THE VALUES/ATTITUDINAL DIMENSION IN QUALITY EDUCATION
Lourdes R. Quisumbing, Ph.D.
former Secretary of Education
President, UNESCO-APNIEVE
Chairperson of the Board of Trustees
and Professor Emeritus
Miriam College, Quezon City
I.
The Values Dimension in Quality Education: Tracing Its Roots
The pursuit of excellence or quality has been a driving force in the history of
education, in both Oriental and Western traditions. The concept and standards of
quality were set by the leading thinkers and teachers of their times in the context of the
prevailing ideas, ideals, values and norms, of their societies and cultures.
Although it was only in the last decades of the twentieth century that the
essential role of values and attitudes was given formal recognition, its roots can be
traced back to antiquity. Education has always been concerned with human values, the
quality of human life and human excellence. Asian philosophers and religious leaders
gave paramount importance to virtues. Confucius taught his disciples the concept of
jen, signifying love, compassion and virtue, supreme moral achievement and character.
Buddha sought Enlightenment and taught his disciplines the four Noble Truths and the
eight-fold Path of Virtue. The ancient Greek philosophers referred to values in more
specific terms as virtues. Aristotle classified them into two kinds: intellectual and
moral, basic qualities that make a person good: Wisdom, Understanding, Temperance
and Prudence. Aristotelian philosophy was later integrated into Christian Scholasticism.
Aquinas wrote on the virtues of Prudence, Temperance, Fortitude and Justice, and the
Christian virtues of Faith, Hope and Charity (Love).
While the focus on human virtues and spiritual truths originated from
philosophers, religious thinkers and teachers, the concept of human values became
the subject of study by social psychologists, anthropologists and educators in the last
decades of the 1900’s. The development of the contemporary values theory may be
viewed as a step towards the professionalization of values development as a social and
behavioral science discipline, i.e. the scientific study of human behavior and its
underlying motivations. Studies on identification and listing of universally shared values
and group values; world views and consciousness shifts; classifications of values into
instrumental and terminal; dominant, core and supporting; themes and clusters; values
development theories such as values clarification, moral development, hierarchy of
values as needs and motivations of human behavior, paved the way to the development
of a values education program: curricula, content and strategies as distinguished from
those used in cognitive and skill subjects.
___________________
Paper read at the International Forum on Quality Education, Beijing, People’s Republic
of China, June 12-15, 2001
II.
Current Definitions of Quality Education: Standards and Indicators of Quality
In recent times, quality education has been defined in more pragmatic terms
from an instrumentalist point of view. Assessed in relation to national governments’
five- or 10-year development plans, educational quality was measured mostly in
economic terms vis-à-vis national development goals and quantitative targets. In the
advent of globalism, educational quality is being
equated to competitiveness of
graduates in the global market. consisting mostly of the skills and competencies needed
in the new ICTs in preparation for a knowledge-based, information society. Students
are viewed as human capital and as national resource, as an investment in the national
economy. Priority is placed on courses directly contributing to the national development
goals. Thus, success in education has become synonymous with employability,
preparation for the world of work or as instrumental to the enforcement of law and
order and to social cohesion. Less and less consideration is given to the subject and
object of education, which is first and foremost, the full development of the student as a
human person.
Lately, the improvement of the quality of education has become a global
concern. Stress is placed on the importance of the quality of teaching and of learning
outcomes.
Quality has become a key issue alongside with the demands for
democratization of access to education with an expanded vision of education for all that
includes learning opportunities for marginalized populations and out-of-school youth and
measures success not so much in terms of the number of years of schooling but rather
in the quality of learning outcomes.
The 1990 Jomtien Declaration of Education for All defined basic education as the
fundamental knowledges, values and attitudes, skills and competencies
needed for an individual to survive, to live and work in dignity, and to continue learning.
The 2000 Dakar Framework of Action is committed to improving all aspects of the
quality of education and ensuring excellence of all, through diversification of contents
and methods, and the promotion of universally shared values. The global educational
community stated in the UNESCO medium-term plan of 1992-1998 that values
education is an integral part of basic education. More than a hundred Ministers of
Education signed the 1994 Geneva Declaration and Framework for Action on Education
for Peace, Human Rights and Democracy for their respective countries. To support this
initiative, UNESCO-APNIEVE, the Asia-Pacific Network for International Education and
Values Education, has espoused the writing of sourcebooks and the training of teachers
for education on the values of peace, human rights, democracy and sustainable
development, as well as on the valuing process.
