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President Sirleaf Launches National Curriculum on Citizenship Education

President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf on Monday August 24, 2015 launched the National Curriculum on Citizenship Education for Grades One through Twelve at the Centillion Pavilion on Ashmun Street.The National Curriculum on Citizenship Education is a project of the Strategic Road Map for National Healing, Peace Building and Reconciliation.

In her remarks the President noted that the Citizens Curriculum is not simply a deliverable or an achieved output but also an indispensable tool for enhancing reconciliation by forging a common identity and common aspirations through citizenship education.

President Sirleaf commended the Governance Commission and the Ministry of Education for working together to produce this Curriculum. She observed that the project started with Dr. Othello Gongar when he served as Minister of Education and completed on the watch of Minister Etmonia Tarpeh. “I want to thank them and their staff for this initiative. I also want to thank the Minister of Finance and Development Planning who secured the resources to support the project.”

The production of the National Curriculum on Citizenship Education completes the first phase of government’s efforts to elevate citizenship education in schools in Liberia. According to President Sirleaf, Liberians “now have to use the curriculum to produce the needed textbooks and to train teachers. As we have produced the curriculum on citizenship as a wholly Liberian project, so also should we produce the three textbooks required under this curriculum”.

The President called on the Ministries of Education and Finance, and the Governance Commission to secure the required resources to begin the textbook writing project in order to have them completed within a year. In conclusion, President Sirleaf said she expects the teaching of Citizenship Education to be strengthened as government commences introducing the new textbooks in Liberian schools by 2017-2018.

“I hope that by the 2017-2018 school years, Citizenship Education would form an integral part of the curriculum of every school in Liberia. It is with this expectation that I now launch the National Curriculum on Citizenship Education for Grades 1 through 12.”

Presenting the National Curriculum on Citizenship Education earlier to President Sirleaf at the Flag Day Ceremony, Governance Commission Vice Chair Elizabeth Mulbah recalled that on July 1, 2014, the Commission and the Ministry of Education, working with the Liberia Educational Development Support Services (LEDESS, Inc.) completed the project with full funding from the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning.

The completion of the Citizenship Curriculum is the first in a series of educational activities in fulfillment of implementing the outcomes of the National Roadmap to Reconciliation under Vision 2030 adopted at the 12/12/12/ Gbarnga Conference, a task assigned the Governance Commission (GC), Ministry of Education and tertiary institutions. The National Historical Committeeis expected to lead documentation onLiberian history rewriting and production of textbooks.

Prior to Gbarnga 2012 conference, the Ministry of Education and the Center for Democratic Empowerment (CEDE) discussed the development of a citizenship platform as inscribed in the 1986 Constitution and the teaching of the Constitution in all Liberian schools. Commissioner Mulbah gave credit tothe Liberia Educational Development Support Services (LEDESS Inc.) headed by Mr. James Fromayan and Mr. Jacob Tarlowoh for putting together a team of highly experienced and efficient Liberian Educators to complete the National Curriculum on Citizenship Education.Senator Commany Wesseh [then of CEDE], Former Education Ministers Othello Gongar and Etmonia Tarpeh, and Education Specialist Roselyn Swaray, were all commended for their contribution to the project.

Availability of resources has been a major hindrance to the completion of the Citizenship Education Curriculum project and other related projects of the Commission. Against this background, Commissioner Mulbah hoped that needed resources will be made available to support the implementation of the next phase of the project -contracting of technicians, writing and production of textbooks suited for grades 1-12.

According to Commissioner Mulbah, the future, though filled with uncertainties can be made brighter if and when we Liberians commit ourselves to serving as, “One People, One Nation, United for Peace and Sustainable Development.” She assured of Governance Commission’scommitment to contributing to making Liberia a society that appreciates its diversity and builds from it a common sense of identity, citizenship and patriotism.

We also thank the Minister of Finance and Development Planning who despite budget constraints remained committed to the support of this project all the way to its completion and the printing of 10,000 copies for the Ministry of Education’s use. Our thanks also goto the numerous teachers who participated in workshops and trial sessions during this project.”

The below chart represents the Citizenship Education Curriculum and topics to be taught in Liberian schools (according to Grade levels).

 

# and Grade Level

Theme-Issues

 

Acknowledgement

Introduction

Citizenship Education curriculum and its use in Liberian Schools:

a.       The Place of Citizenship Education in Schools

b.      Goals of Citizenship Education

c.       Scope and Sequence

d.      Evaluation Guide

e.       Structure and Organization of the Curriculum

Grade 1

Self-Identity

Grade 2

National Identity

Grade 3

Citizenship

Grade 4

Democracy and Governance

Grade 5

Family and Population

Grade 6

Natural Resources and Development

Grade 7

Democracy and the Rule of Law

Grade 8

Strategic Institutions and the State

Grade 9

Leadership and the State

Grade 10

Constitutional Mandates of National Security Agencies

Grade 11

The Liberian Society

Grade 12

The Liberian State