PRESENTATION ON THE

INTEGRATION OF
ELECTORAL CONTENT IN
THE CIVIC EDUCATION
SYLLABUS FOR SENIOR
SECONDARY
GRADE 10-12

April 2023
ELECTORAL COMMISSION OF ZAMBIA
Your Vote Counts
IDENTIFICATION OF ELECTORAL CONTENT
GAPS IN THE CURRENT SYLLABUS

ACTIVITY:
Group Work
• In groups, identify the electoral content gaps in
the current syllabus
• Use the syllabus
• Plenary
 PRESENTATION OUTLINE
1. Referendum
2. Zambia’s Electoral Systems
3. Types of Elections
4. Roles of Traditional Leaders in Government
5. Zambian Citizenship
6. Introduction to Human Rights
7. Corruption
8. Effects of Corruption
9. Civil Society and Media in Governance
10.The Electoral Code of Conduct
11.Assessment
 REFERENDUM
Referendum is a general vote by the electorate on a single
political question that has been referred to them for a
direct decision.
This can be conducted in two ways:
1. Concerned citizens present a petition to government
usually regarding a new law that has been created. The
legislature vetoes the measure and it is passed on to the
public to vote upon. If the public negates the decision
of the legislature, the proposal is made into law.
2. The other way is, the legislature creates bills on certain
issues and the people vote on the referendum,
approving or declining it.
• Previously, the Republican President would
appoint members to constitute a Commission to
conduct a Referendum

• In the 2016 Amendment Act, the Electoral

Commission of Zambia has been mandated to
conduct a referendum
 ACTIVITIES

1. Participants to debate on the motion “Zambians in the

diaspora be allowed to vote".
2. In small groups, participants to discuss the advantages
and disadvantages of the changes that have taken place
in terms of conducting the referendum
3. In small groups, participants to suggest different ways
of teaching Learners on the referendum
 ZAMBIA’S ELECTORAL SYSTEMS

• In the 2013 Civic Education syllabus, Zambia’s
Electoral System consists of a single Member
plurality System (First past the post) (in line
with the 1996 Constitution)
• In the addendum, Zambia has two electoral
systems namely; Majoritarian System –
Presidential and First Past the Post – (National
Assembly and Local Government)
 ACTIVITY

In pairs, participants to discuss the

advantages and disadvantages of single
plurality and majoritarian systems in terms
of presidential elections
 TYPES OF ELECTIONS
• In the current Civic Education syllabus of 2013, there
are three types of elections:
Primary, Tripartite (General) and By-elections.
• In the Constitution (Amendment Act No. 2 of 2016),
there are three types of elections; Presidential, National
Assembly and Local Government (Mayor/Council
Chairperson and Councillor
• In the Constitution (Amendment Act No. 2 of 2016)
there are two forms of elections namely general and by-
elections
THE ELECTORAL CODE OF CONDUCT
Following amendments to the electoral laws, the
Electoral Code of Conduct of 2006 was equally amended
to come up with the Electoral Code of Conduct of 2016

ACTIVITY
1. Participants to discuss the provision of the Electoral
Code of Conduct
2. Participants to state stages of the Electoral Code of
Conduct
Refer participants to Learners’ Book Page 12 to 14,
concerning electoral offences
 ACTIVITIES
1. Participants to describe different types of
elections
2. Participants to discuss the advantages of having
a presidential running mate
3. Participants to role play the voting procedure
 ROLES OF TRADITIONAL LEADERS IN
GOVERNMENT

• Apart from the roles of traditional leaders in

government prescribed in the Civic Education
syllabus of 2013, the other role which has been
added is that of taking part in civic duties such
as encouraging their subjects to register as
voters.
 ACTIVITY

1. In small groups, participants to role play

traditional leader encouraging subjects who are
refusing to register as voters, followed by
discussions
2. In pairs, participants to identify other electoral
duties traditional leaders can play and report
their findings
 ZAMBIAN CITIZENSHIP

• In the current syllabus, the duties and

responsibilities of a citizen are confined to
personal: supporting one’s family and civic:
paying taxes
• The following duties and responsibilities have
been added; social, economic and political
 ACTIVITY

1. In small groups, participants to identify ways

in which citizens can participate in the
following:
a. social.
b. economic; and
c. political affairs of the country
2. Through panel discussion, participants to
consider how political leaders are
accountable to the voters
 INTRODUCTION TO HUMAN RIGHTS
• In the Civic Education syllabus of 2013, three
categories of Human Rights namely; civil and
political rights, economical, social and cultural
rights and collective rights have been stated
including one example for each category.
• In the supplementary book, more examples of
each category have been given. This is because
teachers tend not to exhaust examples of
categories of human rights. (see supplementary
book pages 19-20)
• Some of the examples of categories of civil and
political rights which were included are;
freedom of opinion, freedom of expression,
assembly and association, freedom of
movement and the right to vote
ACTIVITY
Through open forum discussion, participants to
identify and describe examples of:
a. economical, social and cultural rights
b.collective or solidarity rights
 CORRUPTION
• In the Civic Education syllabus of 2013, three
types of corruption namely; petty, grand and
political are stated, however, electoral was put
in brackets next to political.
• In the addendum, two types of electoral
corruption have been stated i.e voter bribery and
buying and selling of voters’ cards. This is
according to the Electoral Process Act No. 35 of
2016
 EFFECTS OF CORRUPTION

• In the Civic Education syllabus of 2013, effects

of corruption include widespread bitterness,
increases crime, economic stagnation/distortion
of standards, discourages investment etc
• In the addendum, the following effects of
corruption have been included: wrong
candidates, dishonest leaders, electing leaders
through corrupt means and reduces leaders’
accountability
 ACTIVITY

In small groups, participants role play the

following:
a. Aspiring candidates buying voters’ cards from
voters
b. Voter educator sensitising voters on the
importance of not selling their voters’ cards.
c. A police officer arresting someone with two
voters’ cards
 CIVIL SOCIETY AND MEDIA IN
GOVERNANCE

In the Civic Education syllabus of 2013, the roles

of civil society in governance include the
following:
defending ideals of democracy, influencing public
opinion, promoting transparency and
accountability and advocating for effective laws
In the addendum, additional roles of civil society
organisations include; voter education and
monitoring of elections.
CIVIL SOCIETY AND MEDIA IN GOVERNANCE
• The roles of media in governance include among
others; informing and educating, acting as a
watchdog, promoting public debate, promoting
transparency and accountability
• In the addendum, promotion of free and fair elections
has been added as part of the knowledge. The media
can promote free and fair elections by providing
information on the electoral process to all concerned
stakeholders and publicizing all electoral activities as
well as giving access and fair coverage to
participating political parties and candidates
 ACTIVITIES
1. In small groups, participants role play:
a. the involvement of civil society in the electoral
process
b. How the media can promote free and fair elections

2. In pairs, participants discuss:

a. the effects of unfair coverage by the media on the
electoral process
b. causes of unfair coverage by the media on the
electoral process
 ASSESSMENT

The impact on integration of electoral

content on the assessment is that the status
quo on the question paper remains the same,
except the content will have to change in
line with the above changes
Thank You