Why do we have different curricula? What are their purposes in terms of influencing our culture? Science is science and English is English, no matter how it is taught, right? Aren’t all kids are going to grow up someday and turn up to be okay? Does education affect culture?
Culture is defined by Merriam-Webster as: “the beliefs, customs, arts, etc. of a particular society, group, place or time.” Using this definition, it would make sense that education influences culture. How and what one is taught greatly influences what a person believes or will believe, customs which are or will be considered dear to their heart, and how they express or will choose to express these beliefs and customs. This creates behavioral patterns which will be communicated throughout their lifetime in work, in love, and all aspects of living and became part of their culture.
Let’s take a look at the influence of education to culture in America. In America, it is easy to see how education has affected culture. When education became public in their country, the Bible was at the core of the curriculum. McGuffey Readers and other early educational literature took the teachings and principles from the Book of Books—the Bible. Taking the time to complete a cultural study would take much longer than one article, but the change in American educational culture since the removal of prayer and the Bible has been drastically negative. In 1962, the Supreme Court removed prayer from public school. In 1963, they removed God’s Word, the Bible. In 1980, they removed the Ten Commandments. Removing these foundational stones began crumbling the structure of their country.
Today, they are working together to rebuild this foundation. They must not quit! One bright light in the middle of this darkness is their Christian schools. They must keep this light shining to train their children and impact their culture.
In our country, there is also evident proof of evidence on the influences of education to culture. For instance, religious education has been part of school set-up whether private or public school. This religion class goes hand in hand with Values Education subject, to pave way for the inculcation of Christian beliefs among Filipino students. Likewise, in some schools there are programs to cater indigenous groups, Muslim students, special art classes such as visual arts, media arts, dance and music classes.
In Olongapo City National High School, thru the leadership of Dr. Helen Aggabao, they started to offer different programs that inculcate our culture, heritage and future. To list some: SSC or the Special Science Curriculum, Ict or the Information and Communication Technology, SPA or the Special Program in the Arts, SPS or the Special Program in Sports, OHP or the Open High School Program, ALIVE or the Arabic Language and Islamic Values Education, IPEP or the Indigenous People’s Education Program’ SPJ or the Special Program in Journalism and SPFL or the Special Program in Foreign Language. All of these programs and undertakings are the proof that education really influences our culture from the field of academics to our roots. These are proof that while the education is shaping the minds and skills, it does not forget the culture.
By: Jerry Alegre | Teacher III | Bangal Elementary School
