This question is posted by ACE on behalf of Kinley, Senior Training Coordinator at the Election Commission of Bhutan (ECB). 

The Election Commission has received requests from political parties to visit schools around the country – to conduct voter and civic education.

This is a sensitive issue and the ECB is looking for comparative information and advice from the members of the ACE Practitioners' Network on how to approach this.

More specifically:

1.       Should parties be allowed to visit schools and other educational institutions to conduct civic education activities?

2.       What (if any) kind of restrictions, regulations, guidelines, codes of conduct, sanctions would be appropriate to develop? Are there examples?

3.       What should the role of the ECB be in training, providing information and monitoring these activities?”

 

Summary of Responses

PN members addressed the question of allowing political parties to visit schools, suggested alternative approaches to civic and voter educational programs, and gave examples of similar programs implemented in various countries. A summary of the responses follows: 

 

1. Members had the following reservations regarding allowing political parties to visit schools to conduct civic education activities:

• There is a risk that the material taught would be biased towards a single political party or view. 
• Schools are part of the government mandate and should remain neutral. 
• One member mentioned that, politicians and political parties are useful in mobilizing voters and in passing general civic messages, but they seldom deliver detailed civic and voter education. 

 

2. Members had the following comments regarding who should carry out civic / voter educational programs in schools: 

• Civil society organizations should conduct educational school campaigns. 
• EMBs are neutral bodies and it might be most relevant for them to visit schools and other educational institutions to provide such education. 
• The more an EMB distances itself from interacting with public institutions e.g. schools, the better, for the sake of maintaining its neutrality.

 

3. Members suggested EMBs play the following roles in student education programs:

• Developing comprehensive civic and voter education curricula, manuals, handbooks and materials. 
• Capacity building for trainers/facilitators and accredited civic and voter education providers. 
• Create a monitoring, evaluation and reporting system and a clear code of conduct and mechanism to address grievances arising from these educational programs. 
• Signing agreements with educational institutions to teach democracy. 
• Creating a separate school subject that teaches civic democracy. 
• Organizing academic activities such as seminars, workshops, conferences, debates. These can involve political parties, academics, students, etc.

 

4. Members also provided several examples of educational programs carried out by EMBs in various countries: 

• In South Africa, the Department of Education and election commission signed a memorandum of understanding to make arrangements with schools and address students during assembly or extra-curricular periods. In another program, schools are visited by EMBs and teachers to teach democracy education lessons for a week. 
• In Kenya, the EMB partnered with the Ministry of Education to sponsor various thematic areas of the electoral and civic process in the annual Music and Drama festivals among public primary and secondary schools. The two entities also developed a civic and voter curriculum.
• In Nepal, the Election Education and Information center (EEIC), which is part of the Election Commission, designed a resource area for youth that includes a library, audio video room, interactive room and mock polling exercise room. 
• One member shared a link for Elections Canada, which has many years of experience in providing civic education programs in Canada. Examples of these programs include the Student Vote program and Canada’s Democracy Week.
• In Ghana, a specialized government agency is responsible for all civic education programming in the electoral cycle: the National Commission for Civic Education. 

 

Contributing Members

• Woda Jago
• Abdiwahidi Hussein
• Subhadayak Shah
• Norbert Masson
• Boaventura Zita
• Enrique López Sanavia
• Farid Taamallah
• Christine Ndayishimiye
• Michel Sabubwa
• Sanguia Dadjama Koffi
• Neswiswi Nditsheni
• Henry Agaabil Adeenze
• Sadou Lady Bawa
• Herschell Sax
• Tetteh Ankama Okyne

 

External Resources: 

• Elections Canada : Civic Education Program

Dear Kinely,

In my view it is a positive move towards voter education but i think the ECB has to be very specific about what to sentisize the student without being bias toward any political party or view. it should include teaching them about the right to vote , the eligibility of any election eg the age limitation ,citizen ship and so on .

