negative peer pressure in society

Values lead to actions which promote happiness and contentment in society.

Values ultimately promote development in society.

Values promote self-reliance in society, thus creating employment opportunities for citizens.

Week 3 and 4

Community Services and its Values

Community service is a non-paying job performed by one person or a group of people for the benefit of
the community or its institutions. Performing community service is not the same as volunteering since it
is not always performed voluntarily. It revolves around selflessness, patriotism, philanthropism and hard
work.

Examples of community service project

1. Clearing pathway.

2. The building of community libraries.

3. Tutoring young ones with learning disabilities.

4. Construction of signposts indicating street names.

5. The building of community halls.

6. Construction of wooden bridges to link streets within a community.

7. Clearing street drainage to prevent flooding.

Importance of community service/project

1. Teaches students about social responsibility

2. Helps them develop leadership skills

3. Aids in self-discovery

4. Brings people together

5. Serves as a learning experience

6. Exposes students to multiculturalism and diversity

7. Improves the community

8. Helps students during their university application

9. Gives a spark of hope and joy to those in need

10. It also helps students develop civic and social responsibility skills and become more aware of what
their community needs.

11. It promotes team spirit.

12. It helps to improve the wellbeing of society.

13. It ensures selflessness.

Week 5

HIV/AIDS

HIV is the abbreviation of the term Human Immunodeficiency Virus. It is a virus that attacks the immune
system. The immune system protects you from germs that cause infection and makes you sick. If HIV is
in your system, over time it lowers the number of healthy immune cells (CD4 cells) that you have to fight
infections

AIDS is called Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome, this is the chronic stage of the infection HIV and
occurs when many healthy cells (CD4) in the body continues to decline and get to a certain amount
whereby the CD4 cells cannot fight back. It takes a prolonged time for AIDS to come into place between
(10 – 12) years if HIV is diagnosed early or could be less.

Differences between HIV and AIDS

1. AIDS is the final, most advanced stage of an HIV infection. HIV is a virus or infection while AIDS is a
condition.
2. A person could become HIV positive, but never develop symptoms.

3. You can have an HIV infection without acquiring AIDS. Thanks to modern treatments and medicine,
people can live with HIV infections for years or even decades without acquiring AIDS. In other
words, someone with AIDS has to have the HIV, but someone with HIV doesn’t have to have AIDS.HIV
has no cure. The infection never goes away even if the patient never develops AIDS.

4. Like other viruses, HIV can be transmitted from person to person. AIDS, on the other hand, is a
syndrome that is acquired only after a person gets infected with HIV.

5. Many people live for many years with HIV without ever developing AIDS. But if you have AIDS, you
have to have HIV.

Causes drivers and modes of transmitting HIV/AIDS

Blood transfusion

Unprotected sex

Breast milk from mother to child

Sharing contaminated sharp instrument

Occupational hazards during the treatment of HIV/AIDS

Open sore contact with the fluid of an infected person

Using unsterilized equipment such as blades, clippers, needles, syringes

Vaginal and Rectal fluids

Signs and symptoms of HIV/AIDS

Fever

Swollen glands

General body aches and pains

Cough:

Skin Rashes

Loss of Appetite and weight for a long period

Loss of memory

Loss of hair
Fatigue/Persistent severe tiredness

Vomiting

Dizziness and fainting

Persistent diarrhoea

Infections – Sexually Transmitted Infections

Weight loss

Skin rashes

Sore Throat

Headaches

Dry Cough

Easily prone to diseases such as pneumonia

Night Sweat

Menstrual Irregularities

Effects of HIV/AIDS

Damages the immune system: The body immune system of the victim is completely damaged, paving
the way for numerous diseases to enter. Thus the body cannot fight against infections because the body
soldiers have been destroyed.

Draining financial resources/Increase in the medical bill: It may drain the financial resources of the
infected person because a huge amount of money is spent on treatment.

Loss of appetite: It may lead to loss of appetite and affect the metabolic system of the body.

Poor parental care

Increase in the dependency ratio

Reduction in productivity/manpowerA high rate of school dropouts

Increase in social vices

Depression/emotional instability

Increase in the number of orphans and vulnerable children

Increase in the level of poverty

Loss of livelihood due to the inability to work

Loss of lives/Untimely Death- AIDS results in the untimely death of the victim.

