MODULE 1

OVERVIEW ON CIVIC EDUCATION

Training Objectives

1. Define Civic Education.

2. Identify the three (3) essential components of civic education.
3. Present the NSTP Law.
4. Identify the amendments of the NSTP-IRR.
5. Discuss the value and relevance of the National Service Training Program to the
society.
6. Point-out the significance of the NSTP Law to students’ role as proactive and
productive youth of this Nation.

Duration

Three (3) Hours

Relevance to the Society/ Oneself

Read the Parable of the Good Samaritan and answer the following questions. Write your
answers on the spaces provided. Your
responses will be checked using the
rubric presented at the end of this
module.

Parable of the Good Samaritan

A Jewish man was

traveling from Jerusalem
down to Jericho, and he
was attacked by bandits.
They stripped him of his
clothes, beat him up, and
left him half dead beside
the road.

By chance a priest
came along. But when he
saw the man lying there, he crossed to the other side of the road and passed him

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by. A Temple assistant walked over and looked at him lying there, but he also
passed by on the other side.

Then a despised Samaritan came along, and when he saw the man, he
felt compassion for him. Going over to him, the Samaritan soothed his wounds
with olive oil and wine and bandaged them. Then he put the man on his own
donkey took him to an inn, where he took care of him. The next day he handed
the innkeeper two silver coins, telling him, “Take care of this man. If his bill runs
higher than this, I’ll pay you the next time I’m here.”

1. How do you feel after reading the parable? Why?

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2. What do you think is the thematic concern of the parable?

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3. Which among the priest, temple assistant and Samaritan is a neighbor to the injured
man? Why do you say so?
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4. After reading the parable and using the picture below, what have you realized?

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Processing Feedback

It is imperative to every democratic nation to

equip their people and make them accountable to
every national issue and concern. Building a
democratic nation means building a democratic
society. It is where each and every member of the
society, young and old, are preparing for
citizenship and to take part in civic life (Branson
and Quigley 2).

Furthermore, Jennifer Reitbergen-

McCracken, an independent international expert
and researcher on environment and
development, defined civic education as citizen

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education or democratic education. It must provide information and learning experiences to
equip and empower citizens to participate in democratic processes. There are several forms
which it may be delivered such as classroom-based learning, informal training, experiential
learning and mass media campaigns (1)

Also, it is to sustain our constitutional democracy (Branson and Quigley 2).

Alexis de Toqueville said “each new generation is a new people that
must acquire the knowledge, learn the skills and develop the
dispositions or traits of public and private character. (as cited in
Branson and Quigley 2).”

Civic education has three different elements: civic

knowledge, civic skills and civic disposition (Reitbergen-
McCracken 1; and Branson and Quigley 4)

Civic knowledge is about citizens’s understanding

on varied political issues and concerns; political system;
and their political and civic rights and obligations. Moreover, it
includes ideals, values, and principles which may be used as criteria to judge the means and
ends of government and some civil society movements.

Instruction promoting civic knowledge should include Philippine Independence, the

Constitution particularly the Preamble and the Bill of Rights. Each Pilipino must understand that
it is their right and responsibility to express opinion and ideals bounded to restrictions; to cast
vote and elect public officials; to run in public office and to respect the rule of the law and the
rights and interest of others.

Civic skills refer to citizens’s ability to analyze, evaluate, oppose and defend positions on
public issues and utilize their civic knowledge in participating to different political and social or
civic processes. It also includes critical thinking skills which are essential for informed, effective,
and responsible citizenship.

The National Standards for Civics and Government and the Civic Framework for the
1998 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) classify these skills as identifying
and describing; explaining and analyzing; and evaluating, taking and defending positions on
public issues.

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 Good civic education aims to develop critical thinker citizens. Each citizen must know
how to carefully identify and describe language, symbols, and functions. Also, citizen should
know how to explain and analyze processes and functions in the government and society as a
whole. Lastly, each must develop sound decision making which entails the ability to evaluate
and defend each judgment.

Civic dispositions pertain to citizen traits necessary for democracy. This includes
tolerance, public spiritedness, civility, critical mindedness and willingness to listen, negotiate and
compromise.

