Following a series of violent incidents in schools, the country’s association of Catholic learning institutions has called for a “holistic reform” of the education system that goes beyond academic performance and job readiness.
The Catholic Educational Association of the Philippines (CEAP), in a statement issued Tuesday, said reforms must strengthen character formation, emotional well-being and social responsibility among learners.
“These recent events further remind us that education reform must continue to uphold a holistic view of the learner–one that advances academic achievement and workforce readiness while also nurturing character, values, emotional well-being, and social responsibility,” CEAP said.
The group urged the Department of Education, Commission on Higher Education and other government agencies to prioritize what it called “integral human development” in ongoing policy reforms.
“CEAP calls on the government, DepEd, CHED, and all stakeholders for urgent, holistic reform that prioritizes integral human development over purely technical goals,” it added.
It also called on families and communities to take a more active role in shaping young people’s values, communication skills and emotional stability.
“We reaffirm our commitment to forming men and women for others through faith, reason, and compassion,” CEAP said.
CEAP issued the statement a day after a shooting incident inside San Jose National High School in Tacloban City that killed at least three students and wounded 15 others.
Police said two suspects, aged 14 and 15, were arrested and placed under the custody of the City Social Welfare and Development Office while investigations continue.The statement also cited earlier incidents, including a June 19 stabbing at Cavite National High School in Cavite City that left an 18-year-old student injured.
On June 16, seven Grade 5 pupils at Bethel Academy in General Trias, Cavite were hurt when attacked by a Grade 8 student allegedly armed with a kitchen knife.
CEAP said the series of violent incidents inside school campuses is alarming, noting that educational institutions are meant to be safe spaces for children.
“CEAP expresses profound alarm and deep sorrow over the recent stabbing and shooting incidents on separate school campuses,” it said. “These tragic events, which claimed lives and inflicted serious injuries, mark a harrowing escalation from bullying and peer conflicts to outright killings.”
“Schools, meant to be sanctuaries of learning, growth, and formation, are now turning into places of fear and violence,” it added.