The information given also should be relivant to the age group and i think if the ECB can develop an easy manual to be used for this civic education for the school kids will be a perfect idea.

Dr Woda Jeremiah

South Sudan

Involvement of political parties in civic and voter education is a doubled - edged sword. It can be beneficial but equally risky. Whereas there's nothing wrong with politicians visiting schools, their provision of unbiased, objective civic and voter education requires a very careful and well thought out approach. In most cases especially in Africa, political parties and politicians are not trusted hence there comes the challenge with regard to the credibility of the voter and civic education provider. Yet still, parties can be great vehicle to deliver civic and voter education. One such approach could be use of Political Parties Liaison Committees (PPLCs) which is an umbrella body bringing on board representatives of the various partties to address common issues of concern to all political parties, the EMB and various stakeholders. South Africa and Kenya are examples of countries with PPLCs. In the case of Kenya, their existence is anchored in the electoral laws and they have structures at the national, regional/Provincial and County levels. Though, they were not used in civic/voter education in schools, they were useful in dissemination of civic and voter education to their respective parties. The PPLCs arrangement is in my view a much better arrangement than dealing with individual parties because of probable concerns on their impartiality and objectivity in delivering civic and voter education. Secondly, it is easier to capacity build and account for the funds than funding or capacity building numerous parties which will pose challenges in monitoring and evaluating delivery of civic and voter education programs. As an alternative to using parties or politicians in Kenyan schools, the EMB(The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission-IEBC) has partnered with the Ministry of Education to sponsor various thematic areas of the electoral and civic process in the annual Music and Drama festivals among public primary and secondary schools. Also school children helped disseminate written voter education materials among other messages to their parents and guardians. The Voter Education Curriculum was also developed by the EMB the a relevant Directorate within the Ministry of Education that specializes in developing curriculum. In my view, Politicians and political parties are useful especially in mobilization of voters and in passing general civic messages (and basic voter information like where to register or vote) and generalities such as the importance of voting and participation but are not good in giving detailed civic and voter education. The EMB must develop a comprehensive Civic and voter education curriculum , manuals, handbooks and materials. It must also capacity build probably Trainers/facilitators and accredited Civic and voter education providers. There should be a monitoring, evaluation and reporting system and also clear code of conduct and mechanism to address grievances arising from such programs/initiative. In my view, the PPLCs can play the role of an accredited civic and voter education provider. As to whether the EMB has capacity to monitor and ensure compliance is a question that must be honestly addressed by the EMB, in this case, ECB. Thank you very much.

Involvement of political parties in civic and voter education is a doubled - edged sword. It can be beneficial but equally risky. Whereas there's nothing wrong with politicians visiting schools, their provision of unbiased, objective civic and voter education requires a very careful and well thought out approach. In most cases especially in Africa, political parties and politicians are not trusted hence there comes the challenge with regard to the credibility of the voter and civic education provider. Yet still, parties can be great vehicle to deliver civic and voter education. One such approach could be use of Political Parties Liaison Committees (PPLCs) which is an umbrella body bringing on board representatives of the various partties to address common issues of concern to all political parties, the EMB and various stakeholders. South Africa and Kenya are examples of countries with PPLCs. In the case of Kenya, their existence is anchored in the electoral laws and they have structures at the national, regional/Provincial and County levels. Though, they were not used in civic/voter education in schools, they were useful in dissemination of civic and voter education to their respective parties. The PPLCs arrangement is in my view a much better arrangement than dealing with individual parties because of probable concerns on their impartiality and objectivity in delivering civic and voter education. Secondly, it is easier to capacity build and account for the funds than funding or capacity building numerous parties which will pose challenges in monitoring and evaluating delivery of civic and voter education programs. As an alternative to using parties or politicians in Kenyan schools, the EMB(The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission-IEBC) has partnered with the Ministry of Education to sponsor various thematic areas of the electoral and civic process in the annual Music and Drama festivals among public primary and secondary schools. Also school children helped disseminate written voter education materials among other messages to their parents and guardians. The Voter Education Curriculum was also developed by the EMB the a relevant Directorate within the Ministry of Education that specializes in developing curriculum. In my view, Politicians and political parties are useful especially in mobilization of voters and in passing general civic messages (and basic voter information like where to register or vote) and generalities such as the importance of voting and participation but are not good in giving detailed civic and voter education. The EMB must develop a comprehensive Civic and voter education curriculum , manuals, handbooks and materials. It must also capacity build probably Trainers/facilitators and accredited Civic and voter education providers. There should be a monitoring, evaluation and reporting system and also clear code of conduct and mechanism to address grievances arising from such programs/initiative. In my view, the PPLCs can play the role of an accredited civic and voter education provider. As to whether the EMB has capacity to monitor and ensure compliance is a question that must be honestly addressed by the EMB, in this case, ECB. Thank you very much.

