Lesson 4: Responsibilities

A responsibility is a duty or an obligation TO DO something. For example, you have
the responsibility to take care of your parents in their old age, to attend school and
pursue your studies properly and so on. You have also the responsibility to society
and the government, e.g. to help a neighbour in trouble or to cast your vote if you are
18 or over.
A responsibility is also an obligation or a duty NOT TO DO something. For example,
you have the responsibility not to steal a book from a public library or not to put your
building materials on the footpath. These are your responsibilities as citizens. But
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there are responsibilities of the government as well. Our government has the
responsibilities to provide for its citizens “the basic necessities of life, including food,
clothing, shelter, education and medical care”1. The government also has the
responsibilities to protect the fundamental rights of its citizens to freedom of speech
and expression, freedom of the press, freedom of religion, equality of all before law2
etc.
The knowledge, skills and attitudes you have gained at home, at school and in society
will help you to accept your responsibilities and to carry them out effectively.
Remember, discharging your responsibilities will be good for you, good for your
family and friends, and good for your society and country as a whole.