CIVICS FORM ONE

 

OUR NATION

When two people of the opposite sex get together as husband and wife, they form a family. A family is social group of people who are closely related to each other. A combination of various families forms a Clan. A group of different clans form tribes who have the same Culture, History and Language. The combination of various tribes makes up the population of a nation.

A Nation can be defined as alarge group or community of people living in a defined geographical area and sharing a common history, culture and language under one government. Examples of nations includeTanzania, Japan, Zimbabwe, India and Uganda. A nation should be recognized by other nations as a sovereign state andshould be free to decide and implement its own policies. It should not be part of another nation nor should it be under the control of another nation.

The Components of our Nation

The Components that Make up our Nation

To be able to analyse the components that make up our nation

For any nation to be recognized as a nation it must have the following components: Sovereignty, People, culture, boundaries and government

Sovereignty

The word “Sovereignty” comes from the Latin word “superanus”, which means “supreme”. Therefore, Sovereignty refers tothe supreme power exercised by anation to control all individuals and associations within itsterritory.

Sovereignty can also be defined as the highest power which belongs to the people. National sovereignty means that a nation is free to decide and implement its decisions without being interfered with by any external forces from other nations. A nation should be able to run its political, economic and social matters independently.

Importance of National sovereignty

·         National sovereignty is important because it maintains good relations with other nations through promoting good foreign policies on matters concerning other nations.

·         It helps maintain peace and security of a nation through execution of national laws, rules and regulations to prevent civil wars and conflicts with other nations.

·         It brings about national stability and encourages investors to invest in a country because a national is free to establish policies that will encourage local and foreign investors to invest in the country.

·         Citizens are free from being dominated by other nations because of non-interference in the control of the nation by other countries.

Hindrances to national sovereignty

·         Poverty. This is the inability to afford basic needs like food, shelter and clothing which is the main problem faced in many African countries whereby most are economically poor. This results in African countriesdepending on developed countries for help through grants and aid which create conditions that violate the sovereignty of some African countries.

·         Civil wars. The fighting between ethnic groups within the same nation can affect the freedom of the nation because when the nation fails to maintain peace and security within the nation, United Nations will intervene to protect human rights.

·         Natural hazards. Disasters such as floods, earthquakes and volcanic erruptions undermine the economies of poor countries which in turn hinders national sovereignty since the government cannot depend on its own capabilities and needs toask for assistance from other countries through aid.

Population

Population is the number of people living in a particular defined area. According to the 2010 population survey report, Tanzania has over 40 million people. More than 80% of Tanzania's population lives in rural areas. Tanzania mainland has over 125 ethnic groups. Kiswahili is the common language and the largest population group is Bantu who occupy approximately two-thirds of the country and are divided into many tribes. Within the population is where we can find leaders, citizens and the army which protects the country and builds up a strong nation.

Boundaries

National boundaries are the dividing lines between the area belonging to Tanzania and the area belonging to her neighboring countries. Tanzania was formed on the 26th April 1964. On that day, Tanganyika and Zanzibar united to form thecountry currently known asTanzania. Our country Tanzania covers a total area of 945,202 square kilometersand is bordered by man-made and natural boundaries. Natural boundaries of Tanzania includethe Indian Ocean to the East, Mount Kilimanjaro to the North, Ruvuma River to the South, Lake Nyasa to the south west, and Lake Victoria to the North and Lake Tanganyika to the West.

Tanzania is bordered by eight nations, namely Kenya and Uganda to the North, Rwanda, Burundi and Democratic Republic of Congo to the West, Mozambique to the South, Malawi and Zambia to the South West. The Indian Ocean borders Tanzanian’s Eastern side. The islands of Zanzibar and Pemba lie along the coast of Tanzania Mainland.

Map of Tanzania showing the national boundaries.

The Government

The government is an administrative organ of the state. It consists of elected and selected groups of people who are responsible for controlling and maintaining the laws and orders of acountry. The state has three organs which assist each other in fulfilling its functions. These organs are:

a.       The Executive.The Executive is the main branch of the central government andcomprises of the president, the cabinet, civil servants and armed forces. The Executive is responsible for administering various activities of the government.

b.       Judiciary. Thisorgan functions to interpret the laws and make rulings over disputes in the state.

c.        Legislature is the law making body of the state. It is the state organ whose members are elected to represent different constituencies. Some of them are appointed. Legislature is also called parliament and is comprised of the President and the National Assembly. The President is part of the parliament but not a member of the parliament. This is because the president does not participate in parliamentary discussions but participates in the process of making laws by signing the bills to become laws.

Culture

Refers to the customs and beliefs of a particular group of people. It also includes the people`s way of life and social organization.

Exercise 1

Answer the following questions

1.       In your own words, explain what you understand by the term Nation and give five examples of the nations you know apart from the examples given above.

2.       Suggest five solutions to protect national sovereignty.

3.       Draw the map of Tanzania and show its national boundaries.

4.       Why is the President of the United Republic of Tanzania said to be part of the parliament but not the member of it in the national assembly?

5. List five national components.

 

The National Symbols

Tanzania's National Symbols

Identify Tanzania's national symbols

What is a national symbol?

A symbol is a sign that represents something. National symbols are signs which represent a nation. These symbols are very important as they serve as a reminder of our nationhood to us and to the rest of the world; they promote our culture and remind us about events that have taken place in our nation. Tanzania has several symbols; these include tangible things like money, flags and the coat of arms,as well asintangible things like the national anthem and language.

The following are the major national symbols in Tanzania:

1.       The national flag

2.       Presidential standard

3.       The coat of arms

4.       National Anthem

5.       Uhuru Torch

6.       National currency

7.       National Language

8.       The national Constitution

9.       National festivals (holidays) in Tanzania

The Significance of each National Symbol

Explain the significance of each national symbol

The national flag

Anational flag is a piece of cloth with a special colour design. The national flag of Tanganyika was hoisted for the first time on the 9th December, 1961 and that of the United Republic of Tanzania was hoisted for the first time on the 26th April 1964, when Tanganyika and Zanzibar united to form Tanzania. The main function of the national Flag is to show that Tanzania is a completely independent and sovereign nation. Our Flag has four colors; Green, Yellow, Black and Blue.

a.       Green represents the land and vegetation of Tanzania

b.       Blue represents the ocean and other water bodies found in the country

c.        Black represents the people of Tanzania

d.       Yellow represent the natural wealth of Tanzania, like minerals

Tanzanian’s national flag.

Importance of national flag

a.       It is a symbol of our independence/sovereignty

b.       It is a symbol of freedom and unity of the people

c.        The National flag is also a symbol of the nationality and a symbol of Tanzania culture

Presidential standard

The presidential standard is a flag which is used during official ceremonies where the president is in attendance. It has a green background with a blue and the coat of arms in the middle. The coat of arms on the presidential standard has no crops, human figure or the peak of Mount Kilimanjaro.

The Presidential standard

The coat of arms

The coat of arms is an official seal or stamp of the government which comprises different colors and landmarks of Tanzania. It act as national badge and, therefore, all government publications bear this official seal. Our coat of arms has twelve components. These components represent various national interests such as state power, economic bases, national culture and history.

Compositions of the coat of arms

The coat of arms comprises of the following things:

1.       Two human figures – The man and the woman represent the people of Tanzania. The two figures also symbolize the need for cooperation between men and women in order to bring about development.

2.       Two elephant tusks – These represent our national heritage in terms of wildlife. Tanzania has beautiful national parks and game reserves in which different animals and plants are found in their natural habitats.

3.       Shield and spears – They represent weapons that were used by Tanzanians to resist colonialism. These weapons represent the readiness of the people to defend their independence

4.       Golden band on the upper part of the shield - This represent the mineral wealth of the country

5.       Uhuru Torch – It symbolizes freedom, enlightenment, knowledge and prosperity.

6.       National Flag –It represent our sovereignty.

7.       Red band on the shield- this represent the fertile red soil found in our country

8.       Crossed Axe and hoe – These represent the tools which Tanzanians use to develop their country.

9.       Sea waves – These represent water bodies found in Tanzania. Approximately 62,000Km square of Tanzanian`s total area is made up of water bodies. This includes the Indian Ocean, rivers, lakes and swamps.

10.    Peak of mount Kilimanjaro- This is the highest mount in Tanzania and Africa in general which represents attractive geomorphological features.

11.    Crops (cotton and gloves) – At the feet of the man there is a branch of a glove tree. At the feet of the women there is the branch of cotton plant which stands for the cash crops produced in Tanzania.

12.    The wards “Uhuru na Umoja” which means freedom and unity express the belief that, Tanzanian`s strength depends on people`s solidarity.

Importance of the coat of arms

a.       It is used as the symbol of the authority and official government seal.

b.       It symbolizes our national culture and history.

c.        It symbolizes state power.

The national coat of arms

National Anthem

This is the official song which reflects people`s national feelings, desire, glory and pride in their nationality. The Tanzanian national anthem is sung during important national occasions such as when a special announcement is made by the president; when foreign heads of states visit our country; When the president or the vice president and the prime minister visit another country officially, and when our national teams are playing against teams of other countries; before and after the president addresses the nation; and when the national flag is hoisted.

Importance of the national anthem

·         It is a symbol of our nationality , freedom and it unifies Tanzanians

·         It makes citizens feel proud of their country

·         National anthem expresses a sense of belonging to Tanzania and Africa

·         It identifies Tanzania outside the country.

Uhuru Torch

This is the touch of freedom which also known as independence touch introduced by the first president of Tanzania Mwl. J.K.Nyerere as a symbol of freedom, unity, love, dignity, solidarity and hope among Tanzanians. It was first lit on top of Mount Kilimanjaro at midnight on 9th December 1961. This was the day Tanganyika got independence from Britain.

Importance of Uhuru Torch

a.       It symbolizes freedom and light

b.       It promotes unity in the country

c.        It also promotes peace, dignity, respect and hope among Tanzanians

d.       It promotes co-operation among Tanzanians and development in aspects of life

The Uhuru Torch

National currency

Is the system of money that a country uses. Our national currency is the Tanzanian shilling. Currency is also called money. Money is used for measuring value, trading and paying for goods and services in a country. Tanzania money is the form of notes and coins.

Importance of national currency

a.       It acts as a medium of exchange in trade transactions that is selling and buying of goods and services in the country

b.       It is used to measure value and identify the nationality and freedom of a nation

c.        It is the means of settling debts.

National Language

This is the language spoken by all the people within a country. The national language of Tanzania is Kiswahili.

Importance of the national language

a.       The national language acts as the media of communication within a county.

b.       It symbolizes the culture of the nation concerned which is Tanzania

c.        It unifies people with a common history.

d.       It also identifies the country internationally

The National Constitution

A national constitution is the system of laws and principles by which the nation is governed by. A constitution provides guidelines which society must follow. Our country Tanzania is ruled according to the constitution that was enacted 1977. Since that time year, it has been undergoing some amendments to suit the contemporary needs.

Importance of the national constitution

a.       The government rules by the will of the people through the constitution

b.       The constitution is the basic law from which all other laws are created.

c.        Under constitution there is separation of power between the executive, the legislature and the judiciary.

d.       The constitution provides for elections through which the people elect their representatives in the government

e.        The constitution gives people the freedom to enjoy their right.

f.        The constitution provides individuals with the mechanism to claim their rights before the courts of law.

