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Essay on Education System In The Philippines

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100 Words Essay on Education System In The Philippines

The philippine education structure.

The education system in the Philippines is divided into three levels. These are the elementary level, the secondary level, and the tertiary level. The system is overseen by the Department of Education for basic education, and the Commission on Higher Education for college and university education.

Elementary Education

Elementary education in the Philippines is compulsory. It lasts for six years, starting at age six. The goal of this stage is to teach basic literacy, numeracy, and knowledge about the world. The curriculum includes subjects like Math, Science, English, Filipino, and Social Studies.

Secondary Education

Secondary education in the Philippines is divided into two parts: Junior High School (Grade 7-10) and Senior High School (Grade 11-12). These years prepare students for the next stage of their education or for work. They study a range of subjects, including electives based on their interests.

Tertiary Education

Tertiary education in the Philippines includes undergraduate and postgraduate studies. Students can choose from a wide range of courses. This stage is not compulsory but is important for those who want to pursue professional careers. The quality of tertiary education varies from institution to institution.

Challenges and Reforms

250 words essay on education system in the philippines.

The education system in the Philippines is managed by the Department of Education. It is split into three levels: elementary, secondary, and tertiary. Students start school at the age of 5 or 6. They spend six years in elementary school and four years in high school. After high school, they can choose to go to college for further studies.

Elementary education is the first step. It starts with kindergarten for children aged 5 or 6. This is followed by six years of primary education where students learn basic skills like reading, writing, and math.

High School Education

After completing elementary education, students move on to high school. This is a four-year program where they learn more advanced subjects. After high school, students can choose whether to go to college or start working.

College Education

College education is optional in the Philippines. Students who choose to go to college can study for a bachelor’s degree, which usually takes four years. They can also choose to study for a master’s or doctoral degree after that.

Quality of Education

The quality of education in the Philippines is improving. The government is working hard to make sure all children can go to school. They are also trying to improve the quality of teaching and learning in schools.

500 Words Essay on Education System In The Philippines

Introduction.

The education system in the Philippines is unique and has evolved over many years. It is known for its strong emphasis on basic education, which is made up of six years of elementary school and four years of high school. In 2013, the K-12 program was introduced, adding two more years to the high school curriculum.

Structure of the Education System

The Philippine education system is divided into three levels. The first level is the elementary or primary level, which lasts for six years. Children usually start school at the age of six.

The third level is the tertiary or higher education level. This includes colleges and universities. Students can pursue different degrees depending on their interests and career goals.

K-12 Program

The K-12 program was added to the education system in 2013. This program added two more years to the high school level, making it six years in total. The extra years are meant to prepare students for work, entrepreneurship, skills development, or higher education.

Teaching Methods

Despite its strengths, the education system in the Philippines faces many challenges. One of these is the lack of resources. Many schools lack basic facilities like classrooms, libraries, and science labs. There is also a shortage of teachers in some areas.

Another challenge is the quality of education. Some students struggle with reading and math, even after finishing elementary school. This shows that the education system needs to improve in these areas.

The education system in the Philippines has made many changes to improve the quality of education. The K-12 program is one of these changes. It aims to prepare students for the future, whether they choose to work, start a business, or continue their studies. Despite the challenges, the country continues to work on improving its education system for the benefit of its students.

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basic education in the philippines essay

basic education in the philippines essay

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The Philippines’ Basic Education Crisis

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Out of the country’s 327,000-odd school buildings, less than a third are in good condition, according to government figures.

The Philippines’ Basic Education Crisis

Three Filipino schoolgirls walking home from school on a muddy road in Port Barton, Palawan, the Philippines.

Several recent studies have pointed out the alarming deterioration of the quality of learning in the Philippines, but this was officially confirmed in the basic education report delivered by Vice President Sara Duterte on January 30. Duterte is concurrently serving as secretary to the Department of Education.

Addressing stakeholders with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. in attendance, Duterte highlighted the key issues that plague the country’s basic education system before announcing her department’s agenda for reform .

