Philosophy in basic education: Towards the strengthening of the foundations of Philippine education

Abstract

For the most part, in the Philippines, Philosophy is taught as one of the general education courses in colleges and universities, and usually focuses on fields such as philosophy of man, ethics, or logic. In light of the recent developments in the government’s K to 12 Program, Philosophy will now be taught at the senior high school level. However, I believe that this is not enough. In order for Filipinos to evolve into critical thinkers, Philosophy should be introduced as a staple part of the basic education curriculum as early as elementary school. In this paper, I will argue that Philosophy should be taught to students at an early age in the Philippines for three reasons: 1) the study of Philosophy greatly enhances a student’s critical thinking skills; 2) it opens the person to ideas outside his/her socio-cultural and religious milieu; and 3) it prepares the individual to be a more critical and analytical member of society. Finally, I will argue that it is in the nation’s best interest to incorporate Philosophy into the country’s basic education program since it can significantly help in nation-building.