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EDUCATION FOR DEMOCRATIZATION
2017/2018 Dr. Magosho, Harun
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Democracy: Meaning The essence of democracy is how people govern themselves as opposed to how they are governed by others It is one among the most passionately debated issue that has led to a number of meanings about the nature of democratic societies and organs Different conceptions of democracy imply differing conceptions of the individual and of human goals of norms, values and the aims and significance of education in the society
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Democracy: Meaning Literary democracy means majority rule
It has its origin from two Greek words; “demos” = “power” and “kratos” – “public (rule)”! This means; “public power” or power of the people. It is the rule of the people by the people Lincoln-former U.S president posited that “democracy is the power of the people for the people by the people” Thus, it is a control of a group by majority of its members
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Democracy: Origin The origin of democracy dates back to the 4th Century, B.C in Ancient Greece city states such as Athens, Sparta and Corinth. During that time, people held open meetings where decisions about duties, rights and laws about all people were made openly. Only the decisions that had majority support were passed as resolutions The Athenian democracy is the first known democracy in the world.
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Democracy Contin… Direct democracy is possible depending on the number of people of particular society (size of the community). At national level where direct democracy is difficult to implement, this sense of democracy is shown in a formal structure of government through representatives elected by the people of a particular society. The elected people are given full mandate to govern on behalf of the majority.
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Democracy: Broad Meaning
Political dimension of democracy Direct democracy; direct democracy refers to a political system whereby the citizens (people) vote in all major decisions about their country/society. There are no representatives in direct democracy Conditions; there has to be a small community. -Direct democracy is normally practiced in small communities which do not exceed say 250,000 people -Also, there should be common interests among members of the community
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Democracy: Broad Meaning
The first communities to use direct democracy were the Athenians in the 5th Century, B.C Eligible citizens gathered to discuss and vote on various public matters. These decisions were set to be the laws of the city-state However, not all people had the chance to participate in decision making in Athens Women and slaves were not allowed to partake in decision making during that time
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Democracy: Broad Meaning
b) Indirect/Liberal Democracy; This is a political system whereby majority rule is set-up through representation of elected persons to act and exercise power on behalf of the people e.g the parliament (MPs) The role of the representatives is to protect the rights of all citizens; to speak on behalf of them According to John Locke, although we give our rights of freedom and control to the government, we do not surrender them As the 1789 French Revolution believe; the gvt that does not fulfill its contract, loses its legality from the people
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Democracy: Broad Meaning
Since democracy is a political theory, it has to adhere to both implicit and explicit theoretical views on human nature and ethics. Thus, the political powers of any legitimate government should; Be limited to the duty of protecting people’s rights The government owes its existence to people’s consent The government should govern through majority will There should be separation of power
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Approaches to government legitimacy
The Divine Right Theory; In earliest societies, rulers received their authority to rule from God/the Gods. Thus, the ruler was expected to follow moral codes and standards to make his rule pleasing to the divine powers/Gods The Justice Theory; The legitimacy of a certain government depends on whether or not it serves justice. For instance, in Plato’s Republic he believed that, the philosopher kings were the suitable people to hold higher posts because they could act justly and realize the common good
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Government legitimacy
Aristotle believed that, no individual person was self-sufficient in all qualities. To be complete, one needed to live in an organized community where his/her inadequacies would be complemented by others’ qualities Thus, the ideal ruler should embody moral virtues of justice, treating everyone person fairly in all spheres In the 15th C Nicolas Cusa who perpetuated ideas of Plato and Aristotle believed that authority is the right to command and be obeyed; And men are equal and divine Thus, democracy should them all equal share of the political authority
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Approaches to government legitimacy
Thomas Hobbes believed that human nature is egoistic. People are defenseless against greed and selfishness of their fellows The state arises from common agreement to remove the community out of its natural egoistic tendency Thus, administering justice is the only way to rescue the community
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Approaches to government legitimacy
3. Social contract theory; John Locke posited that human beings are guaranteed inherent rights by virtue of the truth that they are human beings Thus, human rights are prerogatives to human beings and the gvt can not take them away Original organized society should be conceived as a social contract negotiated among the people
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Approaches to government legitimacy
According to Locke, we create the gvt with the social contract, but we do not surrender our right to the government We bring the government into power to protect our rights through our own consent Thus, the government can never violate people’s natural rights to life, liberty, property NOTE: It is the right of the people to alter or remove the government if it does not serve or fulfill its functions, duties (contract)
