PHNO-OPINION: SMILES TO SOOTHE BACK TO SCHOOL SOB STORIES

OPINION: SMILES TO SOOTHE SCHOOL SOB
STORIES
MANILA, JUNE 5, 2012
(MANILA TIMES) Two problems await grade school pupils when
classes open today. First, a big shortage of teachers, materials and
facilities. Second, high anxiety level. Education Secretary Armin Luistro
has a solution for the second: Try a little tenderness.
At the launch of the Department of Education's Child Protection Guidelines
last week, Secretary Luistro told teachers to wear a constant smile on opening
day. Why? Because pupils would be meeting new faces. They would be separated
from their parents. The level of anxiety and stress would be high.
A smile could have a very positive effect on the students, Luistro said, in a
news story published in the Manila Bulletin.
Teachers who fail to flash a smile would be marked "No Uniform," the Bulletin
story said.
The reporter did not mention if Luistro will engage the services of a "smile
secret service" to spy on and report disobedient ("erring" in Filipino
journalese) teachers.
The story said the Education boss will not issue a formal memo but will
"strongly" encourage the grin directive to make the kids feel welcome for the
rest of the schoolyear.
"Nonsense" was the reported reaction of France Castro, secretary-general of
the Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT), who remarked that instead of issuing
such a directive, DepEd should focus on the shortage of chairs, classrooms and
teachers.
DepEd is anticipating bigger enrollment with the new K+12 program that adds
kindergarten, Grade 1 and Grade 7 classes to the curriculum. The classroom
deficit plus overcrowded classes will place an additional strain on teachers and
pupils. The stressful atmosphere calls for courtesy and pleasantness all around.

The Philippine government conducts courtesy campaigns from time to time as
part of its social engineering program. Public servants, for example, are often
advised to serve with a smile.
The rule does not apply at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport where
customs and immigration employees are reminded by their superiors that a smile
could be mistaken by tourists and other arriving passengers as hint for a
well-deserved tip.
We called a DepEd insider about the smile strategy. He assured us that all
teachers are ready for school opening. "We had a rehearsal in all grade schools
yesterday and we are pleased by the quality of their smile. It will surely put
the students at ease."


Chief News Editor: Sol Jose Vanzi
© Copyright, 2012 by PHILIPPINE HEADLINE NEWS ONLINE
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