In addition, the
National Standards for
Civics and Government
identified and described the
dispositions or traits of
private and public
character. Those are as
follow:

 Becoming an
independent
member of the society.
 Assuming the personal, political, and economic responsibilities of a citizen.
 Respecting the individual worth and human dignity.
 Participating in public affairs in a thoughtful manner.
 Promoting the healthy functioning of democracy.

Delivering civic education should be a joint effort of educational institutions across levels
and sectors; community organizations; non-government organizations; faith-based
organizations; international development organizations; media organizations; private sector
and/or government agencies (Reitbergen-McCracken 2).

Likewise, media can be very influential in promoting and delivering civic education.
Below are the possibilities on how media can help facilitate civic education.

 Raising public consciousness about social and political issue.

 Reducing issues to choices to show the clear alternatives.
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  Highlighting the core values and any conflicting values behind each choice and
decision.
 Spelling out the costs and consequences of each choice.
 Bridging the expert-public gap by translating technical jargon into clear language and
highlighting public opinion.
 Facilitate debate among the different groups.

In the Philippines, a country with 7,107 islands and well diverse in terms of language,
culture and ideology, decided to
have a leap of action towards the
very same goal of civic education
following the oldest and most
democratized country of the world.
That is to build a culture of good
citizenship and good governance
among its people.

This movement started in

time of memorial when Dr. Jose
Rizal stated with conviction – “Ang
kabataan ang pag-asa ng bayan”. Though now considered a cliché, Dr. Jose Rizal’s statement
was proven time and again to be true. The dynamism of the youth, guided by the wisdom of
those who have gone ahead of them, is a potent tool in building a nation. Teaching them about
their civic duties and inculcating in them the value of volunteerism, the Filipino youth could be
one powerful mover waiting to be launched. With their inherent positive traits, the Filipino youth
could be globally phenomenal.

The Government, with a purpose of embodying the philosophies of the Philippine

Constitution, made a legislation through the passage of Republic Act 9163, otherwise known as
the National Service Training Program (NSTP) Act of 2001 which focuses on the youth’s pivotal
role as a potent force in bringing about development in the Country.

In this Act, the State recognizes the vital role of the youth in nation-building; thus, it shall
promote and protect their physical, moral, spiritual, intellectual, and social well-being. It shall
inculcate in the youth patriotism and nationalism, and shall encourage their involvement in
public and civic affairs.

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 The NSTP Act superseded Republic Act No. 7077 (Citizen Armed Forces of the
Philippines Reservist Act) which created the Reserve Force, providing the base for the
expansion of the Armed Forces of the Philippines through the Reserve Officer’s Training Corps
(ROTC) that mandates military training among students enrolled in colleges, universities, and
other similar institutions of learning.

The primary objective of NSTP is to highlight the role of the youth in building a strong
Republic, invoking gender equality and development through the inclusion of female students in
national service training. As such, it aims to develop the youth to become civic or military
leaders and volunteers through a modified, re-structured and reinforced training package which
includes leaders and volunteers who could be called upon by the nation in instances that will
warrant their services, especially in the event of disasters or emergencies.

NSTP as a form of citizenship training, provides the students the opportunity to

demonstrate practical and functional knowledge as well as life skills, particularly problem-solving
and decision-making.

After studying civic education, watch the PUP-NSTP video titled “Ang Kabataan ang
Pag-asa ng Bayan” and answer the following questions. Your responses will be checked using
the rubric presented at the end of this module.

1. What is civic education?

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2. How many elements does Civic Education have? What are these elements?
Discuss the components according to its purpose and students’ role and obligation.
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3. What is National Service Training Program? How is it related to Civic Education?

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4. What are the qualities that NSTP inculcates among the youth?
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5. What are the roles of the youth that the State, through R.A. 9163, recognizes and
promotes?
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6. After providing answers to questions one to three, how do you find the importance of
R.A. 9163 or NSTP Law in your everyday experiences?
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Class Dynamics

Poster Making Activity

Directions: Be a part of a group with 15 members and you will be making a poster that
will highlight the components of NSTP. The poster must exemplify the value and relevance of
each NSTP component to the society and oneself. It must be creative and innovative; realistic
and specific.

