PSLCE Social & Religious Studies cheat sheet

A community is a group of people living in the same area and sharing services, rules and interests; members depend on one another for schools, clinics, water and security.

Primary groups (family, close friends) involve face-to-face, long-term relationships; secondary groups (a market association, a school class) are larger, more formal and goal-focused.

Social institutions in a Malawian community include the family, school, church or mosque, health centre, market, and local court; each performs a distinct function.

Roles are the expected behaviours attached to a position (mother, teacher, village headman); role conflict occurs when two roles demand incompatible actions at the same time.

Socialisation is the process by which a person learns the norms, values and skills of the community; it begins in the family and continues through school, peers and religious bodies.

Norms are shared expectations of behaviour; mores are strongly held norms whose violation brings serious disapproval, while folkways are minor customs such as greetings.

Conflict resolution in the community commonly uses dialogue, mediation by elders or the village headman, and finally referral to formal courts; reconciliation restores relationships, not only punishment.

Voluntary community work (communal labour such as moulding bricks for a school or cleaning a borehole surround) is a recognised duty of membership and reduces dependence on external aid.

Culture has material elements (houses, tools, dress, food) and non-material elements (language, beliefs, values, music, taboos); both change over time through contact and modernisation.

Malawi's main languages are Chichewa, spoken widely as a lingua franca, and Chitumbuka in the north; other languages include Yao, Lomwe, Tonga, Sena and Ngonde.

Major ethnic groups include Chewa, Tumbuka, Yao, Lomwe, Mang'anja, Tonga, Sena, Ngonde and Ngoni; the Chewa are associated with the Gule Wamkulu masked dance performed by the Nyau society.

The Ngoni, descended from Zulu migrants, are known for warrior traditions and the Ingoma dance; the Yao are historically associated with Islam and long-distance trade.

Traditional dances include Gule Wamkulu, Ingoma, Vimbuza (a healing dance of the Tumbuka), Chioda and Beni; each carries social or religious meaning, not mere entertainment.

Initiation ceremonies (for example chinamwali among Yao and Chewa communities) mark the passage from childhood to adulthood and transmit moral instruction.

Respect customs include bowing or kneeling when greeting elders, using both hands to give or receive, and avoiding direct eye contact with superiors in some areas; greetings such as 'Muli bwanji' expect the reply 'Ndili bwino'.

Culture is dynamic: urbanisation, Christianity, Islam, formal education and radio have altered dress, marriage practices and music, so tradition is adapted rather than frozen.

Citizenship is the legal membership of a state carrying rights, duties and protection; Malawi recognises citizenship by birth, descent and naturalisation, and the Constitution discourages dual citizenship except as provided by law.

Duties of a citizen include obeying the law, paying taxes, respecting others' rights, protecting public property, voting and defending the country when lawfully required.

Rights and duties are correlative: the right to education is matched by the duty to attend school, and the right to a clean environment by the duty not to litter or pollute.

Civic virtues include patriotism, tolerance, honesty, responsibility, solidarity and respect for the rule of law; these are learned through family, school, religious bodies and community groups.

Taxes fund public services such as roads, schools, clinics and the police; tax evasion is both a legal offence and a civic failure because it shifts the burden to others.

Volunteering, joining a village development committee, or participating in a community policing forum are practical forms of active citizenship.

Voting in national and local elections is the principal political duty; the right to vote requires registration and proof of citizenship and age (18 years and above).

Good citizenship requires respect for public property such as boreholes, bridges and school desks, since damage raises the cost of services for the whole community.

Malawi is a republic with a presidential system; the President is Head of State and Government and is elected for a five-year term, with a maximum of two consecutive terms.

The Constitution of 1994 (as amended) is the supreme law; any law or conduct inconsistent with it is invalid.

The legislature is the unicameral National Assembly; the Judiciary consists of the Supreme Court of Appeal, the High Court and subordinate courts.

The three arms of government - Executive, Legislature and Judiciary - are separated by checks and balances so no single arm dominates.

