Church leaders welcomed a new Philippine law that makes mandatory the teaching of good manners and values in schools.
Bishop Arturo Bastes, retired prelate of Sorsogon, said the country needs laws that will shape the hearts and minds of young people.
“I hope that these subjects can also include religious education that promotes good manners, right conduct, and the best values,” said the prelate.
On June 25, President Rodrigo Duterte signed into law a measure institutionalizing “good manners and right conduct” and values education subjects in schools.
Bishop Ruperto Santos of Balanga said the new law is “helpful for the formation” of the children, adding that Filipino adults have the responsibility to be “role models” to the young.
“Let us be the very best teachers to our children by applying and living in ourselves these good manners and right conduct,” said Bishop Santos.
The new law requires preparatory, elementary, and secondary schools to teach subjects that allow young people to “internalize values.”
The law states that the Education department will introduce the subjects through “clear, distinct, specific, and concrete character-building activities.”
For Grade 1 to 6, good manners will be taught “as a separate subject with the same time allotment as other subjects, and shall be integrated into the daily learning activities at the kindergarten level.”
Values Education from Grades 7 to 10 will be taught as a separate subject with the same time allotment as other core subjects.
The new law aims to “inculcate among our students” the basic tenets of the observance of “respect for oneself, others, and elders, intercultural diversity, gender equity, ecology and integrity of creation, peace, and justice, obedience to the law, nationalism and global citizenship, as well as the values of patience, perseverance, industry, honesty, and integrity, and good faith in dealing with other human beings along with all other universal values.”
In 2013, values education and good manners subjects were removed as regular subjects in schools when the K-12 program was introduced to the curriculum.
“It is hereby mandated that Values Education shall be an integral and essential part of the [Department of Education’s] K to 12 Basic Education Curriculum,” the law reads.
It mandates the Education department to train teachers on the subjects and provide them with adequate and relevant instructional materials to develop their capacity to teach.
The education department is also required to conduct an annual review “to ensure the proper implementation of the law” and submit the report to Congress.
