Curriculum With A Conscience

By Herman M. Lagon

When news broke that the Department of Education (DepEd) was proposing to remove Ethics from the Senior High School (SHS) and college general education curriculum, many educators, thinkers, and citizens winced, some in confusion, others in silent dismay. It felt like watching the final scene of a film where the hero, against all odds, almost wins—only to be blindsided. Ethics, of all subjects, was not just another checkbox in the syllabus; it was the quiet spine of education, the one that helped students ask: so what, what now, why so, and for whom?

The Ateneo de Manila University Philosophy Department made it clear: this is not about resisting reform. It is about keeping what matters (Ateneo Philosophy Department, 2025). Their recent statement, supported by the Union of Societies and Associations of Philosophy in the Philippines (USAPP), does not reject change—it simply demands that it be thoughtful. In a time when fake news pollutes discourse and algorithm-driven echo chambers distort truth, can we afford to cut the one subject designed to train young people in discernment, empathy, and reasoned disagreement?

To say that Ethics is redundant because we already teach Good Manners and Values Education is like saying we no longer need math in college because we learned to count in Grade 2. Ethics is not about teaching children to obey rules; it is about equipping young adults to examine them. In fact, this distinction is what philosopher Raimiel Dionido (2024) stresses: ethical reflection must not be caged in a single subject, but should live and breathe across disciplines. He suggests that Science can tackle climate and bio ethics, Math can address algorithmic bias and statistical integrity, English can look at plagiarism and cultural sensitivity, Social Studies can discern over social justice and historical accuracy, and even Physical Education can challenge toxic competitiveness and fair play.

This is not just theory. When I was principal of a Jesuit school, I remember having SHS students who conceptualized and eventually built a sustainable water filtration system for the indigenous community in Guimaras, where they had their retreat and immersion. While the proposal was a class requirement, choosing to carry it out was entirely their own decision. Their PhP500k project, grounded in science and social justice-driven initiative, was fired by empathy. They did not just follow the academic requirements; they asked and responded to what mattered. When I asked where they learned to think that way, one replied, “It started when our teacher asked us not what is right, but who decides what is right.”

Removing Ethics sends a message, even if unintended: that morality is a luxury, not a necessity. This is dangerous in a society already grappling with institutional trust deficits, deepening inequality, and the normalization of corruption. According to the Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS, 2023), only 20% of SHS graduates find employment aligned with their specialization, and yet most still go to college. This mismatch shows that many students still lack readiness—not just in technical knowledge but in soft skills and ethical perspective.

Ethics education, especially in subjects like Philosophy of the Human Person, Media and Information Literacy, Work Immersion, Corporate Social Responsibility, Entrepreneurship, or Business Ethics, provides more than frameworks. It trains students to think with context, to listen well, to discern, and to disagree without destroying. As the Ateneo Philosophy Department (2025) puts it, Ethics teaches moral imagination—the ability to think beyond oneself and see the broader social web. In workplaces where shortcuts are often incentivized, this matters. In politics, even more so.

Let us also be honest: not all Ethics classes are transformative. Some are reduced to rote memorization or bland preaching. But the solution is not to scrap the subject. The solution is to teach it better. This includes equipping teachers, as EdCom II (2025) points out, where 62% of high school instructors handle subjects outside their expertise. Teacher training should go hand in hand with curriculum reform. A meaningful Ethics class does not just teach Plato or Kant—it holds space for students to wrestle with the gray areas of their lived realities.

DepEd’s rationale, to streamline education and ease the financial burden on families, is understandable. But removing Ethics to save time is like skipping breakfast to save money: it feels practical but ends up costing more. What is saved in hours may be lost in human judgment. My former school, for instance, chose to infuse Ethics not just in formal classes but in student-led projects and reflection-based formation activities. When our students work as grocery baggers with the organic personnel on the ground, facilitate activities in their own churches, and immerse with marginalized families—live and break bread with them—their reflection papers turn not just summaries but stories of ethical confrontation.

Even in digital literacy, Ethics plays a vital role. From understanding cyberbullying and intellectual property to navigating online disinformation, students must be equipped not just with access to tools but with the wisdom to use them well (Villanueva, 2022). Studies have shown that students trained in ethical reflection are more resilient against peer pressure and more proactive in community involvement (David, Torres, & Reyes, 2023).

This is where a nuanced path emerges: instead of isolating Ethics as a standalone course, structurally integrate it into every subject. Let teachers, regardless of specialization, be trained to facilitate ethical discussions in context. Let science students debate ecological responsibility. Let tech learners confront the social cost of automation. Let future entrepreneurs question not just profit margins but labor practices. When ethical questions are embedded in the subjects where students will eventually work, manage, lead, or innovate, they will carry those lenses with them.

At the same time, let us not ignore what the SHS program gets right. Giving students more time to immerse in their chosen career paths—through actual work, entrepreneurship, or creative practice—is vital. But let that immersion be critical, reflective, and value-driven. Let students apply, analyze, and even challenge the ethical theories they have learned in school. When a Grade 12 student interns in a hospital, let them not just shadow doctors, but also discuss triage ethics. When one builds a business plan, let them also draft a code of conduct.

If the end goal is a nation of job-ready graduates who can also be community-ready, civic-minded, and critically awake, then Ethics should stay—not as a box to tick but as a thread that runs through everything we do. Real reform is not always about reduction. Sometimes, it is about realignment. Streamlining should not mean sidelining what makes education humane. Let us reimagine, not erase, the role of Ethics in schools.

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Doc H fondly describes himself as a ‘student of and for life’ who, like many others, aspires to a life-giving and why-driven world that is grounded in social justice and the pursuit of happiness. His views herewith do not necessarily reflect those of the institutions he is employed or connected with.