The cover of the constitution of Tanzania 1977

Tanzania's National Festivals and their Significance

Identify Tanzania's national festivals and their significance

National festivals are special public days created by the state which exempt people from doing any government or official work and therefore people are expected to rest. In Tanzania these days are called Public holidays.

Types of national days

Religious public days

These days are marked by special religious events or festivals according to the beliefs and faith of particular group of people. In Tanzania there are two dominant religious, namely Christianity and Islamic. The public holidays associated with these religious are;

a.       Christmas day - falls on 25th December each year

b.       Easter holiday – depends on Christian calendar

c.        Eid-el-Fitri and Eid –el-Haj – Depend on Islamic calendar and sighting of the moon

d.       Boxing day – Falls on 26th December each year

Political public holidays

These are special days that commemorate events which have profound meaning politically. Sometimes they are known as civic national festivals and holidays Political public holidays in Tanzania are;

1.       Independence day – falls on December 9th each year

2.       Union day – fall on 26th April each year

3.       NaneNane day – Falls on 8th August each year

4.       Zanzibar Revolution Day – falls on 12th January each year

5.       Nyerere Day – falls on 14th October each year

6.       Karume Day – falls on 7th April each year

7.       Sabasaba Day – falls on 7th July each year

Universal public days

These are special days for the rest and celebration for all people in the world. These universal holidays are;

1.       New Year – falls on 1st January each year

2.       Workers day/ labour day – falls on 1st May each year

Importance of national festivals/ public days

The followings are the Importance of national festivals/ public days;

a.       These days mark important events in our country

b.       The celebration keep the history alive since Tanzania are reminded of what has taken place in their country

c.        During these events leaders pass important information to the public

d.       Public celebration provides an opportunity for citizens to meet and share views, experience and knowledge.

e.        Celebrating together enhance the unity of Tanzanians.

f.        Annual celebrations impart on Tanzanians the culture of commemorating important national events.

g.        These events helps the leaders to identify problems in the society as citizens highlight their problems through speeches, posters, drama or songs.

Exercise 2

Answer the following questions

·         With examples mention three types of national festivals in Tanzania

·         When do farmers and traders exhibit their agriculture products, implements and machinery?

·         What are the importance of national constitution?

·         Mention any five compositions of the coat of arms and explain what each component represent.

• Name various occasions you know where the national anthem is always sung.
• The Tanzania national flag has four colors:
• Black represents ---------------------
• Yellow represents -------------------
• Blue represents ---------------------
• Green represents --------------------
• Why is it important to respect national symbols?
• Mention three uses of coat of Arms
• Why do you think it is important to have the union government of Tanzania and Zanzibar?
• When the first constitution of the United Republic of Tanzania was written?

 

 

PROMOTION OF LIFE SKILLS

Meaning and Types

The Meaning and Types of Life Skills

Explain the meaning and types of life skills

A skill is the ability of an individual to apply his/her mental and physical power to control the environment. It involves things like thinking, playing and implementation so as to solve social, political, economic and culture problems. These skills are the ability to understand one self, build sound relationships with others, survive under difficult circumstances, act responsibly and safely, and solve problems. It addresses the balance between knowledge, attitude and skills.

Need for life skills

As children develop, their life begins to change. Adolescents may develop a variety of life skills to prepare them to face challenges, take up family responsibility, make decisions and think about what they want to be in the future. Life skills education addresses these issues for the benefit of the individual and society at large. Life skills equip adolescents with knowledge and attitudes that should lead to the requirement behavior. They reduce health risk and raise awareness on health and related behavior such as sexual abuse, drug abuse, violence, drunkenness, unwanted pregnancy, sexual transmitted infections (STIs) and HIV/AIDS. Life skills play a decisive role in helping to prevent these behaviors and enlightening teenagers about these challenges so that they can protect themselves.

Types of Life Skills

There are three major types of life skills. These are: individual life skills, social skills and effective decision- making skills.

Individual life skills

The ability of a person to know and understand personal feelings, emotions, strengths, weaknesses as well as the position in life and society. It is also the ability of an individual to have a clear vision of self-identity of where he/she come from and culture which has shaped him/her.

The importance of Individual life skills

Individual skill is very important in building self- esteem and self- confidence as a person becomes aware of his/her own capabilities and position in the community. The more individual is aware of personal capabilities, the more capable he/she is of using those skills effectively and be able to make choices which are consistent with the opportunities available in the society which one lives. Individual life skills include self-awareness, ability to cope with stress, with emotions and assertiveness.

(a). Self-awareness

Awareness is the ability of knowing things. Thus self- awareness is the ability of an individual to know himself or herself, his or her feelings, emotions, strengths and weaknesses. This skill enables a person to ask important questions about himself or herself.

Evaluate yourself

Ask yourself the following questions and try to answer them.

·         Who am I and what is my role in the society?

·         What do I like, what are my dislikes and why?

·         What makes me happy, what makes me unhappy and why?

(b). Copying with stress

Stress is a mental, emotional or physical tension or pressure. It can be caused by the events such as examinations, divorce, death of a family member or a friend or problems in the family. A person needs to develop skills that help him or her to cope with stress. Evaluate yourself: Let’s say you have failed in your annual examinations:

·         Would you be happy with the results? Why?

·         Would your parents be happy with the results? Why?

·         Would you be able to explain the results to other people? Why?

·         How would you cope with this situation?

(c). Copying with emotions

Emotions are strong feelings such as love, the desire to be accepted, fear, anger shyness and disgust. The ability to handle emotions enables a person to control his/her strong feelings and actions. Evaluate yourself. Let’s say you are too shy to ask or answer questions in class:

·         How would you feel about this situation? Why?

·         How would your fellow students react to this behaviour during the lesson?

·         How would you overcome your shyness?

(d). Assertiveness

Assertiveness is the ability of a person to know what he/she wants and why, and be able to take necessary steps to achieve it. An assertive person is able to express his or her opinions or desires strongly and with confidence. However in achieving what he/she wants the person has to consider rights of others. Evaluate yourself; Let’s say you are having a debate session in school. The motion is, `Teachers should build laboratories for practical training in the school. ` You are proposing this motion. How can you convince the other students to support your side?

Social skills

This is the ability to understand and live in peace and harmony with others. These are skills for the development of positive interpersonal relationships with friends, family members, peers, people in authority and adults. Social life skills can be developed through the following:

(a). Building positive relationships with others

This is the ability of a person to meet and relate with others in various places such as schools, playing field and social gathering. Relationships can be between children and parents or students and teachers. They can also be between relatives, neighbours or peers. Being able to form healthy relationships enables one to know how to behave properly in each relationship.

(b). Peer resistance

Peer pressure iswhen one's peers/friends influence another person to do something. Our friends can influence us to do good or bad things. For example, positive peer pressure can lead to you to work harder in school and improve your grades. Negative peer pressure can cause you to engage in wrong activities, such as drugabusing andescaping from school. Such bad behavior will get you into trouble with your teachers and parents. No one wants to have a friend who can lead one into problems. Peer resistance helps an individual to take control of him/herself by resisting negative influences from others. Evaluate yourself:

·         Have you ever been influenced by your friends to do something?Elaborate

·         Was it good or bad?

·         What did you do when you were influenced to do bad things?

(c). Empathy

This is the ability to understand other people`s feelings and to feel concerned about their problems. When you empathize, you imagine yourself in the other people`s situation. This skill enables us to share our friend’s problems. Evaluate yourself:

·         How do you feel when your best friend is faced with problems?

·         Imagine your friend has failed the civic test. Say how you would feel and what can you do to help him/her?

(d). Negotiation

This is the ability to agree on issues without undermining or going against one’s principles. It is an important skill when disagreements occur. Negotiation skills build good understanding. Evaluate yourself. Imagine your friend wants you to discuss mathematics with him/her while you wanted to discuss civics. How would you negotiate with him/her so that both of you can agree?

(e).Effective communication

This is the ability of a person to communicate with people according to their mood, age and background. It includes speaking, reading, listening and writing skills. This skill is very important in maintaining good relationship with other people. Speaking correctly means saying what you want in a way that can be easily and clearly understood. Evaluate yourself;

·         Do you talk to your parents the same way you talk to your younger brother or sister? Why?

·         How do you talk to your best friend when he/she is happy? How do you talk to him/her when he or she is sad?

Effective decision-making skills

These skills enable a person to make good decisions. The following are the aspects of effective decision-making skills: Critical thinking, creative thinking, problem-solving and decision-making.

(a).Critical thinking

This is the ability of a person to develop a deep understanding of something. It helps a person to understand the environment in which he/she lives and problems which might prevent him or her from making proper decisions. Before making a decision, a critical thinker considers the advantages and disadvantages of various ways of doing something. Critical thinker helps a person to come up with ideas to solve problems. Evaluate yourself What problems does your school face? Can you find out their cause? Have you ever thought of how to solve them?

(b). Creative thinking

This is the ability to think and come up with new ideas and ways of doing things. In life, creative thinking helps an individual to come up with solutions that other people had not thought of. Evaluate yourself

·         Have you found problems at your school or home which other people did not know of?

·         Were you able to suggest solutions that other people had not thought of?

(c). Decision-making

This is the ability to make the best choice out of many available options. The choice is made after considering its results. In life, it is important to think about consequences before making a decision. Evaluate yourself; Imagine your pen cannot write and you do not have money to buy a new one. How do you solve this problem?

Sources of life skills

People learn life skills from different sources. The following are the major ones.

1.       Family: Parents, guardians and other relatives are primary source from whom we learn different life skills.

2.       Neighbors: We learn the different ways that people live from our neighbors. Good neighbors help us to behave well.

3.       Friends: Friends helps us to acquire various life skills. Exchanging good ideas with friends help to mold us in to well-behaved individuals.

4.       Schools: The good education we get at school enables us to develop skills for life.

5.       Society: the way people live in the society allows an individual to learn what is expected of him/her and how he/she should behave in different circumstances.

6.       Religion: Good religion teachings help to get skills which enable us to live harmoniously in society Note: The above mentioned sources of life skills are sources of positive and progressive life skills.

The Importance of Life Skills

Illustrate the importance of life skills

Life skills are very important because they help develop abilities which are necessary for making life better. Some of the things that these skills enable us to do include:

·         Make proper decisions in life on different matters, like friendships, whichsubjects to studyin school and whatcareer to pursue.

·         Develop good behavior. Through social skills, a person is able to avoid bad friends and anti-social behavior such as smoking, drug abuse, abusing alcohol and getting into premature sexual relationships.

·         Increase love and understanding for other people because of good social skills.

·         Respond effectively to different situations. Through life skills, a person is able to handle unfortunate occurrences such as divorce, death of friends or relatives, examination pressure or any form of harassment or intimidation.

·         Maintain peace and order. Negotiation skills enable people to solve their problems peacefully. This helps prevent conflict.

·         Understand the environment and ways to fit in it because you have skills to solve any problem around you. It also helps to maintain the culture of your community.

