Nationalism and/or the Annihilation of Democratic Citizenship Education: A Critical Analysis of Zimbabwe’s Citizenship Education Initiatives

The paradox of civic education in Malawi's education system: regaining the missed opportunities

“…Around the same period, civics was introduced in primary schools as a tool for developing nationalistic and patriotic citizens who would not only serve Malawi but would also support the political interests of Dr. Banda and his MCP through the Four Corner Stones (Four Commandments), namely: unity, loyalty, obedience and discipline (Mweso, 2014;Manthalu, 2018;Bentrovato and Dzikanyanga, 2022). Additionally, Manthalu (2018) and Chingombe (2020) contend that civics was not a bad subject in itself, but rather that African dictators such as Dr. Banda (Malawi), Robert Mugabe (Zmbabwe), and Dr. Kenneth Kaunda (Zambia) used this subject as a tool for stamping their authority over their citizens. For example, civics covered topics such as community engagement, road safety rules, obedience, patriotism, voting systems, and discipline among others (also see Mweso, 2014;Namphande et al, 2017).…”

“…However, difficult questions continue to be asked regarding the type of citizenship needed for this globalized world, and the type of CE that would indeed help prepare such an effective global citizen who would quickly adapt to the ever-changing needs of our times (Kennedy, 2012). Some of the propositions has included the reintroduction of civics as a disciple, while others have proposed the integration of civic knowledge into other disciplines in the schools (Kennedy, 2008;Manthalu, 2018;Chingombe, 2020). All these propositions seem to hold water as they have been tested in many parts of the world.…”

“…Even then, preliminary evidence suggests that civics has been used mainly as a tool for instilling in the masses nationalistic and patriotic values (not global values), through which tyrants create stultified and subjugated individuals (Ranciere, 1991), and that such leaders have often aimed to fortify their political interests and powers (Bentrovato and Dzikanyanga, 2022), and that educators should not leave the responsibility of preparing democratic citizens in the hands of civics. This maybe the reason civics was replaced by social studies in Malawi, Zimbabwe and South Africa (see Schoeman, 2013;Chingombe, 2020;Kendal and Samati, 2022). Thus social studies do combine elements of civics, development studies, life-skills and history to reflect the hospitable, fluid and social nature of globalization and democracy.…”

“…Within the schooling context, CE has been experience through civics as a discipline until 2002 when the curriculum was revised in response to the coming of democracy in Malawi (see Manthalu, 2018;Kendal and Samati, 2022). As Chingombe (2020) and Bentrovato and Dzikanyanga (2022) observed, countries that were under the British Protectorate such as Zimbabwe Zambia and Malawi among others, the type of CE that was offered in schools was mainly aimed at preparing citizens who would be obedient to the authorities, and could help advance colonial agendas such as that of protectionism and exploitation. Thus, Nafukho et al (2005), Mweso (2014), and Chingombe (2020) called this CE diluted knowledge, which was aimed at creating, gullible and docile individuals who would not challenge the authority against abuses.…”

“…As Chingombe (2020) and Bentrovato and Dzikanyanga (2022) observed, countries that were under the British Protectorate such as Zimbabwe Zambia and Malawi among others, the type of CE that was offered in schools was mainly aimed at preparing citizens who would be obedient to the authorities, and could help advance colonial agendas such as that of protectionism and exploitation. Thus, Nafukho et al (2005), Mweso (2014), and Chingombe (2020) called this CE diluted knowledge, which was aimed at creating, gullible and docile individuals who would not challenge the authority against abuses. Furthermore, Nafukho et al (2005) reiterated that the British were aware of what had happened in Morocco and Cameroun where the citizens had access to critical CE which eventually enlightened them into staging a revolution against the French colonizers, hence the British avoided such risks.…”