Local government operates through district councils and city councils, with councillors elected by residents; Traditional Authorities advise on customary matters but are not part of the formal legislature.

The President appoints the Cabinet, and the Vice-President and ministers are answerable to Parliament; the Public Accounts Committee scrutinises public spending.

Key constitutional bodies include the Malawi Electoral Commission, the Anti-Corruption Bureau, the Human Rights Commission and the Office of the Ombudsman.

Leadership qualities expected in a democracy include accountability, transparency, integrity, responsiveness and respect for the rule of law; abuse of office is a breach of public trust.

Human rights are entitlements belonging to every person by virtue of being human; they are universal, inalienable, indivisible and interdependent.

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948) set out civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights; Malawi's 1994 Constitution guarantees these in Chapter IV.

The African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child defines a child as a person below 18 years; Malawi's Constitution also sets the age of majority at 18.

The Convention on the Rights of the Child (1989) establishes four guiding principles: non-discrimination, the best interests of the child, the right to life and development, and respect for the child's views.

Child rights include survival and development, education, health, protection from abuse, neglect, child labour and early marriage, and the right to be heard in matters affecting them.

Corporal punishment and child labour are restricted by law; the Employment Act sets 14 as the minimum age for light work and 18 for hazardous work.

Rights carry responsibilities: the right to education implies regular attendance, and the right to protection implies respecting the safety of others.

Duties of the state and community include protecting children from trafficking, defilement, and harmful cultural practices; violations are reported to police or the Social Welfare Office.

A map is a representation of the earth's surface drawn to scale; key elements are title, scale, key (legend), compass direction, grid lines and north arrow.

Scale expresses the ratio of map distance to ground distance: a representative fraction 1:50,000 means 1 cm on the map equals 50,000 cm (0.5 km) on the ground.

A large-scale map shows a small area in great detail (e.g. 1:10,000); a small-scale map covers a large area with less detail (e.g. 1:1,000,000).

Grid references use eastings read before northings; a four-figure reference identifies a square, a six-figure reference identifies a point within it.

Contours are lines joining points of equal height; closely spaced contours indicate a steep slope, widely spaced contours a gentle slope, and V-shapes pointing uphill mark valleys.

Malawi lies in the East African Rift Valley system; Lake Malawi occupies part of the rift and drains southwards through the Shire River to the Zambezi.

Major physical features include the Nyika and Viphya plateaux, Mulanje Mountain (the highest peak, Sapitwa), Zomba Plateau, the Shire Highlands and the Rift Valley escarpment.

Malawi has a tropical climate moderated by altitude: a cool dry season (May–August), a hot dry season (September–November) and a rainy season (November–April).

Natural resources in Malawi include land, water, forests, fish, wildlife, minerals and solar energy; they are classified as renewable (forests, fish) or non-renewable (minerals).

Deforestation is driven by charcoal production, fuelwood collection, agricultural clearing and brick burning; its consequences include soil erosion, siltation of rivers and reduced rainfall.

Soil erosion is controlled by contour ridges, box ridges, vetiver grass strips, terracing, afforestation and agroforestry.

Lake Malawi and the Shire River support the fishing industry; overfishing, use of mosquito nets and illegal gear reduce stocks and threaten biodiversity.

Protected areas include national parks and game reserves such as Nyika, Kasungu, Liwonde and Lengwe; they conserve wildlife and support tourism.

Pollution sources include plastic waste, untreated sewage, agricultural chemicals and mining effluent; the Environmental Management Act provides for environmental impact assessment.

Sustainable use means meeting present needs without destroying the resource base for future generations - for example, cutting only mature trees and replanting.

Environmental management involves government (Forestry Department, Department of Parks and Wildlife), local communities through village natural resource committees, and individuals.

Malawi's main faiths are Christianity (Roman Catholic and many Protestant churches), Islam, and African Traditional Religion; Hinduism and other faiths are also present in smaller numbers.

Christianity came to Malawi through missionaries such as David Livingstone's expeditions and later Scottish Presbyterian missions; the Church of Central Africa Presbyterian (CCAP) is a major church.

