CULTIVATING MORALITY AND ETHICS OF STUDENTS AT WAT SALA MEECHAI MUNICIPAL SCHOOL NAI MUEANG SUBDISTRICT, MUEANG DISTRICT, NAKHON SI THAMMARAT PROVINCE

Abstract

This research article aims to study: 1) The instillation of moral and ethical values among students of Wat Sala Mee Chai Municipal School, Nai Mueang Subdistrict, Mueang District, Nakhon Si Thammarat Province; and 2) Recommendations and guidelines for instilling moral and ethical values among students of the same school. This is a mixed-methods research comprising both qualitative and quantitative approaches. The qualitative research involved structured interviews, using a detailed interview guide as the main data collection instrument. Key informants included: 1) Five school administrators, 2) Three head teachers of upper primary levels, 3) Nine teachers of upper primary levels, and 4) Three monks from Wat Sala Mee Chai temple. The quantitative research employed a questionnaire divided into two parts: Part 1 gathered demographic information of respondents; Part 2 focused on the instillation of moral and ethical values in students of the school. The sample group consisted of 349 students from Wat Sala Mee Chai Municipal School. The research findings revealed that: 1) the overall instillation of moral and ethical values among the students was at a high level across all five dimensions; and 2) The proposed guidelines for instilling moral and ethical values were categorized into five key areas: 2.1) Creating a morally supportive environment, 2.2) Providing knowledge and understanding about morals and ethics, 2.3) Offering opportunities for students to practice, 2.4) Learning through experience-based lessons, and 2.5) Establishing a support system.