CIVICS AND MORAL EDUCATION

CIVICS AND MORAL EDUCATION.CHAPTER ONE: CIVICS

AND CITIZENSHIP1.1.UNDERSTANDING CIVICS AND
CITIZENSHIP.A.

Civics
Civics comes from a
Latin
Word
Civic
Which means citizen. This is the study of the rights and duties
Of the citizen of a given country. Civics is the exploration of one’s
rights and responsibilities as a
Member of the society. The objective of this study is to:
Civics informs people about the societies they live in and how they can
interact with the government Enable citizens (young professionals) to be
good, honest, loyal, patriotic and committed to principles.
It is also aimed at developing love in one another and for the nation. It
helps Develop a spirit of nationhood and of being one another’s keeper
in the context of a Community, nation or country.It also helps develop
the nation of a shared destiny amongst citizens i.e that every individual
was born with an assignment, purpose or dream and that these should be
discovered, Identified and pursued individually but within the context of
the latter’s dream of the nation.This study can also guides the citizen
against petit living as it would encourage them to live for a higher
calling that is bigger than them. Such a study is quite relevant to a
country like Cameroon with about 280 ethnic groups and about300
different languages although the diversity of ethnic groups and
languages can be an asset, most Cameroonians think first of ethnic group
before the nation. Sometimes, they see nothing good in
Other groups that should bring them together. This kind of device
attitude develops a spirit of ‘unlike me’, ‘they are against us’ which
hinders national unity and provides an atmosphere of insole
Rancid a breathing ground for strikes and conflicts. Although we belong
to different ethnic groups, religion, political parties and speak different
languages, we must first of all see ourselves as belonging to one
nation which has one destiny.

Civic education will help individuals to understand one another and to

understand other countries from ours. We will know that although we
share national boundaries with other countries, we are interdependent
and that we all share something in common. This can enable citizens to
get in
to participate and contribute in the activities of the international commun
ity not just as passiveobservers, but as actors.

B.

Citizenship
A citizen is a person who legally belongs to a country and has the rights
and protection of that country. He is one who lives in a particular place
and entitled with the rights and privileges of freeman. He is a native or
naturalized person who owes allegiance to a government and is entitled
to protection from it.
I.

How Citizenship is obtained

The primary methods for attaining Cameroon nationality:
birth, marriage, and
naturalization.It can also be done through territorial acquisition. Of these
, the foremost is birth, whichfollows primarily a
jus sanguis
, descent-based definition of nationality. For determining nationality
through birth, Cameroonian law places a clear distinction
between children born
“In Marriage” (legitimate child) and those born “out of marriage
” (illegitimate child). In all cases, majority for purposes of nationality is
not attained
Until the individual has reached 21 years.
(jus sanguis), while nationality conferred by location of birth (
jus soli) is restricted to cases in which the nationality of one or both
parents is unknown or Cameroonian.

 Nationality by Birth
The most straight forward method of becoming a Cameroon national is
to be born to two
parents, both of whom are Cameroon nationals. Similarly, a child born
legitimately to at least one parent of Cameroon nationality is
also eligible to claim Cameroon nationality. For a child born
illegitimately, Cameroon nationality is provided if the parent to whom
connection is first established is a Cameroon national, or, in the case that
the first-established parent has no or unknown
Nationality if the second-established parent has Cameroon
nationality.
 Nationality by Marriage

At the time of marriage, a foreign woman may request and acquire

Cameroon nationality
ifmarrying a Cameroonian man. However, this acquisition is subject to g
overnment approval asthe government may by decree prevent the
Acquisition of Cameroon nationality.

 Nationality by Naturalization

Cameroon nationality may be acquired by foreign citizens who

have met minimum residency requirements within Cameroon (5
consecutive years), are judged to meet character and health standards
and whose “Main Interests “are based in Cameroon. This acquisition
is provided by government decree and as such is ultimately subject to
government approval
  .Nationality by Territorial Acquisition:

When the government of Cameroon gains additional territory to the

already existing one, then the inhabitants of the area newly acquired gain
the nationality of Cameroon.

