Preface by the then Minister for Education and Young People to the Education for Citizenship framework paper
Educating young people in ways that prepare them for living effectively and responsibly as members of local, national and global communities is vital to the well-being of humanity, now and in the future. I am, therefore, delighted to introduce this important paper from the Advisory Council of Learning and Teaching Scotland.
I welcome the broad view of education for citizenship expressed in the paper and I agree that the overall goal of education for citizenship in Scotland should be to develop children and young people's capability for thoughtful and responsible participation in political, economic, social and cultural life.
I am pleased to endorse the content of the paper as the basis for a national framework for education for citizenship from 3 to 18, and to commend it for adoption and use in ways appropriate to local needs and circumstances. The perspectives and principles set out in this paper will, I believe, provide a framework for use by schools and early education establishments, local authorities, HMIE and others to evaluate the extent and quality of provision for education for citizenship. As such, it links closely with the implementation of the National Priorities as part of the School Improvement Framework and with other key national developments in education.
The overall goal of education for citizenship in Scotland should be to develop children and young people's capability for thoughtful and responsible participation in political, economic, social and cultural life.
As well as providing a much needed framework to assist with ongoing developments in the short to medium term, 'Education for Citizenship in Scotland' is being published at a time when it should be able to contribute significantly to the National Debate on the longer term future of school education.
This paper will of course be of relevance to education professionals, but I believe it contains important messages for a much wider audience. 'Education for Citizenship in Scotland' will be of interest also to parents and carers; those working in a range of local and national government departments; the voluntary and charitable sector; in community and learning development and not least for young people themselves.
Minister for Education and Young People