The Electoral
Commission is once again partnering with the Department of Basic Education
(DBE) to host the 5th annual Schools Democracy Week programme to
educate young people about electoral democracy.
The programme
will roll out in selected public schools throughout South Africa from 24 to 28
April 2017 in the week when South Africa celebrates Freedom Day and 23 years of
democracy.
The first Schools Democracy Week was
initiated in 2013 following the signing of a Memorandum of Agreement between
the Electoral Commission and the DBE in order to address the challenges of
increasing youth participation in electoral democracy.
The collaboration between the Electoral
Commission and the DBE is also intended to support the drive to increase youth
registration as well as to educate youth, in particular first-time voters on
voter registration and voting. The long-term objective is to entrench active
participation as a fundamental civic responsibility, and to institutionalise
and infuse electoral democracy content into the formal school curriculum at all
levels.
Staff from the
Electoral Commission in nine provinces will visit participating schools and
lead activities which will include debates, presentations, mock elections, role
plays, voter registration, interactive sessions, lectures and formal lessons.
Over 2000 schools will participate in this Schools Democracy Week.
Please
find below the contact details for the Electoral Commission’s communication
officials in provinces. They will be able to provide information on activities
in their province.
ISSUED BY THE ELECTORAL COMMISSION
Ensuring free and fair elections
Centurion
21 April 2017
For
media queries: Please contact Kate Bapela on 082 600 6386
For media
interviews: Please email requests to [email protected]
Also find the IEC
on -
You can find the Department of Basic Education (DBE)
on:
Website: www.education.gov.za
Facebook: Facebook: DBE SA
Twitter: Twitter: DBE_SA