She echoed what previous surveys have indicated about the low academic proficiency of Filipino students. She also identified her department’s biggest concern. “The lack of school infrastructure and resources to support the ideal teaching process is the most pressing issue pounding the Philippine basic education,” she said.

She presented the latest government inventory which shows that out of 327,851 school buildings in the country, only 104,536 are in good condition. There are 100,072 school buildings that need minor repairs, 89,252 that require major repairs, and 21,727 that are set for condemnation.

She added that the procurement practices in the agency “had red flags that demanded immediate actions.” She shared initial findings in the ongoing review of the K-12 curriculum that underscored the failure of the 10-year-old program to deliver satisfactory results.

“The K-12 curriculum promised to produce graduates that are employable. That promise remains a promise,” she said.

Duterte criticized the heavy workload assigned to teachers as she pressed for an immediate review of the current setup in public schools. “This is a system that burdens them with backbreaking and time-consuming administrative tasks, a system that provides no adequate support and robs them of the opportunity to professionally grow and professionally teach, assist, and guide our learners,” she said.

She unveiled her education agenda themed “Matatag: Bansang Makabata, Batang Makabansa,” (Nation for children, children for the nation) and focused on curriculum reform, accelerated delivery of services, promoting the well-being of learners, and providing greater support to teachers.

Responding to the report, Marcos joined Duterte in acknowledging the government’s accountability to the nation’s young learners. “We have failed them,” he said. “We have to admit that. We have failed our children and let us not keep failing them anymore.” He promised to build better infrastructure by investing heavily in education.

He can cite as reference his government’s development plan , which was also released in January, about how the education crisis is linked to “decades of incapacity and suboptimal investment in education.”

Duterte’s admission about the dismal state of basic education was welcomed by some educators. Senators vowed to work with Marcos and Duterte in passing education reform measures. Opposition legislators urged Duterte to hear the views of school unions and student organizations whose appeals for better learning conditions are often dismissed by authorities as part of anti-government propaganda.

Meanwhile, the Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT) noted that the report “failed to present today’s real extent and gravity of the learning crisis due to the lack of an evidence-based learning assessment conducted after the pandemic-induced school lockdowns.” The group was referring to the prolonged closure of schools under the government of President Rodrigo Duterte.

“Her father was president for six years and had not done any significant move to improve the lot of our mentors and of the education system. It is the government who have failed the teachers and our learners,” the group insisted.

It was also under the Duterte government when around 54 Lumad schools for indigenous peoples in Mindanao Island were either suspended or forced to shut down by authorities based on accusations that they were teaching rebellion.

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The ACT criticized Duterte’s reform agenda because it features “general promises that lack specific action plans and definite targets.”

“No specific targets and timelines were presented to convincingly show that the agency will cut down the classroom shortage significantly,” it added.

Duterte said the agency will build 6,000 classrooms this year, which is quite small compared to the backlog identified in the report. There’s also no deadline for the electrification of around 1,562 schools that still do not have access to power.

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ACT reminded officials to prove their political will in reversing the decline of Philippine education. “The call to reforming education should not be a grandstanding cry but a sincere pledge to rectify the mistakes and shortcomings of the past and the present,” it said.

This can be measured in at least two ways this year. First, Duterte’s willingness to file appropriate charges against erring officials involved in anomalous transactions under the previous administration. And second, Marcos’ commitment to substantially increase the funding for education.

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Basic Education in the Philippines

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basic education in the philippines essay

  • Dina Joana Ocampo 3 &
  • Jerome Buenviaje 3  

Part of the book series: Springer International Handbooks of Education ((SIHE))

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This chapter is about the key policies and programs being implemented in basic education in the Philippines. It discusses the content, delivery systems, and quality assurance mechanisms embedded in the implementation of the K to 12 reform effort enacted in 2012 with the addition of Kindergarten and Senior High School to the basic education program of the Philippines. Various aspects of program implementation are also presented, such as teacher professional development, governance and leadership, and technology. The chapter concludes with an account of a few developments in basic education that may arise due to global trends and national development directions.