Dear Kinely,

Q.1. Political issues are sensitive in nature whether information sharing, political campaign and related to party promotion. Thus, this issue has to be considered very seriously. First of all the question is not clear whether the Bhutan has multiparty democracy or one party system. If it is multiparty system then if ECB can allow all parties to conduct their civic education separately providing opportunity to all parties then this is fine but if only few parties are allowed to conduct their program then should not be allowed.

Q.2. The code of conduct should be developed for the purpose allowing only information sharing on the role of young people in political process of the country. But not specific program to attract voters to vote for some specific party.

Q.3. The ECB should follow the model recently developed in Nepal such as Election Education and Information center, EEIC within Election commission Nepal. It has package to provide to visiting children step by step in thematic areas of learning. It has library, audio video room, interactive room and mock polling exercise room. One group of student not exceeding 40 can visit at a time. they learn national politics, democracy, political parties, electoral system, role of stockholders and their responsibilities and finally participate themselves in the polling exercise by dividing groups in different roles. I was consultant from UNDP/Nepal to support the EEIC for one year in Nepal. If required I can provide details.

Thank you

Subhadayak Shah

Technical specialist Electoral

UNDP/ELECT project

Kabul Afghanistan   

 

Given the functions of Civic and Voter education, I think that political parties--the groups participating in elections-- should  not be allowed to visit schools to engage in the delivery of such programmes since there is always the likelihood that concepts could become tinctured and coloured by the ideals of the political parties involved in the exercise. On the face of things it may seem harmless for such a scheme to be implemented, but different political parties could put such different "spins" on the subject matter, that EMBs may have to spend so much time preparing "standard" manuals on the subject for use by the parties that they, the EMBs that is, might just as well deliver the lectures themselves. EMBS are supposed to be neutral bodies and it is their business  to visit schools and other educational institutions to provide such material. "The road to hell is always paved with good intentions"

1.       Should parties be allowed to visit schools and other educational institutions to conduct civic education activities? This could be a doubled edged sword, depending on how the Electoral Law is organised. School should be aloof from any political activity and politicking, students have to learn about politic as science. It would be more appropriate if Civil Society Organization conduct such activity. The more electoral management body distance itself from interacting with public institution e.g. school the better, it maintain its neutrality.

 

3.       What should the role of the ECB be in training, providing information and monitoring these activities?” Electoral Management Body should train trainer of the trainers, empowering them by providing a legal framework of the country as well specific program that e.g. civil organization have to conduct their activities. EMG provides general guidance but all depend on how the law is prescribed 

 

Boaventura Zita

Los  partidos políticos, las organizaciones cívicas, sociales, el aparato gubernamental, las universidades y todo cuerpo colectivo, incluyendo a la familia como célula sustancial, tiene un deber social, que  es el de coadyuvar en el aculturamiento de los pueblos, singularmente en las actividades de educación cívica y de cultura política, con el propósito de fortalecer el régimen democrático, aristocrático, monárquico o de otra índole. Esa es la teleología central que habrá de consolidar a los sistemas políticos y sistemas electorales de todo el mundo, donde todos son participes de la educación cívica y cultura política de los ciudadanos.

