Page 57 - Šolsko polje, XXX, 2019, št. 5-6: Civic, citizenship and rhetorical education in a rapidly changing world, eds. Janja Žmavc and Plamen Mirazchiyski
P. 57
m. banjac ■ knowledge on political participation among basic school pupils
So, what do the results within this cluster show? One of the key find-
ings is that pupils are considerably knowledgeable on facts with regard to
democratic processes that lead to the independence of the Republic of Slo-
venia. Namely, 63 percent of pupils were able to identify an independence
referendum as a concrete mechanism that allowed the citizens to decide
on the independence of the country (Q3). Although the percentage of pu-
pils with the correct answer is quite high, one would still expect that this
percentage would be higher still, not least because this theme is very much
cross-curricular and is as such present also within other school subjects.
Perhaps more surprising is the result of the second question (Q4) in
this cluster. Almost three quarters of the pupils who sat the test knew how
a group of citizens can form a political party. While pupils showed knowl-
edge on the procedure of formally establishing a political party, they did
much worse in explaining the requirements for a political party to enter
the National Assembly (Q5). Only 37 percent of pupils wrote the correct
answer. It must be stressed that this task was quite complex since it de-
manded an answer composed of two interconnected parts (clearly indi-
cate that party will not enter the National Assembly and explain the rea-
son why not). Whilst a low percentage of the correct answer does indicate
that pupils do not have enough knowledge on the key rules of national
elections in Slovenia, on the other hand, the low percentage could also be
a result, at least in part, of the superficiality of reading the task instruc-
tions. Because of this, many answers contained just one part of the an-
swer, but not the other.
Another surprising result was also with regard to pupils’ knowledge
about political participation at a local level in Slovenia (Q6). Namely, only
34 percent of pupils were able to correctly name one of the options of how
individuals can exercise their right to participate in local authority issues.
The curriculum of the subject clearly contains topics related to the func-
tioning of local government and democratic participation opportunities
at the local level. Clearly, pupils here have shown a lack of political litera-
cy with regard to democratic participation at local level.
The third cluster we focused on in this analysis concentrates on the
theme of non-conventional means of democratic participation. While con-
ventional forms of political participation are practically indispensable in
democratic societies, there are a number of other possibilities how citi-
zens can contribute meaningfully and substantially to the society in which
they live. It seems rather obsolete to repeat how current societies experi-
ence widespread young people’s distrust in voting and other convention-
al democratic options. However, it is increasingly apparent also through re-
55
So, what do the results within this cluster show? One of the key find-
ings is that pupils are considerably knowledgeable on facts with regard to
democratic processes that lead to the independence of the Republic of Slo-
venia. Namely, 63 percent of pupils were able to identify an independence
referendum as a concrete mechanism that allowed the citizens to decide
on the independence of the country (Q3). Although the percentage of pu-
pils with the correct answer is quite high, one would still expect that this
percentage would be higher still, not least because this theme is very much
cross-curricular and is as such present also within other school subjects.
Perhaps more surprising is the result of the second question (Q4) in
this cluster. Almost three quarters of the pupils who sat the test knew how
a group of citizens can form a political party. While pupils showed knowl-
edge on the procedure of formally establishing a political party, they did
much worse in explaining the requirements for a political party to enter
the National Assembly (Q5). Only 37 percent of pupils wrote the correct
answer. It must be stressed that this task was quite complex since it de-
manded an answer composed of two interconnected parts (clearly indi-
cate that party will not enter the National Assembly and explain the rea-
son why not). Whilst a low percentage of the correct answer does indicate
that pupils do not have enough knowledge on the key rules of national
elections in Slovenia, on the other hand, the low percentage could also be
a result, at least in part, of the superficiality of reading the task instruc-
tions. Because of this, many answers contained just one part of the an-
swer, but not the other.
Another surprising result was also with regard to pupils’ knowledge
about political participation at a local level in Slovenia (Q6). Namely, only
34 percent of pupils were able to correctly name one of the options of how
individuals can exercise their right to participate in local authority issues.
The curriculum of the subject clearly contains topics related to the func-
tioning of local government and democratic participation opportunities
at the local level. Clearly, pupils here have shown a lack of political litera-
cy with regard to democratic participation at local level.
The third cluster we focused on in this analysis concentrates on the
theme of non-conventional means of democratic participation. While con-
ventional forms of political participation are practically indispensable in
democratic societies, there are a number of other possibilities how citi-
zens can contribute meaningfully and substantially to the society in which
they live. It seems rather obsolete to repeat how current societies experi-
ence widespread young people’s distrust in voting and other convention-
al democratic options. However, it is increasingly apparent also through re-
55
