Whereas a significant portion of Canadians lack basic civic knowledge, which negatively impacts voter participation, democratic engagement, and public discourse, contributing to issues such as social polarization and the spread of disinformation; And whereas informed and engaged citizens are essential to a functioning democracy, and stronger civics education in schools is necessary to equip students with a fundamental understanding of democracy, government, and citizenship: Therefore be it resolved that the UBCM petition the Province of British Columbia to increase funding for civics education, ensuring that teachers have access to professional development, resources, and support to deliver high-quality, experiential learning, and to prioritize civics education in the provincial school curriculum to strengthen democratic literacy among students.
Ministry of Education and Child Care Thank you for your resolution requesting the Province to increase funding for civics education to ensure teachers can access professional development and resources that will support them to deliver high-quality, experiential learning, and prioritize civics education to strengthen democratic literacy among students. BCs provincial curriculum includes content related to civics education throughout the required Kindergarten to Grade 10 Social Studies curriculum, as well as Grade 11 and Grade 12 elective courses like Law Studies 12 or Political Studies 12. Teachers have flexibility to develop learning experiences and opportunities that are based on student interests and emphasize local context. The provincial Social Studies curriculum engages students to learn key skills and knowledge about their rights and responsibilities as citizens, functions of government, and the importance in participation within a democratic society. While the Ministry of Education and Child Care is responsible for developing the learning standards of the curriculum, it is the role and responsibility of boards of education and school districts to select, review, procure, and endorse specific classroom or learning resources for use by their teachers. However, several organizations in British Columbia and Canada have developed a wide range of high quality teaching resources related to civics education. For example, CIVIX, Elections BC, the Legislative Assembly of BC, and Elections Canada have many educational resources and programs that are widely used by educators across the province. In particular, many schools participate in the popular Student Vote programs that coincide with federal or provincial elections to raise understanding of the democratic process. The Ministry of Education and Child Care shares your belief in the importance of civics education and will continue work with groups like the BC Teachers Federation and BC Social Studies Teachers Association to raise awareness and usage of these valuable civics education resources.