Citizenship Education needs improving. The first hurdle is incorporating financial education.

If you were to gather a group of young people together and ask for their experiences of citizenship education, you’re almost certain to receive a mixed response. ‘Pointless’ one would say. ‘Boring’ mumbles another. ‘Actually I thought it was brilliant’ the one at the back pipes up. This reaction is worryingly commonplace, despite the fact citizenship education is about generating interest from the whole of society about, well, society.

For a single young person to feel that citizenship education is a waste of time is a travesty. I strongly believe that for citizenship education to work, it needs a complete overhaul.

Firstly (while this may well bring about a change in name) it should have a strong focus on politics, citizenship and economics – three key areas for three terms in a year.

Secondly, there should be a clear sign that young people are being engaged. To ensure young people are heading in the right direction tests or assessments must be incorporated. But in order to address the culture of politics, citizenship and economics being seen as dull, these tests should be fun and interactive. One suggestion was to include assessments involving a reality-style computer game – a bit like The Sims – where pupils could control a character through the process of setting up a bank account, visiting the polling station, etc. Another suggestion was a day’s event where young people would control an imaginary town, putting them in the shoes of MPs & local councillors. Engaging, interactive, unique.

Thirdly, citizenship education should start earlier in education and end later. Politics, citizenship and economics are prominent in every part of our lives, so should be a prominent part of our education system too.

Finally, the whole teaching should have a heavy focus on providing students with skills, not lectures – workshops on campaigning, debates to provide experience in public speaking, a model UN, producing case studies, and many others. These are just some examples where young people can gain invaluable skills, knowledge and experience that can’t currently be found in education. We too often moan that education now is all about making young people pass exams. This is one opportunity where we can make education about life skills, not grades.

Now while I’d love all the above to be a reality, there’s a long way to go before we get anywhere close. But there is a breakthrough.

Next week the e-petition (started by Martin Lewis from Money Saving Expert) demanding compulsory financial education in schools will be debated in parliament after over 100,000 people signed. If this is agreed by Parliament and incorporated in citizenship education, it would be a huge step forward towards a society where young people are actively engaged in politics, citizenship and economics.

That’s why I’ve signed the e-petition and why I’ll be emailing my MP asking them to support the change. I encourage you to do the same.

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~ by mortsterpolitics on December 9, 2011.