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Ocampo, D.J., Buenviaje, J. (2022). Basic Education in the Philippines. In: Symaco, L.P., Hayden, M. (eds) International Handbook on Education in South East Asia. Springer International Handbooks of Education. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-16-8136-3_5-1

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Philosophy in Basic Education as a Step to Genuine Philippine Democracy

Profile image of Sellena Gonzales

Just as democracy in the Philippines is patterned from the democracy in the United States of America, it is considerable that teaching philosophy in basic education is just as possible here as it began there, albeit gradual change must occur for the reconstruction of this country’s educational system. Teaching so would be a prevention and a cure to the chronic disease of Philippine society. Children would be properly educated, their minds probed to work critically by a competent teacher, and reasoning would begin earlier. Dialogue would be the established atmosphere, where children are taught respect to another person and what that person has to say. Philosophy in basic education, Philippine-wise, could be styled according to the country’s culture and needs. The children’s voice could be heard in relation to this simplified issue, situation, or tradition. It is a bright possibility, the stance I wish to justify, and we might be surprised of what the children has to say as containing more wisdom than the average Filipino adult.

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As we reform Philippine education in light of the K-12 program, there are certain trends and travails. One standpoint I could superficially anticipate is the shifting terrains of career of the Philosophy majors just like my self. In the K-12 program, Logic and Philosophy of Man subjects will be taken out from being offered as college courses. The only philosophy course that will be retained as a CHEd-mandated General Education subject is Understanding the Self and Ethics. Thus, there is an enormous threat to college teachers of Philosophy to be displaced – or worse – to be removed from the teaching profession in college institutions. In this paper, I want to suggest that the transitions are really not that drastic to the point of leaving Philosophy teachers unemployed. Aside from the fact that the senior high schools will still be at the same age as the first and second year college levels of the former education program – that will have an incorporation of Philosophy subjects – there is an elementary subject that is advisably to be taught by those who are knowledgeable of Philosophy. And that subject is Edukasyon sa Pagpapakatao or ESP, which is to be taught from Grade 1 to Grade 10. ESP has a huge overlap with philosophical virtues that the students would benefit much if the teachers were Philosophy majors, or at least teachers who have an acquaintance with philosophical training. Innovation is in fact a key for the Philosophy professionals to shun off the intimidation due to the transitions in the Philippine education system. Indeed, it is an opportunity for reinventing ourselves to also be relevant to the younger generations.

basic education in the philippines essay

Jove Jim S Aguas

It is not difficult to argue for the role of philosophy in shaping the mind and consciousness of people. Philosophical ideas inspire people to act, fight for their rights, uphold the truth and promote justice. As we face an uncertain future for our country, we, philosophers – the so-called lovers of wisdom - are tasked to revisit our role in shaping our country's future and molding the consciousness of our people, especially the young. In this paper, I focus on the evolution of philosophy in the Philippines, what we have done as teachers and philosophers in and for the academe, and what else we need to do not only for the future of philosophy in our country but for the future of our country as well.

EMEJIDIO C GEPILA JR

In every aspect of human life, theories and principles play a very significant role in everyday living. Theories and principles are also identified as philosophies and these must be put into practice. Otherwise, they will only serve as something relevant for library purposes. Hence, philosophies must be for and emerge from experience. Thus, this study relates to the character of the present educational philosophies in the status-quo and attempts to answer questions through document analysis. The specific questions are: at present, what are the emerging educational philosophies; how do these philosophies operate in every classroom; and what are the significant features of the educational philosophies. Moreover, the study suggested some varied but justified recommendations on the role of the educational philosophies for teachers and learners' development.

This paper aims to redefine the trajectory of Filipino philosophy discourse to make it become useful for the benefit of the Filipino people. As Herder says, "Philosophy is… very dispensable as a means 1 to purposes [and] in order to become useful, [one must] learn to write and calculate, to think nothing and say much. However, it is still not good that the philosopher should exist merely for himself" (Herder 2012, 15 & 21). In hindsight, Filipino philosophers must become statesmen to improve the state from below. They must educate the citizens. As it appears, what Herder once said remains relevant to our time: "Our philosophy has for so long still lacked a plan of education [Bildung]. Let the human being be taken out of philosophy, and applied to everything else" (Herder 2012, 27).

