Topics

CIVICS COURSE OBJECTIVES
The Civics Course hopes to achieve the following objectives.
-  To promote greater intra and international understanding, appreciation and presevation of culture, environment and society of Tanzania and the world.
-         To promote the prople’s increased awareness about individual and civil rights, duties,  responsibilities and laws of Tanzania
-         To sensitize the people of Tanzania about  their roles in the care, protection and conservation of the environment and about each citizen’s role in bringing about and sustaining improved living and working conditions.
-         To develop civic  responsibility and active civic participation.
-         To give the young people the opportunity to obtain and analyse information about events which have and continue to characterize and shape the social, cultural, political, economic and technological mileau of the Tanzania society and to influence the environment and life styles of the people.
-         To enable the youth to develop into  full human personalities and enable them to  respect human rights and fundamental freedoms, to enhance  understanding, tolerance and friendship among all nations, racial and religious groups and to further the activities of  the Organisation of African Unity and of the United Nations for the Maintanance of peace.
-         To promote an understanding of  the ethical and moral principles and values which are desirable for full and effective membership and participation, by every citizen, in the development and maintanance of  the Tanzanian Society.

As a result of  this course, future generations  of Tanzania will be ready and prepared to accept the challenges of working hard for their nation’s socio-economic and technological development while at the same time accepting responsibility and being accountable for mistakes made as well as being prepared to correct those mistakes for a better future.
-         To inculcate in the Tanzania growing youth positive population / family life attitudes, values and behaviour to enable her/him contribute effectively to national selkf reliance and enhance community and family well-being.

Content Selection and Organization
The topics and subtopics in this syllabus have been selected and organized so as to promote the achievement of the objectives of education and those of this subject. Particular importance has been directed at  the need  to prepare and enable young people to understand their society, to appreciate Tanzania’s cultural values and traditions, to care for the environment and know how conditions and ways of life in Tanzania are influenced by the influence those of other people in other parts of  the world.

Choice and Use of Instructional and Study Materials
The  teacher of Civics is expected to be well informed and to be in constant search for information about past, present and future issues which have and continue to influence our society. This information will be available from government and other press releases, trends in parliamentary debates, radio an television broadcasts, discussions and documentaries. The  teacher will be expected to be well read about current affairs and issues influencing the environment, lifestyles and modes of  thought in society. Daily news papers, journals, periodicals, almanacs, yearbooks, encyclopedias, recommended and approved teacher resource books and student study guides from various publishers will altogether make the Civics teacher comfortable with his or her Civics lesson.

In selecting instructional and study materials for this course the teacher is expected to apply his or her academic and professional knowledge and a kills in judging the suitability of a book. The guidelines given to authors and publishers and the periodic issuance of lists of approved and recommended books will be a great help to teachers when selecting books for their classes. Teachers will also be expected to guide and advise students on how to use books and other textual materials provided by the school or available in the market or in the class, school or community libraries to obtain and improve their education.

The students can also achieve more from lessons, which allow them to make observations and to do critical analysis of issues and events, if they are also called upon to participate and help in community work, to recommend ways and means of protecting the environment and in promoting improved living and working conditions for all the people.

Assessment of Student Progress and Performance
It is normal practice for teachers to assess students’ progress and performance on continuous bases. It will be expected that every teacher will periodically assess his or her students in order to identify their strengths and weaknesses and so to help the weak and to encourage the good ones as appropriate. Assessment of progress and achievement does not only target student progress but also the effectiveness of the teacher’s method and teaching styles. In this way the teacher will be alerted about his or her need to improve the method in use or to replace or argument them with other methods and styles. The teacher will also be enabled by assessment results to make recommendations, which can be used to improve the design and content of the curriculum. 

At the end of Form IV the students will be expected to do an overall achievement examination intended to determine the extent to which the objectives of education and the civics course have been attained. This examination will also serve as a means of identifying the themes, topics and sub-topic which need further improvement in the syllabus. Improvements in this and similar syllabuses can be achieved through participation by every teacher, publisher , parent and citizen in recommending modifications with due consideration of available instructional time for this subject.

Instructional Time
Two periods per week have been set for Civic Education. The teacher is advised to make maximum use of the allocated time. Lost instructional time should be compensated through the teacher’s own arrangement with the school administration. 

TOPICS - FORM FOUR

1. OUR CULTURE
      a. Concept of Culture
      b. Products of Culture
      c. Promotion and Preservation of Culture
      d. Culture of Preventive Care and Maintanance