DepEd eyes mandatory scouting in basic education curriculum

MANILA, Philippines — After initially supporting the mandatory Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) program in the senior high school program, Vice President and Education Secretary Sara Duterte is now looking at integrating mandatory scouting in the basic education curriculum.

During a speech at the annual national council meeting of the Boy Scouts of the Philippines (BSP) in Palo, Leyte on Thursday, Duterte noted how the scout movement has proven itself as an integral part of the education system.

“This is something that we have been discussing within the Office of the Secretary of the Department of Education (DepEd) – on how to integrate mandatory scouting into the Filipino Peace Culture curriculum,” she said.

She noted that the values that young Filipino boys learn from the Scout movement, including honesty, integrity, respect and service to others, are necessary in achieving the goals of government.

“The Marcos administration aggressively implements programs and projects that are aimed at fortifying our strength, our security and our stability as a nation,” she said.

“Along with this is our vision of giving rise to a generation of Filipinos with an enduring love of country – a generation with the willingness and capability to help the government ensure that the Philippines becomes strong, secure and stable,” she added.

In 2012, then DepEd Secretary Armin Luistro issued an order to revitalize boy scouting in public schools, saying that it has been an effective co-curricular program in the leadership and values formation of the child.

But it maintained that membership to the BSP is voluntary and shall not be made a condition for enrollment, transfer or clearance of students.

Duterte earlier supported the implementation of the mandatory ROTC program in senior high school.

But following a meeting with lawmakers in September, she said “it was clear to everyone that it is better to return ROTC in higher education since it was already there before.”

“The basic education will focus on other parts of the curriculum that would instill discipline and love of country for our learners,” she added.

In her speech, Duterte also urged the BSP to support their programs for the Filipino youth.

“Help us protect our children from sexual abuses, slavery, the lure of illegal drugs and the deception of the terrorist Communist Party of the Philippines and its armed terrorist group, New People’s Army, as well as recruitment into extreme religious violent extremism,” she said.