How to Use Social Skills

Demonstrate how to use social skills

Social skills help a person to know and live with others peacefully. They give a person knowledge and ability to live a better life with other people in the society. Social skills consist of the ability to form good relationship with other people, make good friends, show empathy, exhibit peer resistance, negotiate effectively and have effective communication. We can use social skills in the following ways:

a.       Forming relationship with other people - This skill enables one to know how to behave in each relationship. It helps a person to behave properly according to the prevailing situation.

b.       Making good friends – A person can use this skill to make good friends. Good friends are those who: (i). Respect and assist us, our parents, relatives and elders (ii). Go to school and school rules. (iii). Assist each other when in problems (iv). Correct each other when one misbehave

c.        Showing empathy – this is the ability to feel what others are going through, especially when they are experiencing problems. This social skill enables one to understand other people’s problems and show feelings. It enables a person to take part in finding out ways to solve other people’s problems.

d.       Exhibiting peer resistance – A person who have proper social skills is able to resist bad influences from his/her peers or friends. Such a person does not do things that are unacceptable to society, for example fighting, prostitution, theft and truancy.

e.        Displaying effective communication – Proper communication can be used to establish good relationships with others people. It is through effective speaking, writing and listening that a person can establish relationships with others.

f.        Problem – solving – This is the social skill that enables a person to make a proper decisions in difficult times.

Consequences of not Applying Social Skills

Analyse the consequences of not applying social skills

Failure to apply life skills can lead to problems. Some of these problems are:

·         Improper choices: People may make wrong choices in their education and future careers. A person may find him/herself make wrong choices by studying subjects which he/she cannot fit in.

·         Bad behavior: People may develop bad behavior. For example, the youth may not respect their parents, teacher and elders, due to negative peer pressure. They may also get into drug abuse or stealing.

·         Conflicts: Conflicts can occur due to lack of negotiation skills. Such conflicts could be among students, in families, in communities or between countries.

·         Poverty: Poverty may occur or increase due to lack of proper decision-making in the society or country. Lack of creative skills to bring about development.

·         Poor leadership: Lack of good communication between leaders and the citizens can lead to poor leadership.

·         Lack of empathy: Lack of empathy may lead to increased suffering for those who have problems as those who do not have problems may not understand their circumstances.

Exercise 1

Write `T` for true statements and `F` for false statements

·         Life skills enable a person to know what to do at a certain times and what not to do.

·         Individual life skill is the ability of an individual to know himself or herself.

·         Self- awareness enables a person to understand others in various circumstances.

·         The ability to handle emotions which enables a person to control his or her feelings is among of individual life skills.

• Social skills give an individual the knowledge and ability to live according to the needs of the society

 

Fill in the blanks.

·         The ability of a person to communicate with others while considering their mood, age and back ground is called------------------------

·         --------, --------, and -------- are the primary source from whom we learn different life skills.

·         --------------------is the ability to make the best choice out of many available options.

·         The ability of a person to resist negative influences from others is called--------.

·         Lack of negotiation skills may lead to -------------

 

 

HUMAN RIGHTS

Aspects of Human Rights

Meaning of Human Rights

Define human rights

Human rights are basic things that all human-beings are entitled to and which nobody should interfere with. Such rights include life, ownership of property, education, marriage, health care and housing. Others are equality before the law, security, freedom of association, privacy and freedom of worship.

In most countries, human rights are based on the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. They are also included in the constitution of countries as the Bill of Rights. The Bill of Rights shows the rights and freedoms that citizens have in their country. Freedom is the right to do or say what one wants without being stopped by any one.

Various Aspects of Human Rights

Explain the various aspects of human rights

The United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights

Aspects of human rights are defined in the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights. This declaration was adopted and proclaimed by the General Assembly of the United Nations on the 10th of December 1948. It has thirty points, known as articles. These points can be summarized into three categories as follows;

·         Civil and political rights. These are rights to life, liberty, recognition, fair and public hearing by an independent tribunal, and freedom of movement, freedom of thought, freedom of assembly and freedom of expression.

·         Economic, social and cultural rights. These are rights to social security, work, equal pay, education, rest, leisure and cultural life.

·         Environmental and developmental rights. These are rights people have to live in an environment that is clean and free ofpollution. People also have a right to wealth and natural resources, self-determination and peace.

Right to equality

The constitution of Tanzania presents the right to equality in two parts as follows:

a.       Equality to all human beings- The Constitution states that all human beings are born free and are equal. It also states that every person has the right to cognition and respect.

b.       Equality before the law- In this part, the Constitution provides people with the right to be treated fairly before the law and to be protected without any kind of discrimination or favor.

Right to life

The constitution represents these rights in four parts as explained below:

·         Right to live- The Constitution states that every person has the right to live and have his or her life respected by society according to the law.

·         Right to personal freedom- According to the Constitution, everyone has the right to live as a free person, without being restricted by anyone else.

·         Right to privacy and personal security- According to the constitution, every person has the right to be respected and to live and communicate without public attention.

·         Right to freedom of movement- Every citizen of Tanzania has the right to move in Tanzania and live in any part of Tanzania. A Tanzanian citizen also has the right to leave and enter the country.

Freedom of expression

Freedom of expression is presented in four parts as follows:

·         Freedom of expression- Every citizen has the right to form opinions and to air those opinions. He or she is free to communicate without interference.

·         Freedom of religion- Every person has the right to belief of faith, freedom of thought and choice in matters of religion.

·         Freedom of association- Every citizen is free to assemble, associate and communicate with other people. A Tanzanian citizen has the right to express views and join lawful associations or organizations.

·         Freedom to participate in public affairs- The Constitution guarantees every citizen the right to take part in leadership matters - that is the right to elect or be elected into public office. Every Tanzanian citizen has the right to participate fully in making decisions on matters affecting him or her, his or her well-being or the nation.

Activity 1

Visit one of the meetings in your area and observe how people express themselves. Do they express themselves freely?

Right to work

The right to work is presented in three parts. These are:

·         Right to work- Every citizen has the right to work, equal opportunity to work and to hold any office.

·         Right to own property- The constitution gives all citizens the right to own property and have that property protected.

·         Right to fair remuneration- Every citizen who works has the right to a fair salary according to his or her work. All the rights and freedom guaranteed in the Constitution have their limitations. Every citizen who enjoys these rights and freedom must obey the laws of the country. In exercising his or her rights, a citizen should also take into consideration the rights of others.

The Importance of Human Rights in Our Society

Explain the importance of human rights in our society

Most democratic societies have constitutions that contain a Bill of rights. The Bill of rights consists of a list of rights and freedoms that are guaranteed in the constitution. These rights can be divided into three categories.

Civil and political right

These rights give citizens liberty and equality. They also allow citizens to participate in political mattersin their communities or societies.

·         The right to life – This right states that everyone has a right to live. It also disallows the death penalty for people below 18 years, pregnant women and insane people.

·         The right to equal protection by the low – This right seeks to ensure that laws and law enforcing authorities treat all people equally.

·         Freedom of expression – This right helps ensure that people are free to exchange ideas and opinions.

·         Freedom of religious and conscience – This right ensures that no-one is punished or penalized in any way because he/she chooses one religion over another or opts for no religion at all.

·         Freedom of association – This right that ensures people are free to belong to any organization of their choice. It gives individuals the right to meet and interact with others with whom they have common interests.

Social and economic rights

These rights give people the opportunity to participate in the social, economic and culturalactivitiesof their community or society. They are also concerned with the provision of basic needs such as food, shelter, health care and education. Social and economic rights are divided into the following two categories:

·         Social rights – These include freedom from discrimination on grounds of race, gender or religion, the right to marry and have a family and the right to privacy, education, recreation and health care.

·         Economic rights – They include the right to work, housing, reasonable standard of living and housing.

Environmental and developmental rights

Rights under this category seek to do the following:

·         Guarantee people's right to live in a free and safe environment that is clean and free from pollution and protected from destruction.

·         Give people the right to have their culture recognized, or to advance themselves politically and economically.

Human Rights and the Provision of Basic Needs

Relate human rights to the provision of basic needs

Basic needs are things thatare essential for survival. They include food, shelter and clothing. Human rights are related to the provision of basic needs. Social and economic rights give people the opportunity to participate in social, economic and cultural activities that help them meet their basic needs. These activities include agriculture, business, manufacturing, employment and education. Human rights also enable people to work together as members of society in order to improve their living conditions.

The Role of Government and Different Pressure Groups in the Promotion of Human Rights in Tanzania

Evaluate the role of Government and different pressure groups in the promotion of human rights in Tanzania

Promotion of human rights is done to encourage people to respect and value human rights. This is done in the following ways:

The government promotes human rights by recognizing and including them in the constitution.

The government accepts and respects international obligations on human rights. Tanzania is signatory to various international agreements on human rights.

The government has set up acommission on human rightsand good governance. This commission is given power to promote and protect human rights.

The constitution of Tanzania allows for a multiparty system on government in which people are free to join any political party of their choice. This promotes Democracy and therefore the freedom of expression.

The courts of law have final say on legal matters.

The government has allowed Non- Governmental organizations (NGOs) to operate in the country. These help promote human rights. The following are some of those organizations:

·         Tanzania Gender Networking Program (TGNP).

·         Tanzania Women Lawyers Association (TAWLA).

·         Tanzania Media Women Associations (TAMWA).

·         Tanzania Human Right and Democratic Development Centre (TAHUDE).

Activity 2

Visit one of the Non-Governmental Organization and find out how they promote human rights.

Protection of human rights

Protection of human right means ensuring that human right are not abused. Human rights should be protected and respected for the following reasons:

·         They help to regulate and control the power and actions of the government.

·         They are the foundations of justice, peace and freedom.

·         They promote democracy. This means the citizens’ wishes are respected by the government.

·         They encourage people’s participation in economic, social, political and culture activities.

·         They bring about social equality and discourage any form of discrimination.

The following are ways in which human rights are protected in Tanzania:

·         The Tanzania constitution includes a Bill of Rights to protect human rights.

·         The government educates the public about their civil rights which are guaranteed in the constitution. It also practices the rule of law by setting up a system of checks and balance (such as law courts and police force) to ensure that human rights are respected.

·         Non-Governmental organizations educate the public and put the pressure on the government to change oppressive laws.

·         The press informs the public about violations of human rights.

Limitations of Individual Human Rights

Human rights have limitations because there is no absolute freedom as all freedom iswithin certain boundaries. In a democratic society, such limitations should be reasonable, non-discriminatory and justifiable. The main reason for setting boundaries within which human rights are exercised is to protect the interests of other people.

The Meaning and Purpose of Limitations of Individual Human Rights

Explain the meaning and purpose of limitations of individual human rights

Everyone is free to enjoy his/her rights but in so doing one should not interfere with the rights of others. For example, freedom of speech does not mean a person is allowed to insult others. Other examples of limitations while exercising one's rights include:

·         Freedom of expression – If a person uses abusive language he/she can be arrested. An individual's right to freedom of speech does not mean one is allowed to insult other people.

·         Freedom of assembly – This can be limited if an assembly is likely to harm other people

·         Freedom of Association – People who have bad intentions, such as criminals, cannot be allowed to associate with the public as their actions are likely to harm others.

·         Right to personal freedom – Just because one has the right to personal freedom does not mean he/she can do things that offend others, such as walking naked.

Activity 3

Discuss with your fellow students if it’s necessary to limit individual human rights.

Human Rights Abuse

Abuse of human right is the unlawful prevention of a person`s enjoyment of his or her right as outlined in the constitution.

The Meaning and Effects of Human Rights Abuse

To be able to explain the meaning and effects of human rights abuse

Parents can abuse the rights of their children by:

·         Denying them education

·         Not providing basic needs, such as food and clothing for their children

·         Forcing their children to marry against their wishes, especially at a tender age

·         Giving their children severe punishment

Society can abuse an individual’s right through:

·         Beating and killing suspected criminals without giving them a fair trial in a court of law.

