[Opinión] Jessyca Sampe: Singing the National Anthem, what else?

By Jessyca Sampe, Education Manager at Innova Schools

One of the many purposes of the school is to contribute to the development of citizenship skills. But this is not achieved by memorizing the contents planned for a course or school year, or by repeating a single action many times.

A true learning of civic competences must include the contents yes, but knowing how to apply them in different contexts and realities, and above all, taking into account the values ​​that such action involves, respecting and without trampling on the rights of others.

That is why, a bill to sing the National Anthem every Monday in schools contradicts everything that the modern school does. A meaningful learning process motivates students to want to continue learning, because it makes them identify and get involved with the common good, makes them aware of the problems of their community or country and wants to intervene to improve it.

We need symbols that unite us, yes, but above all we need to awaken in our children and young people love for their country and the desire to contribute to its development. Just as just going to elect authorities from time to time without much knowledge of who the candidates are or what proposals they have, does not make us citizens, in the same way singing the National Anthem does not develop the citizenship skills that our students must learn.