By INA HERNANDO-MALIPOT
May 15, 2012, 8:17pm
MANILA, Philippines – Start the school year with “a positive disposition” and “wear a smile.”
This is what Department of Education (DepEd) Secretary Armin Luistro wants public school teachers and administrators to do when school classes begin on June 4.
As an added inducement to make smiling a habit in school, the DepEd says it is a partner of the “Search for the Happier Pinoy” contest launched by the Cebuana Lhuiller Insurance Solutions (CLIS).
Luistro issued DepEd Memorandum No. 85 series of 2012 to Regional Directors, Schools Division/City Superintendents, and Heads of Public and Private Elementary and Secondary Schools which announced the “Wear a Smile Campaign” and “Search for the Happiest Pinoy” contest.
“To start the school year in high spirits, all school personnel are encouraged to be in a positive disposition and to wear a smile when they report for the opening of classes on June 4 and on the days that follow,” Luistro said in the memo.
DepEd is supporting the “Search for the Happiest Pinoy.”
“The campaign aims to put schools in a cheerful atmosphere and at the same time influence the pupils and students to look forward to good days in their classes,” Luistro said.
The Search is open to all Filipinos of legal age and of good moral character, who reside in any part of the country, and groups of organizations registered by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).
“There will be two slots for the top 10 finalists allotted for the happiest teacher and student,” Luistro said.
Cash prize and trophies await the “Happiest Pinoy” winner and runners up to be presented on September 25.
The DepEd chief said school heads will have primary responsibility for ensuring the success of the “Wear a Smile” campaign.
“Likewise, the regional directors, schools division/city superintendents and supervisors shall carry out the campaign in their respective offices and monitor its conduct and schools in their respective areas,” he said.
Earlier, the “Smile” directive gained mixed reactions from teachers groups claiming that this is “non-sense” given all the perennial problems such as shortages in classrooms, teachers, books and sanitary facilities that public school students and te