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Jurnal Filsafat Indonesia

Damar Prana Prasetya

Fundamentals of all subjects in higher university education were being taught since early childhood. The basic concepts of biology, medicine and physics were mandatory introduced as natural sciences subjects (ilmu pengetahuan alam) in elementary school curriculum as well as social sciences (ilmu pengetahuan sosial), languages and even religion. These early introduction of subjects will make sure that every children are exposed to this particular education to enrich their knowledge and skill. However, philosophy is not formally available in national curriculum until university level. Paradoxically, one of the essence of philosophy is to ensure a human being is capable to perform critical thinking in their later life. This review aims to delineate the urgency and benefit of introducing philosophy in children in either formal or informal form of education. The early introduction of philosophy will nurture and sharpen the process of thinking in children thus will help them to become a w...

Jaime Alfredo Cabrera

The Philippines is said to have the highest literacy rates in Asia; a significant portion of the annual national revenue comes from cash remittances of overseas Filipino workers. Despite this, the country’s public education system is beset by challenges that can be traced ultimately to government corruption, abuse of power, and some cultural mindsets that – like the national education system, are rooted in its colonial history; first as foreign constructs from Spain, then as modified by North Americans. Since its independence, the Philippine educational system has undergone restructuring, changes in contents, methodologies, and philosophies. However, the system’s ills continue: overpopulated classrooms; overworked and demotivated teachers and students; severe lack of schools, books, and materials; deteriorating instructional results; and a constitutionally-mandated national education budget that has never been implemented. Findings include a) current government corruption and abuse of power in the Philippines can be related to its colonial past; b) similar problems can be found in the current educational systems of the Philippines, Spain, and North America; c) cultural and educational philosophies in the Philippines, Spain, and the USA have similar elements; and d) cultural and educational philosophies of countries with the best performing schools differ from those of the Philippines, Spain, and the USA. The research is organized in five chapters. Chapter 1 summarizes the colonial history of education in the Philippines, the current state of education, and effects of government corruption and abuse of power. Chapter 2 presents the research questions, the cultural philosophies and educational systems of the Philippines, America, and Spain and their continuing influences today. Chapter 3 presents the best educational systems of the world and their cultural and educational philosophies. Chapter 4 discusses the relevance of these cultural-educational philosophies in the future undertakings of the Philippine educational system. Chapter 5 discusses the influences of cultural-educational philosophies on the writer’s professional life. Chapter 6 recapitulates key concepts, answers the research questions, and concludes the paper.

Lizamarie Olegario

The research looked into the beliefs and practices of social studies teachers in selected Philippine public junior high schools and the factors that hindered teachers from practicing democratic classroom approaches. The handling of social studies classroom is deemed crucial especially for a nation that has been divided by two opposing versions of history. The study found that the social studies teachers believed and practiced teacher-centered approach and managed their classes using behavioristic methods, utilizing punishment and reward system. The teachers preferred traditional paper-and-pencil tests. The lack of meaningfulness of classroom activity and democratic engagement in the classroom was brought about by the teachers limited conceptions of learner-centered approaches. The teachers needed more training and feedback on their implementation of the K-to-12 program's emphasis on constructivist teaching approach. An important issue that needed to be addressed by the Philippin...

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PISA AND WHAT IT REVEALED ABOUT THE QUALITY OF OUR EDUCATION SYSTEM

The spotty quality of Philippine basic education is something we knew anecdotally but until the PISA results of 2018, did not have objective evidence to bring this into a national discourse on education quality.  (Back in 2000, then Secretary of Education, Brother Andrew Gonzales, FSC, had Philippine Grade 7-8 students aged 12-13 years tested under TIMSS [International Math and Science Study] to dismal results.  The next DepED Secretary, Senator Raul Roco took the Philippines out of TIMSS rationalizing the move by saying it was a waste of funds to pay for expensive testing if we already knew the outcome.)

The  2018 PISA results  were not stellar.  Test results for the country’s 15-year olds randomly tested as a group scored the country lowest among the 79 countries tested in Reading literacy and second lowest in Science and Mathematics literacy.