Islam is concentrated among the Yao people and along the lakeshore, especially in Mangochi and Machinga districts; it arrived through Arab and Swahili trade routes.

African Traditional Religion centres on belief in a Supreme Being (commonly called Mulungu or Chiuta), veneration of ancestors, and rituals for rain, harvest and healing.

The Bible is the sacred scripture of Christianity, the Qur'an of Islam; both faiths teach prayer, almsgiving, honesty, compassion and respect for life.

Common moral teachings across the faiths include love of neighbour, forgiveness, truthfulness, chastity, care for the poor and respect for parents and elders.

Religious tolerance is a constitutional value: Malawi's Constitution guarantees freedom of conscience, religion and belief, and prohibits religious discrimination.

Interfaith cooperation occurs through bodies such as the Malawi Council of Churches and the Muslim Association of Malawi, which work on education, health and peace-building.

Moral values are principles guiding right and wrong conduct, such as honesty, integrity, respect, responsibility, fairness, compassion and self-discipline.

Social issues affecting Malawi include HIV/AIDS, early marriage, child labour, gender-based violence, corruption, drug and alcohol abuse, and unemployment.

HIV/AIDS is transmitted through unprotected sex, infected blood and mother-to-child transmission; prevention includes abstinence, faithfulness, condom use, testing and antiretroviral treatment.

Early marriage denies girls education and health, and is prohibited for persons under 18; it is addressed through laws, community bylaws and school retention programmes.

Corruption is the abuse of entrusted power for private gain; it is fought by the Anti-Corruption Bureau, the Corrupt Practices Act and whistle-blowing mechanisms.

Gender-based violence includes physical, sexual, emotional and economic abuse; the Gender Equality Act and the Domestic Violence Act provide protection and remedies.

Drug and alcohol abuse damages health, family income and school performance; prevention requires education, parental supervision, regulation and rehabilitation services.

Moral decision-making weighs the action, the intention, the consequences and the rights of others; a morally good act respects both the law and the dignity of persons.

A community is a group of people living in the same area and sharing services, rules and interests; members depend on one another for schools, clinics, water and security.

Primary groups (family, close friends) involve face-to-face, long-term relationships; secondary groups (a market association, a school class) are larger, more formal and goal-focused.

Social institutions in a Malawian community include the family, school, church or mosque, health centre, market, and local court; each performs a distinct function.

Roles are the expected behaviours attached to a position (mother, teacher, village headman); role conflict occurs when two roles demand incompatible actions at the same time.

Socialisation is the process by which a person learns the norms, values and skills of the community; it begins in the family and continues through school, peers and religious bodies.

Norms are shared expectations of behaviour; mores are strongly held norms whose violation brings serious disapproval, while folkways are minor customs such as greetings.

Conflict resolution in the community commonly uses dialogue, mediation by elders or the village headman, and finally referral to formal courts; reconciliation restores relationships, not only punishment.

Voluntary community work (communal labour such as moulding bricks for a school or cleaning a borehole surround) is a recognised duty of membership and reduces dependence on external aid.

Culture has material elements (houses, tools, dress, food) and non-material elements (language, beliefs, values, music, taboos); both change over time through contact and modernisation.

Malawi's main languages are Chichewa, spoken widely as a lingua franca, and Chitumbuka in the north; other languages include Yao, Lomwe, Tonga, Sena and Ngonde.

Major ethnic groups include Chewa, Tumbuka, Yao, Lomwe, Mang'anja, Tonga, Sena, Ngonde and Ngoni; the Chewa are associated with the Gule Wamkulu masked dance performed by the Nyau society.

The Ngoni, descended from Zulu migrants, are known for warrior traditions and the Ingoma dance; the Yao are historically associated with Islam and long-distance trade.

Traditional dances include Gule Wamkulu, Ingoma, Vimbuza (a healing dance of the Tumbuka), Chioda and Beni; each carries social or religious meaning, not mere entertainment.

