Civic Education and Citizenship in Malaysian Education.

Overview & Synopsis

This paper seeks to provide an overview of theoretical concepts of civic education and citizenship. The paper discusses recent comparative education research on political socialization and its implications for future research, such as in not fully democratic countries like Malaysia. Based on a literature review and prior research in the region, the role of education as a vehicle for teaching civic education and citizenship is examined. A qualitative research study in Malaysia is proposed to examine the relationship between official policy and actual school practice in the areas of civic education and citizenship. By comparing the views of teachers and students with those of policymakers (and the expectations presented in policy documents), the study compares official policy with what was really taught and learned in the selected educational settings. (Contains 44 references.) (BT)