USCP 5.3 (5 to 7 Education/Religion and belief systems/Health)

5. Education
a. Functions of education in society (formal and nonformal) https://www.ukessays.com/essays/education/formal-and-non-formal-education-education-essay.php
i. Productive citizenry
ii. Self-actualization
iii. Primary education as a human right

6. Religion and belief systems https://www.slideshare.net/arbhel23/religion-and-belief-systems-ucsp
a. Animism
b. Polytheism
c. Monotheism
d. Institutionalized religions
e. Separation of church and state

7. Health
a. Culture-specific syndromes and illnesses (e.g., “bughat”, ”usog”/”buyag”)
b. Systems of diagnosis, prevention, and healing (e.g., traditional, western, alternative healing systems)
c. Health as a human right
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According to Stephen Diana, the word Education has been derived from the Latin term Educatum which means the act of teaching or training. A group of educationists says that it has originated from another Latin term “Educere” which means “to lead forth” or “to come out”. According to a few others, it comes from another Latin word “Educare” which means “to bring up” or “to raise”. All these meanings show that education seeks to nurture the good qualities in a man and make last the best in every individual. There are three types of education which are formal, non-formal and informal education. These concepts of education are varied and each concept has its own purpose and characteristics. This essay will focus on the first two education concepts which are formal and non-formal education.

Formal and Non-Formal Education

Formal education is a contiguous learning process which means it involves the teachers, the students, and the institution. Basically, formal education is a more systematic and organized education model compared to non-formal education. According to Stephen & Diana (2009), the administration and curriculum of formal education institutions like schools, colleges and universities are usually well organized and it requires from students a minimum class attendance. Normally, formal education institutions also require their students to do assessments to test students’ knowledge and to improve the education process of students. As an example, students require to take tests, quizzes and final exams in order to complete their study and lecturers will examine the students’ achievements to possible give them possible marks.

Bartlett & Burton (2007) claim non-formal education is an organized and systematic education activity for a particular subgroup according to their needs and ambitions. Non-formal education is not limited to certain ages only and it is necessary for the people, who are ambitious to acquire certain knowledge such as farming and cooking. Differ from formal education that requires students’ attendance, non-formal education does not require student’s attendance and the connection between teachers and students is less compared to formal education. Most activities take place outside of the institution like home reading and paperwork. The education process flexible curricula as it follows the needs and interests of students.

The Differences between Formal and Non-formal Education

Formal education absolutely differs from non-formal education. There are several differences between formal and non-formal education. The first one is regarding the conceptual framework. While non-formal education is lifelong and with flexible points of entry, formal education is fixed and limited to a period meant for teaching and learning, with a fixed point of entry and exit. It means non-formal education is a continuous learning process as it does not have limited time for the student to acquire the knowledge. However, the learning process of formal education is fixed and students need to acquire knowledge in the specific time given. For example, the learning process of formal education for students who take a degree, they are given 3 to 4 year to complete and pursue their study to the next level which is master level. As for non-formal education, they are not given any time limit for them to acquire the knowledge as their learning process is continuous.

Next is, informal education, the acquisition of knowledge is the goal while in non-formal education, the goals understand one’s needs, environment, and social relationships. In informal education, students learn just to pass the exam in order to complete their studies. Their goal of knowledge acquisition is to get excellent in assessments so that they can continue their study to the next level. Normally, students who acquire knowledge in formal education, after a few years, they will forget what they had learned. This is because they do not apply knowledge in their lives. Differ from formal education, non-formal education develops an open-end critical and self-reliant awareness. Non-formal education is not restrained by definite limits, restrictions, or structure and it can change because non-formal education is flexible. As an example, in non-formal education, students do not have to follow a planned course of study like informal education as non-formal education does not have it. Students are free to learn everything they want in non-formal education.

The most general difference between formal and non-formal education is the time scale. Informal education, the time scale is full time. It means that students in formal education, they are not encouraged to mix their life with work and study. Tuckman & Monetti (2011) state, informal education, the study is the primary activity in their lives. They have to study in order to pass the examination so that they can get the certification from their institutions to get a job after they graduate. Differs from formal education, non-formal education’s time scale is part-time. It is not compulsory for them to study for the whole day like students in formal education. Also, the study is not their primary activity. If they are working, they just have concentrated on their jobs without worrying about the study. They are free to go or not to go to study whenever they want. Thus, we can say that the time scale for nonformal education is more pleasure than formal education.

SIGNIFICANCE OF EDUCATION

MAKE BETTER CITIZEN Education makes a worthy contribution to our lives, by making us, responsible citizens. We get to know our history and culture through education and imbibe those values. Education opens our minds and expands our horizons. It enables us to understand our duties as a citizen and encourages us to follow them. There is no denying the fact that an educated person is a better citizen.

Self-actualization is the final stage of development in Abraham Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. This stage occurs when a person is able to take full advantage of their talents while still being mindful of their limitations.