·         Abandoning children in the streets

·         Stigmatizing less fortunate members of the society, such the disabled and people living with HIV/AIDS.

The government can abuse human rights through:

1.       Making oppressive laws that limit anindividual’s rights

2.       Discriminating against citizens due to their race, gender, religion or ethnic group.

3.       Not including a bill of rights in the constitution.

4.       Not maintaining the rule of law.

Effects of human right abuse

The following are some effects of abusing human rights in the society:

·         Conflicts among family members and in the community. This leads to unrest and instability in the society due to the increase of crimes.

·         Conflicts between citizens and their government. This makes it difficult for the government to enforce law and order.

·         Citizens beingunable to perform their duties and responsibilities in peace.

·         Increased crime and poverty in the society

·         Oppression of less fortunate members in society. For example, workers may be underpaid or the poor may be denied justice in the court of law.

·         Citizens beingunable to obtain their basic needs when the right to work is denied or abused.

Differences between limitations and abuse of human rights

The differences between limitations of human rights and the abuse of human rights are listed in the table below.

Limitations

Abuse

·         Are done when there is need. ·         Aim to protect the rights of others. ·         Protect the rights of disadvantaged groups such as children, women and disabled people ·         Aim to make people free from the fear of discrimination. ·         Ensure peace and order are maintained in a society. ·         Intend to allow state organs to conduct lawful acts. ·         Aim to ensure court judgments are fair and just. ·         Aim to prohibit the disclosure of confidential information.

·         Aredone unnecessarily. ·         Used for selfish reasons, e.g. to keep unpopular rulers in power. ·         Does not protect the rights of disadvantaged groups. ·         Aim to make citizens fearful of their rulers. ·         Aim to prevent people from enjoying their rights. ·         Intend to make people ignorant of their rights. ·         Aim to discriminate against people in the court of law. ·         Aim to withhold information in order to make people live in fear.

Ways to combat abuse of human rights

·         The government has to maintain the rule of law where the rule of law is not maintained.

·         The government should educate its citizens about their basic rights so that they can claim them when they are denied.

·         The society has to respect all people, including the sick and disadvantaged.

·         The court of law should enforce the law in a just manner and punish those who abuse the rights of others, such as thieves and murderers.

·         There should be a system tocontrol the activities of the government, e.g. the existence of a particular law to prevent the abuseof power.

·         The government shouldbe transparent in its operations. Citizens should be kept informed about issues affecting them.

·         All people should be treated fairly and equally before the law. No one should be discriminated against because of their race, religion, gender or status in the society.

Exercise 1

Write ‘T’ for true statements and ‘F’ for false statements

·         Human rights are the entitlements that every person has.

·         Aspects of human rights have been defined in the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the constitution of the United Republic of Tanzania.

·         Every person has the right to live and be respected by the society.

·         The constitution of United Republic of Tanzania does not give all citizens the right to own property.

·         Civil and political rights do not allow citizens to participate in the political mattersof their community.

Exercise 2

Write the importance of each of the following human rights and freedom.

·         Right to life

·         Right to equal protection by the law

·         Freedom of expression

·         Environmental and developmental rights

·         Social and economic rights

Exercise 3

Answer the following questions.

·         What is the purpose of putting limitations on individual human rights?

·         Statethree ways in which the government, parents and societies can abuse human rights.

·         State three ways in whichtheabuse of human rights can be combated.

 

 

RESPONSIBLE CITIZENSHIP

Concept of Citizenship

The term citizenship comes from the word citizen which means a person who is accepted as a member and who belongs to a certain country.

The Meaning of Citizen and Citizenship

Explain the meaning of citizen and citizenship

In Tanzania a person cannot be a citizen of more than one country. Therefore, citizenship is the state of being a citizen of a particular country. A responsible citizen is one who fulfills the duties and responsibilities of a citizen in his country.

Types and the Importance of Citizenship

Explain types and the importance of citizenship

There are three main types of citizenship - by birth, naturalization registration or by descent.

Citizenship by birth

This is the type of citizenship that most citizens have in a given country. It means, a person has citizenship status simply by being born to parents who are citizens of that country. It is sometimes known as natural citizenship.

A copy of birth certificate

Citizenship by naturalization/registration

This involves applying to the ministry responsible for granting citizenship status. This is given to those who have been positively accepted by the concerned ministry. For instance, if a non-citizen wishes to become a Tanzanian citizen he or she can apply to the Ministry of Home Affairs for citizenship.

The registration and naturalization, application process

Citizenship by registration is granted directly in Tanzania to any female applicant who is married to a Tanzanian, no matter whether she is from a Commonwealth or non-Commonwealth country. Any citizen of a Commonwealth country may also apply for citizenship by registration. People from non-Commonwealth countries may also apply for citizenship. In order for citizenship to be granted, applicants must meet the following conditions:

1.       Has legally lived in the country for no less than five years continuously.

2.       Able to speak Kiswahili and/or English fluently.

3.       Well behavedi.e.not found engaging in criminal behaviour.

4.       Make an oath denouncing his or her previous citizenship.

5.       Promise to be a good citizen and to be loyal to the constitution of the United Republic of Tanzania.

Citizenship by descent

A person who was born outside the country, but whose parents are citizens of Tanzania by birth or naturalization, can also apply for citizenship to the minister of Home Affairs.

Loss of citizenship in Tanzania

In Tanzania one can lose citizenship status on three grounds;

1.       If a Tanzanian citizen holds dual nationality; that is, if is a Tanzanian citizen at the same time a member of another country or other countries.

2.       If one denounces his/her Tanzanian citizenship.

3.       If one obtained his/her citizenship by fraud. Note: There are some cases where a person can be a citizen of two countries (dual citizenship). In Tanzania, this is not applied to date, but there is a move to dual citizenship in Tanzania.

Importance of citizenship

Citizenship is important as a citizens receive legal rights for being a member to a certain country, and is protected as a citizen of that country. It is also the legal way of being recognized as a person belonging to a particular country, and the country receives loyalty from its citizens.

Additionally a person gains legitimacy to involve in decisions in the country; for instance, citizens vote for leaders or can be voted for as leaders. A country can also impose its authority upon its citizens to carry out its policies for the development of the nation. Finally, a country gets revenue from its citizens through taxes paid by them.

Activity 1

1. Ask your fellow students, what is theircitizenship? 2. What is your citizenship?

Citizenship Responsibilities

To many people, duty and responsibility are two words which are used interchangeably most of the time. Duty simply means a legal or moral obligation of a person to perform certain legal tasks. On the other hand, responsibility is the situation of having a duty and be blamed if one does wrong. Therefore, all citizens have duties and responsibilities to perform in their country

The Responsibilities of a Citizen

Explain the responsibilities of a citizen

These responsibilities are also called civic responsibilities. They can be put into four categories — personal, political, social and economic.

Personal Responsibility- A person can be considered a good citizen if one: behaves in a respectful manner; takes care of oneself; makes worth-fully decisions; considers the rights, freedom and interests of others and supports the family.

Political responsibilities- A good citizen should participate fully in the political affairs of his/her nation like being well informed on local, national and international issues. Also should watch and give opinions on the process of government and its activities. The one who is registered, contests for leadership and vote in every local or national election; participating in political meetings like public rallies and local meetings to discuss local issues and being ready to defend one’s nation, even to the extent of shedding blood.

Social responsibilities -These rights are not limited to the following: respect for other people’s rights, good conduct on crimes prevention and reporting. Respect the laws of the country, be honest, civility and allegiance to the lawful authority, protect the environment, safeguard public property, promote education, health services and help disabled people.

Economic responsibilities-These responsibilities include: payment of taxes and duties; doing lawful productive work; provide to dependents basic material and social services and be active participant in community development activities

Civic Responsibilities

Practice civic responsibilities

Importance of individuals fulfilling their civic responsibilities

There is a great need for individuals to fulfill their civic responsibilities because individuals have a duty to ask for the provision of quality education, good roads, electricity, or water if they have already paid their taxes. This is because duties and rights go together.

When a person fulfills ones civic responsibilities, he/she becomes a respected person in the family, society, nation, and even at the international level. This may make people be fully involved in social, political and economic activities for the development of a nation. For example, the late Mwalimu Julius K. Nyerere was highly respected everywhere because he fulfilled his responsibilities as a citizen of Tanzania.

Crimes and wrong doing will also be reduced to a great extent if everyone fulfill his/her own civic responsibilities. Finally, peace and security may prevail in the country.

Dangers of not fulfilling one’s civic responsibilities

There is a great danger if citizens do not fulfill their responsibility because a person cannot claim for ones rights if at all one does not fulfill civic responsibilities, like paying tax and duties. Sometimes in responsible citizens can be sued in a court of law. For example, tax evaders, and lack of respect for the family and the nation may prevail.

Furthermore, families of people who do not fulfill their responsibilities lead a miserable life of poverty, and witness an increase in social evil and ethnics, e.g. killing, stealing and banditry. Finally, fulfillment of one’s civic responsibility contributes to the underdevelopment of the nation.

 

A: Match the wards in column A with the correct statement in column B

Column A	Column B
1.       Duty 2.       Civic responsibilities 3.       Personal responsibilities 4.       Economic responsibilities 5.       Social responsibilities	a.       pay taxes and duties b.       steal ones property c.       accept responsibilities d.       appointed leadership e.       help disabled people f.        having a duty and be blamed for g.       legal or moral obligation for doing task h.       personal, economic, social and political responsibilities i.        deny responsibilities j.        hate all rich people

 

Responsibilities to Special Groups Including HIV/AIDS Victims

The Term Special Groups

Define the term special groups

People with special needs. These are people who are disadvantaged/disabled. They are unable to fulfill their civil responsibilities therefore; they need special attention from able-bodied people. Special groups are people with unusual problems that need special care and treatment in the society. The following are some of the special groups:

Special Needs for Each Special Group

Identify special needs for each special group

Victims of HIV/AIDS: these are people who are infected with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). This virus attacks the white blood cells, which protect the human body from infections and diseases, like acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS). These people have special problems because the disease has no vaccination and cure. They live in fear and are stigmatized by some members of the society. Some of them are too sick to work and cannot afford to meet their basic needs.

Figure, HIV/AIDS patient

Women: they too have special problems because they are underprivileged, oppressed, exploited and treated differently from men, simply because “they are women”. They at times suffer from rape, female genital mutilation and forced marriages, and they are not allowed to inherit or own property. In addition, girls’ enrolment in schools is very low compared to boys. All these practices are socially constructed.

Disabled people/handicapped: these are people with reduced function of particular body organ(s) and, therefore, they are limited in what they can do, although, they can do some tasks that are within their abilities. They are sometimes stigmatised by the society. In most cases, they are unable to meet their basic needs.

Refugees: these are people who are forced to leave their homeland and live in other places. This forced migration can be due to various social or political problems like war, drought or famine. Tanzania has received refugees from Rwanda, Burundi and Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Refugees lack houses, nutritious food, social services like education and health, and they suffer from loneliness due to family disintegration.

Orphans: these are children who have no parents. They lack parental care and love. They can neither afford to meet their basic needs nor have access to social services, like education and health.

