PARENTS and elders nowadays are surprised, even somewhat shocked, that the country’s educational system seems to have lost its focus on teaching young students basic values. Good Manners and Right Conduct (GMRC), in particular, appears to have been neglected in schools.
During a recent coffee talk, this became the main topic on the “menu” of a group of friends who fondly call themselves coffee addicts.
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“It is surprising, even shocking, why this country’s Department of Education seems to have overlooked the value of teaching good manners to elementary students. Is there no more delicadeza or courtesy in our society? Is this the result of having corrupt people in government and even in the private sector?” the banker tossed the first question.
“Indeed, I am really surprised why, in elementary and senior high school, there is so much focus on mathematics, international culture and even very deep Filipino language, yet courtesy and respect for parents and elders seem to be forgotten,” he added.
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“Yes, today’s world is different from that of yesteryears, but that does not mean respect for parents and elders should be taken for granted. The youth now insist that they know better than their parents. They seem to believe their classmates and peers more than their parents. Why?” the senior citizen asked, sharing the same concern.
“The youth do not even seem to give much value anymore to respect for the Church, religion or belief in God. They do not see the value of praying,” the senior man added.
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“I suspect that subjects of little practical value are being taught merely to accommodate graduates of master’s degree programs. How can a new education graduate be better than a senior citizen when it comes to experience? What is really the value of requiring master’s studies when graduates from five or six decades ago seem to have been better educated than many of today’s graduates?
“I believe the digital world is the major thing that has changed, but respect and courtesy seem to have been deleted from the minds of human beings,” the businessman said.
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“Today, one could become a teacher after completing a master’s degree. But much of this is theoretical in nature. It is experience in the outside world that makes one more educated.
“Of course, how could a young teacher effectively convey good manners and right conduct to the younger generation when that teacher may be just eight years older than the students? This is something strange about the educational system of this country,” the banker concluded as he sipped his Americano blend of coffee./PN