 Loss and Forfeiture of Cameroonian Citizenship

There are three main ways by which Cameroon nationality can be lost or
forfeited- acquisition or retention of a foreign nationality, voluntary
renunciation of
Cameroonian nationality, and government decree.

 Acquisition of a Foreign Nationality

Any individual who willingly acquires the citizenship of another nation
shall automatically lose their Cameroonian nationality.
Perhaps most prominently, this dictates that any Cameroonian immigrant
who becomes a naturalized citizen of a foreign country
Automatically loses their Cameroonian nationality.

 Renunciation of Nationality
Cameroon nationality law also allows for an individual of Cameroon
nationality to willfully renounce that nationality. The example provided
in Law 1968-LF-3 is
that of an individualmarrying a foreign person and so renouncing Camer
oon citizenship in order to acquireforeign citizenship through that
marriage.

 Government Decision

Any Cameroonian may lose their nationality if he or she continues to

work in an
International or foreign body despite an injunction by the
Cameroonian Government to resign it. For Cameroonian nationals
who have gained that nationality through marriage or naturalization
within the previous 10 years, the government may revoke that
nationality by decree if the individual committed a criminal act against
state security, or committed the even more
Broadly defined charge of “acts harmful to the interest of the
State”.

1.2. CONCEPTS RELATED TO CIVICS:

Civics and moral education is all about building positive relationships.
However, the various areas where these relationships are:

 Moral Education:
It is the study of moral habits, standard of behavior and the principles of
right and wrong. It teaches us virtues like truthfulness and honesty in
life, how to live in peace and harmony in our communities.
 Justice: This is a model for accountability and answerability
which encourages fairness in the punishment and remission of
wrongs. It is the process or result of using laws to fairly judge and
punish crimes and criminals. Justice means that the rights of the
accused are guaranteed. It also means that the interest of the victim
is protected and the wellbeing of the entire community is upheld.
The notion
of justice is deeply rooted in all cultures and societies. The executi
on of justice demands formal juridical mechanisms like the
existence of the various courts. Justice could mean giving each
person his due. It is the quality of being just, righteousness,
equitableness, or moral rightness.

 The rule of Law.

This is a fundamental theory of governance which indicates that all
persons, private as well as public institutions and the state itself are held
responsible or answerable to laws that are publicly legislated or
promulgated according to international norms. The rule of law can also
be termed the legal principle that law should govern a nation and that no
one is above the law.
Rule of law could also mean the absolute predominance or supremacy
of ordinary law of the Landover all citizens.
1.3. HUMAN QUALITIES, VALUES AND NORMS1.

Human Freedom:
It is the condition of being free from confinement and forced labor. It is
an intrinsic good. It is good when it allows us to do good things and bad
when it leads us to do what is not correct. Liberty is a necessary property
for happiness. So individual as well as collective happiness requires
liberty. The principle of liberty is that individuals may do whatever they
want to do so far as they do not harm others. Should the state interfere in
individual liberty, the state should be doing so when individual liberty is
likely to harm others. Liberty is a value grounded in the nature of
humans
as progressive beings. It can be put to value to be used and it is also a ne
cessary condition for the personal self-development of human happiness.

CHAPTER TWO: ETHICS.2.1.UNDERSTANDING ETHICS.

It deals with rules of behavior based on a set of principles of right

conduct, it can be termed a theory or a system of moral values. It is also
the philosophical study of the moral value of human conduct and of the
rules and principles that ought to govern it (met-ethics).Ethics can be
seen as a system or set of moral principles, the rules of conduct
governing a particular class of human action. Ethics are moral beliefs
and rules about right and wrong or it is the study of questions about what
is morally right or wrong.

