Edukasyon sa Pagpapakatao (EsP) and Confucian Moral Education

Abstract

The Department of Education’s Edukasyon sa Pagpapakatao (EsP) differentiates itself from Edukasyon sa Pagpapahalaga in that the former grounds itself predominantly on philosophical and interdisciplinary theories. Although not explicit in the DepEd’s curriculum map for EsP, the paper aims to show how the project seems to coincide with Confucian moral education. As such, the paper juxtaposes the EsP Curriculum with Confucian Moral Education in three parts. The first part considers the outcome of the EsP program and argues that it coincides with the goal of Confucian education—the formation of junzi. The second part looks into three important doctrines in Confucian moral education, namely—doctrine of the mean, benevolence and the other virtues, and filial piety—and suggests them as an addendum to EsP’s decision-making, social and emotional learning, and career guidance. The third part considers the importance of rites and arts in Confucian moral education and suggests it for the EsP curriculum.