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2. Economic dimension of democracy
In economic terms, democracy means that each individual in the society shares equally the economic produce (success) of the entire nation in which they partake on their own way Ideally, every person of a particular society/nation is expected to contribute in process of economic production depending on their abilities and capacities The gains and reaps that are obtained should be shared and spent for the well-being of all citizens
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3. Social dimension of democracy
The social dimension of democracy refers to the totality of social principles in the society; These are liberty, equality, justice and fraternity Liberty- freedom to each citizen to control life Equality – equal rights in sharing political power Justice – all citizens should be treated fairly Fraternity- mutual respect, friendship, harmony and tolerance Social democracy should guarantee equal opportunities to all members regardless of race, color, sex, ethnicity and political groupings
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Basic issues for democracy
Democracy assumes diversity of individual talents, resourcefulness and abilities, which compete for recognition and legitimization In any kind of democracy, there is a situation of shared concerns that are harmonized on the basis of equality and fairness In any democratic society, democratic principles need to be practiced in all institutions to increase accountability and transparency in public responsibilities Thus, even educational institutions such as schools, colleges, and universities need to practice democracy for the provision of democratic educational services in democratic environments
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French Revolution ( ) Up until 1789 France was ruled by King Louis XVI who claimed that his total power to rule had been granted to him by God French revolution was a resistance against the monarchy in 1789 which resulted in the formation of France as a Republic. The French Revolution occurred between 1789 and 1799 in France when the people overthrew the monarchy government. The French Revolution lasted 10 years from 1789 to It was seriously triggered on July 14, 1789 when revolutionaries stormed a prison called Bastille.
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Contin….. All the top posts in the army, the government, the civil service, the church and the judiciary were reserved for the members of a hereditary upper class Before the revolution the government was governed through the principle of a complete monarchy Monarchies are normally heritable, traditional and customary. Currently, countries such as Swaziland and Saudi Arabia, for-example, are still maintaining monarchy governments (rule).
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Causes of French Revolution - 1789
The French peasant revolution of 1789 was mainly caused by enlightenment philosophical movements which wanted to end the abuse of the church and state (monarchies) France was losing a plethora of money and was on the verge of bankruptcy. This was because King Louis XVI spent a lot of money lavishly. Eg. During the American Revolution France gave a generous contribution. Thus, there was Economic Crisis. Storming of the Bastille prison in July 14, 1789; People came for the huge ammunition storages that were kept in the prison. The governor wasn’t complying with the mob, so after a violent battle the mob seized control of the Bastille and the governor was killed with his head put on a spike for everyone to see The Tennis Court Oath on June ; This oath would come to have major significance in the revolution as the Third Estate would constantly continue to protest to have more representation
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Causes contin…. An attempt to flee Paris to Varennes by the royal family in June 1791; the revolutionary government completely lost trust over the royal family. Emergence of an influential bourgeoisie (upper echelons of the Third Estate) which evolved into a social group that aspired for political equality Hunger (lack of food); French people could not even afford to buy bread All these and other factors created a revolutionary atmosphere and a difficult situation for King Louis XVI.
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The French Revolution - 1789
The Constitution was finally publicized in 1791 The birth of the constitution made France a constitutional monarchy, with the king as the head of the executive (management, decision making body) A constitutional monarchy is when the King does not have absolute power; they share power with the constitution. Although it did not remain in force for long it was a model constitution for the rule of the bourgeoisie It’s introduction proclaimed in revolutionary terms the complete abolition of the aristocracy The Constitution also incorporated the Declaration of the Rights of Man and the Citizen that had been adopted by the National Assembly in August 1789
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The French Revolution - 1789
Abolition of the distinction between noble and no noble property owners for a constitutional government was in fact the openly declared aim of the French Revolution from the start The overthrow of the monarchy occurred on the 10th of August This was the day in which the French revolutionaries over threw the monarchy because they found Louis XVI guilty of treason
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Education and Democracy
Today, in most cases countries practice what we call liberal democracy whereby there is society’s respect of individual’s freedom, liberty and property. Similarly, in liberal democracy we have a government system that is led by representatives of the people In any democratic state there is justice, freedom, equality, equity Education refers to an on-going process that involves a person in several things at the same time; acquiring information from a source, processing information, and transmitting the acquired information to others and/or applying the acquired skills in different situations.