The youth: these are young people who are not yet adults. They suffer from problems related to their physiological and mental growth. Girls, sometimes, suffer from early marriages and pregnancies while some boys abuse drugs, smoke bhang/cigarettes or join bad groups.

Children: these are human beings who are below eighteen years of age. They are unable to support themselves in terms of all their basic and social needs. So they need special attention from parents and the entire community in order for them to survive.

Street children: these are disadvantaged children who are forced to live a miserable life in the streets due to various problems such as poverty, family disintegration, and the influence of bad youth groups, like those involved in drug abuse. Sometimes these children engage in unlawful acts, such as, prostitution, stealing, child labour, begging and petty. Business so as to earn a living.

Elderly people (the aged): because of their age, they are physically unfit to work effectively and earn a living. Therefore, they need assistance from the able-bodied people.

Responsibilities Towards Special Group

Point out his/her responsibilities towards special group

As discussed above, each special group has a wide range of problems. They need special assistance to provide for their physical, biological, social and moral needs.

They need special attention because of their disabilities, like when crossing roads, bicycles for the disabled, holding their hands, etc. However, these needs differ from one special group to another. It is, therefore, the responsibility of citizens to help each special group.

Responsibilities of citizens to the disabled

The responsibilities of citizens to the disabled are that: Citizens should encourage and help the disabled to consider themselves as normal citizens and thus participate in different social and economic activities in the society. Such activities may be running a petty business, farming or looking after domestic animals, depending on the nature of their disability. They should also never discriminate disabled people in schools, workplaces and in the society in general.

The disabled should be assisted to get basic needs like food, clothing and housing. Citizens living near or with such people should assist them in that way. Citizens should also help the disabled to establish special centers where they can meet and share ideas and undertake joint economic activities. This will reduce their loneliness while at the same time making them productive as a group.

Group of people with special needs

Moreover, citizens should help the disabled to form their own associations that will fight for their rights. They should ensure that the disabled have access to social services like education, health services, water, housing and electricity.

Responsibilities of citizens to refugees

Citizens are responsible to refugees by providing humanitarian assistance. Basically this involves giving them food, clothing and shelter. They must also provide them with basic social services, like water, medical care and education for their children.

They are supposed to ask refugees to refrain from any unlawful acts (offences) like banditry, smuggling, keeping weapons and ammunition, rape and even unlawful correspondence with their home countries. Citizens need also to prevent refugees from destroying the environment. This involves preventing them from clearing forests for firewood or practice sing poor farming methods.

Finally, citizens are responsible to co-operate with the government and non-governmental organisations, including the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR), in taking care of refugees until when they are ready to go back to their home-country

Responsibilities of citizens to HIV/IDS victims

Citizens are responsible to advise and help the HIV/AIDS victims to receive counselling and guidance from professional counselors. Also, citizens are responsible to advise and assist them to attend clinics in various medical centers.

In addition, they are not supposed to isolate or stigmatize them, rather show them love, concern and encourage them to have hope. This is because to be infected with HIV does not mean that one will die soon. They should also take trouble to support the victims financially so that they can get the required diet. Finally, citizens are responsible to visit their homes and give them company and other things to reduce their boredom and sense of loneliness.

Responsibilities of citizens to women

Citizens are responsible to protect women through abolishing bad traditions and customs that oppress and exploit women in the society, such as FGM, beating women, early marriages, forced marriages, polygamy, and the inheritance of widows, laws forbidding women from inheriting property, denial of equal educational opportunities for girls. They are also responsible for helping women to form co-operative groups which can seek funds from the government or NGOs to engage in meaningful and productive activities.

Citizens need to ask the government to provide women with better transport and communication systems, clean and safe water and health services. Women should be educated so that they can realize their rights in the society, hence, promote equality between men and women in education, politics, employment, division of labor in the family, and even in religious institutions.

Responsibilities of society to the aged

As the number of old people increases in Tanzania, our society ought to help them. This can be through buying them foodstuffs or showing them how they can grow some of the food crops near their homes. Also citizens are supposed to provide them with comfortable clothing and bedding so as to keep their bodies warm, especially at night.

They need to involve the aged in organisations where they can share views with other people. This helps them to reduce loneliness, hence, stay mentally active. They are also responsible to assist them in getting medical care and train them to refrain from unhealthy habits like smoking.

They are responsible to help the aged remain physically fit by educating them on the importance of undertaking physical exercise like walking, gardening, cycling and swimming.

Citizens are supposed to love them and give them encouragement so that, despite their problems, they may still have hope for a better life. We should show them that they are still valued despite their old age. Finally, if possible for old homes, new homes should be built for the aged, especially those who have no family members to take care of them.

Responsibilities of the society to street children

Citizens ought to help street children through showing them love and hospitality by giving them parental care and trying to adopt some of them so as to assist them closely. They are also needed to provide them with the basic necessities, like food, clothing and shelter.

Charities and religious organisations should assist street children by giving them good moral guidance and even supporting them materially. Joining or forming organisations aimed at supporting street children morally and materially.

Responsibilities of citizens to the youth

Some of the responsibilities of citizens to the youth are to ask the government to change the traditional trend of our educational system so that it teaches the youth how to employ themselves instead of educating them for white-collar jobs only.

Citizens are also supposed to ask the government to increase the opportunities for secondary, technical and tertiary education. To expand and strengthen the informal sector through co-operation with the government so that it provides more employment.

Furthermore, citizens are supposed to help the youth to initiate cooperative economic activities like carpentry or gardening. Lastly, they need to assist the youth to take part in sports and games so as to promote co-operation, love, friendliness and good health among them.

Responsibilities of citizens to orphans

As stated earlier, orphans get frustrated as they lack parental care and love. To orphans, citizens ought to provide them with basic assistance that will help them to go to school. This may involve paying for their school materials like books, uniforms, bus fare or even meals at school.

Also, citizens need to provide the orphans with health-care services including paying for their treatment when they are sick and giving them medical advice, and providing them with basic social services like food, clothing and shelter.

In addition, citizens are responsible for showing them love and care, since these are the things orphans lack most. They need to be adopted and be given material and moral support.

Responsibilities of citizens to children

Like other special groups, children, have many problems. They are unable to provide themselves with basic needs like food, clothing and shelter. Also, they cannot afford social services, like education, health, water, housing and transport. They need love and care from either parents or guardians.

Citizens have the responsibility to ensure that children get education, especially primary education which is provided free in Tanzania. Parents, in particular, should send their children to school and make sure that their attendance at school is good. They need clean and safe water, health care, and be taught good manners so that they can grow up to be good citizens in the future.

Children should not be subjected to child labour or any child abuse. For example, using of children to fight in wars, for commercial sex work, to work in quarries and mines or to do lumbering. They should get time to enjoy playing games and doing sports both at school and in other places demarcated for such activities.

Children are supposed to be educated on how to avoid dangerous behaviour like unsafe sex,abusing drugsand smoking cigarettes and marijuana. Unsafe sex can lead them to getting infected with HIV/AIDS. They need also to be taught the importance of hard-work both at school and at home, where they should assist their parents in some manual work.

Activity 2

Visit the nearby Centre for special group:

·         What special group is that Centre for?

·         What are their responsibilities?

·         How can you help those special groups?

 

 

WORK

The Concept of Work

In any community, people engage in different activities in order to earn money so as to meet their basic needs. People do mental and physical activities to sustain their lives. There are those who make bricks for building houses. Some strive to stock their harvest, while others cultivate land communally for crop production. Some dance in jazz bands and others fish. All these activities are referred to as work

Meaning of Work

Define Work

Therefore, work can be defined as the use of physical strength and mental skills in making things or providing services. Examples of work include farming, brick-making, livestock-keeping, fishing, carpentry, trading, teaching, nursing patients, etc.

Exercise 1

Mention other types of work that you know.

Different Work Related Activities Done in the Community

Name different work related activities done in the community

Doing work

This is an obligation for all adults and able-bodied people to perform different tasks (work). People work to earn a living in different or related activities depending on their skills and abilities. However, some types of work are greatly influenced by the environment in which people live. For example, people who live beside rivers, lakes, or oceans tend to engage in fishing, like the people around Lake Victoria (e.g. Kerewe, Sukuma, Haya and Jita) but in areas which receive reliable rainfall and have fertile soil, free from pests and diseases, people engage in agricultural activities (e.g. Nyakyusa, Haya, Bena and Fipa).

Work-related activities

There are two main types of work related activities; namely, physical work and mental work.

Physical work-related activities

These are work-related activities that mostly involve the use of one’s physical strength, and include farming, lumbering, plumbing, carpentry, quarrying, mining, building and road construction.

Work and development

People struggle in their works in order to improve their living standards as well as to develop the nation.

Question Time 1

What is development?

Development is the process of changing the socio-economic situation from one stage to another, usually from lower to higher. It is concerned with changing living standards from a lower to a higher level. For instance, if one qualifies to join a secondary school from primary level studies, or if one succeeds in building two houses instead of the one as it was before. All these can be considered as development.

Types of development

There are two types of development, which are individual and national development. The indicator of individual development is having a good house, clothes, sufficient food, clean water, education and medical care. Other indicators include being able to solve problems and good relationship with other people. Having work and sufficient income, and being able to accumulate capital can also be considered as indicators of individual development.

On the other hand, national development is indicated by availability of employment to people, having enough sources of labour, build adequate infrastructure like tarmac roads and provide good quality education and other social services. It is also the country’s ability to create internal and external policies for running the country and the ability to implement them, and create internal and external markets, where people can sell their goods. Finally, is the country’s ability to do research on natural resources and the proper way of exploiting them for the benefit of the country.

Question Time 2

What is underdevelopment?

Underdevelopment is the condition of either staying stationary or going back from a more advanced stage to a lower standard of living. For example, having properties and selling all of them without having developed them or having a plot of land and keeping it for a long time without building a house or planting crops. There is individual and national underdevelopment.

Individual underdevelopment is indicated by the inability to provide for ones essentials like shelter, food, clothes together with other needs like education, health care, water and furniture. Also one remains idle all the time without doing anything to earn an income.

On the other hand, national underdevelopment may involve things such as limited number of skilled labourers, internal and external debts, low level of education, poor policies for running the country, bad and insufficient infrastructure. Also there is failure to safeguard and maintain national sovereignty and relying on external conditionals to run the country.

Exercise 2

Answer the following questions:

1.       What is development?

2.       Name two types of development.

3.       How can you know that in a certain place there is low standard of life.

4.       What are the indicators of underdevelopment?

 

Importance of Work

The importance of work is directed to an individual when involving oneself at work for own benefit.

The Importance of Work for Self-Development

Explain the importance of work for self-development

Therefore, work is very important for self-development because it provides human beings with their basic needs, including food, clothing and shelter, and the source of income for an individual. For example, peasants earn money after selling part of their harvest, with which they are able to buy clothes, food and iron sheets for roofing their houses, as well as paying school fees for their children.

Work is also a means of social identity. For example, society identifies an individual as a teacher, a lawyer, a nurse, a driver, a trader or a peasant. Work also helps to promote the cultural aspects of some communities such as the Makonde carvings.

Work can be a source of foreign exchange. For example, mining produces a lot of minerals for export like gold, diamond and Tanzanite, which bring a lot of foreign currency to Tanzania, which are used to import other commodities from foreign countries. It can also be obtained from exporting cash crops, such as, cotton, coffee and tea.

