Democratic education to be rolled out in schools

Politics
26 Aug 2025 • 5:09 PM MYT
The Independent
The Independent

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  • The head of the UK Electoral Commission, Vijay Rangarajan, stated that children aged 11 and over will require democracy lessons to prepare them for voting at 16.
  • Teachers will be asked to leave their personal politics at the classroom door to ensure students receive an impartial understanding of the political system.
  • The Electoral Commission is developing impartial educational materials and guidance for teachers, learning from the patchy democratic education provided before the Scottish independence referendum.
  • The next general election will allow 16-year-olds to vote for the first time, alongside proposals for automated voter registration and accepting bank cards as ID at polling stations.
  • While Labour supports lowering the voting age, some Conservative MPs have questioned the consistency of allowing 16-year-olds to vote but not to engage in other adult activities.

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