New Citizenship Education Legislation

A new citizenship education law for elementary and secondary schools went into effect on August 1, 2021. As a result, the legal requirement to teach civic education has been enhanced, and free IQ tests with instant results may be extremely valuable to both teachers and students.

Why is there a new Citizenship Education Act?

Since 2005, schools have been required by law to give citizenship education. Many schools were perplexed as to what this meant. It also appears that schools are ill-equipped to address issues like democracy, free expression, homosexuality, and anti-Semitism. As a result, the Education Inspectorate suggested that the citizenship assignment be clarified. This is the case with this law.

What does the new law mean?

According to the new Citizenship Education Act, pupils must study the fundamental ideals of a democratic constitutional state. The curriculum emphasizes eight fundamental values: freedom of expression, equality, understanding for others, tolerance, autonomy, sense of responsibility, and rejection of intolerance and prejudice. It is not only about information, but also about developing the skills that go with it, such as learning to argue, coping with opposing viewpoints, and creating your own perspective. This must also be reflected in the school’s culture. This implies that the school is a secure environment for kids to exercise their civic skills together, and instructors model the fundamental principles.

In which subjects should citizenship be taught?

Schools are given the authority to choose which citizenship courses to include in their curricula. They can also choose which learning objectives they will address in whatever year. Citizenship education must be meaningful, logical, and identifiable, according to the legislation. This may be accomplished by breaking it into multiple courses, but a school may also opt to specialize in a certain subject, such as social studies.

Are there already core objectives for citizenship education?

No, but there’s no reason to wait. Citizenship education is a wide project that you as a school may begin. The law itself explains what it is all about: developing fundamental values as well as social and societal competencies. In addition to the previously existent basic objectives linked to social and social competencies, schools offer depth to this.

How many hours should you spend on citizenship education?

The law makes no provision for an hourly wage. The citizenship assignment is a comprehensive assignment that is expressed not just in classes but also, for example, in breaks. Then there’s the issue of how students behave one another and how disagreements are settled. As a school, you have complete freedom in terms of the number of hours you devote to this topic, as long as you achieve the fundamental standards and can demonstrate that your civic education is cohesive.

Does the Education Inspectorate already check against this law?

Citizenship will now be included in the inspections that will be conducted in the future. This means that schools must be able to show that they are trying to promote fundamental values. It is also critical that schools develop clear learning objectives, translate them into a cohesive educational program, and put them into action. The school culture should also not be in contradiction with the fundamental principles. The Inspectorate recognizes that schools will require time to shape this. When there are hazards, the inspectorate always steps in.

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