Work helps to maintain the physical and mental health of individuals and, is a standard of moral belonging and God’s justice on earth. Work solves the problem of poverty. It also improves life standards of the individuals. Work helps to check crime or wrong doings, like killing, drug abuse or robbery. So with work, people are unlikely to engage in crime.

Through work, the production of goods and services at the individual level will greatly be increased, hence, boosts the economic and social status of an individual.

Work gives people a sense of dignity, self-worth and respect to a person. A person who works diligently is greatly respected in the society. Laziness brings disrespect and loss of dignity. Therefore, work stops people from being poor and improves their standard of living.

Work and the Development of the Nation

Relate work to the development of the nation

Importance of work to the development of the nation

The importance of work is directed to improvement of the life of the people in the country. Therefore, work is very important for the development of the nation because it helps to reduce the number of people who are unemployed and facilitates the utilization of material and human resources in the country. If all able-bodied people in a country are working, it is easy to bring rapid national development and maintain peace, security and stability.

Additionally, it is a source of national income and foreign currency. It helps the nation to provide public services such as water, education, electricity and medical care. Lastly, work helps in promoting proper moral behaviour in the society or the nation at large.

Activity 1

Observe one work-related activity around your school and explain how important it is for individual and nation development.

Exercise 3

A. Write “True or False” against the statements below:

1.       Fishing is mental work

2.       Teaching is not physical work

3.       Work gives a person respect

4.       No food without work

5.       Stealing is legal work

Exercise 4

B: Match the work-related activities with the correct type of services or goods produced

Work-related activities	Type of services or goods produced
1.       Teaching 2.       Carpentry 3.       Tourism 4.       Livestock-keeping 5.       Mining 6.       Banking	a.       leisure b.       skin, meat, milk c.       cooked food d.       minerals e.       provision of education f.        rich people g.       financial transactions h.       transporting goods and people i.        stealing money j.        furniture k.       grinding nuts

 

 

FAMILY

Rights and Responsibilities of Family Members

Family members have rights depending on their status in the family. For instance, parents have rightslikebearing, guiding and advising children. They are also free to teach community values to their children and be respected by their children.

On the other hand, children have rights to basic and other needs such as food, shelter, clothes, education, health-care, rest and leisure. Their opinions are also supposed to be heard, they are to be given names and be registered, live with their parents, be protected from harm and be treated equally without discrimination.

Family stability

This is the situation where the family is firm, steady and not changing or disturbed in any way. In a stable family, there is trust, respect, harmony and good behaviour.

The Rights and Responsibilities of Each Member in the Family

Analyse the rights and responsibilities of each member in the family

Responsibilities of family members

A responsibility is a duty or a job someone has to do, and would be blamed if one fails to do it or does it wrongly. Each family member has his or her own duties for the benefit of the family and the community at large.

(a) Father

In most African societies, the father is the head of the family and therefore has more responsibilities than others. Such responsibilities include making decisions for the family and organizing family activities. He also provides security and requirements for family members like food, clothes and good shelter. Additionally, he teaches children customs and traditions of their community and maintains family discipline and peace.

(b) Mother

The mother always assists the father in maintaining the family. But in some societies, the mother plays a significant role in day-to-day family matters. She is the closest assistant and organizer of family activities. She also gives birth and cares for both her husband and children. Lastly, she is a bridge of love between parents and children as well as maintains family stability.

(c) Children

Children are an important component of the family and nation at large. They are good assistants in domestic work and in take care of younger siblings. Additionally, they are a bond of love and joy in a family. Therefore, they have to respect parents and elders, and learn from them.

Consequences of Failure by Family Members to Carry out Their Responsibilities

Assess the consequences of failure by family members to carry out their responsibilities

The consequences of failure by family members to carry out their responsibilities include the lack of basic needs. This is because children cannot get basic and other needs if their parents fail to work hard. It can also lead to family conflict, family breakdown and children becoming street kids. For instance, frequent misunderstandings cause quarrels and consequently, the absence of peace and security to family members. Finally, family instability may be witnessed aschildren may acquire bad habits and create trouble in the society.

Exercise 1

1. Define the following terms:

a.       Courtship

b.       Marriage

c.        Early marriage

Exercise 2

2. Marriage can be legally recognized, it has been established by:

a.       _______________________

b.       _______________________

c.        _______________________

Exercise 3

3. List any four (4) major causes of early marriage in your society

Exercise 4

4. Write True or False against the following statements:

a.       Poverty is one of the causes of early marriages

b.       HIV/AIDS can be the consequence of early marriage

c.        Children are responsible for feeding the family

d.       Mature marriage is always advantageous

Exercise 5

5. Pick and write the letter of the correct answer from the choices listed below. (The question is not clear. It appears some words are missing. Improve it)

a.       It prepares mates for adulthood

b.       It is a period of avoiding HIV

c.        It is a period of joy and love

d.       None of the above

Exercise 6

6. Are you ready to get married to someone? If Yes or No, give three reasons.

Exercise 7

7. What is a family?

Exercise 8

8. Name any three pillars of families found in your society

a.       _______________________

b.       _______________________

c.        _______________________

Exercise 9

9. What are the advantages of the nuclear family?

Exercise 10

10. What are the disadvantages of extended family?

 

 

The Concept of Family

The Meaning of Family

Define family

A family is a social group of people who are closely related to each other. It consists of a father, a mother and children. Sometimes, a family may include relatives who are not blood related. A family is entitled to protection by society and the state because it is the foundation on which a society is built.

Types of Families

Identify types of families

There are several types of families in our societies but the most dominant ones arethe followingthree, namely nuclear, extended and single-parent families.

The nuclear family

This is made up of a wife, a husband and one or more children. This type of family is very common in Europe.

Advantages of the nuclear family

It is advantageous to have a nuclear family because it requiresfewer resources to sustain itself as it constitutesfewer memberswhich in turnreduces their total cost of living. Also, the family is manageable and controllable due to its small size and usually is economicallystable.

It is easy to enforce changes (decisions) and arrive at a conclusion. There is also a clear distribution of authority within the family because it consists of two parents as heads of the family

Disadvantages of a nuclear family

Having a nuclear family is disadvantageous because it may develop a spirit of selfishness and discriminationasit is confined to few people. Individualism may also result inthese families. Lastly,it is difficult for children to learn from other people. As a result,they can easily be influenced by their parents’ behaviour and attitude.

Extended family

This is afamily which consists of a wife, husband, children and other relatives such as cousins, grandparents, uncles and aunties. This is very common in Africa.

Advantages of the extended family

Having an extended family is advantageous because it promotes unity and solidarity among relatives. Theyalso make it easy to perform difficult or complex projects which need many people, like large-scale farming or pastoralism. There is also an easy distribution of tasks as there are many people to carrythem out.

Extended families involve more opinions from different members of the family when it comes to decision-making. Therefore, it is a symbol of love and fraternity to people of a common culture, race, history and even clan who live together in one home.

Disadvantages of the extended family

Extended families are disadvantageous because they are difficult to maintainas they requiremany resources. Also, decisions on matters concerning family can be difficult to makeas concessions from different family members are needed and must be considered. Additionally, they may be a source of poverty as a majority of the family members are dependents.

It may create laziness and a parasitic syndrome among some family members, because they may lack strict answer ability when it comes to undertaking duties.

Single parent family

This consists of only one parent and achild or children. This occurswhen one parent dies, couple’s divorce or one becomes a guardian of children born out of wedlock.

Advantages of single parent family

Single parent families are advantageous aschildren quickly learn to earn a living as they are not well supported at home. They also tend to work much harder in order to earn a living.

Disadvantages of the single parent family

Being in a single parent family may be disadvantageous because a parent faces afinancial burden to maintain the family, which may lead to the problem of street children if the parent is unable to provide forthem. Children may also miss full parental care, which might affect them psychologically

In addition, children may not have a role model if either the father or the mother is missing. A child’s sense of identity may suffer particularly sexual identity. Finally, lack of access to education and a better life in general may be witnessed.

The Importance of Family

Analyse the importance of family

Family is very important because it provides a healthy atmosphere in a home where children are born and reared. It also provides social services to the communityasit is the nucleus of the community and transmits good social values from one generation to another.

Additionally,familiesenhance love and solidarity among people - especially inthose living in an extended family. Familiesalso help people perform different tasks at the same time. Such tasks cannot be performed by an individual. For instance, a mother does the cooking while the father chops firewood.

Factors Contributing to Family Stability

Identify factors contributing to family stability

There are several factors which contribute to family stability. For example, love within the family may lead to the family members cooperating well with each other in all aspects of family matters. Respect and good behavior play a great role in family stability. If family members value each other in the family and other people in the community, they create harmony in the society.

Trust and peace are other factors for family stability. If a family avoids conflicts, family members create trust and enjoy comfortable life, hence, family stability.

Importance of family stability

Family stability is important is enablesfamily members to participate in socio-economic activities, such as studying and working hard for the well-being of the family and the nation at large. It ensures that family members engage in good habits and activities, which in turn reduces incidences of crime in a country.

Family stability is also a basis for peace and stability in acountry because peace always begins at the lowest level. Also, family members may feel free to participate in environmental conservation by planting trees andavoiding any kind of pollution. As a result, children may be encouraged to start their own familiesand consequentlyensure the lineage or continuity of the family.

Exercise 11

Answer the following questions;

1.       What is family stability?

2.       Outline the factors which contribute to family stability

3.       In this globalized world, we do not need family stability (True/False)

4.       If the country is stable, obviously there is family stability (True/False)

5.       Why is it important for our families to be stable?

Foundations of a Stable Marriage

Identify foundations of a stable marriage

A stable marriage exists if there is an agreement of marriage and a shared goal to be achieved between the couple. Love, respect and co-operation between couples and good relationships with people outside their marriage are very important components of a stable marriage.

Furthermore, economic well-being as a result of hard-work andtrust between couples is a vital component for a stable marriage. Responsibility and accountability - whereby both the husband and wife are responsible for their duties in the marriage -can be considered as foundations of a stable marriage. Lastly, transparency, tolerance and understanding play a great role in making a stable marriage where peace and security prevail.

 

Elements of Proper Behaviour

Behaviour can be defined as all the actions and reactions of objects or organisms, usually in relation to their surrounding environment. Human behaviour implies one’s actions, manners and attitudes towards other people. Normally, people’s behaviour fall within a wide range - with some behaviour being common, some unusual, some acceptable and some unacceptable - depending on the limits of acceptability. However, the acceptability of behaviour in certain societies or communities depends on theculture's norms, customs, taboos and traditions.

Therefore, some behaviour may be accepted in a given society according to the people’s norms, traditions and customs. To be accepted in the society, ones behaviour should conform to its special morals and ethics. The behaviour of someone is reflected in the way he or she talks, eats, plays and lives with others.

Elements of Indicators of Proper Behaviour

Identify elements of indicators of proper behavior

Activity 1

Discuss your behaviourwith your friends, arethey are accepted by your teachers or not?

Types of behaviour

There are two main types of behaviour, proper and improper behaviour, as explained below:

Proper behaviour

This is the kind of behaviour that is acceptable to all members of afamily, community and society. Examples of proper behaviour are cooperation, solidarity, love, generosity, charity, helpfulness, kindness and being responsible. Therefore, proper behaviour is taught according to the norms of a given society.