It leads to broken homes/family

It leads to psychological problems

Stigmatization- It may lead to stigmatization of the person living with HIV/AIDS which may affect their
social and emotional status.

Week 6

Preventive measure of HIV/AIDS

1. Distribution of sterilized objects such as needles, syringes, and other equipment to hospitals.

2. Destruction of used needles, syringes and other equipment.Screening of blood before transfusion.

3. Avoiding contact with an infected body fluid such as blood.

4. Avoiding unprotected or indiscriminate sexual contact or relationship.

5. Encouraging protective sex through the use of a condom. Always use a condom if you must have a
casual sex relationship, though it is not 100% safe.

6. Establishment and operation of drug treatment facilities.

7. Establishment of drug substitution therapy programs.

8. Referral for drug treatment/ Anti-Retroviral Therapy (ART) and rehabilitation.

9. Promotion of Voluntary Counseling Testing (VCT) knowing one’s HIV/AIDS status.

10. Avoid sharing of any piercing and sharp cutting objects with other people eg, razor blade, knives,
needles, syringes, clippers, etc.

11. Carefully screen blood donated by people before transfusion.

12. Maintain a personal discipline or self-control in order to uphold moral integrity.

13. Promotion of Sexually Transmitted Infections (STI) education/teaching of sex/HIV/AIDS education in

schools.

14. Creating awareness about other means of transmitting HIV/AIDS.

15. Educating the people so as to be aware of the dangers of contracting the disease.

16. Treatment of opportunistic infections eg STI.

17. Encouraging medical personnel managing HIV/AIDS patients to ensure adequate protection during
treatment.

18. Wearing of hand gloves either rubber of nylon during or when one has to deal with HIV/AIDS
infected person.

19. Establishment of mobile outreach centres for the Most at Risk Population/vulnerable people.

20. Pregnant women should be tested for HIV/AIDS and treated if necessary to avoid mother to child
transmission.

21. Provision of job opportunities for the people by the government so that they can shy away from
illicit and immoral activities.

22. Constant and periodic test by individuals and married couples

23. Encouraging abstinence from sex by unmarried people

24. Encouraging faithfulness to one’s spouse/partner.

How to care for people with HIV/AIDS

1. Showing love, respect and support

2. Knowing the facts about HIV/AIDS and talking openly about the disease

3. Helping to reduce stress and stressful situations

4. Helping to provide balanced and nutritious meals

5. Encouraging them to get treatment if they are sick.

6. Most infections are easily treated and cured, even if a person is HIV positive

Stigmatization of PLWHA (People Living with HIV/AIDS)

Stigmatization and discrimination against PLWHA have been one of the hallmarks of the global HIV/AIDs
pandemic. Stigma may be defined as any attribute that is deeply discrediting and results in the reduction
of a person or group “from a whole and usual person to a tainted, discounted one”. In order word, it is
the assignment of negative perceptions to or discrimination against people living with HIV due to the
perceived threat of the disease. Stigmatization could lead to delays and failures in seeking treatment by
PLWHA and delays in diagnosis of high-risk patients. It could also lead to a denial of rights to health,
education, and employment.

Week 8
Youth Empowerment

Youth empowerment is a development program aimed at creating opportunities that will encourage and
develop the youths to be morally responsible, self-reliant and financially productive citizens. Youth
empowerment is a process where children and young people are encouraged to take charge of their
lives.

Various youth empowerment skills

Manipulative skills: This is the type of skill that enables the youth to know how to handle or control
things skillfully.

Life coping skill: This is a youth skill that enables the youth to deal with the realities and challenges of
life.

Intellectual skill: It has to do with the acquisition of the ability to think and to understand ideas and
information.

Artistic skill: It is the ability of processing creative qualities that enables someone to excel in producing
creative works.

Leadership skill: This is a skill that emphasizes making thoughtful decisions about the organization’s
mission and goals. It also deals with the allocation of resources to achieve these goals.

Vocational/Entrepreneurial skill: This is training in a skill that will enable them to earn a living and make
them skilled workforce and business entrepreneurs.

Decision making skill: This is the process of making choices among possible alternatives.

Negotiation skill: It is the method by which people settle differences without recourse to the courts.

Interpersonal/Human relation skills

Motivational/self-actualization skills

Communicative skill: Communication skill is the ability to convey information to another effectively and
efficiently. Communication is the process by which information is exchanged between individuals or a
group. It is one’s ability to transfer ideas and information to others through which the possible
appropriate meaning. In other words, this is a process that allows people to exchange information
through several methods.

