History education and citizenship conundrum: Experiences and perspectives of Lesotho General Certificate of Secondary Education history teachers in Lesotho

Raymond N Fru,Makatleho Liphoto

doi:10.4102/td.v17i1.975

Abstract

There have been serious efforts across countries to make history education more relevant. One such global effort is the integration of citizenship values into the history curriculum and syllabus of schools. Despite the successes of this initiative in some contexts, others have received it with mixed feelings thereby problematising its implementation and compromising the chances of a successful outcome. This article interrogates the relationship between school history and citizenship through an exploration of the perceptions of history teachers in Lesotho about the promotion of citizenship values through history education. The rationale for the investigation stems from the inclusion of citizenship values as part of the aims of the Lesotho General Certificate of Secondary Education (LGCSE) history syllabus. The study operated within the interpretive paradigm and a qualitative case study approach of four purposively selected high schools and eight teachers in Maseru, Lesotho. The data collected from semi-structured interviews revealed that the teachers possess very vague and varying understandings of citizenship. This vagueness ultimately translates into the classroom practice in the form of a lack of harmonious implementation of the LGSCE history syllabus’ prescriptions on citizenship values. The teachers however, have a mostly positive feeling about the importance of imparting citizenship values to learners, especially in the unique context of Lesotho through history education. This article recommends that the Ministry of Education and Training (MoET) initiates a robust curriculum reflection process, together with relevant stakeholders that will inform policy on the effective implementation of the citizenship clauses of the LGSCE history syllabus.

Highlights

History is considered by some as a simplistic story of the past or a school subject that studies events over time and space
The fact that a similar trend was observed in the responses of all the other teachers is an indication of the absence of a harmonious understanding of what the word citizenship entails and how it should be taught in the Lesotho General Certificate of Secondary Education (LGCSE) syllabus
It would be unsurprising to say they do not have it because they lack the kind of education that instils in citizens an understanding of the history of their country and appreciate its bearings with time, contributing to its advancement. This is the kind of education that the discipline of history, when integrated with citizenship values, can offer any nation

Summary

Introduction

History is considered by some as a simplistic story of the past or a school subject that studies events over time and space. The views above are an insinuation that the promotion of certain values and production of good citizenry are critical in the mandate of school history Supporting this perceived relationship between history and citizenship, Fru[4] indicates that through history education, learners become responsible, reflective and active citizens who can make informed decisions. Stearns[5] concurs by stating that history is the subject that creates well-informed citizens about the society they live in This significant value of citizenship education has led to a global increased interest as with many more countries embracing the discipline, either as a stand-alone subject, or as an integral part of history education.[6,7] The World Education Forum[8] that took place in Dakar, Senegal, analysed the social ills of contemporary society and suggested education as a powerful tool for promoting democracy, citizenship and citizenship education to curb these ills. Philosophical statements and expressions related to justice, equality, peace, prosperity, democracy and mutual coexistence, which underpin the way of life for the Basotho (refers to citizens of Lesotho) are to be expressed in the LGSCE

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