A NATIONAL CIVIC CENTRE FOR SIERRA LEONE

By the end of the 1980s to early 1990s, the subject of Civic Education or Civics was at its recession in Sierra Leone. The old education system based on the intellectual academic approach got replaced  by the new one known as 6-3-3-4 System of Education in 1992 and Civic Education concurrently plunged down as well.

It is now almost three decades and Civics is not been in the School syllabus. The new generation of school-going pupils does not know that there was once a subject enlightening them about what is meant to be a good citizen of a country; resonating rights as well as responsibilities thereof.

Thus, the absence of Civic Education is causing some kind of tensions among the citizenry of Sierra Leone and manifold negative attitudes and behaviors are being manifested. Instances of these are in lawlessness, vandalism, flagrant violations, complacency, corruption, poor town planning, lack of political tolerance, oral abuse against each other, etc.

To reckon, the previous government under the Presidency of Ernest Bai Koroma, his Cabinet Ministers and officials of the Committee setup on the Transformation and Development of Sierra Leone into the next 50 years reiterated that Civic Education need to be reintroduced in order to address the many behavioural problems the country is facing.

Before and on to this time, Civil Societies, including our Organization, also echo the imperative need to align the Curriculum to include Civics into the Schools System.

One goal of this assertion is to initiate the process of saving the young generation from moral decadence and rather make them becoming good and responsible citizens.

In 2018, as if they heard the clarion call, the advent of the present Government led by Julius Maada Bio has led to the establishment of a whole Institution referred to as the National Council for Civic Education and Development to spearhead Civic Education both at formal and non-formal spheres in the country.

However, their efforts seem to be somehow slowed because of inadequate funding to carrying out their proposed effective plans. For instance, reintroducing Civic Education was expected to take place this Academic Year 2019-2020 but such has been differed to next year 2020-2021.

Our Organization believes that even with its reintroduction towards the coming years, the pupils who are at the Secondary Schools level would be indebted to get proper dosage of the subject for which they could not have enough through the remaining years of their schooling. This is because Civics comprised of broad topical areas including the National Constitution, National Anthem, Pledge, Monuments, Heroes and Heroines, Public Life of present and past officials, Acts of Parliaments, Public Policies, Public Documents and Researches, Judicial Precedents, etc.

There is need therefore to introduce an alternative learning system where pupils as well as adults who have left or finished their schoolings would go for civic edification.

Our Organization, Civic Questioners, has thought it fit work with a Donor to setup Civic Education Centres.

The main aim of the Project is to invigorate Civic Education across the country by involving every citizen to learn about their country, Sierra Leone. Hence, the objectives are as follows:

• To give additional opportunity to school-going pupils to learn Civics at the Education Centres.
• To offer Civic Education to School leavers and illiterate adults.
• To serve as an alternative but main source for learning Civic Education in the country.
• Help the government through the Ministry of Education and the Council for Civic Education and Development in accelerating and targeting wider range of citizens to inculcate Civics.
• The centre to make provision for audio, visual drawings and images, videos and photos to serve as resource materials or Teaching/Learning Aids for those who become committed to learning Civics.
• To accommodate a section with each Centre where citizens, tourists, foreign nationals, diplomats, etc, could check in for information, for clarification or to learn about Sierra Leone in general.
• The Centre to endeavour to conduct researches that of public interests or on any phenomenon bordering national issue.
• Also, the management of the Centres to embark on advocacy wherein human rights issues of concerns are identified, condemned, lobbied for and to do community outreach on them via the media.
• To serve as a Tertiary Institute for conferring Certificates and Diploma in the Holistic Civic Education of Sierra Leone.

• The Centres will accelerate learning of Civics among Secondary Schools Pupils.
• Provide easier access for local residents to cross checked facts about Sierra Leone.
• To raise the importance of Civics as a major source to restore the country to national cohesion and expected civilization.
• From hence to have many Sierra Leoneans/foreigners who will have certificates and Diplomas in Civic Education of Sierra Leone.
• The profile of our Organization shall be elevated and the dignity of the Donor reputed much in Sierra Leone.
• The present crops of pupils who do not know how to properly recite the National Anthem and Pledge would be able to do so because of daily rehearsal at the Civic Centres.
• More good Citizens shall rise up in coming years after the Centres have begun operations.
• Citizens’ rights and responsibilities will be understood across the country.
• Political tensions which are the major threat to national cohesion in  Sierra Leone maybe reduced to its lowest minimum among the younger generation of future leaders.