Initiation ceremonies (for example chinamwali among Yao and Chewa communities) mark the passage from childhood to adulthood and transmit moral instruction.

Respect customs include bowing or kneeling when greeting elders, using both hands to give or receive, and avoiding direct eye contact with superiors in some areas; greetings such as 'Muli bwanji' expect the reply 'Ndili bwino'.

Culture is dynamic: urbanisation, Christianity, Islam, formal education and radio have altered dress, marriage practices and music, so tradition is adapted rather than frozen.

Citizenship is the legal membership of a state carrying rights, duties and protection; Malawi recognises citizenship by birth, descent and naturalisation, and the Constitution discourages dual citizenship except as provided by law.

Duties of a citizen include obeying the law, paying taxes, respecting others' rights, protecting public property, voting and defending the country when lawfully required.

Rights and duties are correlative: the right to education is matched by the duty to attend school, and the right to a clean environment by the duty not to litter or pollute.

Civic virtues include patriotism, tolerance, honesty, responsibility, solidarity and respect for the rule of law; these are learned through family, school, religious bodies and community groups.

Taxes fund public services such as roads, schools, clinics and the police; tax evasion is both a legal offence and a civic failure because it shifts the burden to others.

Volunteering, joining a village development committee, or participating in a community policing forum are practical forms of active citizenship.

Voting in national and local elections is the principal political duty; the right to vote requires registration and proof of citizenship and age (18 years and above).

Good citizenship requires respect for public property such as boreholes, bridges and school desks, since damage raises the cost of services for the whole community.

Malawi is a republic with a presidential system; the President is Head of State and Government and is elected for a five-year term, with a maximum of two consecutive terms.

The Constitution of 1994 (as amended) is the supreme law; any law or conduct inconsistent with it is invalid.

The legislature is the unicameral National Assembly; the Judiciary consists of the Supreme Court of Appeal, the High Court and subordinate courts.

The three arms of government - Executive, Legislature and Judiciary - are separated by checks and balances so no single arm dominates.

Local government operates through district councils and city councils, with councillors elected by residents; Traditional Authorities advise on customary matters but are not part of the formal legislature.

The President appoints the Cabinet, and the Vice-President and ministers are answerable to Parliament; the Public Accounts Committee scrutinises public spending.

Key constitutional bodies include the Malawi Electoral Commission, the Anti-Corruption Bureau, the Human Rights Commission and the Office of the Ombudsman.

Leadership qualities expected in a democracy include accountability, transparency, integrity, responsiveness and respect for the rule of law; abuse of office is a breach of public trust.

Human rights are entitlements belonging to every person by virtue of being human; they are universal, inalienable, indivisible and interdependent.

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948) set out civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights; Malawi's 1994 Constitution guarantees these in Chapter IV.

The African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child defines a child as a person below 18 years; Malawi's Constitution also sets the age of majority at 18.

The Convention on the Rights of the Child (1989) establishes four guiding principles: non-discrimination, the best interests of the child, the right to life and development, and respect for the child's views.

Child rights include survival and development, education, health, protection from abuse, neglect, child labour and early marriage, and the right to be heard in matters affecting them.

Corporal punishment and child labour are restricted by law; the Employment Act sets 14 as the minimum age for light work and 18 for hazardous work.

Rights carry responsibilities: the right to education implies regular attendance, and the right to protection implies respecting the safety of others.

Duties of the state and community include protecting children from trafficking, defilement, and harmful cultural practices; violations are reported to police or the Social Welfare Office.

A map is a representation of the earth's surface drawn to scale; key elements are title, scale, key (legend), compass direction, grid lines and north arrow.

Scale expresses the ratio of map distance to ground distance: a representative fraction 1:50,000 means 1 cm on the map equals 50,000 cm (0.5 km) on the ground.

A large-scale map shows a small area in great detail (e.g. 1:10,000); a small-scale map covers a large area with less detail (e.g. 1:1,000,000).

Grid references use eastings read before northings; a four-figure reference identifies a square, a six-figure reference identifies a point within it.