Elements of proper behaviour

There are a number of elements indicating proper behaviour, which include:

·         Love, peace and security among people

·         Respect for the law and rules guiding the society

·         Cooperation

·         Polite language when speaking to other people

·         Being responsible

·         Participation in community activities

·         Payment of taxes and duties

·         Respect for oneself, others, property and authority

·         Knowing and doing what is morally right

·         Obedience and effective communication

·         Honesty, i.e. always telling the truth and never cheating

·         Adhering to instructions

The Importance of Behaving Properly

Explain the importance of behaving properly

Proper behaviour helps to reduce crime and evil in asociety. It also brings a culture of unity and cooperation in order to solve various problems, hence bringing about family stability.

Furthermore, a peaceful environment stimulates economic development in the society. Proper behaviour also helps to develop a sense of love, respect and solidarity among community members and the society at large. Lastly, it contributes to the stability of government and the state in general.

Activity 2

1.       Discuss with your fellow students on the rewards given to those who behave properly at your school.

2.       Does the reward help someone to behave properly?

3.       What is the importance of being rewarded?

Improper behaviour

This is the kind of behaviour that is not morally acceptable to afamily, community and society at large.

Elements of improper behaviour

There are a number of elements indicating improper behaviour, these include:

a.       Unlawful acts such as killing and stealing

b.       The use of abusive language

c.        Love of violence

d.       Aggression, feelings of anger and hatred that may result into threatening or violent behaviour and boasting

e.        Segregation

f.        Arrogance, incivility and rudeness.

g.        Excessive drinking of alcohol

h.       Irresponsibility

i.         Immorality

j.         Corruption, dishonesty and disobedience

k.       Indiscipline

Causes of improper behaviour

Improper behaviour is caused by moral deterioration, drug abuse, lack of discipline and poverty. It can also be caused by wealth superiority (wealth abuse), excessive alcohol drinking and bad peer groups, especially among the adolescents.

Consequences of improper behaviour

Improper behaviour can result in misunderstandings in afamily, community or institution. Also, the number of commercial sex workers and other crimes can increase in asociety due to improper behaviour.

Moreover, loneliness due to discrimination, increased number of dropouts/dismissals/expulsions and poor performance of students in their studies may be witnessed because of improper behaviour.

Finally, improper behaviour can lead to inability to overcome various problems and causing family unrest. Early marriages, adolescent pregnancies, spread of HIVIAIDS, divorce, frustrations and deterioration of health or death due to over drinking, and drug abuse can also be a consequence of improper behaviour.

Measures to correct improper behaviour

Several measures can be taken to correct and reduce improper behaviour. For instance, adherence to family planning education and religious teachings, such as God’s commandments.

We can also correct improper behaviour through law enforcement, punishing law breakers, e.g. thieves, bandits and corrupt people, discourage the importing and use of drugs (e.g. marijuana) which are harmful to one’s health.

Lastly, parents should be careful to teach their children good and acceptable conducts, through providing civil education and employment to the youth so as to reduce the rate of poverty, which can also be helpful in correcting improper behaviour.

Activity 3

Discuss with your friends on the consequences of improper behaviour in your society and ways to control them

Other types of behaviour

The following are basic types of human behaviour:

·         Assertive: this refers to strong expressions intended to make other people recognise one’s rightful authority. It also refers to doing something by behaving confidently. It relies on honest, direct and appropriate expression of needs, wants or feelings as a first resort.

·         Avoidance: this is used to avoid any confrontation. People practice avoidance because of possible consequences or because one does not wish to be bothered by the consequences. Avoidance can be exercised in many ways, refusing to get a diagnostic test, not answering a phone/or a letter to certain people or avoiding making any contact with them.

·         Submissive: this is also known as accommodating behaviour, which reduces the anxiety, guilt or fear in others by letting its own views or thoughts be misconstrued, ignored or taken advantage of. Submissive behaviour is instilled in children by parents, school and society. It can lead to building up resentment, leading to an aggressive outburst.

·         Aggressive behaviour: this refers to behaving in a threatening way, and always ready to attack. This type of behaviour offends or tramples on someone else’s rights. It is a showing of anger. Sometimes, aggression can be an expression of fear, lack of self-esteem or the inability to control a situation in any other way.

·         Appropriate behaviour: this achieves necessary and desired goals without infringing the rights and the needs of others. For instance, maintaining healthy eating habits, showing satisfaction for a service, and not annoying others.

Example 1

Examples of human behaviour

a.       Responses, i.e. ignore, reject and accept

b.       Skills

c.        Smoking

d.       Day dreaming

e.        Human communication

f.        Desire, appetite, hunger, thirst

g.        Respect

Responsible Decision Making

Decision-making is a process of thinking to select a course of action from among many alternatives. A person can, through voting, decide who should be his/her leader. Again, one can decide whom to get married to and when. One can also decide when to start a business or which course to take in a college. On the other hand, responsible decision-making is the process of making the choice after considering all options available through a particular criterion.

The Meaning and Importance of Responsible Decision Making

Explain the meaning and importance of responsible decision-making

Decision-making is a continuous process in life. It helps in the development and management of material and human resources. It is the situation in which a person, who makes a decision, is accountable and takes the blame for the bad outcome of the decision. It happens when each member of the society feels obliged to participate in the formulation of policies, organising and developing resources to realise societal goals.

The power to make decisions is given to people who do certain tasks, like planning, formulating national policies or organising family matters for the betterment of the society. It depends greatly on experience, feelings, cognition, sensing, judgment, reasoning, instruction and sometimes the level of education and a person’s profession.

Rational decision—making

This involves reasoning and critical thinking before making decisions. It implies making a healthy decision.

Skills needed to Make Healthy Decisions

Illustrate skills needed to make healthy decisions

In making a healthy decision, there are clear steps to be followed so as to realise the intended goal. We propose seven steps as shown below:

·         First step:define the problem/identify the problem. We should ask ourselves if there is a problem and how we can solve it correctly. Also, identify the importance, urgency and magnitude of the problem so as to determine the resources needed to solve it.

·         Second step: generate possible solutions/alternatives

·         Third step: generate the criteria for assessing the objectives. Ask yourself: am I measuring the right thing? Find out if the merits outweigh the demerits of each alternative.

·         Fourth step: select the best solution/alternative, especially when the merits outweigh demerits. The decision made will be a healthy one.

·         Fifth step: implement the chosen alternative.

·         Sixth step: evaluate the success of the chosen alternative.

·         Seventh step: modify the decision and actions taken, based on the evaluation done in step six.

Levels in decision-making

There are three levels at which decisions are made, the family, community and national level.

a.       At family level: the members of a family (i.e. parents and children) are involved in making decisions on different matters. But in most cases, parents are the main decision makers because of their age, experience and authority.Some decisions, especially those which touch directly on the interests of children, must involve both children and parents. For example, if a father wants to buy something for his family, he must first seek the child’s willingness and preference before buying it. Therefore, it is important for family members to ask and respect each other’s opinions before making decisions.

b.       At community level: decision making at this level can be made by the people who are in power. These are people who have been given authority to make plans on behalf of other members of the community. On the other hand, some decisions are made by the whole community. The community members gather to discuss some matters, such as building hospitals, schools and roads.

c.        At national level:at this level, broad decisions are made, and important national issues are decided upon. There are some organs which share in making national decisions, these are: the parliament, which makes laws; the executive, which implements the laws and policies of the country, and the judiciary which interprets laws and see that justice prevails in the country.

Importance of making responsible decisions

It is important to make responsible decisions because it ensures the careful use of the limited resources for the betterment and development of the society. It also helps to build a sense of commitment to decisions made on behalf of the people.

Responsible decision brings a sense of making a collective effort, as one element of a democratic society. Finally, it develops a sense of equality and freedom.

Exercise 12

·         Responsible decision-making is the process of making the _______ (good/best/better) choice after considering all the available _______(decisions/options/criteria).

·         Decision making can be held at three levels: , _______ or _______

·         We need healthy decisions for development (True/False).

·         Mention the importance of making responsible decisions

Factors influencing behaviour

Factors which affect human behaviour are as explained below:

·         Influence of parents — Patenting styles influence the behaviour of children. Some characteristics are inherited by children from their parents, which influence behaviour, such as bravery, anger or aggression. Aggressive parents may influence their children’s behaviour. On the other hand, kind parents may transmit kindness to their children.

·         Peer group — Some behaviour are acquired by individuals from peer groups. These groups are found in schools, at workplaces, clubs and other places where people of the same interest and age meet, who may have different behaviours.

·         Influence of technology — Changes in technology, especially, communication technology, plays a major role in molding the behaviour of people, especially adolescents. Adolescents and children imitate and adopt a lot of things from the internet, videos, television, magazines and books.

·         Lack of employment — When people lack employment, they tend to get involved in improper behaviour such as robbery, rape, theft, drug abuse and smoking bhang (marijuana) or using some illegal drugs.

Activity 4

Observe and discuss with your friends the types of behaviours among the students that factors and influenced those behaviours

Exercise 13

1. Define the following terms:

a.       Behaviour

b.       Proper behaviour

c.        Decision-making

Exercise 14

2. List any five elements of proper behaviour:

a.       ______________________________

b.       ______________________________

c.        ______________________________

d.       ______________________________

e.        ______________________________

Exercise 15

3. What are the dangers of improper behaviour?

a.       ______________________________

b.       ______________________________

c.        ______________________________

Exercise 16

4._______ is not an element of improper behaviour.

a.       Corruption

b.       Stealing

c.        Believing

d.       Drug abuse

Exercise 17

5. Write “True” or “False” against the statements given below:

a.       Peers always influence their friends into bad behaviours

b.       Singing and dancing are elements of proper behaviour

c.        Religious teaching is one way to correct improper behaviour

d.       Corruption is an element of proper behaviour

e.        Going to school discourages proper behaviour

Exercise 18

6. List seven proposed steps needed in decision-making.

Exercise 19

7. How could a society correct improper behaviour?

Exercise 20

8. Mention any three advantages of making a responsible decision.

Exercise 21

9. Match the words in column A with the correct statement in column B

Column A

Column B

1.       Peer group 2.       Assertive 3.       Behaviour 4.       Misunderstanding 5.       Submissive

a.       the way a person does things b.       factor influencing behaviour c.       a kind person d.       may lead to an aggressive outburst e.       avoid any confrontation f.        children playing outside the house g.       consequence of improper behaviour h.       selecting the best alternativeI. expressions to make others recognise one’s authority i.        a school consisting of teachers and

Exercise 22

10. What is the difference between aggressive and avoidance types of behaviours?

ROAD SAFETY EDUCATION

Importance of Road/Traffic Signs

The Meaning of Road or Traffic Signs

Explain the meaning of road or traffic signs

A road is a man-made pathway which enables vehicles, pedestrians, and even animals to move from one place to another. There are three types of roads - earth, gravel and tarmac roads.

Road safety refers to the general state of being safe from danger when using roads to move from one place to another. Roads are sometimes categorised as main and feeder (minor) roads. Road safety is the situation in which road users are free from risks and accidents.

Activity 1

Observe and discuss with your friends the types of roads available around your area.

Interpretation of Road or Traffic Signs

Give correct interpretation of road or traffic signs

Road signs are international symbols which tell road users how to use the road properly. Some examples are warnings, like speed limit, a bending in the road, pedestrian or cattle crossings. The most common road signs are traffic lights, stop signs, no entry and speed bumps.

