Values more important than knowledge

Values before skills.

This very catchy and interesting phrase is a motto of a school for children at the Ortigas Center in Pasig City.

Most schools do not teach values to their students when values are more important than knowledge.

A child taught good manners and right conduct early will grow up to become an upright and law-abiding citizen later.

An adult who uses his knowledge to harm others wasn’t taught the right moral values in his childhood.

* * *

“Do unto others what you want others to do unto you” sums up all the commandments in any religion.

The Golden Rule, which forms the basis of any law, should be taught very early in childhood.

The school, where a child spends most of its formative age (from 4 to 10 years old), should bombard its pupils with moral values.

As an aside, the imparting of moral values doesn’t mean teaching religion; it only means making the child discern good from bad.

There are atheists who are law-abiding citizens and criminals who are religious.

* * *

For a pupil to fully grasp the value of respecting the rights and property of others, the school may want to inject karma into the learning process.

Karma, a Sanskrit word, says that what you do to others will be done unto you.

Steal money from someone else and another person will steal from you later. Punch a weaker guy now and a stronger person will punch you later. Kill a person without justification and you have just forfeited your life. That’s karma.

The teaching of karma brings the point home.

* * *

Former President Noynoy now realizes that the difficulties he made his predecessor, Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, undergo when he was in power he is now experiencing himself.

Criminal cases were filed against Gloria one after the other, of course on orders of the vengeful Noynoy.

Now that he is no longer in power, Noynoy is facing a slew of criminal cases.

That’s karma.

* * *

DepEd eyes good manners and right conduct class —headline.

Jeez, that means the Department of Education has just woken up from a long sleep!

In other words, moral values are not taught in our schools and the DepEd has just realized it.

* * *

Theodore “Teddy” Owen Jr., one of the icons of Philippine journalism, died recently at age 95.

Teddy Owen was news editor at the Manila Bulletin when I was a police reporter in that paper during the martial law days.

Although strict and gruff in manner at the office, he was a very kind and gentle person.

I mourn Teddy’s passing.