The National Council for Civic Education and Democracy (NaCCED) has concluded a monitoring exercise in eight schools across Karene District to assess the implementation of the updated civic education curriculum and strengthen inclusive civic education in schools.
The exercise brought together civic education teacher representatives from the participating schools, Chiefs, school authorities, Teaching Service Commission representatives and other community stakeholders at Rokulan Community, where participants reviewed progress made and discussed challenges affecting the effective delivery of civic education.
The monitoring exercise focused on the implementation of civic education modules at primary and secondary school levels, with particular attention to the participation and inclusion of learners with disabilities.
Speaking on the exercise, John Hindolo Langba, Monitoring and Evaluation Officer at NaCCED, provided an overview of the monitoring activities, explaining that the exercise was aimed at assessing how the updated civic education curriculum is being implemented in schools, identifying gaps and gathering recommendations to improve its delivery.
The exercise included visits to the participating schools, observation of age-range group dialogue sessions and debriefing discussions with teachers. NaCCED officials also engaged heads of schools, civic education teachers and Teaching Service Commission (TSC) representatives on the progress of implementation and the support required to make civic education more effective.
NaCCED’s Director Civic Education, Communication and Outreach, Mr. Alphan Tajawie explained that the monitoring exercise forms part of the SightSavers Social Inclusion project, which supports efforts to promote inclusive education and ensure that learners, including those with disabilities, are meaningfully included in school activities.
He noted the importance of monitoring the implementation of civic education at school level to ensure that the objectives of the project are being translated into practical outcomes for learners and communities.
Also speaking during the engagement, Mohamed Kamara, NaCCED’s Regional Coordinator for the North West Region, said his office continues to work closely with schools and other stakeholders to ensure that civic education is effectively implemented.
He emphasized the importance of collaboration among NaCCED, teachers, school authorities, communities and other education stakeholders in strengthening civic education and helping pupils understand their rights, responsibilities and duties as citizens.
Teachers participating in the exercise highlighted the positive impact of civic clubs on learners, particularly in raising awareness about citizenship, rights and responsibilities.
Fatmata Kargbo of Wuro Memorial Secondary School, Rokulan, said the civic clubs have helped pupils develop a better understanding of their roles as citizens.
“The civic club has raised awareness among the kids to know their roles, the rights and responsibilities as citizens of this country,” she said.
She further noted that the clubs have created an enabling environment where learners with and without disabilities can participate together.
According to Kargbo, the initiative has also helped address issues that previously affected the school environment while promoting greater understanding and inclusion among pupils.
Other teachers who participated in the exercise also appreciated the monitoring visit, saying it gave them an opportunity to share their experiences, identify challenges and discuss practical ways of improving the delivery of civic education.
Community stakeholders, including Chiefs, also expressed appreciation for the exercise and the opportunity to engage directly with schools on civic education.
They acknowledged the role communities can play in supporting schools, monitoring activities and encouraging pupils to practice the rights and responsibilities they learn through civic education.
Kargbo said community participation has been encouraging, noting that community members regularly attend meetings and engagements and have made commitments to collaborate with schools.
She said community members also help monitor agreed activities and remind pupils about their responsibilities.
While stakeholders highlighted the gains made, teachers also identified challenges that require attention, particularly limited opportunities for teacher training and inadequate teaching and learning materials.
Kargbo said only a few teachers are often selected to participate in civic education training, despite the availability of several teachers who could benefit from such capacity-building opportunities.
She called for training to be extended to more teachers so that knowledge gained can be shared with a larger number of pupils.
“If we give those trainings that some of us have gained to all the teachers, or the majority of the teachers, it will help all the kids to have equal understanding on civic education,” she said.
She also appealed for the provision of civic education books and other relevant teaching materials, noting that teachers have raised concerns about inadequate resources.
The stakeholders agreed that providing teachers with the necessary training and materials would improve the quality of civic education and enable schools to better prepare young people to become informed and responsible citizens.
The monitoring exercise concluded with a community dialogue at Rokulan, bringing together teachers, Chiefs and other stakeholders to reflect on the gains made, discuss challenges and identify practical recommendations for strengthening civic education in schools and communities.
The exercise is part of NaCCED’s ongoing efforts, in collaboration with partners, to strengthen civic education and promote an informed, responsible and inclusive citizenry across Sierra Leone.
