NCCE evaluates Project Citizen in Ghana

Accra, April 2, GNA – The National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) in collaboration with stakeholders, including students, at the weekend evaluated “Project Citizen” to inculcate effective citizenship in the Ghanaian youth.

The evaluation focused on three thematic areas - implementation, impact, visibility and would help create opportunities for the youth to acquire the necessary intellectual tools to contribute towards policy-making and tenets of good governance.

The evaluation workshop was organised by the NCCE, Centre for Civic Education in the USA and the Hans Seidal Foundation of Germany, main architect of “Project Citizen” in Ghana.

Mrs France Fanny-Kumah, Project Citizen National Coordinator emphasised the need to consolidate the project in the country to ensure that it made a positive impact in the local communities.

She explained that the project sought to inculcate into the future leaders, skills and dispositions that would equip them with experiences, as well as problem solving skills and research techniques needed for the 21st century governance.

The Project, which started in 2006, was aimed at exposing students to research and analytical methods, national issues and the constitution, as well as creating a platform for them to engage in academic policy competitions of ideas.

Mrs Fanny-Kumah, a Director at NCCE explained that the Commission through Project Citizen was building and developing good future leaders with innovative ideas for the country for the promotion of the country's development agenda.

Project Citizen is an international programme, developed by the Center for Civic Education in the United State for increasing democratic participation, political efficacy and civic engagement levels of students at the high school level.

It is a pedagogy that systematically trains the teacher-moderators in embedding education for democracy in the classroom while simultaneously providing an venue for students to participate in community problem solving and applying their lessons in citizenship in real life.

The project connects classroom learning of students on their rights and duties as citizens with the community work that involves them in real world experience in the process, they develop support for democratic values and principles, tolerance, and feeling of political efficacy.

Mr Ralf Wittek, Regional Representative of Hanns Seidel Foundation, led a technical team to participate in the workshop, which was attended by NCCE Commission Members, academia, media practitioners, students, teachers and Project Citizen Alumni.

GNA