TYKF Trustee Harry Tan gets a Project Citizen shirt and cap from Center for Civic Education’s Bill and Carol Hatcher.
The Tan Yan Kee Foundation(TYKF) and the Philippine Center for Civic Education and Democracy (PCCED) recently sealed their partnership for the advancement of responsible citizenship in the country through Project Citizen.
The project has its roots in the interdisciplinary Committee on civic Education formed in 1964 at the University of California, Los Angeles. The committee was tasked to develop more effective curricular programs in elementary and secondary civic education. Eventually, the Center for Civic Education and Democracy (CCE) became an independent non-profit organization with offices in Washington, D.C. and in Los Angeles, California.
The project has its roots in the interdisciplinary Committee on civic Education formed in 1964 at the University of California, Los Angeles. The committee was tasked to develop more effective curricular programs in elementary and secondary civic education. Eventually, the Center for Civic Education and Democracy (CCE) became an independent non-profit organization with offices in Washington, D.C. and in Los Angeles, California.
  TYKF Trustee Shirley Chua (5th from left) and daughter Leslie are flanked by the students and teachers of Pasig Science High School.  | The project is implemented in every state of the US and in more than 70 countries worldwide. In the Philippines, the licensed arm of CCE is PCCED -- Tan Yan Kee Foundation’s partner in the strategic move to eventually create a responsible citizenry in the country. The aim is for the increasing participation of the youth in citizenship through the educational system and through training and development. This is done through training teacher-moderators and students in responsible citizenship through problem identification, research on policy solutions, and culminating in a showcase of proposals before a panel screeners and during the finals before a Board of Judges. Project Citizen trains for responsible and proper action versus “street action” and simply creating noise; working within established institutions through accepted processes and systems. PCCED launched Project Citizen in 2006 in 14 schools across Metro Manila. In 2007, 30 schools were trained, with 386 students participating. 2008 saw 40 schools with at least 600 students participating. While the run is currently in the National Capital Region, a Batangas private school participated in the showcase presentation. A post participation survey shows that almost all students who participate in the program have higher levels of civic attitudes. CCE Trustee William Hatcher visited the TYKF office for a courtesy call and to discuss areas of cooperation with TYKF Trustee Mr. Harry C. Tan and TYKF staff. His group included CCE California Coordinator Carol Hatcher, CCE Civitas International Program Manager Lauren Galicia, and PCCED Country Manager (Philippines) Monica Ang. During the annual showcase presentation of some 22 NCR high schools which entered the project, five were chosen by a multi-disciplinary board of screeners to enter the finals. They were: Caybiga High School - Road lights Las Pinas National High School - Loitering Parada National High School -Street crimes Parang High School - internet cafe Pasig City Science High School -Street gangs Each of the presenting schools had to undergo over a period of several months, the process of problem identification, research, policy proposals vis-à-vis existing policies, and implementation procedures through information, community involvement, and coordination with established authorities. In 2007, some proposals from the showcases were actually adopted as city ordinances and/or resolutions by the local government units they coordinated with. This year, the Board of Judges declared Parada National High School as the winner for Best in Showcase. |
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