Citizenship (From The Northern Echo)

Citizenship

11:28am Tuesday 9th February 2010 in

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SOME years ago the AQA Examination Board produced a five-dimensional citizenship syllabus that could have been the base of the studies of all subjects. The study would need to be student-centred for if we are act as citizens we need to understand things for ourselves and not that which is dictated to us.

The syllabus consisted of five areas of study; our legal framework, equal opportunities, power and authority, participation and communication, and work employment and trade. The broad areas cover the world, the European Union, national and local government and local communities.

Clearly, if we are to get a depth of understanding we need to be able to have language skills that take into account work, recreation and personal communication.

Our living depends upon employment that may be in manufacturing, selling or housing. The mathematical models to illustrate this are many. Understanding how we got to where we are reveals good and new practices in scientific as well as human ways.

The study also reveals how the gross imbalances between rich and poor come about and indicates ways of thinking that would give us a fairer life and make us model citizens who vote in elections.

Bill Morehead, Darlington.