Ethics has to do with character, manner, behavior and morals. It is a set

of beliefs which controls behavior based on moral, in other words, it
is the science of morals. It regulates behavior and fosters relationship
amongst fellow members. Ethics addresses issues such as how people
should work properly for maximum output. Every profession should
have a code of ethics that governs the behavior
Of its member’s i.e. how
Interaction with one another in the same profession and with the public
is managed. Ethics can be applied in various fields like journalism,
Banking, Accounting, Management, etc.

2.2. SOURCES OR ORIGIN OF ETHICS.

In Western philosophy, there are generally three views as to the origin of

ethics.1.

The Divine Command Theory of Ethics:

It contends that ethics originates from God that which God commands
is arbitrary good and ethical.2.

The Theory of Forms

: Put forward by Plato which holds that there is an independent form
outside God which is the absolute standard of morality and ethics?3.

The relativism Theory:

It holds that all knowledge is relative to the individual, in this case,
there cannot be absolute morality. All ethics are relative to
circumstances, people and cultures. This view is problematic because
taken to its logical conclusion, there is no such thing as ethics at all.
2.3. RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN MORALITY, LAW AND
ETHICS.

Although all three seem alike, are sometimes totally different. The goal
of all is aimed at building a peaceful society.
 Morality.
Simply put, it is the notion or the theory of right and good. It embodies a
standard put in place to direct and control moral behavior. Morality
consists of an ideal situation. In most communities, these sets of rules
are considered standard even if they are not fully obeyed. It’s by these
standards that our speech, behavior or actions are being evaluated as
either good or bad.
 Law
 These are rules or decrees by which the society is governed. It is one of
the ways through which the different views and conflicting interests of
members of the society are handled or channeled so as to ensure a
peaceful community. Several types of laws do exist, which include:
divine law which beliefs come from a supernatural being. Closely
related to divine law is natural law which is believed also stems from the
divine law.
 Ethics:
Are three dimensional? There is ethics which is simply the notion of
right or wrong behavior. It is basic morality for all members of the
society. There is also ethics which is a discipline or science of morality
that constitutes a branch of philosophy. There is also ethics which is a
special catalogue of decently acceptable values or principles to which
members of a given group, organization or a profession must abide to. It
is from this last part of ethics that professional ethics stems from.
-

Law is similar to ethics in that both can trace their origin from a divine
theory or divine form.

They point out clear cut behavior which applies to a group of persons.
They however differ in that certain laws can be bad (immoral laws),
while ethics can never be bad.

Ethics also starts from where law ends Ethics on the other hand is closer
to morality given that part of ethics constitutes in a great manner what is
considered as ordinary morality.

2.4. CODE OF ETHICS

It is a written set of guidelines issued by an organization to its workers

and management to help them conduct their actions in accordance with
its primary values and ethical standards. It can be termed a guide of
principles designed to help professionals conduct business honestly and
with integrity. A code of ethics document may outline the mission and
values of the business or organization, how
Professionals are supposed to approach
problems, the ethical principles based on the organizations
Core values and the standards to which the professional will be held

2.5. PRINCIPLE OR CANNON OF ETHICS.

 Confidentiality:
A member shall not disclose or use any confidential information
acquired as a result of his
Professional or business relationships without proper or
specific authority or except it’s a mandatory
Disclosure (where disclosure is compelled by a process of law or
statute).

 Independence: It requires independence of mind where the state of

mind that permits the provision of an option without being affected
by influences that compromise professional judgment, allowing an
individual to act with integrity, and exercise objectivity and
professional skepticism. A true professional must be able to work
independently without being influenced especially negatively. Like
an independent thinker, a true professional can listen to others, but makes
his decisions without allowing his external circumstances to make him/her
do what is not in line with his/her professional ethics.

 Impartiality:
This is the ability of acting in fairness and without any bias with
members of a given profession and with the public. A true professional
can never be biased especially based on ethnic infirmity. He acts
neutrally and can easily resolve conflict

 Honesty:
A true professional is honest. He/she is a man/woman of integrity. The
person means what he says and says what he means. He keeps his
promises and is loyal to his family, organization and country. A true
professional cannot have a double life especially between the public and
the private.

