Awareness and Practice of Public School Core Values among Junior High School Students

Abstract

Aims: This study determined the students’ awareness and practice of the public school Core values of maka-Diyos (Godly), makatao (person-oriented), makakalikasan (environmental), and makabansa (nationalistic) in a component city of Northern Negros Occidental.
 Study Design: The study utilized a quantitative research design, particularly the descriptive-comparative and correlational approaches.
 Place and Duration of Study: This study assessed the students’ level of awareness and extent of practice of core values of maka-Diyos, makatao, makakalikasan, and makabansa of junior high school students in a public school in Negros Occidental, Philippines, during 2021-2022 when taken as a whole and grouped according to sex, religion, and family structure.
 Methodology: Using the descriptive-comparative and correlational design, the study was assessed by 221 junior high school students during the school year 2021-2022. It employed a researchers’ validated and reliability-tested core value awareness and practice questionnaires. In data analysis, Mean, Standard Deviation, Kruskal Wallis, and Spearman Rank Correlation were used.
 Results: Generally, the level of awareness (M=4.38, SD= 0.40) is very high. Particularly, all core values of maka-Diyos (M=4.43; SD=0.50), makatao (M=4.32; SD=0.52), makakalikasan (M=4.25, SD= 0.57), and makabansa (M=4.54, SD= 0.45) were rated very high. The extent of practice (M=4.38, SD= 0.41) was rated very great extent. All core values of maka-Diyos (M=4.39; SD=0.55), makatao (M=4.31, SD= 0.49), makakalikasan (M=4.31, SD= 0.57), and makabansa (M=4.54, SD= 0.46) were rated very great extent. It is also showed that there were no significant differences in terms of religion [U=2967.0, p=0.323] and family structure [χ2(2)=1.798, p=0.407]. Meanwhile, in terms of sex [U=4553.5, p=0.004], there was a significant difference in the students' awareness while there was no significant difference in the extent of practice when grouped according to sex [U=5075.5, p=0.072], religion [U=2848.5, p=0.184], and family structure [χ2(2)=3.253, p=0.197]. In terms of correlation, there was a significant relationship between the awareness and practice [ρ(219)=0.761, p=0.000] of public school core values.
 Conclusion: The core value awareness and practice of maka-Diyos, makatao, makakalikasan, and makabansa is sustainably established among the students when the public school strongly implements and promotes this Department of Education (DepEd) mandate. Making these values visible in the school environment can help the learners recognize their importance.