Factors Influencing Civic Education Teaching and Learning of Civic Skills among Learners in Selected Secondary Schools in Mulobezi District

Abstract

This study explored the factors influencing the teaching and learning of civic skills in Civic Education among learners in selected secondary schools in Mulobezi District. The study adopted a qualitative approach guided by the interpretivist paradigm and a qualitative descriptive design. The target population comprised Civic Education teachers and learners from the selected secondary schools. Homogeneous sampling was used to select 36 participants. Data were collected using semi-structured interview and focus group discussion guides and analysed thematically. The findings indicate that curriculum structure, access to learning resources, classroom environment, teacher qualification, and teaching methodologies influence the teaching and learning of civic skills. The study further found that civic skills were mainly developed through lecture methods, classroom discussion-based learning, role-playing activities, and debate clubs. The study recommends that the Ministry of Education construct additional classroom blocks to reduce class sizes and enable interactive and participatory teaching. It also recommends that school administrators and Heads of Department regularly monitor Civic Education teaching to ensure the appropriate methodologies are employed.