Aug 2026· African Journal of Empirical Research· Vol 7, pp. 909-918· 0 citations· 21 references
Abstract
Global Citizenship Education (GCE) is increasingly used to promote responsible participation in a more sustainable, equitable, and peaceful world. This article examines how curriculum reform in Kenya can strengthen GCE in Sub-Saharan Africa. The study was anchored in Critical Global Citizenship Education Theory. It applies a conceptual analysis of a purposively delimited and selected contemporary scholarship literature on GCE, competency-based education, values education, and curriculum implementation. Sixty-four records were screened, and eight articles for analysis were selected through a systematic source-identification process. Inclusion was limited to accessible peer-reviewed journal articles directly related to GCE, competency-based curriculum, values education, social studies, curriculum resources, or curriculum implementation. Non-peer-reviewed works, policy reports, books, theses, newspapers, inaccessible texts, duplicates, and unrelated records were excluded. The synthesis shows that Kenyan competency-based curriculum reform offers a strong ground base for GCE by emphasising competencies, values, learner agency, and local problem solving. GCE implementation is, however, undermined when aspirations for the curriculum are not grounded in teacher development, assessment formats, learning resources, and locally appropriate teaching and learning methods. The article proposes that GCE should be applied as a cross-curricular competence comprising civic knowledge, moral thinking, critical enquiry, working together across other disciplines in collaborative learning, cultural identity, and community action. It calls for explicit mapping of GCE competencies, teacher professional development, performance-based assessment, use of locally and globally relevant resources, and a school citizenship portfolio.
Peace education has emerged as a vital component of secondary school curricula worldwide, equipping students with the knowledge, attitudes, and skills needed to resolve conflict nonviolently, respect human rights, and function as responsible global citizens. Despite growing international recognition of its value, empirical evidence on how secondary school teachers in Pakistan understand and enact peace education remains limited. This study explores teachers' perceptions of peace education and examines the extent to which its core components are integrated into the secondary school curriculum in District Lasbela, Balochistan. Using a qualitative interpretivist design, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 18 secondary school teachers, complemented by a qualitative content analysis of English, Urdu, Pakistan Studies, and Islamiat textbooks for grades 9 and 10. Findings indicate that teachers broadly recognise peace education as central to fostering tolerance, empathy, and conflict-resolution skills, and view it as necessary for reducing school violence and building a more harmonious society. However, its presence in the curriculum remains largely implicit, embedded within moral and civic lessons rather than taught as an explicit, skills-based subject. Teachers identified an overcrowded curriculum, insufficient training, and a lack of dedicated resources as the principal barriers to implementation. The study recommends the development of a structured peace education framework, sustained teacher training, cross-subject integration, and stronger policy support to move peace education from rhetorical commitment to classroom practice.
Latasha Kumari, Shahzad Haider, Laiqa Leelani· Journal of Global Social Tra...· 0 citations
The study was intended to explore the place of citizenship education discourses and constraints along its trajectory in the curriculum of Ethiopia. The paper examines the dual function of citizenship education, serving both as a tool for empowerment and as a means of enforcing ideological discipline. It employs frameworks derived from critical theory and global citizenship education. Using a qualitative design, data were collected from policy documents, curriculum materials, interviews with secondary school teachers, school directors, and experts from the Ministry of Education, and focus group discussions with students. The study found that citizenship education in Ethiopia reflects authoritarian tendencies, limiting democratic ideals through restrictive discourse censorship. It fosters loyalty and obedience rather than promoting active participation and critical thinking. The investigation revealed structural issues in the implementation of citizenship education, notably the absence of qualified teachers, resulting in instruction by educators from different disciplines. This, in turn, affects how the curriculum is actually implemented. The intended objectives of the programme were also hindered by an unfavourable political climate and inadequate establishment of a suitable learning environment. The exclusion of secondary school students from the citizenship education curriculum is a significant issue that requires immediate attention from policymakers and curriculum developers, aligning it with global citizenship education perspective. The Ministry of Education must provide qualified teachers and promote awareness that citizenship education should not serve as a political tool. Schools are encouraged to create an environment that nurtures active, informed, and responsible citizenship among students.
Rationale for this study:
Citizenship education plays a vital role in preparing responsible, informed, and active citizens, making it essential for nation‐building and democratic development. However, the extent to which it is effectively integrated into Ethiopia’s school curriculum and classroom practice remains insufficiently understood. This study was conducted to examine its implementation and identify areas for improvement.
Why this new findings matter:
This study matters because it highlights how curriculum design restricts students’ civic engagement and comprehension, demonstrating inconsistencies between policy and classroom practices. In this study, we argue that these findings call for clearer, skillsfocused citizenship learning.
Implications for educational researchers and policy makers:
For educational researchers, these findings highlight the need for further research on effective teacher training approaches and the integration of citizenship education into the curriculum. Future studies should examine how professional development can strengthen teachers’ capacity to foster citizenship values and evaluate the long‐term impact of curriculum‐based citizenship education on students’ knowledge, attitudes, and civic engagement. Further, the study emphasizes the need for policymakers to revise curriculum frameworks to focus on civic competencies, critical thinking, and democratic principles, particularly for secondary students in grades 11 and 12, who should be included in the citizenship education framework.