 Competence:
A true professional should exhibit a high sense and level of proficiency
in his/her field. He/she is more or less an authority in the field. A true
professional never graduates in knowledge especially in his/her field. He
also knows his strength and limits in the field and will not refuse asking
for help if he needs it. A true professional will not accept a job when he
knows he cannot perform the task.

CHAPTER THREE: DEONTOLOGY.3.1.DEFINITION

Deontology (deontological ethics) is an approach to ethics that focuses
on the rightness or wrongness of actions themselves, as opposed to the
rightness or wrongness of the consequence of those actions
(consequentialism) or to the character and habits of the actor (virtue
ethics).Thus to a deontologist, whether a situation is good or bad
depends on whether the action that brought it was right or wrong. What
Makes a choice ‘right’ is its conformity with a moral norm. Right takes
Priority over good. A consequentialist would (or could) argue
that the final state of affairs justified the drastic actions. A virtue ethicist
would concern himself with neither, but would look at whether the
perpetrator acted in accordance with worthy virtues. Deontology may
sometimes be consistent with moral absolutism (the belief that some
actions are wrong no matter what consequences follow from them), but
not necessarily. For instance, it is argued that it is always wrong to lie,
even if a murderer is asking for the location of a potential victim. But
others hold that the consequences of an action such as lying May
sometimes make laying the right thing to do (moral relativism).It is
sometimes described as ‘duty based’ or ‘obligation-based’
ethics, because deontologists believe that ethical rules bind people to
their duty. The term ‘deontology’ derives from a Greek word ‘Deon
’Meaning ‘obligation’ or ‘duty’, and ‘logos
’ Meaning ‘speaking’ or ‘study’, and was used this way in1903, in the
book ‘Five Types of Ethical Theory’. Simply put, deontology is the
science that deals with duty or the ‘science of duty’. It seeks to
accomplish moral duties and obligations and to try to
Strike a compromise when there is a conflict in duty or obligation
Modern deontological ethics was introduced in the 18th
Century with the theory of categorical imperative. Imperative
deontology is defined as any proposition that declares a certain action to
be necessary

3.2. CRITICISM OF DEONTOLOGY.

Some say it has become a paradox of deontology, that deontology

forbids some acts that maximize welfare overall. Some writers criticize
it that it is essentially a dressed-up version of popular morality, and that
the objectives and unchanging principles that deontologists attribute to
natural law are really just a matter of subjective opinion.
Deontologists usually fail to specify which principles should take
priority when rights and duties conflict, so that deontology cannot offer
complete moral guidance

3.3. TYPES OF DEONTOLOGY.

Divine Command Theory:

It is a form of deontological theory which states that an action is right, if
God has decreed that it is right, and that an act is obligatory if and only
if it is commanded by God.2.

Natural Rights Theory

: The theory which holds that humans have absolute natural rights (in the
sense of universal rights that are inherent in the nature of ethics and not
contingent on human actions or beliefs). The theory originates with the
concept of natural justice or natural rights of Socrates, Plato and
Aristotle. The development of this tradition of natural justice into one of
natural law is usually attributed to what we now refer to as human
rights.3.

Contract Arian ethics (or the moral theory of contract Arianism)

Claims that moral norms derive their normative force from the idea of
contract or mutual agreement. It holds that moral acts are those that we
would all agree to if we were unbiased and that moral rules themselves
are a sort of contract and therefore only people who understand and
agree to the terms of contract are bound by it. The theory stems from the
principle of social contract which essentially holds that people give up
some rights to a government and or other authority in order to receive,
or jointly preserve social order.

Contractualism:

Is a variation on contract Arianism, although based more on the ideas

that ethics is an essentially interpersonal matter, and that right and
wrong are a matter of whether we can justify the action to other people.