The UN Declaration of the year 2000 as the International Year of a Culture of
Peace defines culture of peace as the “set of values, attitudes, modes of behaviour and
ways of life that reflect and inspire respect for life and all human rights,” rejection of
violence and devotion to the principles of freedom, justice, democracy, tolerance,
cooperation, pluralism, dialogue and understanding among diverse groups of peoples
(Article 1).
A culture of peace aims at “transforming values, attitudes and behaviours to
those which promote a culture of peace” (Article 3). “Education is the principal means
to build a culture of peace. Every aspect of education should be mobilized towards this
end” (Article 6). Those engaged in scientific philosophical and creative activity have a
special role to play in promoting the dynamic development and sharing of knowledge,
research and artistic production which foster a culture of peace (Article 10).
Indeed, this global declaration affirms the highest standards of educational
quality and excellence. If quality is judged by the degree to which goals and standards
are attained, then this declaration is an unmistakable call for major reform in our
educational paradigms, programs and practices.
Already in 1988, the Philippine Ministry of Education, convinced of the
importance of values as instrumental to personal and social transformation, pioneered in
the introduction of values education and attitude change in its secondary school
curricula as a separate subject and the integration of values in all the elementary school
subjects. Other countries took a similar initiative, stressing moral education in their
national education systems.
The latest attempt of the Philippine educational system to improve the quality of
education was the formation of the Philippine Commission on Educational Reform
(PCER) by Executive Order No. 46, December 7, 1998, In April 2000, PCER came out
with the Philippine Agenda for Educational Reform highlighting two areas:
1)
competency-based curricula, the main target areas of which will focus on the
enhancement of knowledge, skills and attitudes—once acquired, the student will be
capable of educating and training himself; and 2) good leadership in the supervision of
instruction towards quality teaching.
On strengthening the competencies of the teacher at the basic education level,
four essential key result areas (KRAs) were identified as follows: KRA1: adept at the use
and adaptation of instructional technology; KRA2: not mastery of subject matter alone,
but of the ability to analyze and understand situations, i.e., reading and comprehension
skills; KRA3: a way of thinking that is creative, constructively critical and innovative;
and KRA4: learning and practice of values and attitudes to be able to live in harmony
amidst diversity, resolve conflict non-violently and be guided by ethical norms and
principles.
In brief, the four KRAs are: 1) Instructional Technology (IT), 2)
Reading/Comprehension Skills, 3) Critical/Analytical and Creative Thinking, and 4)
Values Education.
The assessment of educational quality of programs/institutions has led to the
development of the voluntary accreditation system which attempts to measure quality
based on established criteria and indicators. Judgments regarding quality are made in
relation to some goal, purpose or norm. The most cherished values and the highest
priorities of the institution provide direction to its educational programs and practices.
This is articulated in the Vision-Mission Statement of the institution reflecting its
philosophy, over-all goals, aims and objectives, giving it a specific character and its
particular stamp of quality. Quality is viewed as the degree to which an institution or
program achieves its goals.
Even if not explicitly stated, or perhaps not even consciously intended, values
and attitudes underlie the criteria and indicators in assessing all the areas of educational
goals and objectives: administration and management, curriculum and program of
studies, faculty, instruction and learning outcomes, student services, the learning
environment, physical plant and facilities, instructional media, library and laboratories,
research and community services. It must be stated here that the major emphasis of
quality assessment should be on the human element in each area.
III.
The Need for a Re-definition of Quality in Education:
Integrated Approach
A Holistic and
The grave issues in our times—ethnic conflict, violence, terrorism, genocide, war,
massive displacement of peoples living in subhuman conditions, poverty, hunger,
disease, ignorance, addiction, environmental decay, increase in juvenile crimes, child
abuse—not only remain unsolved but have grown in almost uncontrollable proportions,
despite our so-called scientific and technological advancement. How can we continue to
talk about the quality of education when we cannot even begin to alleviate the human
condition? How can we continue to work towards development in a violent, unjust and
turbulent world? There can be no development without peace, just as there is no peace
without development.
A massive radical change is needed in our egoistic lifestyles, our irresponsible
production and consumption patterns, our destructive ways of ravaging our
environment. We must work together towards a re-education of humankind, an
attitudinal and behavioral revolution of the mind, heart and will if we want to save
humankind from total disaster.
