Civic education is one of the compulsory subjects in
which students learn the basic level, medium to the college. These subjects are
aligned with religious education lessons oriented behavior and character of man
as God's creatures. Government efforts to inculcate nationalism and national
vision outlined in the concept of objective thinking in civic education.
Destination country and the laws of sovereignty also be an important theme
being studied. The role of civic education to be one way to enhance the spirit
of nationalism in the midst of adversity for love of the homeland. Moral and
moral crisis among the nation more widespread, corrupt and dishonest behavior
be conducted daily attitude. For that this lesson will continue to be given to
the children of the nation in order to understand the state, the nation, and
its own history and not the important thing is that civic education is an
effort to cultivate back character of the nation. National character that has
been eroded by the entry of the cultural assimilation of external and national
character that has faded because of the crisis due to the moral and character
education are narrow and as a result of the loss of the identity of the nation.
Here the role of civic education on the formation of
national character:
1. Education citizenship as an effort to improve the spirit of nationalism
In an effort to instill a spirit of nationalism within civic education
provides a thorough input. Nationalism is the love of the homeland as outlined
in shape attitudes and actions. In the midst of modern life is the nationalism
of the nation has begun to fade as a result of the association and
pattern-paced life of modern society respectively.
Nationalism could be lost in a person if the strengthening of the
national character through citizenship education is not provided. Nationalism
is the basis for the primary to be held by the nation's children. On the basis
of nationalism, the people of a country or nation can build the country's
sovereignty and the country's progress with ease. The spirit of nationalism can
arise from internal and external impetus. Internal impetus arising from the
experiences gained with regard to the national question, for example: someone
will arise love for his homeland when his country insulted or abused the spirit
of nationalism will arise and overflowing. While the external drive can be done
by forming nationalism through military activities, seminars nationality,
country comparative studies, and look at the history of his country.
External drive is the implementation of citizenship education as a form
or an attempt to boost the spirit of nationalism. This material becomes
mandatory given early to the children of the nation as a preventative and
filter from loss of a sense of nationalism as a result of assimilation and
narrow knowledge about their own country. If the sense of nationalism in a
person already growing, growing and stable then the nation's character is
formed and progress in all things can be achieved.
2. Citizenship education as planting container moral and good manners
Morale is one of the important things that should be
owned by everyone, if the man has no moral then automatically he did not have
the attitude, ethics, morals and good character. Morale is very closely related
to the emotional and spiritual intelligence, moral determining whether to
accept a person in every people, both in the family, community, country and the
outside world. Moral based on the character and personality of each individual
human being.
The role of civic education as the cultivation of morality in human
beings can not be separated from the cultural, social and religious. The norms
that apply can be signposts for nations to behave so as not to act arbitrarily.
Civic education give a touch gently with an overview and limits to humans, a
reference to violation of norms not only be sanctioned by law or regulation but
also sanctions in psychology so that give a clear picture of the basic
conscience before man committing violations of norms resulting in unscrupulous
labeling. Virtue is one of the characteristics of the nation of character and
integrity compete amid strong in the era of globalization.
3. Citizenship education as political education early
Political education also we can get through the material taught civic
education at primary school level, secondary and higher education. Materials
democracy we can get and we can apply through the organization in a small
scope. Not only that, the political culture of polite also we can learn from
the histories of political figures earlier. Political material presented in the
thesis and anti-thesis that the ability to analyze and think we are growing.
Fundamentals of political given that can be embedded in attitude, not to
the people or the nation antipathy or hatred towards politics both tactically
and practically. Citizenship education as political education efforts through
the basic theories of political drawn from the concept of a democratic
political system. Understanding the whole concept of democracy is an important
thing to be learned, from the concept of democracy in the hierarchy to the
principles of direct, general, free and secret. If political education has been
taught manners from an early age politics is no longer expected to be a foreign
word or taboo for discussion. Negative impression is still enveloped in a
political word, and it requires socializing and break long enough to change the
perspective of the people to politics.
If someone is already aware of the politics, the political awareness can
be done by following the local elections or president without any coercion or
even paid as long as this occurs. Communities will participate to vote in the
interest of the nation and to progress together. And again this is a form of
national character that must be raised and shaped to be advanced state of
political power, because political stability can affect other aspects of the
state, such as the economy, security, food and development of a country.
4. Citizenship education as learning effort against history
A wise man said, "do not ever forget history", the sentence is
short but has a meaning and a deep understanding. One is the role of civic
education in terms of teaching history, this is a nation that experience is
priceless. Through history we can learn the events that have occurred, and if
such events have a negative effect, the important lesson we can take is to
avoid such events happening again. There is a common thread of history teaching
in civic education with the political lesson is that history is displayed is
related to the political history of the founders of the nation.
History is an important event that should be studied in order to avoid
bad events and events that recur either as part of the development of human
civilization. Characterless nation is a nation that does not forget its own
history as a past that never happened. And history be important in the process
of human civilization towards a more civilized nation.
That's four role of civic education as a form of
development towards the national character of the civilized and developed in
accordance with the times. Citizenship education as a vessel to bring the
country towards a noble character to be the only effort that must be done. For
any developed country in the absence of the characteristics that it will be
destroyed and uncivilized, because the history of human civilization starts
from a noble character who is able to bring civilization to become more
civilized.
