House ratifies bill reviving GMRC as separate subject

March 5 ------ The House of Representatives on Wednesday ratified the bicameral conference committee report on the measure seeking the inclusion of Good Manners and Right Conduct (GMRC) as a separate subject in the K-12 curriculum. During its plenary session, the chamber approved the bicameral report on the disagreeing provisions of House Bill 5829 and Senate Bill 1224, the former being authored by Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano. Under the proposed measure, GMRC will be introduced to kindergartens in their daily learning activities. It will be institutionalized as a separate subject from Grades 1 to 6.

From Grades 7 to 10, values education will also be taught as a regular subject. Once the students reach senior high school, values education will still be integrated in their other subjects. The subject, according to the House version is expected to teach school children the concepts of "human dignity, respect for oneself, and giving oneself to others in the spirit of community, for the effective and holistic development of the decision-making skills of the child."

"The curriculum shall also focus on the basic tenets of good manners and right conduct, such as: caring for oneself, giving concern for others, according proper respect to people, upholding discipline and order, cultivating sincerity, honesty, obedience, and above all, love for country," it added. Cayetano earlier stressed the need to inculcate good moral values to students. "We want to reemphasize that learning in basic education is not only intellectual, hindi lang academic, ‘yung spiritual, ‘yung emotional, nandiyan ‘yan," he said. "So, hindi lang ‘yan ang magiging focus ng Kongreso na ‘to, ‘yung music, ‘yung physical education , ‘yung arts na nawala nung dumami, dumami ang estudyante at naging libre ang edukasyon, gusto natin ibalik, pero ang pinakabasic tingin natin, ‘yung good morals and right conduct," he added.

The Senate earlier in the day also ratified the measure. It will now be sent to President Rodrigo Duterte for signing.

Source: gmanetwork.com