Contours are lines joining points of equal height; closely spaced contours indicate a steep slope, widely spaced contours a gentle slope, and V-shapes pointing uphill mark valleys.

Malawi lies in the East African Rift Valley system; Lake Malawi occupies part of the rift and drains southwards through the Shire River to the Zambezi.

Major physical features include the Nyika and Viphya plateaux, Mulanje Mountain (the highest peak, Sapitwa), Zomba Plateau, the Shire Highlands and the Rift Valley escarpment.

Malawi has a tropical climate moderated by altitude: a cool dry season (May–August), a hot dry season (September–November) and a rainy season (November–April).

Natural resources in Malawi include land, water, forests, fish, wildlife, minerals and solar energy; they are classified as renewable (forests, fish) or non-renewable (minerals).

Deforestation is driven by charcoal production, fuelwood collection, agricultural clearing and brick burning; its consequences include soil erosion, siltation of rivers and reduced rainfall.

Soil erosion is controlled by contour ridges, box ridges, vetiver grass strips, terracing, afforestation and agroforestry.

Lake Malawi and the Shire River support the fishing industry; overfishing, use of mosquito nets and illegal gear reduce stocks and threaten biodiversity.

Protected areas include national parks and game reserves such as Nyika, Kasungu, Liwonde and Lengwe; they conserve wildlife and support tourism.

Pollution sources include plastic waste, untreated sewage, agricultural chemicals and mining effluent; the Environmental Management Act provides for environmental impact assessment.

Sustainable use means meeting present needs without destroying the resource base for future generations - for example, cutting only mature trees and replanting.

Environmental management involves government (Forestry Department, Department of Parks and Wildlife), local communities through village natural resource committees, and individuals.

Malawi's main faiths are Christianity (Roman Catholic and many Protestant churches), Islam, and African Traditional Religion; Hinduism and other faiths are also present in smaller numbers.

Christianity came to Malawi through missionaries such as David Livingstone's expeditions and later Scottish Presbyterian missions; the Church of Central Africa Presbyterian (CCAP) is a major church.

Islam is concentrated among the Yao people and along the lakeshore, especially in Mangochi and Machinga districts; it arrived through Arab and Swahili trade routes.

African Traditional Religion centres on belief in a Supreme Being (commonly called Mulungu or Chiuta), veneration of ancestors, and rituals for rain, harvest and healing.

The Bible is the sacred scripture of Christianity, the Qur'an of Islam; both faiths teach prayer, almsgiving, honesty, compassion and respect for life.

Common moral teachings across the faiths include love of neighbour, forgiveness, truthfulness, chastity, care for the poor and respect for parents and elders.

Religious tolerance is a constitutional value: Malawi's Constitution guarantees freedom of conscience, religion and belief, and prohibits religious discrimination.

Interfaith cooperation occurs through bodies such as the Malawi Council of Churches and the Muslim Association of Malawi, which work on education, health and peace-building.

Moral values are principles guiding right and wrong conduct, such as honesty, integrity, respect, responsibility, fairness, compassion and self-discipline.

Social issues affecting Malawi include HIV/AIDS, early marriage, child labour, gender-based violence, corruption, drug and alcohol abuse, and unemployment.

HIV/AIDS is transmitted through unprotected sex, infected blood and mother-to-child transmission; prevention includes abstinence, faithfulness, condom use, testing and antiretroviral treatment.

Early marriage denies girls education and health, and is prohibited for persons under 18; it is addressed through laws, community bylaws and school retention programmes.

Corruption is the abuse of entrusted power for private gain; it is fought by the Anti-Corruption Bureau, the Corrupt Practices Act and whistle-blowing mechanisms.

Gender-based violence includes physical, sexual, emotional and economic abuse; the Gender Equality Act and the Domestic Violence Act provide protection and remedies.

Drug and alcohol abuse damages health, family income and school performance; prevention requires education, parental supervision, regulation and rehabilitation services.

Moral decision-making weighs the action, the intention, the consequences and the rights of others; a morally good act respects both the law and the dignity of persons.