Civil And Moral

Education (section B of the HND)

Contents
Course outline..............................................................................................................................................1
General Introduction....................................................................................................................................2
Chapter 1: Definition of basic concept.........................................................................................................2
Concepts of freedom and liberty..............................................................................................................2
The concept of public and collective property.........................................................................................3
Citizen and citizenship..............................................................................................................................3
Nationality................................................................................................................................................3
How is nationality Acquired in Cameroon............................................................................................3
Child Adoption..........................................................................................................................................4
The Notion of civic responsibility.............................................................................................................4
Cameron’s national symbols....................................................................................................................4
Descriptions of the Cameroon flag.......................................................................................................4
The national anthem............................................................................................................................5
Chapter 2: The reality of good governance and the importance of civic education.....................................5
The characteristics of good governance...................................................................................................5
Trajectories of bad governance in Cameroon (poor governance in Cameroon).......................................6
The importance of civic education in schools...........................................................................................6
Chapter 3: The government, local government and civic society.................................................................7

Course outline

Introduction
Chapter 4: Ethics and laws.
Chapter 5: Man and his environment.
Chapter 6: The concept of human right.

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General Introduction
The exploration of civic education invariably with the exploration of democracy and the related
of related terms of citizenship and civil society. Those engaged in civic education have the
version of empowered citizens voluntary organizing themselves for self-reliance and political
impact in the society where representative and participatory democracy produces peace,
prosperity and personal liberation.

A truly democratic society relies on its citizens to be informed and already to act. What is the
government of the people, by the people and for the people. Requires that they receive proper
instruction in civic, civic education therefore should be instructed in every school.

As a field of intellectually inquiry, moral philosophy is also related to the field of descriptive
ethics and value theory. Ethics is system of moral principle that explains how people make
decision or their ways. It is concerning the good of the individual and the society.

Chapter 1: Definition of basic concept.

The state and the nation
The state can be defined as an organized community of people living in a given geographical
entry and having a central government and sovereignty. It is geographically determined with
very clear frontier borders that have international recognition. It must have a central
government whose authority covers the entire territory. The people living within the the
geographical entry must share much in common notably common language, constitution, a
police force for law maintenance and an army for defense, currency.

The nation
Nation can be defined as a large community of people living together as members of a particular
community or country this people are answerable to government and the same culture.
Members are a particular nation either live in the state or are part of the diaposal.

Democracy
The word democracy comes from a Greek word “demos” meaning people and Kratos meaning
power. It is a way of governing which depends on the will of the people. Abraham Lincoln said “It
is the government of the people from the people”. It is different from autocracy and oligarchy.
Democracy at least in theory is the government on behalf of all the people according to their
will. The idea of democracy derived it moral strength and moral terms from individual autonomy
and authority.

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Concepts of freedom and liberty
Freedom generally is the ability to act or change without constraints. Something is free it can
change easily without constraint to current stage. A person has the freedom to do things be
prevented by other forces, outside of the human realm freedom generally doesn’t change this
political dimension. In political freedom discourse political freedom is often associated with
liberty or autonomy in the sense of given oneself with the civic liberty to exercise them without
interfere by the state. The terms “freedom” and “liberty” tend to be used as the something in
political discussion. However, some differences between the two has been noted. Example John
Stuart Mill says “freedom is primarily if not exclusively the ability to what one wants. where
liberty concern the absent of arbitrary restraints and take into account the right of all involved
so the exercise of capability and limited by the rights of others.

The concept of public and collective property

Public property is property dedicated to public use and is a subset of state property. The is used
either to describe what is used for or describe the character of its ownership (owned collectively
by the population of the state. It’s in contrast to private property owned by private individuals or
companies.

Citizen and citizenship

A citizen is a person who has legal right and privilege of belonging to a country. They have the
obligation to obey and perform duties as required by their country ‘s government in return for
protection from the state. Citizenship is gotten through or naturalization.

Citizenship is the status of a person recognized by a state as one of its members. Each state
decides the citizenship of a person and how it can be redrawn.

If one has Cameron’s citizenship, they have the right to live, work and pay taxes to the state.
Normally the basic right normally from the citizenship. The right to a passport and ID card, work
there or leave or return when they want. Some countries accept multi citizenships while other
don’t. One with no citizen is said to be stateless while one who lives on state borders and whose
territorial status isn’t certain is a border-lander.

Nationality
It is often as a synonym of citizenship in English though the term is only in international law. It
denotes where an individual is born or hold citizenship. It is inherited from one’s parents which

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called a natural phenomenon. Article 15 of the international declaration of human says
“Everyone has the right to a nationality.” Nobody should be denied one nor strip of theirs.

How is nationality Acquired in Cameroon

It is not accessible to children as the law of 1968 on Cameroon nationality clearly states
Cameroon nationality may not be conferred son a person less than 21 years. A child can a
Cameroonian citizenship but can’t apply to citizenship except in limited circumstances. They can
access citizen by;

 By descent: Legitimate and illegitimate kids through their Cameroonian parent.

