Product safety to be part of curriculum

Young learners may soon understand and have a better grasp of product standards to become empowered consumer advocates. This, as the Department of Trade and Industry linked with the Department of Education to integrate the importance of standards for product safety and quality in the curricula of students as well as mobile learners so as to mold them to be responsible and vigilant consumers.

DTI Consumer Welfare and Trade Regulation Group (CWTRG) undersecretary Zenaida Maglaya said that the main thrust of the DTI is to strengthen consumer welfare awareness among the young for they are very influential to the buying preference of their parents.

Maglaya explained that through extensive classroom discussions on product safety and quality, DTI will rear intelligent young consumers that demand for reliable and safe goods in the market.

DTI Bureau of Product Standards has been closely working with DepEd's Bureaus of Elementary Education, Secondary Education and Alternative Learning System for the development of lesson guides and modules (lesson exemplars) on standards, which will be used by teachers in classroom discussions.

"With standards, integrated in the teachers' lesson guides and modules, children would be able to distinguish safe and reliable products from inferior or defective ones and eventually promote patronage on DTI-certified products among their family and peers," Maglaya said.

Maglaya pointed out that, through the continued support of partners in DepEd and the private sector, DTI will be able to reach its goal of including standards in the school curricula to raise consumer awareness on product safety and quality at the same time encourage the children to be DTI's young consumer advocates.

She said that if plans push through next year, standards shall be taught in every classroom of the elementary and secondary education including the alternative learning system. - Jasmin R. Uy/BRP