Road signs carry messages for road users through symbols, shapes and colours. Thus, road signs give instructions to road users so that the roads can be used properly and safely. Below are some of the road signs, followed by their interpretation.

Prohibitory signs

Mandatory signs

Dangerous mandatory signs

Informative signs

Police signals to drivers

A traffic policeman waving for vehicles coming from the side

A traffic policeman waving for vehicles coming from the front

A traffic policeman

Activity 2

Draw a picture showing a traffic police waving for vehicles coming from the front.

Categories of road signs

There are four types of road signs — prohibitory, mandatory, danger warning and informative signs.

Prohibitory and mandatory sighs

These signs help control the speed of road users. There are two types: those which allow (permit) and those which prohibit (limit). Those which permit are usually coloured green while those which prohibit are in red. They are also enclosed in circles or octagons.

Danger warning signs

These signs warn road users to take proper measures to prepare for the danger ahead. They comprise of pictures and diagrams which show the dangers, e.g. a double bend warning motorists to slow down. The useful shape is triangles, and the colour used is amber.

Informative signs

These signs are drawn on the road surface or fixed on a post by the roadside to give road users important information on how to use the road. They are also enclosed in rectangles, and a blue colour is used for the information.

Exercise 1

1. What is a road sign?

Exercise 2

2. There are three useful shapes for types of road signs:

a.       Circle or octagon is for_____

b.       Triangle is for _____

c.        Rectangle is for ______

Exercise 3

3. Give five examples of warning signs

Exercise 4

4. Mention colours and explain how they are used on the road

Exercise 5

5. We use road signs for the sake use of roads _______ (True/False?)

Importance of Obeying Road or Traffic Signs

Explain the importance of obeying road or traffic signs

Road signs are very important because they help prevent accidents as they give information to road users aboutwhat lies ahead. They also help to regulate the speed of road bends, vehicles and avoid traffic congestion, especially where roads intersect.

Additionally, road signs provide equal rights to road users and equal access to use the roads, e.g. cattle and pedestrian crossing signs. They also tell drivers how to use the roads properly for the safety of other road users. Lastly, they reduce the burden of using many traffic police to control the traffic, e.g. traffic lights may replace traffic police.

Activity 3

Draw five important road signs and explain why they are very important.

The Consequences of Failure to Observe Road Traffic Signs

Explain the consequences of failure to observe road traffic signs

A number of consequences can be seen if one fails to observe road signs. For example, occurrence of road accidents if road users do not use the roads properly and unnecessary traffic jams, especially where roads intersect asthere won’t be any command signs. Also, there will not existequal rights forroad users, e.g. big vehicles would, for instance, dominate the use of the roads and deny small vehicles and other road user’s equal access to the roads.

We may witness an increase in the loss of lives and damage to property, not only to vehicles and people who use the roads but also to pedestrians or property that may be hit by overturning cars. Family suffering may also be witnessed. This is due to the death or permanent disability of victims of accidents. Such disabled persons may be unable to work, hence causing the economic decline of the family.

In addition to that, the government, people and organisations will have to spend large amounts of money on medical resources to treat not only the road accident victims but also in maintenance of the damaged vehicles or in buying new ones. Accidents would also cause a delay in arriving at our destinations, e.g. school, workplaces, church, mosque or home.

Causes of Road Accidents

Road accidents are unpleasant or unusual events that happen on or along the road unexpectedly and cause damage, fatalities (killing of people) or injuries. They take many forms — A car can crash, knocking down road poles due to brake failure, or a driver can lose control, knocking down pedestrians or animals crossing the road.

Causes of Road Accidents

Identify causes of road accidents

Road accidents are common in most countries in the world. However, in Africa, including Tanzania, the number of road accidents is increasing everyday due to the huge increase in the number of vehicles. The major causes of road accidents in Tanzania, however, are as follows:

·         Reckless and inappropriate driving — speed being the main factor, since fast-moving cars are sometimes uncontrollable.

·         Drunkenness — driving while drunk will always result in loss of control by drivers, causing accidents.

·         Failure to observe or ignorance about road signs.

·         Traffic lights not working due to power cuts off.

·         The corrupt practice by the driving licence issuing authorities (who offer licences to unqualified and incompetent drivers).

·         Poor road quality, especially in developing countries, where most of the main roads are narrow, rough and full of potholes.

·         Sudden stopping of vehicles on main roads, loading and unloading of passengers from buses in the middle of the road at undesignated bus stops.

·         Driving mechanically unfit vehicles and unlit vehicles at night.

·         Lack of awareness of road users about road safety and traffic discipline.

·         Over-confidence which may lead to taking risks while driving.

·         Lack of policy enforcement or standard procedures that are observed by the traffic police, some of whom are corrupt.

·         Physical and mental illness of workers/drivers, for example, heart diseases, diabetes or depression.

·         Lack of motivation on the job. Drivers of commuter buses are forced to rush so as to collect enough money, which leads to frequent accidents.

·         Weather conditions: if the weather is not conducive, the roads that are not tarmacked may get badly damaged.

·         Driving for a long time without resting, such that the driver is likely to fall asleep while driving, e.g. long safari buses and cargo lorries.

The Magnitude of Road Accidents in Tanzania

Assess the magnitude of road accidents in Tanzania

Below are possible causes of road accidents in Tanzania according to the police records from the traffic police records, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania from 2005 to 2010.

Statistics for the magnitude of road accidents in Tanzania do not give the exact number. Although no one can deny the fact that Tanzania is currently experiencing a rapid increase in the number of road accidents due to the reasons mentioned above, there is always incomplete data on fatalities, injuries and destruction because the police are not informed about all the accidents that take place in the country. Normally, only fatal accidents are reported. Perhaps, this is because people are ignorant about reporting accidents or probably they are afraid of the results of reporting accidents, especially when they are the ones who caused them.

The statistical record of road accidents, from 2005 to 2010, shows the magnitude of road accidents in Tanzania (see table 9.2). The total number of reported accidents increased by almost 51% - from 2005 to 2010. The total number of fatalities increased each year from 2005 to 2010, but declined by approximately 7% in 2007.

Table 9.3 shows accidents by vehicle type from 1993 to 1997. The distribution highlights that private cars, ‘daladala’ and pick-ups were the most involved in road accidents. The high number of cars clearly reflects their increase in number throughout the country in recent years and the pressure on conm-iuter buses (daladala) drivers to achieve daily targets. This may well contribute to their high involvement in accidents. Furthermore, tables 9.4 and 9.5 show the deaths and injuries due to road traffic accidents in 2000-2005. Lastly, tables 9.6 and 9.7 show the deaths and injuries ratio, and the top-five regions for road accidents in Tanzania mainland 2009-2010, respectively as recorded by the traffic police headquarters.

Road accidents in Tanzania (2005 — 2010)

Source: Traffic police records (Headquarters)

Consequences of road accidents

There are a number of consequences of road accidents that one may witness. For example, travelers are delayed and children became orphans due to the death of their parents in accidents. Hence, children face a lot of suffering. Some of them end up as street children while other people and livestock die or face permanent disabilities. A lot of money is spent on treating victims and in repairing or replacing the damaged vehicles and other property.

Prevention of Road Accidents

Road accidents may be prevented in different ways. For instance, all road users should be aware of traffic rules and how to use them accordingly.

Ways of Preventing Road Accidents

Explain ways of preventing road accidents

This can be done by providing road safety education to all road users. Drivers should also be competent in interpreting road signs and follow their instructions properly. Traffic regulations and law enforcement departments must work efficiently. Road signs should be put on the roads, and no corrupt behaviour should be done to the traffic police and other authorised personnel.

Drunkenness of drivers/road users should be prohibited and severe punishments should be put in place for negligent drivers. The government and the communities/institutions should frequently and thoroughly maintain the roads including the drainage systems to prevent the overflow of water, and they should check on unlawful building near the roads.

There should be regular checks on licences, the physical and mental capabilities of drivers and the road worthiness of vehicles. Working hours for drivers should be set so that drivers can get an ample time to rest, and defective motor vehicles should not be allowed on the roads.

The government should make road safety laws/regulations and make sure they are implemented and enforced. Punitive fines for law violators must be introduced and effected. Lastly, all road users must discipline themselves to use the roads properly. This could be easily implemented through provision of public education on road safety.

Activity 4

Write an essay describing how a road accident can be prevented

How to help the disabled, children and the elderly to cross roads Disabled people, children and the elderly are unable to cross roads safely, especially roads that have heavy traffic. These people should be assisted by people who are physically and mentally fit. The following are the procedures:

·         If it is at a zebra crossing: it is easy because vehicles will be prepared to stop and let you cross. However, you (the leader) should hold the disabled, child or elderly person by his/her right hand and cross with him/her slowly to the other side of the road.

·         If there is no zebra crossing: you should hold the disabled person by his/her right hand. Then with your left hand raised, you should wave to the traffic (vehicles, motorcycles, bicycles) to stop. When the traffic has stopped, cross with him!her slowly to the other side of the road.

Activity 5

Demonstrate with your friends on how to help a disabled person to cross the road.

Exercise 6

A. Write True or False against the statements below

1.       Drunkenness when driving is one of the causes of road accidents_________

2.       Traffic laws are there to prevent road accidents_________

3.       Deaths and injuries are positive effects of road accidents_________

4.       Lack of road safety education can course road accidents again_________

5.       We need to see first road accidents and then prevent it from occurring_________

Exercise 7

B. Fill in the blanks

Exercise 8

6. List any four causes of road accidents:

a.       __________________________

b.       __________________________

c.        __________________________

d.       __________________________

Exercise 9

7. Write down any two examples of road accidents you ever witnessed:

a.       __________________________

b.       __________________________

Exercise 10

8. List any five main road signs that you know:

a.       __________________________

b.       __________________________

c.        __________________________

d.       __________________________

e.        __________________________

Exercise 11

D: Provide short answers for the following answers

1.       Define a road and road safety.

2.       What are the benefits of road signs to you as a student?

The Magnitude of Road Accidents in Tanzania

Assess the magnitude of road accidents in Tanzania

Statistics for the magnitude of road accidents in Tanzania do not give the exact number. Although no one can deny the fact that Tanzania is currently experiencing a rapid increase in the number of road accidents due to the reasons mentioned above, there is always incomplete data on fatalities, injuries and destruction because the police are not informed about all the accidents that take place in the country. Normally, only fatal accidents are reported. Perhaps, this is because people are ignorant about reporting accidents or probably they are afraid of the results of reporting accidents, especially when they are the ones who caused them.

Table 9.3 shows accidents by vehicle type from 1993 to 1997. The distribution highlights that private cars, 'daladala‘ and pick-ups were the most involved in road accidents. The high number of cars clearly reflects their increase in number throughout the country in recent years and the pressure on commuter buses (daladala) drivers to achieve daily targets. This may well contribute to their high involvement in accidents. Furthermore, tables 9.4 and 9.5 show the deaths and injuries due to road traffic accidents in 2000-2005. Lastly, tables 9.6 and 9.7 show the deaths and injuries ratio, and the top-five regions for road accidents in Tanzania mainland 2009-2010, respectively as recorded by the traffic police headquarters.

Help to the Disabled, Children and the Elderly to Cross Roads

Help the disabled, children and the elderly to cross roads

Activity 6

Help the disabled, children and the elderly to cross roads