Another Civic Education Seminar (CETS) was conducted in Bohol last April 26-28, 2010 at Bohol Bee farm, Dao, Dauis, Bohol. Participants were 47 Social Studies, Values Education Teachers and 2 DepEd Supervisors of the 6 public high schools in the city.   The activity aims to integrate education for democracy into the classroom by providing the teachers with relevant content and tools based on cutting-edge research on the current issues of our evolving nationhood, civic culture, governance and economic citizenship.

The three-day activity was intensely filled with topics related to teaching civic and democracy.  A project introduction, overview and rationale was given by Dr. Clement Camposano, Program Manager of PCCED. Resource persons were professors from the School of Education and Institute of Political Economy of the University of Asia and the Pacific.  Topics of the said seminar include: Education for Democracy (Monica Ang); The Philippines is a Nation in Progress & Teaching Philippine History (Dr. Paul Dumol); Connecting with the Students (Dr. Severina Vilegas); Civic Culture: Asian History (Dr. Riza Bondal); The Philippines is a Democracy in Progress (Abegail De Leon); The Case for Democracy (Reynald Trillana); Economic Citizenship (Natividad Gruet); and Democratic Classroom (Mishariff Tillah).

The series of workshops provided an overwhelming participation among teachers in expressing their ideas and insights of the topics discussed.  An open forum was also conducted for the participants to deliberate issues and concerns as well as clarifications on concepts related to teaching social studies and values education.

Participants expressed delight for having participated in such event for they were able to enrich their knowledge and correct some misconceptions in teaching Social Studies & Values Education.  Their moral obligation to integrate the teaching of civics in the curriculum was intensified with the statement of support from Mrs. Norma S. Varquez, City Schools Division Superintendent of Tagbilaran City.  Mrs. Varquez also expressed commitment to support the advocacy and looking forward for a more fruitful partnership between the Department of Education and the Philippine Center for Civic Education & Democracy.

The seminar was indeed intellectually and morally enriching on the part of the teachers as agents of change for the development of our country.

by Yasmin Respecia