ACRC imparts lessons about integrity to young students

ACRC ran an interactive classroom on integrity for elementary school students in Cheongju

July 18, 2019

Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission

The Republic of Korea

The Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission (ACRC) organized interactive education programs designed to nurture a sense of integrity and ethics for children and young students.

The ACRC ran an interactive, engaging class on the value of integrity for about 140 fifth and sixth graders of the Elementary School Affiliated with the Cheongju National University of Education on July 18th at its Anti-Corruption Training Institute in Cheongju.

The ACRC has developed the “Interactive Classroom on Integrity” to teach a sense of integrity to upper graders of elementary schools and middle school students. The education program consists of a variety of interactive, experience-based classroom activities designed to help students understand the harm caused by corruption and the importance of the value of integrity.

While participating in those activities, learners are expected to realize that “integrity” is not an abstract notion, but a value that one can put into practice in everyday life by upholding simple values such as fairness, honesty, promise-keeping, self-control, responsibility, and consideration for others.

The “Interactive Classroom on Integrity” is tailored to the needs of each school, and the learning activities for the elementary school in Cheongju included small group discussion on the issues of corruption and integrity, Golden Bell integrity quiz, writing a pledge of integrity and pop art painting.

The pop art paintings produced by the elementary school students were displayed in the Integrity Park in front of the Anti-Corruption Training Institute in Cheongju for visitors and trainees, as well as on the website of the Institute.

This year the ACRC plans to organize training programs for 17 elementary and secondary schools among a total of 475 schools which applied for its integrity education programs.

“It is very essential to instill the values of integrity and ethics into the minds of students from the early stage of intellectual and moral development,” said Un Jong Pak, Chairperson of the ACRC.

The Chairperson added that the ACRC will expand its anti-corruption education programs for students in close partnership with the Ministry of Education, offices of education and schools at different levels so that “children and young people, who will become leaders of our next generation, can grow into citizens maintaining a sense of integrity.”