Zambia Grade 10 Civic Education Syllabus

1. Constitution

• Types of constitutions (written, unwritten, flexible, rigid)
• Parts of the Zambian Constitution (citizenship, executive, judicature, House of Chiefs)
• Constitution making process (review commissions, national debate, constituent assembly, parliament, referendum, constitutional conference)
• Characteristics of a good constitution (clear, stands the test of time, protects citizens' rights)
• Importance of a constitution (enhances democratic governance, promotes rule of law)

2. Governance

• Definition of governance (ruling with or without consent)
• Characteristics of good governance (respect for human rights, political tolerance, regular free and fair elections)
• Characteristics of bad governance (lack of separation of powers, human rights violations, arbitrary arrests, corrupt leadership)
• Electoral systems (Single Member Plurality System (SMPS), First Past The Post (FPTP), Single Member Majoritarian System (SMMS), Proportional Representation System (PRS), Mixed Member Proportionality System (MMPS))
• Zambia's electoral system (SMPS)
• Electoral process (legislation, delimitation, voter registration, voter roll verification)
• Electoral Code of Conduct (2006)
• Types of elections (primary, general, by-elections)
• Local governance system before and after 1964
• Decentralization Acts of 1980 and 1991
• Functions of local councils
• Role of traditional leaders in governance (resolving civil disputes, allocating land, participating in development projects)

3. Citizenship

• Definition of citizenship (membership in a community with rights and privileges)
• Legal and moral aspects of citizenship
• Qualifications for Zambian citizenship (1996 Amended Constitution, Articles 4, 5, and 6)
• Qualities of a good citizen (patriotism, respect for law, self-control, honesty)
• Obstacles to good citizenship (poverty, corruption, theft, selfishness)
• Rights and freedoms of citizens (natural, moral, and legal)
• Duties and responsibilities of citizens (personal and civic)
• Groups and citizens with special needs (refugees, elderly, disabled, children, youth)

4. Introduction to Human Rights

• Definition of human rights (claims and freedoms of every human being)
• Charter of Mande (1222)
• Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR 1948)
• Characteristics of human rights (inherent, inalienable, universal, indivisible, inter-related)
• Categories of human rights (civil and political, economic, social and cultural, collective)
• Human rights violations (child abuse, human trafficking, corruption, corporal punishment, gender-based violence, forced marriages, arbitrary arrest)
• Significance of human rights (human dignity, peace, freedom, respect for life, responsibility)

5. Corruption

• Definition of corruption (bribery and abuse of authority)
• Types of corruption (petty, grand, political/electoral)
• Causes of corruption (social, economic, political)
• Effects of corruption (bitterness, crime, economic stagnation, distorted standards, discouraged investment)
• Institutions fighting corruption in Zambia (Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC), Auditor-General's Office, Drug Enforcement Commission, Zambia Police Service, media, civil society organizations)
• Role of public officers, community, and youth in fighting corruption (adherence to guidelines, reporting corruption, public interest disclosure/whistleblower protection)

6. Cultural Studies

• Definition of culture (people's way of life, values, beliefs, traditions)
• Components of culture (language, religion, technology, material)
• Characteristics of culture (dynamic, learned, shared, cumulative)
• Importance of culture (cultural heritage, identity, economic development, shaping behavior)
• Types of culture (folk, popular, ideal, real)
• Zambia's societal core values (respect for elders, cooperation, hard work, obedience to authority)
• Zambia's cultural practices (rites of passage, traditional ceremonies, attire)
• Factors affecting cultural diversity (stereotyping, prejudice, ethnocentrism, cultural relativism)
• Global culture (sharing cultures across countries)
• Agents of global culture (technology, mixing of cultures, tourism, trade)
• Institutions preserving cultural heritage (museums, National Heritage Conservation Commission, National Arts Council, Ministry of Tourism and Art)

7. Substance Abuse

• Definition of substance abuse (taking something the body doesn't need for the wrong reasons)
• Types of substances abused (over-the-counter, controlled substances, depressants, stimulants, hallucinogens, narcotics/opiates, inhalants)
• Effects of different substances (alcohol, tobacco, inhalants, cannabis, heroin, cocaine)
• Reasons for substance abuse (peer pressure, curiosity, stress, ignorance)
• Signs and symptoms of substance abuse
• How to avoid substance abuse
• Effects of substance abuse (diseases, crime, insanity, loss of productivity)
• Institutions fighting substance abuse (Drug Enforcement Commission, Police Service, Pharmaceutical Regulatory Authority)