 

En ese sentido, los candidatos y partidos políticos deben estar facultados en las elecciones de hacer proselitismo que amplie el horizonte de la educación cívica; empero en años no electorales, solo los partidos políticos, previa vigilancia de la autoridad electoral, puede difundir sus programas de acción y estatutos que haga crecer la cultura política y la educación cívica. En cuanto a los precandidatos y candidatos debe restringirse su participación, so pretexto de coadyuvar en la difusión de la educación cívica, porque su visibilidad representa inequidad en la competencia electoral. Luego, es una justificada prohibición legal el hecho de que los precandidatos o candidatos se abstengan de visitar escuelas e instituciones universitarias que tengan por objeto llevar a cabo actividades de educación cívica.

Los  partidos políticos, las organizaciones cívicas, sociales, el aparato gubernamental, las universidades y todo cuerpo colectivo, incluyendo a la familia como célula sustancial, tiene un deber social, que  es el de coadyuvar en el aculturamiento de los pueblos, singularmente en las actividades de educación cívica y de cultura política, con el propósito de fortalecer el régimen democrático, aristocrático, monárquico o de otra índole. Esa es la teleología central que habrá de consolidar a los sistemas políticos y sistemas electorales de todo el mundo, donde todos son participes de la educación cívica y cultura política de los ciudadanos.

 

En ese sentido, los candidatos y partidos políticos deben estar facultados en las elecciones de hacer proselitismo que amplie el horizonte de la educación cívica; empero en años no electorales, solo los partidos políticos, previa vigilancia de la autoridad electoral, puede difundir sus programas de acción y estatutos que haga crecer la cultura política y la educación cívica. En cuanto a los precandidatos y candidatos debe restringirse su participación, so pretexto de coadyuvar en la difusión de la educación cívica, porque su visibilidad representa inequidad en la competencia electoral. Luego, es una justificada prohibición legal el hecho de que los precandidatos o candidatos se abstengan de visitar escuelas e instituciones universitarias que tengan por objeto llevar a cabo actividades de educación cívica.

Basicly, the schools are part of the government mandate and it should be nuetral. There is much difference between Civic education and voter education. Voter education which is the mandate of the EMBs is part of the wide civic education, so i would advice to let parties do civic education but not Voter education. at the same time, election committe should be presented at all the stages of the presence of political parties at the schools.

on the other hand, eletoral committe should do voter education activities at the schools, similar to what we do in Palestine: elections simulation at the classes to educate students how to vote.

Christine Ndayishimiye du Burundi

La question qui vient d'être posée est pertinente. Le milieu scolaire est très sensible et pourrait être vite électrisé si les partis politiques qui ont vocation de mobiliser les foules y avaient accès. A mon avis, les partis politiques ne devraient pas être impliqués dans l'éducation civique dans le milieu scolaire car ils seraient tentés par la propagande. Je suggère que l'EMB soit le seul encadreur du milieu scolaire vu qu'il est invité à être neutre. L'exemple de l'Afrique du Sud est à suivre. Dans ce pays c'est la commission électorale qui se charge de l'éducation civique dans les écoles et elle choisit des thèmes généraux comme la démocratie, le droit de vote, les conditions d’éligibilité, les droits et les devoirs du citoyen...C'est juste pour que l'enfant grandisse en étant sensibilisé sur le fait qu'il devra un jour participer à la gestion des affaires du pays et éviter l'indifférence.

