Civic mindedness is a must to fight corruption: Lessons from South Korea and Finland

(Part 5)

The Philippines can learn from Japan and Singapore about how to develop civic mindedness among its citizens through the appropriate early childhood education. We possess strong cultural values (e.g., bayanihan, malasakit, respect for elders) yet these virtues are often inconsistently practiced in public life. Schools focus heavily on academic content and testing, while habit formation, civic responsibility, and discipline receive uneven attention. Even values education is taught through lectures and exhortations rather than through deeds and repetition of acts in order to form the appropriate good habits or virtues.

SOUTH KOREA
There are other countries that can also contribute insights about the inculcation of the appropriate social virtues that can help in fighting corruption in the Philippines. Let us start with South Korea, although we must point out that this highly developed country in East Asia still has a high level of corruption. The South Koreans, however, have a highly developed work ethic and spirit of cooperation and teamwork which are worth emulating. They cultivate social virtues through a blend of Confucian values, rigorous schooling, and, like Japan and Singapore, family-centered upbringing.

Korean families strongly emphasize “hho” (filial piety) which is deep respect for parents and elders. There is emphasis during early childhood upbringing on proper greetings and honorific speech, helping with household tasks, and emotional self-control and humility. Children learn early at home that family harmony and respect for hierarchy are central virtues. At the kindergarten and elementary school levels, there is a strong emphasis on discipline and group responsibility. Students bow to teachers each morning. Punctuality, quietness, and orderly behavior are strictly enforced.

South Korea has formal moral-education classes which teach honesty, the spirit of cooperation, civic values, empathy, and responsibility to protect the physical environment. The children rotate tasks such as leading greetings, managing materials, helping serve food, and organizing school supplies. All these specific deeds help build responsibility and teamwork. Classes function as tight units promoting cooperation, collective accountability, and peer support. They internalize that one’s actions affect the whole group, developing a keen sense of the “common good.”

South Korea has fewer mandatory clubs than Japan. Students, however, participate heavily in sports teams, music groups, and academic societies. These group activities emphasize effort, perseverance, and teamwork. Korean media, schools, and civil society promote inhwa (harmony among people), nunchi (tact/ sensitivity to others), respect for public spaces, and quietness in shared environments. There is strong civic cooperation, shown especially in times of crises. In sum, South Korea instills social virtues through Confucian respect, disciplined schooling, peer-group accountability, and societal emphasis on harmony and diligence.

FINLAND
We have presented Asian countries for emulation as regards the cultivation of social virtues directly related to bringing down the level of corruption. We may want to examine at least one non-Asian country that has a very low level of corruption that may also suggest some lessons from which the Philippines can learn.

I have chosen Finland because in international rankings of countries based on good governance, Finland always stands out as the best. Unsurprisingly, the first reason cited in reports about Finland concerning its low level of corruption is family upbringing. Finnish families emphasize early independence (children walk to school early, manage their personal belongings). Honesty and straightforwardness are cultivated through severe punishment for lying. The children, like in the Asian cases discussed, are taught to respect others’ space and privacy. The children are taught by deeds to achieve calm emotional expression and self-regulation. They learn that freedom goes together with responsibility.

Formal schooling starts late (age seven) but good habits (virtues) are fostered through play-based learning; mixed ability interaction (strong inclusion into the classroom of children with special needs); emphasis on sharing, fairness, and empathy; and teachers acting as guides rather than authority figures. There is no emphasis on competition. Rather, children learn the value of cooperation over competition or ranking. At the elementary school level, the values given the most importance are equality and trust. There are no school rankings or high-stakes testing. There are no public-school league tables. There is minimal standardized testing. The focus is on learning for mastery, not comparison. All these build self-confidence, intrinsic motivation, and mutual respect.

Like in the Asian countries we have examined, there is shared responsibility in daily school life. Students take turns organizing materials and group tasks. Classrooms are treated as shared spaces. Respect for schools is explained, not enforced through fear. Children learn why rules exist, not just that they must obey them. Finland pioneered KiVa, a national anti-bullying program which emphasizes empathy for victims, teaches bystanders to intervene, and focuses on group responsibility, not just punishment. This strengthens moral courage and social responsibility.

Teacher professionalism and moral modeling are given the highest priority. Teachers are highly trained (a master’s degree is required for them to be employed in the schools). Teachers enjoy high social trust and autonomy. Moral education is embedded in daily interactions, not moralizing lessons. Children learn virtues by observing fair, calm, and respectful adults.

As regards training in democratic living, the students participate in class discussions and decisions. Student councils are common even in primary schools. Children are encouraged to express opinions respectfully. All these practices build democratic habits, respect for differences, and civic confidence.

The Finns spend a lot of their time outdoors because they develop this habit in their childhood. They play outdoors in all weather. There are forest schools and nature-oriented excursions and outings. Environmental education is hands on. These practices instill respect for nature, resilience, self-reliance, and care for common resources.

Finland’s strong welfare system ensures low child poverty, equal access to healthcare and education, and free school meals. Because fairness pervades all institutions, children develop trust in society and rules.

The cultural values of the Finns reinforce social virtues. These key values are “sisu” or quiet perseverance and resilience; “tasa-arvo” or equality; “luottamus” or trust; and “rehellisyys” or honesty. These values are reinforced consistently at home, school, and society.

To summarize, Finland cultivates social virtues by granting children autonomy; emphasizing equality and fairness; minimizing competition; modeling trust through institutions; and teaching responsibility through freedom. Virtues are internalized, not imposed.

(To be continued.)

Bernardo M. Villegas has a Ph.D. in Economics from Harvard, is professor emeritus at the University of Asia and the Pacific, and a visiting professor at the IESE Business School in Barcelona, Spain. He was a member of the 1986 Constitutional Commission.

bernardo.villegas@uap.asia