[01] David Naya Zuure, Centre for African Studies. University of Education, Winneba, Ghana.

In a country that democracy and human rights have been accepted as a way of life and governance, education is considered the vehicle through which citizens are trained to acquire the needed knowledge, skills, and values so as to effectively participate. It is, more so, thought that young people who are in basic schools such as Junior High School (JHS) in Ghana should be trained in schools to have the attributes for democratic life. This study, therefore, examined how education at the JHS level in Ghana prepares students for democratic citizenship and human rights life. Employing exploratory study design, sixty four persons consisting of head teachers, Social Studies teachers and students in JHS in the Central Region were engaged in the study. Interview, focused-group discussion, and observation were employed to gather data. The study revealed that there are structural provision for education for democratic citizenship and human rights in Junior High School in Ghana, but in practical terms, education in JHS is not achieving this. This the author contends is due to a cultural orientation where children are considered immature, and incapable of participating in the affairs of society. It was therefore, recommended that teachers in JHS should be given refresher courses to enable them conduct affairs in their school in a manner that will train learners for democratic citizenship and human rights life.

Democratic, Citizenship Education, Human Rights, Participation, Junior High School

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