CIVIC EDUCATION IN RELATION TO CIVIC

RESPONSIBILITIES AMONG PUPILS

AND TEACHERS IN THE PRIVATE
ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS OF
CABADBARAN CITY
by
Romel Mahumot Martinez
martinezromeldaboy83@gmail.com

Abstract

The study aimed to assess the knowledge of teachers

and pupils on civic education and its relation to civic
responsibilities in the private elementary schools of
Cabadbaran City. Knowledge on civic education was
determined in terms of family, community and country.
Data on the relationship of the manifestation of civic
responsibility, civic consciousness and civic engagement
were also gathered.
The descriptive-correlational method was utilized in
the study. Survey questionnaires on civic education and
civic responsibility were used in gathering data. This study
tested the significant relationship of the knowledge of
teachers and pupils on civic education and civic
responsibilities. A four-point Likert scale was employed in
quantifying the responses. Purposive sampling technique
was employed in determining the respondents. Weighted
mean and Pearson Product Moment Coefficient
Correlation were employed in analyzing the data.
The study revealed that both pupils and teachers
strongly agreed on the concepts of civic education in terms
of family, community and country. The teachers strongly
agreed on the indicators of civic responsibilities as to civic
consciousness and civic engagement. However, the pupils
only agreed on the indicators on civic responsibilities as to
civic engagement but strongly agreed on civic
consciousness. It was found out that there was a
significant relationship between the civic education of
pupils and teachers on their civic responsibilities.

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Introduction
Civic Education is taught and integrated in Social
Studies. The subject provides lessons in which pupils are
realistically being prepared to participate in a democratic
society. Social Studies teachers and pupils somehow
relate to the whole on how individual action affects the
entire community. It teaches pupils about their role in the
community and their responsibilities to others. Even more,
it teaches pupils about their obligations of civic
responsibilities (Quigley 2017). There is a wider
community beyond the family and clan. For some, it may
only be the barangay, town or city but for others, it may
extend to the province, region or country. People should
take responsibilities for the broader environment beyond
the confines of their immediate family. They should be
prepared to contribute to and sacrifice for the greater
common good.
According to Davis and Neufeld (2010), civic education
through family aims at ensuring children as future citizens,
learn to interact with other citizens on the basis of civic
respect. Further, civic education strengthens community
relationship and teaches young minds how to get along
with others and about the value of relationships. Families
become a place where pupils can and usually want to
practice the communication skills and ideas learned in
school. Pupils should be required to attend educational
institutions that will inculcate in them the skills and
concepts necessary for them to be free and equal citizens.
Parents also should be granted as much freedom as
compatible to raise their children in accordance with their
respective comprehensive doctrines, beliefs and values or
good moral character. Upbringing starts at home, including
religious doctrines.
The broader environment has to be kept clean,
conducive, enriched and brought to a higher standard. The
people should not only be concerned with the physical
facets of the environment but also the socio-economic,

75
political, cultural and moral facts. Through civic education
the sense of mission for the community and country can
be nurtured in peoples’ minds and hearts. They can be
reminded of their civic responsibilities. There is a call to
look beyond self and contribute to the broader common
welfare of the people.
Brandy (2014) believed that practices for effective civic
learning, civic education helps pupils succeed in school.
Civic education strengthens family relationships around
meaningful discussions. Civic education helps individuals
succeed in school. The evidence for this truism is
overwhelming. Civic education helps brings relevance and
recognizable connections and meaningfulness to class
work that helps spark pupils’ interest. Civic lessons help
pupils individuate and develop their own civic identity and
sense of individuality. Dealing with complex questions of
civics, politics and ethics, pupils’ pride in their civic identity
grows so does their self-esteem. When self-esteem is
earned, real thinking increases and pupils tend to do even
more than a homework. This positive feedback loop is the
reason why students in civic-based classes tend to
perform at such high levels.
According to Stanford (2018) civic education means all
the processes that affect people’s beliefs, commitments,
capabilities, and actions as members of communities.
Civic education need not be intentional or deliberate
institutions and communities transmit values and norms.
Familes, governments, religions and mass media are just
some of the institutions involved in civic education,
understood as lifelong process.
On the other hand, civic responsibilities exists largely
in the government system of the country. It is believed that
even an individual who lives in a democratic nation and as
a responsible citizen needs to abide the laws of the
country. Obeying laws falls into his responsibility as well
as to common good.