Agencies of youth empowerment

Federal Government’s National Youth Empowerment Programme (YOU WIN)

Civil Society Leadership Institute

National Social Investment Programme (N-SIP) such as NPOWER, among others

Nigeria Language Youth Empowerment Scheme (YES)

Osun State Youth Empowerment Scheme (O-YES)

The African Youth Empowerment- Nigeria (AYEN)

National Youth Service Corps (NYSC)

Importance and benefit of youth empowerment

Youth empowerment can help reduce the rate of poverty to a significant level.

It enhances good education standard

It enhances good governanceIt helps to reduce the crime rate

Youth empowerment facilitates good leadership and entrepreneurship

It helps to facilitate the process of nation-building and development

Financially Independence.

Roles of government in providing employment opportunities for the youths

Establishment of different agencies, ministries and parastatals for youth empowerment.

Incorporation of youth empowerment programs/activities into the school curriculum at all levels with a
view of making the youth self-reliant.

Awakening initiatives on youth empowerment through seminars, workshops, symposia, lectures, etc.

Provision of soft loan for youth for the establishment of Small and Medium Scale Enterprises (SMEs) or
industries.

Provision of incentives to make agriculture attractive to the youths, eg, subsidies on agricultural inputs.

A collaboration of government with non-governmental organizations and other advocacy groups on

youth empowerment.

Establishment of vocational schools.

Capacity building on entrepreneurial/vocational skills for youth empowerment.

Provision of automatic employment for graduates of Vocational/Entrepreneurial Programs.

Provision of free start-up capital/equipment to youth involved in empowerment skills/programmes

scheme e.g. SURE-P, State-based youth empowerment schemes.

Provision of free education and scholarship to deserving youth.

Strengthen of existing youth empowerment institutions.

Investment in education: Government should invest heavily in education, education that will enable the
youth to become self-reliance instead of job seekers through skills development and training

The infrastructural building that will provide employment to a thousand people such as good roads,
electricity, provision of portable drinking water etcCreate a labour market that works better for the
youths.

Develop a financial market that supports SMEs.Promotion of conducive atmosphere for investment.

Week 9

Goals of Citizenship Education

Meaning of Citizenship

Citizenship is the status of a person recognized under the custom or law as being a legal member of a
sovereign state or part of a nation. Put simply, citizenship is the right which every citizen has to belong
to a state or a country.

Who is a Citizen?

A citizen is a legal member of a community, state or a country with full rights. He enjoys certain rights
and privileges while he owes the states certain duties to perform. In other words, a citizen can be said to
be a national who possesses political and legal rights. He performs his duties and owes allegiance to the
government of the state. He/she is entitled to protection by the state in which he/she resides.

Ways of acquiring citizenship

Each country has its own policies, regulations and criteria as to who is entitled to its citizenship. A
person can be recognized or granted citizenship on a number of bases. In other words, the acquisition of
citizenship varies from place to place.

In Nigeria, citizenship can be acquired through a number of ways. According to Section 28 of the 1999
Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended), a person can acquire citizenship through
the following

Citizenship by Birth– This means that the parents of a person are native to a country or a person born by
citizens of a country.

Citizenship by Registration– When a citizen marries a foreigner or alien, then she becomes a citizen
through marriage.
Citizenship by Naturalization– By this method, an alien or foreigner may apply to be considered as a
citizen of Nigeria if he/she satisfies the basic legal requirements.

Citizenship by Descent– This entails that if a child is born in a particular community or country, he/she
does not assume the status of citizenship of that country if the parents are foreigners. But if the parents
or grandparents are original citizens of that country, then he/she is a citizen.

Citizenship by Adoption– This is citizenship acquired through adoption. For instance, a non-citizen child
can be made a citizen through the process of adoption when all the necessary conditions are fulfilled.

Citizenship by Founding– If an abandoned infant is found whose parents cannot be traced he/she may
be accorded citizenship.

Citizenship by Honourary Gestures– Citizenship may be bestowed on a foreigner or alien in recognition

of his/her contributions to the development of his/her host country.

Rights of citizens

Rights may be defined as certain privileges that every citizen enjoys in a country, irrespective of sex,
tribe, and creed. Rights are a just claim which is due to a person as a human person. These rights are
natural, civil, political and legal. These rights remain privileges only as long as the state recognizes and
protects them.

