Social Injustice: Meaning, Examples, Causes and Effects of Social Injustice and How to Prevent Social Injustice | Primary 5 (Basic 5) Third Term Week 5 Civic Education

SOCIAL INJUSTICE: CONCEPT AND MEANING OF SOCIAL INJUSTICE 

CIVIC EDUCATION

PRIMARY 5 – THIRD TERM – WEEK 5

THEME – NATIONAL VALUES EDUCATION 

PREVIOUS LESSON – Values That Promote Peace: Values That Promote Peace, Identification and Discussion of Peace-Promoting Values | Primary 5 (Basic 5) Third Term Week 4 Civic Education

TOPIC – SOCIAL INJUSTICE

LEARNING AREA 

1. Introduction

2. Meaning and Examples of Social Injustice

3. Causes and Effects of Social Injustice

4. How to Prevent Social Injustice

5. Weekly Assessment: Test Questions and Answers/Assignment

6. Summary

LEARNING OBJECTIVES 

By the end of the lesson, pupils should be able to:

1. Explain the meaning of social injustice.

2. Identify examples of social injustice.

3. Mention some causes of social injustice.

4. State some effects of social injustice.

5. Mention ways of preventing social injustice.

ENTRY BEHAVIOUR

Pupils have previously learned about security, safety, human rights, and the need to treat people fairly.

This lesson builds on that knowledge by teaching pupils about social injustice and how unfair treatment can affect people and society.

INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS

The teacher will teach the lesson with the aid of:

1. Pictures showing fair and unfair treatment

2. Charts on social injustice

3. Flashcards

4. Posters

METHOD OF TEACHING

Choose a suitable and appropriate methods for the lessons.

Note – Irrespective of choosing methods of teaching, always introduce an activities that will arouse pupil’s interest or lead them to the lessons. 

REFERENCE MATERIALS

1. Scheme of Work

2. 9 – Years Basic Education Curriculum

3. Course Book

4. All Relevant Material

5. Online Information

CONTENT OF THE LESSON

INTRODUCTION

People should be treated fairly and with respect. However, sometimes people are treated unfairly or denied opportunities because of who they are or where they come from.

For example, refusing to allow someone to take part in an activity because of their background is unfair treatment. This type of unfair treatment is called social injustice.

In this lesson, pupils will learn about the concept and meaning of social injustice and why people should be treated fairly.

MEANING OF SOCIAL INJUSTICE

Social injustice means treating people unfairly or denying them their rights and opportunities because of who they are or where they come from.

It happens when some people are treated better than others without a fair reason.

EXAMPLES OF SOCIAL INJUSTICE

• Refusing to allow someone to join an activity because of their background.

• Treating boys and girls unfairly.

• Denying someone a fair opportunity because of their disability.

• Giving special treatment to someone because they are a friend or relative.

• Preventing a person from receiving a service they have a right to receive.

• Treating people unfairly because of their religion or ethnic background.

CAUSES OF SOCIAL INJUSTICE

Social injustice may be caused by:

1. Discrimination – treating people unfairly because of their differences.

2. Corruption – using power or resources unfairly for personal benefit.

3. Favouritism – giving unfair advantages to friends or relatives.

4. Prejudice – having an unfair opinion about a person or group.

5. Abuse of power – using authority to oppress others.

6. Lack of respect for human rights – denying people their basic rights.

EFFECTS OF SOCIAL INJUSTICE

Social injustice can lead to:

• Conflict and disagreement.

• Anger and hatred.

• Discrimination.

• Lack of peace.

• Poverty and exclusion.

• Loss of trust.

• Insecurity in the community.

HOW TO PREVENT SOCIAL INJUSTICE

We can help prevent social injustice by:

1. Treating everyone fairly.

2. Respecting people’s rights.

3. Avoiding discrimination.

4. Obeying the law.

5. Speaking up against unfair treatment.

6. Respecting people’s differences.

7. Promoting equality and justice.

ON A FINAL NOTE

• Social injustice is unfair treatment of people or denial of their rights and opportunities.

• Everyone should be treated fairly and with respect so that there can be peace, equality, and security in society.

WEEKLY ASSESSMENT: TEST QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS/ASSIGNMENT 

A. Multiple Choice Questions

1. Social injustice means ______.

A. treating people unfairly

B. treating everyone fairly

C. helping people

D. respecting people’s rights

2. Which of the following is an example of social injustice?

A. Helping a person in need

B. Treating people equally

C. Denying someone an opportunity unfairly

D. Respecting everyone’s rights

3. Giving unfair advantages to friends or relatives is called ______.

A. cooperation

B. honesty

C. tolerance

D. favouritism

4. Which of the following can be an effect of social injustice?

A. Peace

B. Unity

C. Conflict

D. Cooperation

5. Which action can help prevent social injustice?

A. Discriminating against others

B. Treating everyone fairly

C. Denying people’s rights

D. Supporting unfair treatment

B. Fill in the Gaps

Options – fairly, favouritism, discrimination, justice, rights

6. Everyone should be treated ______.

7. ______ means treating people unfairly because of their differences.