Generalization

Re-state the training objectives and explain if the they were achieved.
Be very specific as possible.
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Rubric

ACTIVITIES 4 3 2 1

All Questions All and nearly all Nearly all Almost all
leading to the Questions questions leading questions leading
relevance to the leading to the to the relevance to to the relevance to
society or relevance to the the society or the society or
oneself were society or oneself were oneself were not
Relevance to answered oneself were answered. answered.
the Society or clearly; all are answered Acceptable
Oneself justifiable. clearly; some grammatical and
Grammar and were justifiable. mechanical errors.
mechanics were Grammar and
observed mechanics found
properly. to have minimal
errors.

All Questions All and nearly all Nearly all were Almost all
were answered were answered answered. questions were not
clearly; all are clearly; some Acceptable answered.
justifiable/ were justifiable/ grammatical and
Processing
correct. correct. mechanical errors.
Feedback
Grammar and Grammar and
mechanics were mechanics found
observed to have minimal
properly. errors.

The poster The poster The poster The poster

exemplified the exemplified the exemplified the exemplified the
value and value and value and value and relevance
relevance of relevance of two relevance of two of one out of three
each NSTP out of three NSTP out of three NSTP NSTP components
Class component to components to components to the to the society and
Dynamics the society and the society and society and oneself. oneself. It is less
oneself. It is oneself. It is It is less creative creative and
creative and creative and and innovative; innovative;
innovative; innovative; unrealistic and unrealistic and
realistic and realistic and unspecific. unspecific.
specific. specific.

Generalization
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 All questions All and nearly all Nearly all Almost all
were answered questions were questions questions leading
clearly; all are answered; some were answered. to the relevance to
justifiable. justifiable. Acceptable the society or
Grammar and Grammar and grammatical and oneself were not
mechanics were mechanics found mechanical errors. answered.
observed to have minimal
properly. errors.

Overall Score
Adapted from Rosales, Ma. Junithesmer D. and Milagrina A. Gomez. Field Study 1
Manual: The Learner’s Development and Environment. Philippines: Allen Adrian Books, 2011.

Works Cited
BOOKS

Bucao, Avelina C., Mely M. Padilla and Amalia C. Rosales. Modules in National Service
Training Progra- Civic Welfare Training Service. Manila: Polytechnic University of the
Philippines, 2008

Labuguen, Florida C. et al. Understanding the National Service Training Program: A

Modular Worktext for NSTP 1. Malabon City: Mutya Publishing House, 2012

Rosales, Ma. Junithesmer D. and Milagrina A. Gomez. Field Study 1 Manual: The Learner’s
Development and Environment. Philippines: Allen Adrian Books, 2011.

ELECTRONIC SOURCES

Reitbergen-McCracken, Jennifer. “Civic Education.” Page Exchange. http://

www.pgexchange.org/BF9CEDE6-479D-4810-B996-
678CB672EE5D/FinalDownload/Downloadld0C459A6D73586DD1631FEFD58AA8599/
BF9CEDE6-479D-4810-B996- 678CB672EE5D/images/toolkits/PGX_B_Civic
%20Education.pdf

Branson, Margaret Stimman and Charles N. Quigley. “The Role of Civic Education.” September
1998. http://www.gwu.edu/~ccps/pop_civ.html

“Service, Leadership and Community Transformation Sample Syllabus.” Civic Leadership

Institute. www.ctd.northwestern.edu/cep/programs/cli/academic/syllabus.

Good Samaritan. http://www.bigbibletown.com/synopsis_resources/samaritan.png

https://si0.twimg.com/profile_images/1345589499/linkedin.jpg

Civic Education. http://civiceducationprojectsiue.files.wordpress.com/2011/09/07-04-07-triangle-

nhu-r-final-1-1.png

http://media.hoover.org/sites/default/files/imagecache/large/images/illuminatefinal022012.jpg
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http://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-
prn1/p480x480/64665_10151259085708459_1398281308_n.jpg

http://files.myopera.com/saranayrose/blog/45-good-samaritan_xol_1.jpg

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