Badrawi writes in Al-Masry Al-Youm, Education, Citizenship, and Student Life

Dad Badrawi writes in Al-Masry Al-Youm
Education, citizenship and student life

■ One of my student activists told me: What is the citizenship that the book and the constitution talk about?

– I said: Citizenship in its basic sense is the relationship of the individual to the homeland to which he belongs, which imposes constitutional rights and duties stipulated in it, with the aim of achieving common and mutual goals. Positive citizenship is not only limited to the citizen’s awareness of his rights and duties, but his keenness to practice them through an independent personality capable of resolving matters for the benefit of the nation. The societal application of the concept of citizenship in all institutions leads to the development of a set of values, principles and practices that affect the formation of an individual’s personality, which is reflected in his behavior towards his peers and towards state institutions as well as towards his homeland.

■ He said: What is the difference between that and belonging to the homeland?

– I said: Belonging to the homeland is the intellectual and emotional connection to the homeland, which extends to include connection with the land, history, human beings, present and future of this homeland, and it is like a shipment that pushes one to work hard and constructively participate in the path of progress and advancement.

Belonging to the homeland does not depend on abstract concepts, but rather on the lived experience between the citizen and the homeland. When the citizen senses through living with him that his homeland protects him, provides him with his basic needs, and provides him with opportunities for growth and participation with appreciation and justice, the values ​​of belonging to the homeland are entrenched in him and expressed by constructive action to raise it.

■ He said: What does that mean in the vision of education that we talked about?

I said: Education for citizenship aims to develop the spirit of belonging among the student in public and higher education, and provide him with knowledge, skills, values ​​and positive trends that prepare him as a citizen to integrate into the fabric of his society, and to participate in all political, social and economic responsibilities, in a manner that achieves the interests of the country and the citizen and leads to progress and prosperity .

The philosophy of education is based on the fact that motivating the citizen to contribute to the development process and enabling him to participate in the community is one of the urgent necessities to continue the path of democracy and development in Egypt. This requires strengthening the sense of belonging to the homeland and enhancing the citizen’s confidence in his present and future, by emphasizing that citizenship is the source of complete equality between citizens in all rights and duties, and is the basis for equal opportunities for all without discrimination based on gender, religion, belief or social status.

■ He said: How does this affect student life at the university?

_ I said: Student life includes various activities and practices that can contribute to an effective role in translating abstract concepts into life behaviors and orientations. In order to develop student life in a way that supports the revival of citizenship and the spirit of belonging, another young man said: How can this be achieved, we feel separated from the homeland, and it is forbidden to talk about politics, and any contrary action is punished for it, and there is nothing left but anger and emotion.

■ I said: I see the following actions being taken:

Achieving pluralism and integration of student activities so that they contribute to the integrated formation of the student’s personality, and at the same time commensurate with the capabilities and tendencies of the largest number of students. Strengthening relationships between students, and between them and their teachers, and their community should be among the objectives of student activities.

Include in school and academic plans the desired societal values ​​to impart to students so that their interaction with their community increases, and diversify the ways of presenting these values ​​to students through seminars, meetings, field visits, and others.

Amending the student union regulations so that they give more responsibilities and powers to students, and help to form an independent personality for the student that enables him to analyze situations and make decisions, while creating systems to follow up the performance of student groups with the aim of guidance and development, not just accountability. Student regulations should help develop students’ leadership skills, increase their self-confidence and motivate them to innovate and take initiative to serve their colleagues and then the community as a whole.

■ The young man said: Who is responsible for that?

– I said: Professor and teacher, of course.

Given the importance of the historical role of the teacher and the faculty member in shaping the student’s personality and the formation of his values ​​and tendencies, and given the noticeable weakness in the teacher and faculty member’s positive impact on the student in this field – and in some cases the impact is even negative, I think it is necessary to adhere to the following:

Choosing an inspiring and socially aware teacher and faculty member, through the application of special tests when students are accepted into faculties of education, that reveal the extent of their social awareness and awareness of their civic and societal responsibilities, and other tests when they are appointed to schools and universities to ensure their ability to communicate with students and give the ideal and the model that should be imitate him.

■ Continuous training for the teacher and faculty member to develop his performance and raise his efficiency, to ensure that he addresses issues in an innovative and interesting way, uses educational situations in crystallizing abstract concepts, applies methods of democratic dialogue and principles of participation in decision-making, and enables students to exercise their rights and abide by their responsibilities.

■ The teacher’s evaluation in a more comprehensive way includes the extent to which he is a role model for his students, the extent of his communication with them, his role in achieving interaction between students and the community, and his keenness to support the spirit of citizenship in an effective and continuous manner.

■ Another young man said: Is this sufficient in light of the climate in which we live?

– I said: In fact, it is not enough. Rather, it must be in line with the application of the rules of administrative reform to educational institutions, in a way that ensures the modernization of its thinking and management curriculum, and its transformation from the superior, authoritarian view of the student, to the view of the service provider and the right of its recipient, which is the way out and the goal of the entire educational process. The orientation in the reform discourse of Egypt’s Vision 2030 towards making the student the center of the educational process, which is a fundamental change in the educational institution’s relationship with our children in line with the new educational trends in the developed world.