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Contin…. When we talk of democracy and education we mainly talk of the interaction between issues related to; The demand of the society and the state Students’ needs and interests Parents’ specific demands and requirements The needs and concerns of teachers There has to be a balance between these issues for the provision of democratic education However, the major stakeholders in the provision of education include; parents, teachers, children, researchers etc.
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Contin….. Education is a social understanding whereby various groups of people compete with different interests. Therefore, there is a need for education to be provided democratically; friendly, fairly, peacefully There is also a need to offer education to our students for democracy; fairness, equality, freedom Basically, the concept of democracy in education can clearly be seen in the context of democratic principles; freedom, liberty etc Democratic education and education for democracy can be achieved only when every one in the society recognize, accepts, adopt and practice democratic principles
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Contin…. Education is a means to secure the democratic principles as a part of an individual’s and his society’s well-being. Through education people get educated about democratic principles and how they function Education is a means by which every man raises his capabilities or talents and use them to secures his/her wellbeing. Thus, it has to be given democratically.
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Contin…… Today, it is observed that democratic principles have entered the education sector John Dewey (1938) argued that in any democratic society, education should be planned in such a way that it enables learners capable of executing duties effectively Education has to instill into people that sense of effecting necessary changes in the society and tackle any challenges that come their ways
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Democratization of Education
Why do we advocate democracy in education? Is there any need to democratize education today?
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Reasons for democratization of education
Education is basic human right; it was declared in 1948 through the United Nations General Assembly that education is a “basic human right” particularly in the elementary and fundamental stages. Article 26 of the declaration stated that education has to be free and compulsory to every member of the society in the basic stages
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Contin…… The declaration was reiterated in the 1990 by the Jomtien World Conference on Education for All (EFA), The 1994 Salamanca Statement on Special Needs Education The 2000 Dakar Framework for Actions which emphasized about quality basic education and The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs)
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Contin….. 2. Universalisation Purpose;
Many democratically governed countries in the world put more emphasis on free and compulsory education. Education has to be accessible to every member of the society and every person has a right to become literate; read, write and count.
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Education and Democracy in Tanzania
Simply because Tanzania is a democratic country and that it is governed under democratic principles of equality, liberty, fraternity and justice, it has for many years now been practicing democratic provision of education from the elementary levels to higher levels; As we speak, provision of education in Tanzania is universal; every person is encouraged and has an access to go to school and finish the minimum elementary level. PEDP, SEDP, HESLB, Women empowerment and cut off points in Universities; at UDSM….
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Efforts made by Tanzanian Gvt
Soon after independence (1961) the Tanzanian government took some measures to make sure every Tanzanian goes to school Education Act No. 37 of 1961 that abolished racial and religious discrimination left by the colonial system. 2. Education for Self Reliance Policy (ESR); The “Socialism and Self Reliance” of 1967 and the Arusha Declaration put emphasis on the provision of primary education at the expense of secondary and other levels. Primary education was meant to be complete on itself. 3. Universal Primary Education campaign of the 1970s. In 1974 the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the ruling party directed the government to make arrangements for the provision of UPE by 1977.