Pluralistic Deontology:
Is a description of a deontological ethics which argues that there are
several duties which need to be taken into consideration when deciding
which duty should be acted upon? Duty of beneficence (to help other
people increase their pleasure, improve their character).

Duty of non-malfeasance (to avoid harming other people)

Duty of Justice (to ensure people get what they deserve)

Duty of self-improvement (to improve ourselves)

Duty of reparation (to recompense someone if you have acted wrongly

towards them)

Duty of gratitude (to benefit people who have benefited you)

Duty of promise-keeping (to act according to explicit and implicit
promises, including the implicit promise to tell the truth.

CHAPTER FOUR: PROFESSIONALISM

4.1. GENERAL CONSIDERATIONS:

It is essential to be a professional if you want to be a success. But what

does professionalism really mean? For some, being professional might
mean dressing smartly at work or doing a good job. For
others, being professional means having advanced decrees or other certif
ications, framed and hung on theoffice wall. Professionalism
encompasses all of these definitions but it also covers much more. So
what is professionalism and why does it matter? And how can you be
completely professional in your day-to-day role?

4.2. DEFINING PROFESSIONALISM.

The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines professionalism as ‘the
conduct, aims, or qualities that characterizes or marks a professional
person’ and it defines a Profession as a ‘calling requiring specialized
knowledge and often long and intensive academic preparation’.
These definitions imply that professionalism encompasses a number of
different attributes and together, these attributes identify and define a
professional.
4.3. WHAT ARE THE ATTRIBUTES OF A PROFESSIONAL?

 Specialized knowledge:
First and foremost, professionals are known for their specialized
knowledge. They have made a
deep personal commitment to develop and improve their skills, and wher
e appropriate, they have thedegrees and certifications that serve as the
foundation of this knowledge.

 Competency:
Professionals get the job done. They are reliable and they keep their
promises. If circumstances arise, they prevent them from delivering on
their promises, they manage expectations up front and they do
Their best to make the situation right. Professionals don’t make excuses
but focus on finding solutions.

 Honesty and integrity:

Professionals exhibit qualities such as honesty and integrity. They keep

their word and they can be trusted implicitly because of this. They never
compromise their values and will do the right thing even when it means
taking a harder road.

 Humility:
True professionals are humble. If a project or job falls outside their
scope of expertise, they are not afraid to admit this. They immediately
ask for help when they need it and they are willing to learn from others.

 Accountability:
Professionals hold themselves accountable for their thoughts, words and
action, especially when they have made a mistake. This personal
accountability is closely tied to honesty and integrity and its a Vital
element for professionalism.

 Self-regulation.
They also stay professional under pressure. Genuine professionals show
respect for the people around them, no matter what their role or situation
is. They exhibit a high degree of emotional intelligence by considering
the emotions and needs of others.

Image.
Professionals look the part that they don’t show up to work sloppily
dressed, with unkempt hair. They are polished and they dress
appropriately. Because of this, they exude an air of confidence and they
gain respect for this.
4.4. HOW TO EXHIBIT PROFESSIONALISM.
As you can see from these characteristics, professionals are the kind of
people that others respect and Value. They are a genuine credit to their
organizations. That is why it’s so important that we work to earn a
professional reputation in the work place. True professionals are the first
to be considered for promotions, they are awarded valuable projects or
clients, and they are routinely successful in their careers

4.5. ADDITIONAL STRATEGIES THAT WILL HELP ONE TO

BE MOREPROFESSIONAL.
Build expertise and stay up-to-date with your industry, listen actively in
order to develop your emotional intelligence, honor your commitments,
be polite, have the tools you need, manage your time and plan so that
you are always in control. Attend seminars to improve on your
knowledge.

