THERE was a public stir when the Department of Education (DepEd) released the DO 21, s. 2023, and when Vice President and Education Secretary Sara Duterte announced that 'all walls must be clean and free from unnecessary artwork, decorations, tarpaulins and posters at all time' and 'shall remain bare and devoid of posters, decorations, or other posted materials.'

This article will not only be based on expert opinions but will also present research findings and empirical evidence to expand the limited conversation on classroom decorations to the broader learning environment across various age groups in education. Due to limited space in this column, readers are enjoined, in the spirit of intellectual humility, to search for more empirical evidence to enrich understanding of the subject matter.