 By birth: Kids with unknown parents and newly babies will be presumed prima facia. One
can renounce it six months before majority.
 By Declaration: Any person born in Cameroon by foreign parents may be claim
Cameroonian nationality within six months before majority in the manner provided by
the law. Provide on such date he had his domicile has being in Cameroon for at least five
years.

Child Adoption
It’s a legal procedure in which the parental responsibility is transferred from the biological
parents to the adopters. An adoption order is made in respects to the child. It confesses all rights
above the child to the adoptive parents.

An applicant for adoption must be 40 years old or be married for more than 10 years or have
fertility issues backed by medical evidences. A single parent can also adopt.

A family law solicitor ensures the adoption process goes according to Section 41 and 42 of the
civil status registration Ordinance of 1981 and Section 42 sub 2 of the Adoption children Act of
2002.

Conditions and types of adoption

In Cameroon, adoption is governed by the Civil Code, which outlines specific

conditions and recognizes different types of adoption.

Conditions for Adoption:

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  Age Requirements: An individual must be over 40 years old to adopt.
However, a married couple can jointly adopt if one spouse is at least 35 years
old, they have been married for over 10 years, and have no biological children
together.
 Childlessness: Prospective adoptive parents should not have any legitimate
children or descendants at the time of adoption.
 Age Difference: There must be at least a 15-year age gap between the adopter
and the adoptee. This requirement is reduced to a 10-year difference if the
adoptee is the child of the adopter's spouse. Further reductions can be granted
by special permission from the President of the Republic.
 Consent: If the adoptee is a minor with living parents, both parents must
consent to the adoption. In cases where one parent is deceased or unable to
express consent, the other parent's consent suffices. For divorced or separated
parents, the consent of the custodial parent is required.

Types of Adoption:

1. Simple Adoption (Adoption Simple): This form of adoption is recognized in

Francophone regions of Cameroon. It allows the adoptee to maintain legal ties
with their biological family while establishing a relationship with the adoptive
family. Simple adoption is revocable, and the adoptee retains inheritance rights
from both families.
2. Full Adoption (Adoption Plénière or Légitimation
Adoptive): Predominantly practiced in Francophone Cameroon, full adoption
completely severs the legal relationship between the adoptee and their
biological family, establishing a new, irrevocable bond with the adoptive
family. This type of adoption is typically reserved for children under five years
old who have been abandoned, or whose parents are unknown or deceased.

It's important to note that adoption procedures in Cameroon are judicial processes,
requiring court judgments to become effective. The Ministry of Social Affairs is
involved, especially in cases involving foreign adopters or children under five, to
conduct social inquiries and ensure the welfare of the child.

Given the complexity of adoption laws in Cameroon, it's advisable to consult legal
professionals or relevant authorities to navigate the process effectively.

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The Notion of civic responsibility
Civic means relating to or belonging to a country or state.

Responsibility refers to the state or being responsible such as the duties or burdens.

Therefore, civic responsibility is defined as a “responsibility of a citizen”. It comprises of actions

and attitudes associated with demographic governance and social participation. Civic
responsibility includes participation in government, church, volunteers etc.

Cameron’s national symbols

National symbols on what makes Cameroonians different from other nationals. These symbols
brandish frequently on official occasions like the national day, they awaken a sense of belonging
and the pride of being a Cameroonian. They include;

 The national anthem

 The coat of arm
 international telephone dial code.

A look at the national flag and the national flag explains why Cameroonian are different.

Descriptions of the Cameroon flag

It is the most important symbol because it represents the country everywhere.

The national flag is define 18th January 1996 which states “ The Cameroon flag must three equal
size of green, red and yellow charge with a yellow star in the middle. The national flag is a piece
of material that symbolize a country.

The green represents Southern vegetation

Red stands for unity, independent and national sovereign

Yellow stands for the Sunshine of the Sahel, happiness and prosperity.

The national anthem

The Cameroon national anthem is a patriotic music usually in the form of a song or hymn. That
evokes and energize the nation or its people. It can officially recognize as a national song by a
country’s constitution. Just the first “O Cameroon thou cradle of our fathers.” Tells us or a
people who are resolved to reserve a fatherland handed over the founding fathers. The anthem
is a symbol of the dreams and aspiration.

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Chapter 2: The reality of good governance and
the importance of civic education

Good governance.

It’s not about “making good decision” but about the possible process for arriving at a consensus
solution. Good decision-making process and good governance has some shared characteristics.
All have positive eff

The characteristics of good governance

 Accountability; It is the fundamental requirements of good governance. Local
government the obligation to report, explain and be answerable on behave on the
community it represents.
 Transparence; For governance to be good must be transparent. People must be able to
follow and understand the decision-making process. What information advice and
consultation council require.
 The rule of law; The rule of law. It means that decisions are concide and w
 Equality; Good governance in all its ramifications should be equable and inclusive. A
community well-being resulted from that. That means that all groups should have
opportunity to take part in decisions. In light of distributing state resources.

