Surigao del Norte Rep. Robert Ace Barbers, committee on dangerous drugs chairperson, has filed a bill seeking to integrate programs or courses on environmental protection, entrepreneurship, reproductive health and population control, and drug prevention in the curriculum of elementary and high school to develop a positive mindset among the youth.
House Bill No. 5202 or the “Responsible Youth Act” stated “it is often said that youth is the hope of our country. Their passions, dreams, motivation and determination can make a difference in building a nation. However, youth of today faces many risks and challenges, including drug addiction, teenage pregnancy and lack of awareness on the pressing issue on global warming, among others. Thus, they need proper guidance and direction to ensure that they are still on the right path in becoming a responsible adult.”
“Discussion of these programs or courses paired with broader and more comprehensive instruction as early as childhood can help prepare youth to reach intellectual and emotional maturity leading to a responsible and healthy life decisions. Early intervention has a life altering impact on changing a child’s life path away from problems and toward positive behaviors,” Barbers said.
“In order for these programs to produce positive results, the content of the course or the teaching modules to be developed by the Department of Education must be ‘age-appropriate’,” he added.
Moreover, he said, age-appropriate shall mean topics, messages and teaching methods that are suitable to particular age and developmental levels based on the cognitive, emotional, social and experience levels of most students at that level.”