The challenges posed by our rapidly changing world and the major tensions that
we face have been addressed by the Delors Commission in their 1996 Report to
UNESCO, Learning: The Treasure Within. The new educational paradigm of Lifelong
Education—learning how to learn, based on the four pillars of education: learning to
know, learning to do, learning to live together and learning to be—is the master key to
meet the challenges of our century. Education should be viewed as fundamental for
personal and social development, as well as an instrument for peace and tolerance, nonviolence and international understanding.
Quality of education will then be considered not in fragmented or purely
pragmatic and instrumental terms, but in a more holistic manner, the development of all
the talents of the individual; the formation of the whole person, the full flowering of all
the human powers and faculties—physical, intellectual, affective, aesthetic, ethical, and
spiritual, and the transformation of society.
No doubt the phenomenal advances in science and technology, the information
and communication revolution have made dramatic breakthroughs in our lives; but they
have not prevented the breakdowns in the social moral order, the upsurge in crime and
violence, the erosion of our human, ethical, cultural and spiritual values.
Edgar Faure in a much earlier Report to UNESCO (1972), Learning to Be, outlines
the goals of education as Scientific Humanism, Social Commitment Towards Being
Completely Human in a Learning Society. This calls for a values dimension in education
and society, science with a conscience and technology with a human heart at the service
of humanity. It points to the holistic and integrated education of the human person in a
learning society.
UNESCO’s Medium Term Strategy (2002-2007) Draft 31 C/4 Contributing to
peace and human development in an era of globalization has defined as its first domain
of action: Culture of peace through education, and pointed out poverty and conflict as
the prime causes which put human security at risk, and endangers human dignity
and social justice. It calls for a globalization with a human face.
In all its activities, UNESCO will be guided by the three fundamental principles of
universality, diversity and dignity, closely related to the values of justice,
solidarity, tolerance, sharing and equity, respect for human rights and
democratic principles.
Under UNESCO’s Major Programme I—Education (Draft 31 C/5),
Programme 1.2 is entitled Building knowledge societies through quality
education and a renewal of education systems.
In Section 1.2.1 Towards a new approach to quality education, the global
educational community of Member States authorizes the implementation of a plan of
action in order to:
promote a new approach to quality education by emphasizing the
acquisition of values, attitudes and skills needed to face the
challenges of contemporary society and globalization, in particular
through education for a culture of peace, for human rights, for cultural
and linguistic diversity and for a sustainable future.
In this regard, UNESCO will seek to ensure that “quality education embraces a
deep concern for the fundamental goals and purposes of education, for the relevance of
learning contents and processes, and for modes of learning that reinforce human
values…Viewed from this perspective, quality education encompasses the full
development of the human personality, in line with the Universal Declaration of Human
Rights…The concept of education for a culture of peace and sustainable development
links it closely with educational themes, fields and concerns with a view to generating a
holistic vision of quality education.”
A holistic and integrated education towards a complete human person may seem
to be an unrealistic and an impossible task, since the things that count cannot be
counted, and what matters most may be invisible to the eye. It is only when we have
the power to value that we will be able to distinguish the essential from the nonessential, and to realize that the dignity of the human person and the excellence of the
human spirit are the ultimate criteria of quality.
Finally, it may be said that standards of quality in this age of globalism and IT
can be met only through a holistic and integrated approach to education which veers
away from:
 rigid compartmentalization of content to a more multidisciplinary,
interdisciplinary view of reality;
 authoritarian teacher-centered teaching strategies to more democratic
participatory interactive learning methods;
 content-focused teaching to a holistic cognitive-affective-behavioral teachinglearning cycle;
 prepared and fixed modules to flexible and adaptable guides to teaching and
learning;
 values-free to values-integrated subject matter with emphasis on the valuing
process;
 mere information to formation and transformation;
 academic excellence alone to moral excellence, character building and
personality development.
A holistic, integrated and relevant education blends and interfaces
 local wisdom with global knowledges, values and skills, in order to develop
the student to become a citizen of his/her country as well as a citizen of the
global village;
 the new ICTs with the multiple intelligences and learning styles of the
student, so that the uniqueness of the individual is not neglected;
 the scientific and the humanistic, the objective and the subjective, the
individual and society, the physical and metaphysical, the material and
spiritual.
A holistic, integrated and humanistic education retains the essential
meaning of Quality: the discovery and development of the talents of every individual,
the full flowering of the human potential, learning to be a complete human person.
After all, educare, the root word of education, means the bringing forth of the
wholeness within each one of us.