Product standard awareness eyed in schools’ curricula
By Manuel T. Cayon
Reporter

AWARENESS of product standards would soon be part of the public school curriculum that the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) hoped would evolve into a strong consumer protection vigilance among Filipinos.
       The DTI’s Bureau of Public Standards (BPS) said in its e-mailed statement that it has linked up with the Department of Education (DepEd) “to integrate [a subject on] the importance of standards for product safety and quality in the curricula of the pupils and students to mold them to be responsible and vigilant consumers at their young age.”
       The BPS said it was closely working with DepED’s Bureaus of Elementary Education (BEE), Secondary Education (BSE) and Alternative Learning System to develop the lesson plan, guides and modules on the subject.
       “The main thrust of the department is to strengthen consumer welfare awareness among the young for they are very influential to the buying preference of their parents,” said Undersecretary Zenaida C. Maglaya of the DTI Consumer Welfare and Trade Regulation Group.
       “Ultimately, through extensive classroom discussions on product safety and quality, we would be able to rear intelligent young consumers that demand for reliable and safe goods in the market,” she said.
       BPS director Jesus L. Motoomull said “lesson exemplars” on product standards for the elementary and secondary education, as well as the alternative learning system would be developed “through the expertise of both agencies [DepEd’s BEE and BSE].”
       The BPS, to be assisted by the Philippine Product Safety and Quality Foundation (PPSQF), would hold a Curriculum Writing Workshop or Writeshop on the Development of Lesson Exemplars for the DepEd personnel involved in curriculum-writing “to work on the inclusion of standards, standardization and conformity assessment activities in the school curricula.”
       The writeshop would be designed “to ensure that knowledge related to standards and conformity assessment are being technologically transferred to the DepEd personnel for their consideration in writing the lesson exemplars on standards.
       A pilot test of the lesson guides and modules would be conducted in selected schools nationwide by the third quarter of the year. It is expected that these would be finalized and printed by the end of the year, the BPS said.
       “With standards integrated in the teachers’ lesson guides and modules, children would be able to distinguish safe and reliable products from inferior or defective ones, and eventually promote patronage of DTI-certified products among their family and peers,” Motoomull said.
       Prior to the opening of school year 2007-’08, the DTI, PPSQF and DepEd would conduct a capacity-building workshop to prepare and guide the teachers on teaching the lesson.
       Maglaya said the DTI hoped that the subjects on product standards would be taught in every classroom of the elementary and secondary education, including the alternative learning system.
       “Certainly, through the continued support of our partners in DepEd and the private sector, we would be able to reach our goal of including standards in the school curricula to raise consumer awareness on product safety and quality, at the same time, encourage the children to be DTI’s young consumer advocates at their homes and community.”
       Developing lesson exemplars or curricula was a component of the BPS’ Standards Blitz program, an information campaign to increase and promote awareness on product standards, standardization and conformity assessment activities to pupils, students, teachers and other government agencies, the BPS said.