G. Akuma, Kebede Yimam, Solomon Melesse Mengistie· Revista de educación· 0 citations
Rationality, experiential learning, multidisciplinary approach, Indian knowledge systems, flexibility and inclusion are the focal points of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 for the reform of education. History is a crucial litmus test for these pledges, in that it brings together an interpretation based on evidence, questions of identity and citizenship, and the question of cultural memory. In this paper, the qualitative documentary analysis is used to analyse NEP 2020 when compared with National Curriculum Framework (2005, 2023), National Curriculum Theme of Social Sciences (NCERT position paper) and undergraduate curriculum framework by University Grants Commission. It suggests that when factual content is removed and replaced with disciplined inquiry (from primary sources, local and oral history, and comparative approaches, with assessment based on sources), the policy can boost history education. The paper also acknowledges challenges to implementation: the need for the students' narratives to be simplified, teachers' training to be uneven, disciplinary progression to be fragmented, and systems of digital access and assessment to still rely on recall. A suggested policy to classroom model and an implementation matrix is suggested. The key idea is that cultural groundedness and critical historical analysis are to be used in tandem and in place of neither one nor the other is transparent evidence, plural perspectives, and professional historical method.
Parmjeet Kaur, Muzafar Ahmad Dar, Vikas Gupta· International Journal For Mu...· 0 citations
Public affairs education in Iran has received limited scholarly attention despite its importance for preparing future public servants to address contemporary governance challenges. This article examines how centralized governance, constrained academic autonomy, and uneven institutional development shape curriculum design, international engagement, and practice-based learning. Using a structured qualitative synthesis of peer-reviewed scholarship, policy reports, institutional documents, and comparative evidence from selected MENA countries, the study analyzes institutional and pedagogical barriers to reform. Rather than treating Iran simply as a case of educational underdevelopment, the article argues that it offers a theoretically important case for understanding public affairs education in politically constrained settings. The analysis identifies context-sensitive opportunities for incremental reform through applied learning, competency-based education, faculty development, and selective adaptation of regional quality assurance practices. The study contributes to public affairs education scholarship by demonstrating how institutional context shapes ethics education, public value formation, and the preparation of future public servants.
Abdollah Zeraatpisheh· Journal of Public Affairs Ed...· 0 citations
ABSTRACT Teacher education policies have undergone revolutionary changes in response to rapid global transformations in recent years. The present study examined the integration of sustainable development into teacher education using bibliometric indicators. Using VOSviewer, we analysed around 1,300 academic journals to capture research trends and knowledge structures. The findings show that Teacher Education for Sustainable Development (TESD) research has expanded across several interconnected areas, with a large share of publications and citations associated with the United States, Spain, and Australia. The keyword and citation patterns suggest that the field is not organised around one single focus. Rather, it brings together several recurring concerns, including teacher competencies, curriculum implementation, policy and institutional support, interdisciplinary learning, global citizenship, and social justice. These patterns indicate that TESD has moved beyond environmental education alone and is increasingly discussed as part of teachers’ professional learning, curriculum design, and broader educational reform. However, the findings also suggest that TESD remains unevenly developed across contexts. More research is needed to examine how teacher education programmes translate education for sustainable development commitments into concrete courses, pedagogies, and assessment practices, particularly in relation to human well-being, equality, and local cultural contexts.
Yunjung Ku, Chuan‐Chung Hsieh· Asia-Pacific Journal of Teac...· 0 citations
Social science education plays a vital role in shaping responsible citizenship and fostering
national development. However, in Nigeria, the effectiveness of education policies in achieving
these goals remains questionable. Despite ongoing reforms, gaps persist in policy
implementation, stakeholder engagement, and the practical relevance of the curriculum. This
study addresses these gaps by assessing the extent to which development-driven education
policies contribute to societal transformation through social science education. The primary
objectives were to examine the alignment of current policies with national development goals,
evaluate the impact of social science education on learners, and identify challenges affecting
effective policy implementation. A descriptive survey design was employed, using a structured
questionnaire administered to 150 purposively selected stakeholders, including teachers,
curriculum developers, and policy officers across three geopolitical zones. Data were analyzed
using descriptive statistics such as frequencies, percentages, and mean scores. Key findings
revealed that while policies generally support national goals and promote civic learning,
critical thinking, and unity, challenges such as inadequate teacher training, poor infrastructure,
outdated curricula, and limited stakeholder involvement significantly hinder their
implementation. Moreover, a gap remains between theoretical instruction and practical
application in real-life contexts. The implications of these findings emphasize the need for
increased investment in teacher development, curriculum reform, infrastructure improvement,
and more inclusive policy-making processes. Strengthening communication between
researchers and policymakers is also crucial for evidence-based reforms. This study
contributes to policy discourse and provides a foundation for future research aimed at
enhancing the transformative role of social science education in Nigeria
Tolani Damilola Kolawole· INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF SOC...· 0 citations