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 Finkel and Smith (2011) added that civic education first
influenced the knowledge, values, and participatory
inclinations of individuals directly exposed to the people.
These individuals became opinion leaders,
communicating new orientations to others within their
social networks. These are individuals who discuss with
other civic education experiences then showed significant
growth in democratic knowledge and values.
Thomas (2012) defined civic education in relation to
civic responsibilities. Civic comes from the latin word
civicus, meaning citizen. Responsibility comes from the
Latin word responsum, meaning reply. The definitions
emphasized the importance of action, and it encompassed
a great deal of power for everyone who is engaged. Each
one has the ability to influence others and make the
environment more just and equitable for all. Educational
institutions plays a large role in encouraging civic
responsibility among young people. There is a growing
trend to incorporate service learning as part of education.
Many schools require pupils to invest volunteer hours to
local organizations. Others encourage pupils’ initiative to
get involved in different programs like National Service
Training Program, community immersions, operation
cleaning, bayanihan, tree planting, leadership and
consciousness.
There is a need for education to be conducive to the
observance of proper values and practice of civic virtues
that can help build responsible individuals in families, in
communities and in the society as a whole. Hence, the
researcher would like to explore the area on civic
education in relation to civic responsibility. The results of
the study will help teachers integrate activities that would
widen the horizon of the students in exposing themselves
to different types of community services. The students will
be given appropriate attention and motivation to strongly
commit their being not only to themselves but also to their
families, their fellowmen and their community.

77
 This study is beneficial to the teachers and pupils by
providing valuable information by discovering potentials
that boost the interest of the learners. It will encourage the
pupils to exert efforts at self-development in order to
become real assets for their families and communities.

Conceptual Framework
Gillespie (2018) who believed in the world of civic
engagement and volunteerism, strived to help pupils to
understand the value and impact of getting involved and
giving back. It is particularly easy to do, like, participating
in a service project. Every pupil walks away from that
experience knowing that they made someone else’s life a
little bit easier. However, helping pupils understand the big
picture impact for indirect service projects can be a bit
more challenging. The purpose of helping every pupil is to
understand that they have the power to make the world a
brighter and better place. Voluntarism need not be
intentional or deliberate. Institutions and communities
transmit values and norms without meaning. Pupils are not
instructed anymore of what needs to be done. Instead,
they will perform voluntarily.
Furthermore, civic engagement involves working to
make a difference in the civic life of one’s community and
developing the combination of knowledge, skills, values
and motivation to make that difference. It means promoting
the quality of life in a community and through society. Civic
engagement includes both paid and unpaid forms of
environmentalism, community and national service.
Volunteering national service and service-learning are all
forms of civic engagement.
Edinyang (2016) believed that children pay attention to
some people who serve as their role model. At a later time,
they may imitate the behavior they have observed. They
may do this regardless of whether the behavior is gender
appropriate or not. But, there are a number of processes
that make it more likely that a child will reproduce the
behavior that its society deems appropriate for its gender.

78
 This relates to an attachment to specific models that
possess qualities seen as rewarding. Children will have a
number of models with whom they identify. These may be
people in their immediate world, such as parents or older
siblings, or could be fantasy characters or people in the
media. The motivation to identify with a particular model is
that they have a quality which the individual would like to
possess. Identification occurs with another person and
involves taking on observed behaviors, values, beliefs and
attitudes of the person with whom one is identifying.

Guilfole (2014) stressed that civic education has been

diluted over the years, pushed to the back burner in
deference to more intense accountability systems in
subject areas like Math, Science, and English languages.
To help reinvigorate civic education, research on civic
learning and engagement strategies convened a diverse
and dedicated group of civic thinkers to brainstorm
strategies for what this revitalization might look like, to help
teachers create civic curricula with robust and relevant
learning experiences for students.

Statement of the Problem

The study assessed the knowledge of the teachers and
pupils on civic education and its relation to civic
responsibilities in the private elementary schools of
Cabadbaran City.
Specifically, it aimed to answer the following questions:
1. What is civic education among pupils and teachers
in the private schools in terms of:
1.1 family
1.2 community
1.3 country
2.To what extent do pupils and teachers manifest their
civic responsibilities through civic consciousness and civic
engagement?

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 3. Is there a significant relationship of civic education
and civic responsibilities among pupils and teachers?
4. What intervening activity could be proposed as a
result of the findings of this study?

Hypothesis
The study was guided by the following hypothesis:
HO1: There is no significant relationship between civic
education and civic responsibilities among pupils and
teachers.

Summary
Based on the problems, the following were the findings
of the study. Both Grade 6 pupils and teachers strongly
agreed with the indicators on civic education in terms of
family, community and country. The Grade 6 teachers
strongly agreed in the indicators of civic responsibilities as
to civic conciousness and civic engagement. However, the
pupils only agreed on the indicators on civic
responsibilities but strongly agreed on civic
consciousness. It was found out that there was a
significant relationship of civic education of pupils and
teachers and civic responsibilities.

Conclusions
Findings concluded that the pupils and teachers were
aware of the concepts on civic education pertaining to the
family, community and country. Since there is a
significant relationship between civic education and civic
responsibilities, it follows that civic education of people
influence their concern for the family, community and
country.

Recommendations
Based on the conclusions, the following
recommendations were offered:
Civic education need to be intensified in the teaching
of Araling Panlipunan subject. Knowledge on the

80
concepts of civic education among pupils will encourage
them to understand their responsibilities towards their
family, school, community and country. By so doing, civic
conciousness and civic engagement will be developed
within themselves.

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