Evaluation
of civic education activity of Baraka Foundation in Hungary
TNS
Hungary
Abstract:
The so-called Baraka Program has been
working for more than 10 years in Hungary’s secondary schools. Its aim is to
give an education about self-knowledge, and to help children to orientate in
the social and political life. The activities are held in the frame of formal
classes by guest teachers specialized in civic education.
A research consisting of 6 focus group
discussions with secondary school students was conducted with the aim to see
how the foundation’s activity is welcomed and how far is this compatible with
the ideal school system imagined by the students, what are their special needs
regarding the fields concerned, and to examine the experiences and the
difficulties that foundation’s teachers face when completing their mission.
The results show there is a high need to discuss
topics not covered by the official timetable, as students feel lost in the labyrinth
of social and political life. However the conditions as well as the method of
this kind of activity are to be improved, besides, teachers’ personality seems
to have a higher importance. Even if students’ interest is given, the informal
discussions should be organized in irregular school frames by more credible
personalities in a more motivating way.
Key words: example of practical civic
education, survey on evaluation of activity, ideal school system, experiences,
difficulties, students’ needs, conditions and method to be improved