By: Alusine Rehme Wilson
For any right an individual enjoys there is a corresponding responsibility and limitation. Since Sierra Leone attained independence on 27th April in 1961, there seem to have been great absence of awareness regarding the rights and responsibilities of citizens.
This has impacted the attitude of people towards their country and fellow citizens and thereby putting patriotism in question. It has been viewed that the only panacea to this deeply entrenched bane is civic education. Introducing Civic Education as a core subject in the school curriculum will give a facelift to patriotism and informed citizenry for peace and development in the Sierra Leone.
The Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) recommendation 94 states that: “…human rights and peace studies should be introduced into the curriculum at schools. The teaching of Tolerance and understanding should start as early as possible in the education of children’’.
In response to the fulfillment of the TRC recommendation, the president of the Republic of Sierra Leone Julius Maada Bio has been able to compose efforts to promote a human rights culture in the country through the establishment of the National Council for Civic Education and Development (NaCCED) which is charged with the responsibility to sensitize, create civic awareness and consciousness, and to cultivate a well-informed citizenry capable of contributing to the development process of the country.
According to Ibrahim Jalloh, the North-East Regional Coordinator at NaCCED, after setting up structures, supporting program implementation of other institutions, developing a national strategic approach, NaCCED has successfully developed a National Civic Education Curriculum which they have started rolling out in primary and junior secondary schools since September 2020.
He added that the institution has conducted training of trainers across the country, and children are the first set of people to enjoy Civic Education as a subject in their various schools.
He recalled that NaCCED has organized several workshops and conducted perception survey on taxation. He said that in August last year they hosted a youth engagement forum in Makeni in collaboration with the Ministry of Youth Affairs and the National Youth Commission on the theme: Distancing Youth from Violence through Civic Education which gave birth to the Makeni Youth Forum Communiqué that was later presented to the President of the Republic of Sierra Leone, Julius Maada Bio in his office at State house.
James Hassan Lukullay who teaches Civic Education at the United Methodist Junior Secondary School in Makeni said the pupils have no worries about the subject even though they are learning it for the first time and such feedbacks make him enjoy his job as a Civic Education teacher.
Isatu Bah a JSS-1 pupil at Every Nation Academy School in Makeni said she now understands her rights, obligations and limitations as a citizen. She confirmed that she can now state and explain some of the does and don’ts of a citizen and she would like to continue offering the subject even in senior secondary school.
Madam Hajaratu Jabbie a parent also welcomed the introduction of Civic Education in primary and junior secondary schools in the country, and she referred to the initiative as a saving grace for the young generation of children.
The introduction of Civic Education in primary and junior secondary schools is a step in the right direction towards the fulfilment of the TRC recommendation.
It is the beginning of a long journey as the TRC further recommends ’’the development of a compulsory programme of human rights education into schools at the primary, secondary and higher levels of education. Human rights education should become part of the formal curriculum and be examinable. Appropriate human rights and peace programmes should be compulsory for the training of recruits into the army, police and judicial service. The Government should work towards the fulfilment of these recommendations’’.
If the above recommendation is fully implemented, it will help to redeem Sierra Leone from its popularity of unspeakable atrocities and unfolding sufferings and will be known for its compassionate and respect for human rights. Henceforward, it should become a center of dialogue on tolerance and preservation of peace.
This story was produced by the Media Reform Coordinating Group-Sierra Leone (MRCGSL) with Support from the Africa Transitional Justice Legacy Fund (ATJLF).
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