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Contin…. During those days, campaigns went hand in hand with this; mtu ni afya, elimu haina mwisho etc. By mid 1980s, enrolment at primary education was above 90% at the expense of quality education During the UPE program, resources that were available; teachers, finance, materials were over stretched. Teachers lacked the required qualifications, most of them were standard 7. 4. Liberalization of economy and education In the mid 1980s, Tanzania just as other countries had to abide to the conditions given by the WB and IMF and liberalize her economy and education due to economic crisis (SAPs). Thus, Tanzania had to adapt multipartism in 1992 which paved a way for the first multiparty election in 1995 Dr. Benjamin Mkapa became the president
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Contin….. Following all these in 1995, there was an establishment of the “Education and Training Policy” (ETP – 1995) which liberalized the ownership and management of education system where individual people and private organizations started providing education in Tanzania There was an introduction of tuition fees (cost - sharing), followed by declining enrolments in schools 1990s And following the ETP of 1995, a sector-wide program, ESDP – was established in 1997 for planning, implementing, monitoring and evaluating education in Tanzania The ESDP put emphasis on community participation in the provision of education just as advocated by the SAPs
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Contin…. ESDP refers to an extensive undertaking which derives its objectives from the ETP 1995. The ESDP resulted into the establishment of two mega programs; PEDP ( ) and the SEDP ( ) then ( ) However, this second UPE campaign through PEDP, SEDP, COBET etc, depend much on foreign aids and grants where their sustainability cannot be guaranteed
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Democratic Education Democratic Education?
Refers to an educational ideal whereby democracy is both; a goal and a method of instruction. Democratic education includes democratic values and principles to education, self determination within a community of equal people, justice, mutual respect, trust and freedom.
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General features of Democratic Education
Democratic education sees young people not passive recipients of knowledge and skills but rather active co-creators of their own learning Learners are not the products of an education system but rather valued participants in a vibrant and bustling education community full of discussions and dialogues Democratic education offers learner centered curricula, methods used to teach should be learner centered Democratic education begins with an assumption that every human being is “unique’ thus we learn differently Inclusive learning; involve disadvantaged learners regardless of their ethnicity, tolerance, respect etc.
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Contin…. Democratic education involves democratic schools where there is self directive learning, shared decision making, student-chosen interns, mutual respect and fairness Parents and guardians are involved in decision making; issues that affect the well-fare of their children With democratic education you have leadership that practices respect, equality, equity and fairness; staffing, development etc Equal access to education regardless of race, religion, ethnicity, tribe, family economic and social background
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Democratic Learning Democratic learning is whereby;
Teachers and students working together collaboratively to make students’ learning a contribution to their community; Students working actively with problems, ideas, materials and people as they learn skills and content; Students being assessed according to high degrees of academic objectives learned and contributions made to a larger community; Students having degrees of choice, both as individuals and as groups, within the boundaries provided by the teachers/schools.
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A democratic school Give students experience on self governance and self reliance Involve all stakeholders including student learners in decision-making process Provide resources professional development, space, and time to support democratic learning Support the use of assessments that reflect democratic learning Assess needs of community and serve accordingly Communicate with educational stakeholders via a variety of methods and media Fosters creativity and problem solving skills, cultural tolerance, acceptance and moral values A democratic administration and management that considers the interests of both; learners and teachers
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Role of the Student Work productively, both as individuals and as groups Participate in productive dialogue, debate and reflection, think critically and solve problems Understand the relevance of learning to their lives and community at large. Gain academic skills and knowledge. Use skills/knowledge in the community Develop connections and networks to communities Identify community needs. Demonstrate learning in public settings Respect other students, teachers and people
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Role of the Teacher Establish a classroom environment that facilitates democratic learning; provide opportunities for personal connections, critical thinking, problem-solving Locate resources for democratic learning. Help students to connect their learning to their lives and the community without bias Help students gain academic skills and knowledge. Facilitate students’ use of knowledge/skills in community. Establish relationships between school and community. Link student learning to community needs. Help students demonstrate learning in public settings. Participate in a professional community of learners about democratic learning.
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Importance of democratic school
Studies show that engagement of learners in decision making of issues that touches their wellbeing increase their level of attendance, involvement in learning and performance Democratic education enhances confidence and sense of ownership among students and teachers Production of graduates who can speak on themselves, argue logically and who are aware of their rights Creation of democratic rulers who are well acquainted with democratic principles and rule of law; (MPs, ministers, presidents). Leaders who are not corrupt and selfish It has proven to improve teachers work commitment and execution Transparency and accountability; things are done in a transparent way; no misuse of resources hence prosperity
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