The subject Citizenship Education, which covers all students from preschool to junior high school, was presented in Angra do Heroísmo on Thursday.
This new subject, which begins to be taught in the present school year, is divided into several themes such as Environmental Education, Education for Health and Education for Entrepreneurship. The respective contents are adjusted in accordance with the age and the issues to be addressed in different subjects.
The Regional Secretary of Education and Training, who presided over the presentation ceremony, conveyed her satisfaction with the new project and called for schools to benefit from this new idea: “I hope that all this work transforms schools, it is necessary that teachers believe in this subject, because they are the main reference in the personal and social development of students,” stated Lina Mendes.
“This was an ambitious challenge because this work was unprecedented at regional and even national level,” explained the Regional Secretary.
Citizenship Education replaces the subjects Project Area, Monitored Study and Civic Education which were taught in previous years.
The contents of this new subject will be addressed using Information and Communication Technologies (TIC), which for the Regional Secretary for Education and Training “will make students feel active in the acquisition of knowledge and skill, allowing them to create projects with impact the communities where their school is integrated.”
Moreover, Citizenship Education will be taught to middle and junior high school students by two teachers, one of whom must have experience or training in the area of TIC, in a 90-minute class per week.
In turn, preschool students will two hours per week whilst elementary school students will only have one hour. In both school levels, the subject will be taught by one teacher.
Qualitative assessment will take place every term, based on items such as arguing skills, active participation in class projects and knowledge of computer tools.
For Lina Mendes, civic education is the “most difficult and complex area of Education,” however she added that “it is more attractive because it meets personal and social development issues. It not only requires scientific and technical knowledge, but also the skills to educate and train,” stated the Regional Secretary.
In this context, teachers will receive training throughout the year to better address different themes and become acquainted the available materials as support tools for teachers.
The portal of education (http://www.edu.azores.gov.pt) will provide the guidelines concerning the new subject, starting next week, so that teachers may consult and adapt it to context of each school community.