CHAPTER FIVE: GOOD GOVERNANCE AND THE

FIGHT AGAINST CORRUPTION
INCAMEROON.5.1.DEFINITION OF GOVERNANCE
The concept of "governance" is not new
. It is as old as human civilization. Simply put "governance “means:
The process of decision-making and the process by which decisions
are implemented (or not implemented). Governance can be used in
several contexts such as corporate governance, international
governance, national governance and local governance. Good
governance has 8 major characteristics. It is participatory, consensus
oriented, accountable, and transparent responsive, effective
and efficient, equitable and inclusive and follows the rule of law. It
assures that
corruptionis minimized, the views of minorities are taken into account
and that the voices of themost vulnerable in society are heard in decision
-making. It is also responsive to the present and future needs of society
5.2. PRINCIPLES OF GOOD GOVERNANCE

 Participation
Participation by both men and women is a key cornerstone of good
governance Participation could be either direct or through legitimate
Intermediate institutions or representatives. This means freedom of
association and expression on the one hand and an organized civil
society on the other hand

 Transparency
Transparency means that decisions taken and their enforcement are
done in a manner that follows rules and regulations. It also means that
information is freely available and directly accessible to those who will
be affected by such decisions and their enforcement.

 Responsiveness
Good governance requires that institutions and processes try to serve all
stakeholders within a reasonable timeframe.

 Rule of law
Good governance requires fair legal frameworks that are enforced
impartially. It also requires full protection of human rights, particularly
those of minorities. Impartial enforcement of laws requires an
independent judiciary and an impartial and incorruptible police force.

 Consensus oriented
There are several actors and as many viewpoints in a given society.
Good governance requires mediation of the different interests in
society to reach a broad consensus in society
On what is in the best interest of the whole community and how this can
be achieved.

 Equity and inclusiveness

A society’s well-being depends on
ensuring that all its members feel that they have a stakein it and do not
feel excluded from the mainstream of society. This requires all
groups, but particularly the most vulnerable, have opportunities to impro
ve or maintain their well- being.

 Effectiveness and efficiency

Good governance means that processes and institutions produce results
that meet the needs of society while making the best use of
resources at their disposal. The concept of efficiency in the context
of good governance also covers the sustainable use of natural resources
and the protection of the environment.

 Accountability
Accountability is a key requirement of good governance. Not only
governmental institutions but also the private sector and civil
Society organizations must be accountable to the public and to their
institutional stake holders.

5.3. ACTORS OF GOOD GOVERNANCE.

Government, other actors involved in governance vary depending on
the level of government that is under discussion. In rural areas, for
example, other actors may include influential land lords, associations of
peasant farmers, cooperatives, NGOs, research institutes, religious
leaders, finance institutions political parties, the military.

5.4. LAWS AND INSTITUTIONS PUT IN PLACE TO ENHANCE

GOODGOVERNANCE AND FIGHT AGAINST CORRUPTION.

A. Institutions:
Ministry of State Audit
National Commission for the fight against corruption (CONAC)The last
Great Ape Organization Cameroon (LAGA) fights corruption in the
area of wildlife
- National Agency for Financial Investigations (ANIF)
-‘Operation sparrow Hark’ in French as ‘Operation Epervier’.
-The CHOC-Cameroon program (Change Habits, Opposes Corruption)
-SIGEPES at the public service
-SYDONIA
-Cameroon has signed and ratified the United Nations Convention
against Corruption and has signed, but not ratified the African Union
Convention on Preventing and combating corruption.

B. LAWS:
-The constitution,
-the penal code which punishes those who corrupt,
-laws on decentralization
-The Electoral code,
-Investment code, etc. Despite the existence of all these, corruption is
still alarming. So what can be done is for Cameroonians to change their
mentality?
N.B: Make an expose on environmental issues in the world. Also
make an expose on moral figures in the world, Africa and
Cameroon.

REVISION QUESTIONS:
1. What recommendations can you make for corruption to be curbed?
2. What are the rights and responsibilities of a citizen?
3. What is moral consciousness?
4. What mechanisms and measures have been put in place to protect the
environment?
5. Name some national as well as international moral figures