UK Plans Democracy Lessons from Age 11 to Prepare Young Voters

UK Plans Democracy Lessons from Age 11 to Prepare Young Voters
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The UK government is set to introduce mandatory democracy education for children starting at age 11 to better prepare them for voting at 16, The Guardian reported. Vijay Rangarajan, chief executive of the Electoral Commission, emphasized the need for impartial teaching materials and urged teachers to leave their personal political views out of the classroom.

The Electoral Commission is developing resources aimed initially at those aged 14 and over but plans to extend lessons to younger pupils. This move follows concerns that current citizenship education does not sufficiently prepare teenagers to vote, with surveys showing many 16- and 17-year-olds feel uninformed about the electoral process.

Rangarajan highlighted lessons learned from Scotland’s experience with 16-year-old voters, noting inconsistent school engagement and the need for better teacher support. The Commission also plans to help young people critically assess online information to combat misinformation.

In addition, Rangarajan called for restoring the Electoral Commission’s independence after recent government oversight changes and stressed the importance of tackling abuse and harassment, especially targeting female and minority candidates. The government’s election reform package includes measures to tighten political funding rules and enhance protections for candidates.