ADDIS ABABA UNIVERSITY

FACULTY OF BEHAVIORAL SCIENCE

DEPARTMENT OF PSYCHOLOGY

COURSE TITLE;- CIVICS AND ETHICAL EDUCATION

REVIEW OF UNDERTANDING CIVICS AND ETHICS.

PREPARED BY BERSABEH GIRMA

ID EBE/40/97/08
Aug/7/2018
 REVIEW OF UNDERTANDING CIVICS AND ETHICS

Generally this unit emphasis on the meaning, scope and dimension of citizenship,
the rational and objectives of civics and ethics, and the competences of good citizens.

The unit is organized into three lessons;- The first Lesson, deals with the
meanings of civics and Ethics, and the scope and dimensions of citizenship and the
historical evolution of civic education in Ethiopia. The second lesson deals with the
objectives and the fundamental values of civics and Ethics. The third part of the unit
focuses on the minimum and maximum competences of good citizenship.

LESSON ONE: UNDERSTANDING THE MEANING AND SCOPES OF CIVICS AND ETHICS
Civics and ethics deals with the reciprocal relationships of rights and duties
established among citizens, and between citizens and the state. It deals with the reciprocal
roles and privileges that state and citizen have with respect to the economic domain,
cultural domain, social domain, developmental domain and environmental domains of the
society.
Civics and Ethics and citizenship education are synonymous words that are
widely used across countries. As evident in different countries, Citizenship education
primarily deals with the rights and duties of citizens in a state or political system. It deals
with the reciprocal relationship of state and citizens with respect to the legally defined
rights and obligation.

In Ethiopia the scope of rights and duties are vast. As indicated in the third chapter
of the constitutions, the state has economic, social, environmental and developmental
obligations. In addition to ensuring peace and security, law and order at, the state has also
cultural responsibilities. Citizens, on the other hand do have civil, political, socio-
economic, cultural, developmental and environmental rights. The constitution has
recognized group rights in addition to individual rights. Accordingly, there are bundles of
rights given to children, women, Nation, Nationalities and Peoples, Labor, pastoralists, and
farmers of Ethiopia.

And the lesson also states the pattern of the distributions of rights and duties, they
are shared reciprocally among citizens, and between citizens and the state. Horizontally,
rights and duties are reciprocally correlated among citizens. That is a persons right can
fully be enjoyed if he/she respects the rights of other persons.

Therefore Ethics and civics deals with the reciprocal relationships of rights and
duties that is established between citizens and the State, and among citizens themselves
with regard to political, cultural, social, economic, environmental and developmental
affairs of the country or the society.

This lesson also covers about the five categories of citizenship in the Federal
Democratic Republic Ethiopia Constitution:;-

 political citizenship
  economic and developmental citizenship
 social citizenship
 cultural citizenship
 environmental citizenship

LESSON TWO
RATIONALES OF CIVICS AND ETHICS
The very purpose of learning Civics and Ethics is to create good citizens. Good
citizens are not right-based only They possess duties also. In this lesson Attention is
given to the ELVEN VALUES of Civic and Ethics which defines a good citizen.

A good citizen is one who:

 Up holds democracy and support the democratic system

 Pursue wisdom
 Respects law
 Actively participates in the cultural, socio-economic and political affairs of the
society
 Develops culture of saving
 Is hard working and industrious
 Is patriotic for his country and peoples
 Responsible
 Up holds and fights for the realization equality of groups and individuals
 Stands for justice and fairness
 Is self-reliant and confident

the ultimate purpose of civic and Ethics education is to create competent and responsible
citizen who can effectively participate in the social, cultural, economical, environmental
and political affairs or domains of the country. In short, we can say that the purpose of the
course aims at creating good citizenship. So, active participation is the manifested qualities
of good citizen. And also good citizens need to make sure that their actions and activities
in the society are inline with the cherished values and norms and legal rules of the country.

LESSON THREE
COMPETENCES OF GOOD CITIZENS
In general this lesson describes the competences required from good citizens,
including civic knowledge, civic skills and civic dispositions. The first and primary
disposition that is required from good citizen is tolerance. Political tolerance and cultural
tolerance is critical to build up democratic system in our country. In democracy, peoples
are allowed to hold and express their own political view. As result of such freedom,
different view are circulated and reflected in the society. That is the beauty of democracy.
Citizens will have options to choose in such political markets. In order to ensure the
freedom of expression an assembly, the culture of tolerance is a pillar. So, tolerance
could mean accommodation of political differences.
In Ethiopia where you have more than 80 linguistic communities, tolerance
becomes critical. It would include, then, accepting diversity, valuing diversity and
respecting diversity.
Another vital disposition of good citizen is open-mindedness. It implies citizens’
readiness to enter dialogue, listen others and change positions consequently.
Loyalty is another element of civic dispositions. Loyalty involves things like
keeping promises or keeping ones words, keeping relationship. In addition, good citizens
are expected to govern their own behaviors without fear of external actors.

In addition, good citizens are expected to govern their own behaviors without fear
of external actors.
Voting
In order to be able to vote, citizens need knowledge and insight in the essence of
the political system; in the way the representative system functions in a parliamentary
democracy; how the separation of powers is organized; what the role is of political parties;
know the differences between political parties; read party program; understand how
election campaigns function; they should know how votes are cast, how the counting and
allocation of seats in parliament works, how to establish a political party, how a new
government is formed after elections. And also citizens have to be aware about factors
Influencing Decision making process: and know how the formal and actual policy- and
decision-making takes place.
Bureaucracy: Know what institutions or organizations to contact for specific problems.
Exclusions: Fight discrimination in personal relations at the workplace, in the
neighborhood, at school etc.
Underdevelopment: Worry about third world poverty. Fight inequality. Know what role
national and international organizations play in relieving poverty. Know the role of
voluntary organizations in this field.

In general from all the lessons I have learned that, good citizens need to have good
knowledge about the socio-economic, social, political and environmental condition of the
country. Also they are required to show commitments and positive tendencies or
inclinations to promote the public interest, to help the poor and the disabled, to uphold
equality of groups and individuals.