The FEU Public Policy Center (FPPC), through a team of historians led by one its trustees, Dr. Maria Serena I. Diokno, is at the forefront of efforts to improve the teaching of Araling Panlipunan. Under the History Project initiative, the FPPC has organized teacher training sessions, conducted a review of textbooks, and developed an assessment test.
The critical appraisal of Araling Panlipunan textbooks used in Grades 5 and 6 revealed gaps in the textbooks’ coverage and observed a tendency of textbook authors to make conclusive statements and interpretations without providing sufficient evidence. In addition, the team observed the emphasis of rote memorization in the teaching of Philippine history and pointed out the need to prioritize the development of critical thinking skills among students. The results of these findings were presented in the policy forum entitled: #Twisted Truths: The Dilemma of Philippine History Textbooks hosted last January 25, 2022.
As the public policy arm of one of the leading educational institutions in the country, the FPPC promotes public discourse grounded on research and credible information. In line with this, the FPPC joined the #FactsFirstPH Consortium, a multi-sector initiative led by the digital media firm Rappler, which aims to promote truth in public spaces and demand accountability from perpetrators of misinformation.
As a research partner, FPPC is embarking on a review of YouTube videos on Philippine history and the 2022 elections. There is an alarming proliferation of videos online that are selective in the information it presents and are replete with opinions and statements that are either false or unsubstantiated. Under this kind of environment, there is an increasing burden on netizens to be more discerning of the information presented to them. The education sector, media, and civil society play crucial roles in altering the landscape and making it easier for the public to judge information online.
The links to the full articles produced by FPPC on can be accessed here:
