SECTION 3: ORGANS OF GOVERNMENT

STRAND: CONSTITUTION, INSTITUTIONS AND ADMINISTRATION

Sub-Strand: Constitution and Organs of Government
Learning Outcome:
  • Examine the functions of the organs of government.
Content Standard:
  • Demonstrate knowledge, understanding and appreciation of the organs of government.
INTRODUCTION AND SECTION SUMMARY
  • This section builds on discussions from Weeks 8-12 of Year One, emphasizing that effective state functioning relies on established rules and institutions.
  • Focus specifically on the organs of government.
  • The three branches of government perform distinct and essential roles:
    • Executive: Responsible for implementing policies, rules, and laws.
    • Legislature: Responsible for making laws.
    • Judiciary: Responsible for interpreting laws and rules.
  • Functions are defined within the constitution or legal document of the state.
  • This section relates to History and Social Studies.
Themes Covered:
  • Week 8: The Executive organ of government
  • Week 9: The Legislative organ of government
  • Week 10: The Judicial organ of government

SUMMARY OF PEDAGOGICAL EXEMPLARS

Pedagogical Strategies
  • Focus on effective teaching and learning examples incorporating:
    • 21st-century skills
    • Gender equality and Social inclusion (GESI)
    • Core national values
  • Aim to develop skills in analysis, evaluation, and creativity based on learner experiences.
Exemplars Include:
  • Collaborative Learning
  • Experiential Learning
  • Talk for Learning
  • Group Work

ASSESSMENT SUMMARY

Purpose of Assessment
  • Designed for both formative (ongoing) and summative (final) evaluation.
Strategies Include:
  • Oral Presentations
  • Class Exercises
  • Quizzes
  • Homework Assignments
  • Project Work
  • End-of-term Assessment
Alignment
  • Assessment tools align with learning content standards and learning outcomes.
  • Considerations include scalability and Depth of Knowledge (DoK), ranging from Level 1 to Level 4.
  • Teachers should refer to the Teacher Assessment Manual and Toolkit for guidance on effective assessment design and usage.

WEEK 8

Learning Indicator:
  • Examine the functions of the executive organ of government.

FOCAL AREA 1: FUNCTIONS OF THE EXECUTIVE ORGAN OF GOVERNMENT

Overview
  • The Executive is a critical organ of government, often referred to as the Government itself.
  • Responsible for:
    • Formulating policies
    • Implementing rules and decisions
  • Includes:
    • Civil service
    • Statutory organizations (e.g., boards, corporations established through legislation)
    • Security services (e.g., military, immigration, police)
Functions of the Executive
  1. Preparation of budget and economic policy (including taxation)
  2. Defence of territorial borders of the state
  3. Conduct of foreign and diplomatic relations
  4. Appointment of government officials (e.g., ministers, judges)
  5. Signing of treaties and bills into law
  6. Creating conditions for wealth accumulation (e.g., job creation)

LEARNING TASKS

  • Examine the functions of the executive organ of government.

PEDAGOGICAL EXEMPLARS

Collaborative Learning
  1. Consolidation of Learning
    • The teacher poses targeted questions to reinforce understanding of the executive organ, prompting learners to articulate meanings and identify members of the executive branch
  2. Visual Aids
    • Display five images that represent various executive functions within the classroom
  3. Gallery Walk
    • Students walk around to observe images and select one to form groups
  4. Group Formation
    • Learners stand by their chosen image and form discussion groups
  5. Support for Special Needs
    • Teacher offers extra support for learners with special needs, ensuring inclusiveness
  6. Collaborative Chart Work
    • Each group records their thoughts or keywords on chart paper based on their images
  7. Class Discussion
    • Teacher leads a discussion on executive functions, assigning responsibilities to students for noting contributions, discussing topics such as maintenance of law and order, and public service provision, pinpointing responsible individuals within the executive
  8. Field Trip
    • Learners may visit a local government agency (e.g., District Assembly) to engage with officials, leading to journal reflections on their experiences.
    • Groups present findings leading to a class discussion summarizing key executive functions.

ASSESSMENT TASKS

  1. State main functions of the executive
  2. Explain how the functions of the executive branch are executed
  3. Analyze the significance of the executive's role in the life of Ghana
  4. Determine at least four functions of the executive organ of government