Approaches to Citizenship Education in Various Education and Training Services

Contacted by RTS, the various education and training services detailed their approach to citizenship education. Here are the highlights:

GENEVA

In Geneva, a Citizenship course is taught one period per week at primary school in 7 and 8 hours as well as at secondary school in 9 hours. Citizenship education is also worked on from the first school year in a transversal manner, through other disciplines and in connection with digital education and education for sustainable development.

Beyond citizenship education in the strict sense, Geneva also promotes “participatory experiences” for young people, such as the Youth Council or other local participatory projects. The Department of Public Education also includes a “Sport Art School Citizenship” (SESAC) service.

JURA

In the Jura, a specific period of general and social education (EGS) is planned throughout compulsory schooling (a weekly lesson is planned from 3H to 6H, a half-period in 7H and 8H then again an entire period from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m.)

Citizenship education is also worked on in other school disciplines, in French, in practical economics or in science for example, according to the projects carried out during a school year, with particular attention during municipal, cantonal or federal elections. .

NEUCHÂTEL

In Neuchâtel, citizenship education is practiced in different specific disciplines, such as history, geography or French. In 11 hours, the “Contemporary world and citizenship” course is largely dedicated to this teaching and addresses themes such as political regimes, the powers and role of the State, the rights and duties of the citizen, an introduction to law or again the question of Europe. It is also a cross-curricular subject.

The canton cites several examples of activities carried out in class or out of class, mainly in year 11, such as discussions about votes, viewing reports on Easyvote, live monitoring of the Federal Council election, invitation of politicians to class, the organization of debates or votes on cantonal subjects within the class or participation in activities proposed by Young Enterprise Switzerland or the media week.

The canton of Neuchâtel specifies that it also plans a teaching of religious and humanist cultures (ECRH) integrated into history lessons and which “contributes to openness and critical reflection relating to questions about the meaning of life”. “One of the objectives of this teaching is to help the student learn to respect the beliefs of others, expressed individually or collectively,” writes the canton.

FRIBORG

In Fribourg, 11H students have one hour of Citizenship per week. “During these lessons, students address the characteristics of a State, the role of laws, the fundamental rights and duties of citizens in reference texts, the different political regimes, the three levels of sovereignty, the role of elected officials, the different political parties and their main orientations, the main rights and duties of the citizen, the main social rights and also some relations between Switzerland and Europe or the world”, writes the Directorate of Training and Cultural Affairs.

These periods are always constructed in connection with current events, specifies the canton. “This year, year 11 planning takes into account national elections and how voting works” and offers “an overview of the various parties”. In 2022, Friborg students participated in a vote on changing the law on transplantation.

Furthermore, “all disciplines are likely to contribute to the development of this objective by setting up disciplinary or interdisciplinary projects”. It can also involve participation in discussions and debates relating to school life, such as class councils, the organization of specific activities or the mediation of conflict situations.

VALAIS

In Valais, there are no longer any periods specifically allocated to citizenship education since the introduction of the new French-speaking study plan. This teaching is approached via transversal training. “It is about establishing healthy discipline and a good working atmosphere by respecting rules that are often co-constructed, by promoting the integration of everyone and by developing otherness and mutual respect,” explains the canton.

“This theme is much better integrated into teaching than in the past. In the past, we were content with an 11-hour course. Today this is addressed according to progress in the program. It is no longer a question of of dropped education”, writes a cantonal official in a response provided to the RTS.

He further specifies that the Valais school also promotes citizenship education through the Youth Parliament, the establishment of a “Children’s Parliament” in certain schools, the annual Forum de la Planta or even a pilot project in progress for meetings with different political youth.

VAUD

In the canton of Vaud, citizenship is mainly taught in association with geography and history. “This association allows an approach to citizenship using concrete examples […] which allow the student to understand the role of our institutions”, writes the canton.

The cantonal timetable also provides for a time allocation of 10 periods per school year in cycle 2 (5 a.m. to 8 a.m.) and one weekly period in year 11. Several educational projects within establishments also use these concepts. A specific assessment is made in 11 hours, the canton further specifies. The rest of the time, the assessment of these skills is integrated into geography.

Finally, in post-compulsory courses, if citizenship education is not the subject of a specific branch, it is “very present in the various framework study plans and, consequently, in the programs”, underlines again the Department of Education and Vocational Training, either by being integrated transversally, or by being the subject of specific modules specific to the different training paths.

Furthermore, during the last school year, Vaud schools participated in Citizenship Weekwhich “demonstrates the Department’s desire to promote citizenship education”, believes the latter.