HUMAN RIGHTS EDUCATION AND ITS IMPACT ON STUDENTS CIVIC AWARENESS AT SECONDARY LEVEL

This study investigates human rights education and its impact on students’ civic awareness at the secondary level. It focuses on understanding how educational exposure to human rights principles contributes to the development of responsible and active citizenship among students. The objectives of the study were to examine the level of human rights education among secondary school students, to analyze its impact on students’ civic awareness, and to investigate the relationship between human rights education and civic participation. The study adopted a quantitative approach using a descriptive survey research design grounded in positivist philosophy. The population comprised approximately 320 public secondary schools and nearly 25,000 students in District Rawalpindi. A sample of 300 students was selected through stratified random sampling to ensure representation of gender and school type. A structured questionnaire based on a five-point Likert scale was used as the research tool to measure human rights education and civic awareness. The validity of the instrument was ensured through expert review, while reliability was confirmed using Cronbach’s Alpha with a coefficient value of 0.82, indicating high internal consistency. Data were analyzed using SPSS, employing descriptive statistics such as mean and standard deviation, along with inferential statistics including correlation and regression analysis. The findings of the first objective revealed that students possess a moderate level of human rights education, with stronger awareness of basic rights and comparatively lower understanding of legal provisions; therefore, it is recommended that curriculum developers incorporate more comprehensive and practical content related to legal frameworks of human rights. The study is significant as it provides empirical evidence regarding the role of human rights education in enhancing civic awareness, offering valuable insights for educators, policymakers, and researchers to improve curriculum design, teaching practices, and student engagement in civic life. Keywords : Human Rights Education, Civic Awareness, Secondary School Students, Civic Participation, Educational Impact.