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One of the main goals of the sMisal Foundation is the development of critical and analytical thinking in young people.
The first and main step is Civic Education and its varieties.
What is Civic Education?
This term has been used for a long time and widely, used by various communities and countries to describe the basic knowledge needed for full and active participation in the political, economic, and even legal process of people with institutions, statehood, and the environment. This term must first and foremost be implemented in the education system, which in turn must engage in proper teacher education and be translated into an easily digestible subject for pupils and students.
Each community prioritizes different knowledge according to its needs, for example – civic education is defined in an Eurydice report under the auspices of the EC as a means of avoiding and preventing the radicalization of young people.
Is there one in Bulgaria and what should be our priorities?
The short answer to the question is yes, there is.
There is a project that is to be implemented, focused on introducing students from 11-12 grades to new concepts, rights, and obligations. This project has recently been updated to include economic terminology that goes through the state budget, labor, and social processes in the EU, the nature of the market economy and its functions, and other important knowledge.
All this is necessary, but we believe that key aspects and priorities are missing, such as personal financial responsibility, the tax system, the pension system, political systems and ideologies, contracts, the media (social and traditional), and freedom of speech, and others. Given the volume of the project, even without adding our suggestions – all these things will be indirectly affected by the allocated 31 teaching hours per year.
Why do we need it?
Creating basic legal, political and economic literacy provides the basis for a strong and educated Civil Society that knows how, when and why national and global processes take place and strives to be an active participant and work for improvements not only for itself, and for the community.
The more a person is involved in the social processes, the more he is engaged and aware of his rights and those of his friends, neighbors, compatriots and removes the paralyzing apathy of conformism.
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