These rights are specified in a mostly written constitution commonly referred to as Fundamental Human
Rights. It is the responsibility of the state to ensure that its citizens enjoy these rights.

These rights include:

The right to life, security and protection of the law and undisturbed access to the court of law

Freedom and protection from slavery and forced labour.

Right to ownership of property and protection from deprivation of property.

The right to vote and be voted for in any political election.

Freedom of joining and forming any political association.

Freedom of movement without any restraints.

Right to education.

Freedom from unlawful detention, arrest and torture.

Freedom of expression and of the press.

The right to a fair hearing.

Freedom of conscience, thoughts and of religion.

Right to work and receive commensurate compensation.

Week 10

Governmental system

Meaning of government

A government is the system or group of people governing an organized community, often a state. It also
means exercising control over a society through ordered rule. At the same time, the government is a set
of institutions and concerns a body of actors, which define how and to what extent the public affairs
within society are shaped and directed.

Government regulate the relationships among members of a society and between the society and
outsiders and that they have the authority to make decisions for the society’ to meet goals and maintain
order.

Function of government

Law Making

Military defence of the country

Provision of employment

Maintenance of law and order

Promotion of economic growth and development

Maintaining good relations with other sovereign states or countries (foreign diplomacy)

Protection of civil liberties

Protection of lives and properties

Administration of justice

Formulation and implementation of policies

Provision of social-welfare service

Structure of government

There is three main structure of government. They include the legislature, executive and the judiciary.

The term “legislature” means a body of elected representatives that makes laws. They formulate debate
and pass legislation which is needed for the government and the country to function. The legislature
also provides a forum in which the public can participate in issues and watch over the executive arm of
government.

Functions of the Legislature

In a democracy generally, the following are the functions of Legislature:

Law Making

Control over the Budget

Control over Finances

Amendment of the Constitution

Educative Function

Ratification Functions: The legislature ratifies the international agreements signed by the government.

Control over External Relations

Control over Public Administration

The executive

It is that organ which implements the laws passed by the legislature and the policies of the government.
Put simply, the executive is the organ exercising authority in and holding responsibility for the
governance of a state. The executive executes and enforces the law.

The executive consists of the President, the Vice President and the Cabinet ministers at the national
level, and Members of the Executive Councils (MECs) at federal and state levels. It also includes
government departments and civil servants.

Functions of the Executive

Enforcement of Laws

Appointment-making Functions

Signing of TreatiesDefence

Declaration of War and Peace Functions

Foreign Policy-making and the Conduct of Foreign Relations

Policy-making

Functions relating to Law-making

Preparation of budget/Financial Functions

Conferment of Titles and Honours to deserving citizens

The judiciary

The judiciary as an organ of government is vested with the power of interpretation and application of
the law. The judiciary (also known as the judicial system or court system) applies the law in the name of
the state. The judiciary also provides a mechanism for the resolution of disputes.

Functions of the Judiciary

The judiciary organ of government plays an important role in serving as the last hope of a common man
in the society.

Interpretation and application of laws

Gives justice to the people

Lawmaking

Protection of people’s rights

Settlement of disputes

Punishment and pardoning of criminals

Guardian/custodian of the constitution

Get its decisions and judgments enforced

Judiciary runs the judicial administration

Advisory functions

Conducts judicial inquiries

Nationalism

Nationalism can be defined as a sense of common unity, identity and aspirations existing among a group
of people. It is also the patriotic activities on the part of enlightened people in a country to assert their
rights to take part in the government of their own country. Nationalism is a strong attachment and
conscious feeling to a particular country, or nation. Nationalism is the strong belief that the interests of
a particular nation-state are of primary importance. Also, the belief that people who share a common
language, history, and culture should constitute an independent nation, free of foreign domination. It
can also refer to the loyalty of an individual or a group to a nation.
In Nigeria, the nationalists include King Jaja of Opobo, Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe, Sir. Ahmadu Bello, Herbert
Macaulay, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, Chief Anthony Enahoro, Margaret Ekpo, etc. However, in Africa,
there are a lot of patriotic nationalists. They include Dr Julius Nyerere of Tanzania, Dr Nelson Mandela of
South Africa, Dr Kwame Nkrumah of Ghana, etc.