 SABUBWA Michel du Burundi

 

 Il est à constater que l'éducation civique concerne tous les citoyens, les élèves et étudiants y comprise. C'est pour cette raison que des matières devraient être conçus et intégrés dans les programmes scolaire: démocratie,  élections et paix, citoyenneté responsable, recevabilité, ... et bien d'autres modules de porté générale. cependant, étant donné la sensibilité des gens pour ce qui est de l'éducation électorale, cette tâche serait dévolue à la Commission électorale. En outre elle concerne une tranche de la population du pays concerné c'est-à-dire, la population électorale.

A mon avis , le parti politique qui a pour objectif de conquérir le pouvoir et de l'exercer a l'obligation d'éduquer et de former les militants donc les citoyens  sur la citoyenneté , l'éducation civique.Mais ,vu  le risque  élevé d'une propangadisation politique que le faite de laisser les partis politiques aller dans les écoles pour donner des formations civiques peut engendrer, j'aurai préféré si cela doit doit se faire, il faut encadrer de façon rigoureuse la démarche.

A ce niveau ,je me pose la question qui va encadrer la démarche? Dans les vieilles démocraties le problème  ne se pose pas  réellement.Dans la pays de démocratie transitionnelle , dans la plupart des pays africains, cette démarche  sera difficile à réaliser par rapport aux objectifs même de la formation et de l'éducation citoyenne. Dans ces pays quelques années auparavant au temps fort des dictatures les écoles étaient utilisées pour faire la propagande politique au profit d'un parti et ses habitudes ne sont encore disparues.Ce qui est important de faire est d'associer les partis politiques à l'élaboration des contenus ou  des programmes de formation à la pratique de la démocratie ou d'éducation civique au lieu de les  laisser aller  directement dans les écoles .Pour  moi, Les commissions électorales et les organisations de la  société civile sont les acteurs privilégiés indiqués pour ce travail.

That is a good move to educate learners about political education when they are still young, but i do not think political parties should visit schools. The best option would be to have youth camps during school holidays and political parties should do that jointly.

In South Africa the EMB has a specific project on civic education that deals with Institutions of formal learning. The memorandum of understanding was signed with the Department of Education nationally and EMBs in provinces have the opportunity to make arrangements with schools and address them during assembly or extra-curricula periods.

We also started something new last year where all the schools in the whole country will be visited by EMBs and together with the teachers, they teach democracy education lessons for a week. EMBs were also registering learners who have not yet registerd to be on the voters roll.  

Political parties should not be allowed to visit educational institutions to carry out civic education on any electoral activity. This is because they can never be trusted to carry any educational activity without bias. Parties' desires to win election would always cloud their ability to give civic education devoid of bias. Rather, civic education should be conducted by an independent state institution such as the National Commission for Civic Education in Ghana has. Such an institution can have manuals pertaining to elections prepared for them by the EMB to go to educational institutions to carry out civic education. 

This response is posted by ACE on behalf of Subhadayak Shah, UNDP.

Dear Kinley,

Q. 1.First of all, the question is not clear that whether Bhutan has multiparty system of governance or single party system. This has to be clear first? But if they have multiparty system then if they can allow all the political parties to do their information sharing in the schools that is fine. But they can not allow one party to do the information sharing and not to other party.

Q.2. Definitely, there should be code of conduct in place if they allow to parties to conduct civic education in schools. They can not do any campaign type of information sharing in schools. They can only inform children that what is the political history in the country, type of government, How the government are formed, constitution of the country like that.

Q;3. If ECB can develop a model by themselves like a model recently in place in Nepal. Election information and information center, EEIC conducted by election commission to educate school. Election information are sensitive and important thus there should be a mechanism to monitor properly if other than election commission is doing the job.    