The term is also used colloquially to refer to an enlightened maturity characterized by the achievement of goals, acceptance of oneself, and an ability to self-assess in a realistic and positive way. Self-actualization can be explored in therapy.

WHAT IS SELF-ACTUALIZATION?

The process of self-actualization is different for everyone, and not all individuals achieve all levels of the hierarchy throughout their lives. While Maslow believed achieving self-actualization is somewhat rare and posited that only about 1% of the adult population has self-actualized, current research shows this number may be higher. Further, self-actualization has not been found to correlate with age, gender, income level, or race.

Self-actualization is thought to be best conceptualized as the sum of its parts rather than as traits viewed in isolation. For example, a person who has a creative spirit, which is one trait of self-actualization, may still not be fully self-actualized. Some experts say the theory of self-actualization is more about how open a person is to growth and health rather than about achieving ideals such as perfection, success, or happiness.

In addition, those that do self-actualize will not necessarily remain in that state. People may travel between several levels of the hierarchy over their lifespan, based on life circumstances, individual choices, and mental health.

MASLOW’S HIERARCHY OF NEEDS

Although the concept of self-actualization was originally discussed by Gestalt psychologist Kurt Goldstein, it is most often associated with humanistic psychology, particularly the humanistic psychologist Maslow, who used self-actualization as the pinnacle of his hierarchy of needs. 

Maslow developed the concept of the hierarchy of needs to address both the basic and esoteric needs of human existence. Its stages include physiological needs, safety needs, the need for love and belonging, the need for esteem and, finally, self-actualization.

Once the most basic needs for an individual to remain alive have been met, desires that concern safety and affection follow, then esteem needs. Once esteem needs such as self-confidence and self-respect have been met, a person might begin to self-actualize. The hierarchy also serves as a model of development in which babies start at the lowest level by attempting to gain food, water, and shelter.

The needs associated with self-actualization include:

• Acceptance of facts
• Lack of prejudice
• Ability to solve problems
• Sense of morality
• Creativity
• Spontaneity  

When these needs are met, a person may be more open to the process of self-actualization.

SELF-ACTUALIZATION CHARACTERISTICS AND TRAITS

For Maslow, self-actualization describes the desire that leads to the realization of one's full potential: A self-actualizer is a person who has reached the apex of human existence. In other words, that person has become everything they’re capable of becoming. This realization of potential can occur in many ways but generally includes the achievement of sound psychological health and a strong sense of fulfillment.

In general, self-actualized people:

• Accept themselves and others
• Have a well-developed sense of creativity, sometimes referred to as a “creative spirit”
• Maintain deep and meaningful relationships
• Can exist autonomously
• Have a sense of humor, particularly an ability to find humor in their own mistakes
• Accurately perceive reality, both as it pertains to the self and others
• Have a sense of purpose and perform regular tasks geared toward that purpose
• Experience frequent moments of profound happiness (what Maslow called “peak experiences”)
• Demonstrate empathy and compassion for others
• Have an ongoing appreciation of the goodness of life. Some might refer to this trait as childlike wonder.

Because self-actualization involves a strong sense of purpose and self-awareness as well as the imperative that one's basic needs are met, it can be a challenging goal to reach. However, people who do self-actualize at some point in life may be able to retain access to this level because they have learned the necessary skills to achieve fulfillment.

Not all people seek self-actualization as a goal, and different people or cultures may have differing opinions about what constitutes a self-actualized state of being.

EXAMPLES OF SELF-ACTUALIZATION

Self-actualization may manifest in many forms, and some of how a self-actualized person may appear can depend on their age, culture, and other factors. A few examples of behavior a self-actualized person might exhibit include:

• Finding humor in a given situation
• Getting enjoyment and satisfaction out of the present moment
• Understanding what they need in order to gain a sense of fulfillment 
• Tendency to feel secure and unashamed in who they are

Becoming self-actualized is not always a straightforward process, and it can take years for some people to reach self-actualization

Education is not a privilege. It is a human right.

Education as a human right means:

• the right to education is legally guaranteed for all without any discrimination
• states have the obligation to protect, respect, and fulfill the right to education
• there are ways to hold states accountable for violations or deprivations of the right to education

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RELIGION According to Anthropologists, Religion is “a set of attitudes, beliefs, and practices, pertaining to supernatural beings and forces. Such beliefs may vary within a culture as well as among societies, and they may change over time” (Ember, Ember, and Peregrine,2010)

ANIMISM Belief that the natural world, as a whole or in parts, has a soul or spirit. As a whole World Spirit, Mother Earth, Gaia In parts rocks, trees, springs, and animals. 

 Natural phenomena and environmental destructions are understood as repercussions of the interaction between humans and spirits

Spirits can be in either good or bad form which can make interactions and influences on humans in various ways and forms 

Bad spirits = negative energies, possessions, demonic disturbances and cases of insanity. 

