MMDA chief pushes for mandatory traffic education in HS

Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) Chairman Emerson Carlos has proposed that traffic education, including road-safety principles, should be included in the curriculum in all schools, particularly high schools. 

In an interview with reporters at the sidelines of the First MMDA Road Safety Forum in Makati City, Carlos said it is high time to incorporate traffic education in the school curriculum to arrest the alarming number of deaths due to road accidents globally.

Carlos said road accidents could become the No.1 killer not only in the Philippines but in the world tand this was why a lot of organizations are advocating for road safety.

“Kailangan siguro mag-inset na ng traffic education sa curriculum natin. Hindi para sa grade school kundi para sa high school. Kasi yun ang tamang age, ito ang panahon na gustong gusto nilang matutong mag-drive,” he added.

Carlos said there had been efforts by the government to include traffic education in the curriculum in the past in grade-school levels but these did not prosper.

“Traffic education should be mandatory between the age of 14 and 16, the MMDA chief said.

Carlos said private and government entities advocating road safety had also formulated a module and presented to the Department of Education two administrations ago.

For the government’s efforts to push for road safety to be effective, Carlos said that there has to be strict enforcement of traffic rules and stringent compliance with administrative policies.

“Kailangan mas maging strict ang gobyerno. In fact, nasabi ko na minsan na i-review natin kung sino talagang karapat-dapat magkaroon ng lisensya at karapatan mag-drive sa ating mga lansangan kung ang mga lansangan natin ay nagiging killer na, dapat ito ay ating sugpuin,” he said.

He said that the whole-day road safety forum, organized by MMDA-Institute of Traffic Management, will focus on traffic education and training of enforcers.