Bonjour Kinley, je suggere que  l' instruction civique au sein des ecoles et des etablissements scolaires soit l'apanage de l'Etat qui a pour devoir regalien de former la jeunesse a la citoyennete.   Les partis politiques et les organisations de la societe civile viennent seulement en appoint pour suppleer l'action de l'Etat aussi  ne pourront intervenir dans ces activites qu'en dehors de l'ecole. En effet les eleves seraient troubles s'il advenait que chaque parti politique soit autorise a venir entretenir les eleves ou etudiants de cette matiere. Les dirigeants des partis politiques auront-ils du recul pour ne pas tenter de faire de la propagande? Le message sera-t-il le même?  L'ecole est un milieu tres sensible. La Commission electorale qui est un organe independant peut se voir attribuer ce rôle compte tenu de sa neutralite.

Si jamais vous adoptiez de permettre aux partis poliques de faire de l'instruction civique dans les etablisements scolaires il faudrait mettre en place un organe de supervision charge, en collaboration avec les partis politiques de l'elaboration des programmes et de la supervision de son execution. Il faudrait egalement adopter avec eux un code de bonne conduite ayant force contraignante vis-a-vis de tous.

S'agissant de l'education electorale, la Commission electorale peut de concert avec les chefs d'etablissements scolaires passer dans leurs institutions respectives pour echanger avec les eleves ou les etudiants. 

Tout est question de volonte , de choix politique et de moyens.

AunCameroun nous avons environ 300 partis politiques, vous voyez bien qu'il nous serait difficile de leur permettre d'aller faire de l'education electorale ou dispenser des cours d'instruction civique dans les ecoles.

Elections Canada has many years of experience in providing civic education programming which can be found at http://www.elections.ca/content.aspx?section=med&dir=c23/ce&document=index&lang=e  or following these links from the home page  (www.elections.ca) Home> Newsroom> Information on Bill C-23> Civic Education.

 

The link provides information on the Student Vote program; Canada’s Democracy Week, free resources for educators, and the organizations with whom Elections Canada works to support civic education and programs and activities.

parties should engage the students but they should be made to have a bipartisan delegation at all times to eliminate the possibility of turning the main reason for the entire civic education into political campaign and propaganda exercise.

 

El tema de la participacion de los partidos politicos y de los politicos en la actividad de la educacion, es que siempre se tendra un sesgo de la informacion, lo que implica que no solamente se tratara del ABC, tambien incluira otros comportamientos politicos.

Es mas saludable que se haga el protocolo o codigo de conducta para que por intermedio del organismo electoral se controle la actividad de capacitacion en lo electoral, es muy importante que siempre exista la pedagogia electoral, pero ejercida por los entendidos del tema, pero con definiciones claras del estado y enmarcada en la normatividad electoral del pais

 

In Ghana Political parties are not be allowed to visit educational institutions to carry out civic education on any electoral activity but the civil educational manual book is there to help. This is because they can never be trusted to carry out right information to the students. Political Parties' desires to win election always which must be done in the right ways. Rather, civic education should be conducted by an independent state institution such as the National Commission for Civic Education in Ghana has. Manuals pertaining to elections procedures.

Thank

From: Paul Goddey  Gablah

 

Ghana 

Estimado:

Es muy sencible que los partidos políticos visiten las escuelas y otros centros de educación porque puede generar en actividades partidistas. En Ecuador se prohibe el proselitismo político en los centros educativos.

Mi sugerencia es que el organismo electoral tenga la rectoría de la educación cívica y democrática de la población. Para eso puede aplicar algunas estrategias, como por ejemplo:

- Elaborar una malla curricular con las autoridades de educación para incluir en el programa de estudios básico y de secundaria las materias de cívica y/o democracia.

- Crear una asignatura propia de cívica o democracia

- Firmar convenios con instituciones de educación para enseñar la materia de cívica o democracia

- Organizar actividades académicas, como por ejemplo: seminarios, talleres, conferencias, debates, etc. en los que participen los partidos políticos, académicos, estudiantes, etc.

 

Varias de estas sugerencias las hemos comprobado en Ecuador. Costa Rica también tiene legislación que incluye en el sistema educativo regular los temas de cívica y democracia.

 

Saludos