Good spirits = attributes that aid humans in acquiring their needs and addressing their issues. 

POLYTHEISM Belief in more than one deity which is characterized by the worship of many deities that illustrate the ways of life including beliefs, practices, and traditions. 

 Rooted from the words: poly, which means “many”, and theism which means “god”. 

 Polytheistic deities consist of variants such as Sky God, Death deity, Mother goddess, Love goddess, Creator deity, Trickster deity, Life- death-rebirth deity, Culture hero

David Hume in The Natural History of Religion (1755) argued that polytheism was the earliest form of religion among several societies. The ideas of religion are said to be rooted in the “events of life including hopes and fears which actuate the human mind.” (Launay, 2005) Ex: Polytheistic societies ( Greeks, Romans, Indians, Aztecs) Hinduism

Hinduism Considered as the world's oldest religion still being practiced today. There is only one supreme god in Hinduism, Brahma, and all other deities are his aspects and reflections. Since Brahma is too immense a concept for the human mind to comprehend, he presents himself in the many different versions of himself which people recognize as deities such as Vishnu, Shiva, and the many others.

Ganesh (Ganapati) *One of the Hindu gods - an elephant-headed god. *god of wisdom and learning, as well as the remover of obstacles, and consequently the sign of auspiciousness. *said to have written down the Mahabharata from the dictation of Vyasa. He is the lord (Isa) of the Ganas or troops of inferior deities, but more well-known as the son of Shiva and Parvati. *in the most common representations of Ganesh, he appears as a pot-bellied figure, usually but not always yellow in color. In his four hands, he holds a shell, a discus, a club, and a water lily; his elephant head has only one tusk.

MONOTHEISM Belief in one god, which is accountable for all the things happening in the world including the world’s creation and existence. 

Scholars argue that as human societies affiliated with a few of the gods in the pantheon, they have come to practice exclusive worship of several deities that was promoted with the ascension of a singular chosen deity to supremacy.

 Hume (2015) believed that the differences between polytheism and monotheism led to the changes of the human mind, wherein rationality is more associated with monotheism while tolerance is to polytheism.  Ex: Christians and Muslims

 INSTITUTIONALIZED RELIGION Also called as Organized Religion, is religion in which belief systems and rituals are systematically arranged and formally established.

CHARACTERISTICS OF INSTITUTIONALIZED RELIGION

1. Wide-scale religious clout The number of individuals affiliated with this religious institution is immense that it crosses political and international borders and cuts across the social status. 

2. Hierarchical leadership and membership Followers of this type of faith system are relegated to socio-political posts within the system, which provides ranking and status. This implies that access to the divine may not be given to every member but is a privilege of a select few. The decisions for the welfare of the religious group are also made by those who hold power while members are expected to follow them.

3. Codified Rituals Processes of interacting with the divine and with fellow members are guided by written rules and regulations that have the power of the law, such that a member’s inability to comply results in the imposition of sanctions.

SEPARATION OF CHURCH AND STATE The 1987 Philippine Constitution Article III Section 6 states that “The separation of Church and State shall be inviolable” Article III Section 5: No law shall be made respecting an establishment of religion or prohibiting the free exercise thereof. The free exercise and enjoyment of religious profession and worship, without discrimination or preference, shall forever be allowed. No religious test shall be required for the exercise of civil or political rights. 

 However, despite such provisions, the religious culture of the Filipinos have oftentimes empowered the religious sectors to influence the political affairs of the country.

In ancient Societies, the church and state are synonymous as the leaders of the church are also the political elite which, also referred to as Theocracy or the rule of the divine. Ex: Japanese society believed that their emperor was the direct descendant of a god. *Ancient Egyptians and Sumerians regarded their pharaohs and kings as god-kings, as they were believed to be earthly incarnations of the divine. 

As states developed into more complex political units, the church is regarded as a separate entity from the state.

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Health human right embedded in every individual in the society

ELEMENTS of HEALTH

1.) Availability

2.) Accessibility

3.) Acceptability

AVAILABILITY sufficient quantity of functioning public health & healthcare facilities, goods & services, programs

ACCESSIBILITY health facilities, goods & services accessible to everyone

ACCEPTABILITY all facilities, goods & services must be scientifically & medically appropriate & of good quality

ASPECTS of RIGHT to HEALTH

1. It is an inclusive right which includes the following: (6)
2. It contains freedom; has elements like: (3)
3. Health services, goods, & facilities must be provided to all without any discrimination
4. All services & goods & facilities must be available, accessible, acceptable, & of good quality

1.) It is an inclusive right which includes the following: 

a.) safe drinking water & adequate sanitation

b.) Safe food

c.) Adequate nutrition & housing

d.) Healthy working & environmental conditions

e.) Health-related education & information

f.) Gender equality

2.) It contains freedom; has elements like:

a.) the right to a system of health protection

b.) the right to prevention, treatment, & control of diseases

c.) access to essential medicines