8. Social injustice can deny people their basic ______.

9. Giving unfair advantages to friends is called ______.

10. Promoting ______ helps to reduce social injustice.

C. True or False

11. Social injustice means unfair treatment of people. ______

12. Everyone should be treated fairly and with respect. ______

13. Favouritism can lead to social injustice. ______

14. Social injustice always promotes peace and unity. ______

15. Respecting people’s rights can help prevent social injustice. ______

D. Matching

16. Social Injustice – A. Treating people unfairly because of differences

17. Discrimination – B. Treating people unfairly

18. Favouritism – C. Treating people fairly

19. Justice – D. Giving unfair advantage to friends or relatives

20. Equality – E. Giving people fair treatment

ANSWER KEY

1. A 2. C 3. D 3. C 5. B

6. fairly

7. discrimination

8. rights

9. favouritism

10. justice

11. True

12. True

13. True

14. False

15. True

16. B – Treating people unfairly

17. A – Treating people unfairly because of differences

18. D – Giving unfair advantage to friends or relatives

19. E – Giving people fair treatment

20. C – Treating people fairly

SUMMARY

In this lesson, pupils learned that social injustice means treating people unfairly or denying them their rights and opportunities.

They learned that social injustice can include:

• Discrimination

• Favouritism

• Prejudice

• Corruption

• Abuse of power

• Denying people their rights

Pupils also learned that social injustice can cause conflict, anger, hatred, poverty, insecurity, and loss of trust.

They learned that social injustice can be prevented by treating everyone fairly, respecting people’s rights, avoiding discrimination, obeying the law, and speaking against unfair treatment.

PRESENTATION

To deliver the lesson, the teacher adopts the following steps:

Step 1: Introduction

The teacher asks pupils:

• How do you feel when someone treats you unfairly?

• Should everyone be treated fairly?

• What happens when some people are denied their rights?

The teacher explains that everyone deserves fair and respectful treatment. Treating people unfairly or denying them opportunities is called social injustice.

Pupils’ Activities: Pupils answer the questions and give examples of unfair treatment.

Step 2: Meaning of Social Injustice

The teacher explains that social injustice means treating people unfairly or denying them their rights and opportunities.

• Example: Refusing to allow a child to participate in an activity because of their background is social injustice.

Pupils’ Activities: Pupils explain social injustice in their own words.

Step 3: Examples of Social Injustice

The teacher explains some examples:

• Treating people unfairly because of their background.

• Treating boys and girls unfairly.

• Denying a person an opportunity because of a disability.

• Giving unfair advantages to friends or relatives.

• Denying someone a service they have a right to receive.

• Treating people unfairly because of their religion or ethnic background.

Pupils’ Activities: Pupils identify examples of social injustice.

Step 4: Causes of Social Injustice

The teacher explains that social injustice can be caused by:

• Discrimination – treating people unfairly because of their differences.

• Favouritism – giving unfair advantages to friends or relatives.

• Prejudice – having an unfair opinion about a person or group.

• Corruption – using power or resources unfairly.

• Abuse of power – using authority to oppress others.

• Lack of respect for human rights.

Pupils’ Activities: Pupils mention some causes of social injustice.

Step 5: Effects of Social Injustice

The teacher explains that social injustice can lead to:

• Conflict and disagreement.

• Anger and hatred.

• Lack of peace.

• Poverty and exclusion.

• Loss of trust.

• Insecurity in the community.

Pupils’ Activities: Pupils discuss how unfair treatment can affect people and the community.

Step 6: Ways to Prevent Social Injustice

The teacher explains that social injustice can be prevented by:

• Treating everyone fairly.

• Respecting people’s rights.

• Avoiding discrimination.

• Obeying the law.

• Speaking against unfair treatment.

• Respecting people’s differences.

• Promoting equality and justice.

Pupils’ Activities: Pupils suggest ways to promote fairness in school and at home.

Step 7: Group Activity

The teacher divides pupils into three groups.

• Group 1: Mention five examples of social injustice.

• Group 2: Mention five effects of social injustice.

• Group 3: Mention five ways of preventing social injustice.

Each group presents its answers to the class.

Pupils’ Activities: Pupils discuss, write, and present their answers.

Step 8: Lesson Summary

The teacher reviews the main points of the lesson, focusing on the meaning, examples, causes, effects, and prevention of social injustice.

Pupils’ Activities: Pupils answer oral questions and summarise what they have learned.

Step 9: Evaluation

The teacher gives pupils a different set of 20 questions as oral questions, a quiz, take-home work, or a quick test to assess their understanding.

Pupils’ Activities: Pupils answer the questions individually or in groups.

CONCLUSION

To conclude the lesson for the week, the teacher revises the entire lesson and links it to the following week’s lesson.

NEXT LESSON

Social Injustice (Continued): Examples of Social Injustice and Explanation of Examples of Social Injustice | Primary 5 (Basic 5) Third Term Week 6 Civic Education

LESSON EVALUATION 

Teacher asks pupils,

1. What is social injustice?

2. Mention four examples of social injustice.

3. Mention three causes of social injustice.

4. State four effects of social injustice.

5. Mention three ways of preventing social injustice.

6. Why should people be treated fairly?