The Project is an elaborate one which shall comprise of Physical construction of the three Civic Centres in the different regions of the country, equipping the Centres with furniture, fittings and recruitment of personnel/human resource to run the Centres.

SIGNING OF MOUs:

Prior to actual implementation, our Organization shall engage to inform the following stakeholders and sign Memorandums Of Understandings (MOUs) with each of them in respect of the Project:

• The National Council for Civic Education and Development (NaCCED.
• The Ministry of Basic and Senior Secondary School Education.
• The Freetown City Council.
• The Makeni City Council.
• The Bo City Council.
• The National Council for Technical, Vocational and other Academic Awards (NCTVA).
• The Tertiary Education Commission (TEC).

The purpose of the above is to get authorization from the institutions concern – with the Education Ministry and NaCCED for them not to duplicate efforts of such Project; with the Councils gain legitimacy of operations in their respective jurisdictions; with TEC to register with them so as to achieve formal tertiary status as Educational outlet by harmonizing the Civic Education Syllabus; and with NCTVA for Students Certifications.

          PURCHASE OF LAND:

The Project shall secure one acre of land in Bo, Makeni and Freetown for its purpose. Attention given to the dual ownership system for acquiring land in the Western Area and those in the Provinces.

          PLAN OF THE CIVIC CENTRES:

A land Surveyor shall be consulted to design a uniform plan for the construction of the Centres.

Construction Companies with reputable track records approached to bid for the construction of each Centre and the ideal one is awarded the contract.

          DURING CONSTRUCTION:

It is really expected that the construction of the three Centres shall be done simultaneously.

Each Centre to have a room for Library, a Hall, IT Lab, two Classrooms, a repository serving as museum and a store.

          AFTER CONSTRUCTION:

When the civil works are done, the Centres will be equipped with fixtures, fittings, equipments and inscription drawings of images of civic relevance on the walls in and out of the Centres. Thereafter, the following personnel shall be recruited for operating the 

The general aim of the Project is to invigorate Civic Education in the country after a very long time. 

As we have worked hard to reintroduce Civics in the formal School System, we will this Solution help to invigorate it in the informal sphere but also in the formal sector to ensure that Civic Education is looked upon as the hub to influence positive change and impact citizens across the country.

This will increase peaceful coexistence, and social cohesion and trigger economic growth around.

• The Centres will accelerate learning of Civics among Secondary Schools Pupils.
• Provide easier access for local residents to cross checked facts about Sierra Leone.
• To raise the importance of Civics as a major source to restore the country to national cohesion and expected civilization.
• From hence to have many Sierra Leoneans/foreigners who will have certificates and Diplomas in Civic Education of Sierra Leone.

• The profile of our Organization shall be elevated and the dignity of the Donor reputed much in Sierra Leone.
• The present crops of pupils who do not know how to properly recite the National Anthem and Pledge would be able to do so because of daily rehearsal at the Civic Centres.
• More good Citizens shall rise up in coming years after the Centres have begun operations.
• Citizens’ rights and responsibilities will be understood across the country.
• Political tensions which are the major threat to national cohesion in  Sierra Leone maybe reduced to its lowest minimum among the younger generation of future leaders.

We shall use the Internet, Mobile Phone Artificial Intelligence, Assistive Modern Technology to influence Civic Change

The Organization has and ensures:

1. Dedicated Members 

2. Educationalists

3. Gender Balance

4. Social Activists

5. Change Agents

6. Respect for Human Dignity

7. Safeguarding Principles

The Solution is summarized as follows: Community Engagement, Infrastructural development, youths and women empowerment, high fedelity of civic knowledge, skills and dispositions, revenue generation, public service, etc. 

We shall use the civic centres facilities to generate income for sustainability

Civic Questioners use its minimal resources from membership contribution, well wishers and mini grants supports to continue what it does