Practitioners' perceptions of good citizenship attributes and possible constraints hindering its development in Ethiopia

This study explored practitioners’ perceptions of good citizenship and identified constraints impacting its development within the evolving context of citizenship education in Addis Ababa. Employing a concurrent mixed-methods design, the research incorporated questionnaires from 129 teachers across 31 public primary schools, supplemented by interviews with three teachers, two school directors, and two Ministry of Education experts, along with documentary analysis. The findings revealed a multifaceted conception of good citizenship, categorized into four key attributes: moral, social, public, and knowledge-based. However, schools were found to lack environments conducive to effective citizenship education, and stakeholder contributions were unsatisfactory. Significant impediments included a shortage of qualified teachers and an unfavorable political climate, which collectively hindered the achievement of intended educational objectives. The study concludes that the government has not afforded citizenship the priority it warrants. To address these challenges, recommendations include that the Ministry of Education implement field-based teacher development programs to supply qualified educators and launch awareness campaigns to highlight the importance of stakeholder roles. Furthermore, the government should prioritize cultivating genuine democratic citizenship, refraining from using citizenship education as an instrument for political agendas, and instead focusing on the needs and rights of citizens.