Interrogating Civic Education Pedagogies that Stimulate Political Participation in Selected Secondary Schools in Zambia

The core focus of this study was to investigate the teaching pedagogies used in Civic Education in Zambian secondary schools and how they promote effective political participation. This study used a qualitative case study. 20 Civic Education teachers and 35 learners in Civic Education classes from 5 selected secondary schools in Lusaka District were purposively selected through homogenous sampling. One – on – one interview were used to collect data from teachers while focus group discussions were used to collected data from learners in Civic Education classes. Thematic data analysis method was used in this study. Findings established that teachers use lecture, debate, discussion, community engagement, education tour, and pupils’ management boards in teaching Civic Education in secondary schools. Apart from the lecture method which depends on the teacher as the sole source of knowledge, the other methods are incorporated well in teaching Civic Education and have potential to promote effective political participation among secondary school learners. The study recommends that schools should strengthen Continuous Professional Development (CPD) activities such as Lesson Study Circle, Cluster Meetings and Professional Subject Association Workshops to reinvigorate pedagogies of Civic Education and spur innovative pedagogical approaches that promote effective political participation; The Ministry of General Education should constantly hold educational conferences to sensitise Civic Education teachers on pedagogies that help to prepare learners for political participation as outline in the 2013 Zambia Education Curriculum Framework; The Ministry of General Education and the Curriculum Development Centre (CDC) should consider introducing community based assessment in Civic Education as part of final examination grading than current theoretical based approaches.