Trajectories of bad governance in Cameroon (poor

governance in Cameroon)
 Corruption: It led to injustice and unequally widening the gap between the rich and the
poor in the country. The is a high level of corruption in the custom department, police,
army. It often said with money all things are possible. Those in import ad export defraud
the state of a lot money with custom officials who collect money and make wrong
declaration or none. Corruption is present in pubic employment and services. The
doctrine of “godfatherism”.
 Poor management: The country became poor and underdeveloped because of poor
management. Cameroon had exported oil with so many oil reserves around the Bakasi
peninsula but the revenues for these resources was included in the national budget. It
was no new because it was made known to the protect. It was only recently that the IMF
and the world bank in their initiation of government transparency program forced the
government to include it in the national budget.

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  Gross imbalance in the distribution of resources is one of the poor government
mechanisms that increase poverty rate in the country and had put pressure of the
government.
 Embezzlement and misappropriation: It’s due of lack of transparency.
Good governance in Cameroon is more theorical than practice. Effort to establish good
governance is frustrated at the state department level.

The importance of civic education in schools

A truly democratic society must have its citizens to informed and ready to act. Preparing people
of people to be knowledgeable requires that get educated in civic for the following important
reasons.

i. Fundamentals of the government: It teaches people the basics of how the government
works how they must work together.
ii. Ownership as citizens: it teaches student that they become adults they can lawfully lay
claim to the government they learn it the voice of the citizenry not that of obscure
politicians. The people have power to vote politicians out of office they need changes.
iii. Proactivity and knowledgeable voting: Students who really receive proper civic education
that voting is an important right of important citizens and it’s through voting that people
can make sure that their voices are heard.
iv. Government limitation: The state has limitation and the people has constitutional rights
that cannot be taken away as freedom of speech, freedom of religion, freedom from
unreasonable seizure.

Chapter 3: The government, local government

and civic society.

Cameroon is bicameral republic with two levels of government. The main law controlling local
governments are law number

Local authorities are founded by a presidential degree the president has the power to create
merge and change the boundaries of the local government by a presidential decree. We have
regions, divisions and subdivisions.

The constitution of 1972 emphasis its unitary nature attempting to unify its Anglophone and
francophone part and than 100 ethnic cities.

Types of local government; There are three main types.

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Local councils’ finances

In Cameroon, local councils, also known as municipalities, derive their financial

resources from both internal and external sources to fund their operations and
development projects.

Internal Revenue Sources:

1. Local Taxes: Councils collect various taxes within their jurisdiction, including
property taxes, licenses, and other local levies.
2. Fees, Fines, and Penalties: Revenue is generated from administrative fees,
fines imposed for violations, and penalties for non-compliance with local
regulations.
3. Service Charges: Income is obtained from services provided by the council,
such as water supply, waste management, and market facilities.
4. Patents and Business Licenses: Councils issue licenses to businesses operating
within their area, contributing to their revenue base.
5. Gifts and Donations: Occasionally, councils receive financial or material
support from individuals, organizations, or philanthropic entities.

External Revenue Sources:

1. State Transfers: The central government allocates funds to councils to support

local development initiatives and service delivery.
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 2. Special Funds: Institutions like the Special Council Support Fund for Mutual
Assistance (FEICOM) provide financial assistance to municipalities for
investment projects.
3. Development Programs: Programs such as the National Participatory
Development Programme (PNDP) offer funding and technical support for local
development.
4. Public Investment Budget (BIP): This is a government mechanism through
which funds are allocated for public investment projects at the local level.

Expenditures:

Local council expenditures in Cameroon are directed towards various sectors to

promote community development and service delivery. Key areas of spending include:

1. Infrastructure Development: Building and maintaining roads, bridges, and

public buildings.
2. Education: Supporting primary and secondary education through the
construction of schools and provision of learning materials.
3. Healthcare: Establishing and equipping health centers to provide medical
services to the community.
4. Water and Sanitation: Implementing projects to supply clean water and
improve sanitation facilities.
5. Agriculture: Providing support to local farmers through training, equipment,
and agricultural inputs.
6. Administrative Costs: Covering salaries of council staff and other operational
expenses.

Challenges:

Despite the various sources of revenue, local councils face challenges in effectively
mobilizing and utilizing these funds. A study focusing on councils in the Fako
Division highlighted difficulties such as limited access to certain revenue sources and
challenges in exploiting available financial opportunities.

Additionally, the efficiency of resource utilization varies among municipalities.

Research assessing the technical efficiency of investment resources allocated to
municipalities indicated disparities in how effectively these funds are used, suggesting
a need for improved financial management practices at the local level.

Efforts to enhance budget transparency have been initiated, including the piloting of a
local budget transparency index in two of Cameroon's ten regions. This initiative aims
to improve accountability and the efficient use of resources within local councils.

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In summary, while Cameroon's local councils have access to multiple financial
resources and allocate expenditures across various essential sectors, challenges in
revenue mobilization and efficient fund utilization persist, necessitating ongoing
reforms and capacity-building initiatives.

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