This was the first time the Philippines has ventured into the PISA, or Programme for International Student Assessment, and international testing since 2000.  Despite of the poor results, the Department of Education (DepED) should be commended for taking a brave approach to PISA. By doing so, we now have a baseline around which we can hold discussions that are evidence-based and not tendentious. The results, dismal as they are, show where we are today as an education system and how far we need to go to be a better-performing one.

In the letter of invitation to the launch of a new program to push for quality in the education system ( Sulong EduKalidad ) using the PISA results as a springboard, Secretary Leonor T. Briones wrote, “The results, which we anticipate will mirror our performance in the National Achievement Test, will put into sharp focus the challenge we face as we aim to globalize our quality standards.”

What is PISA and why is it important?

PISA is a worldwide study by the OECD (Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development) that evaluates education systems in member and non-member countries. A total of 79 countries participated in the latest PISA test in 2018 by measuring 15-year olds’ academic performance in mathematics, science and reading.

The test, done every 3 years, is a system test where a randomly selected group of students in each participating country are tested. The aim of the test is to provide comparable data that would give each country a chance to benchmark its education system against the best in the world in order to improve on education policies, practices, and outcomes. The test does not focus on factual knowledge; rather, it focuses on problem-solving and cognition – two essential 21 st  century skills.

The application of skills and knowledge to solve real-world problems serves as an indicator of how prepared a student might be for the real world.

In addition to testing students, PISA has survey questions that can provide insight that might help explain how country education systems perform. Access to this data should be invaluable to the Philippines and DepED (Department of Education) for policy planning and programming. In previous tests, PISA looked at factor inputs (quality of teachers, material inputs) and the effects these might have on learning outcomes in different countries.

Comparison between boys and girls test performance is also useful data for policy and programming.  (In the 2018 test, data was also collected on bullying. Here, data on the Philippines should be studied more carefully given that reported bullying was highest for the Philippines among all countries in PISA 2018. This will be the subject of a future article.)

What does PISA tell us about our education system?

The headline news is that the Philippines scored lowest in Reading and second lowest in Mathematics and Science among the 79 participating countries.

15-year olds tested in Reading literacy had an average score of 340 (out of a possible 600) versus the OECD average of 487. A breakdown of this score revealed that 81% were reading below level.  And of this number, 24% were one level lower and 57% were two or more levels below.

In Science literacy, the average scores were similar. The average score for the Philippines was 357 versus the OECD average of 489.

In Mathematics literacy, the average score for the Philippines was 353 versus 489 for the OECD average.

Philippine girls, in all three tests, were marginally better than boys but not by much.

The way forward

The initial conclusion points to low levels of reading comprehension which might be at the root of the problem. We pride ourselves as being a country with a high level of literacy.

The name of the game today, however, is about functional literacy (Reading, Writing, Arithmetic plus an ability to follow written and verbal instructions to accomplish given tasks and solve problems) proceeding to more complex problem-solving.

The latter requires an ability to break down problems into smaller parts and then re-assemble these in a meaningful manner in order to come up with a solution or create something new.  Our 15-year olds, for the most part, are having difficulty doing this based on the PISA test results.

In management, if doing something does not produce the desired results, it is time to do something new.  Putting more resources into the same old processes will only result in more of the same poor results.

What is needed is to think of a different way to get the superior results we are aiming for. The system needs to introduce self-correcting processes and mechanisms.  More specifically, the Philippine education system needs to be better streamlined so that better results (i.e., Learning outcomes) can be realized.

What might be done?

  • One, de-clutter the curriculum.
  • Two, start with building strong fundamentals in Reading and Writing as basic building blocks (Learning tools).   (The question of what language – English of Filipino – is a topic that needs more discussion at the national level and will be the subject of a future essay.)
  • Three, refocus and strengthen teacher pre-service and in-service training around the top two concerns.

On the curriculum, ours is actually comparable in scope to other countries including high-performing PISA countries with one major difference:  The DepED curriculum is too cluttered with mandated competencies to be covered.

In science and mathematics, for example, a study that looked at high performing countries versus low performers did a correlation between the number of competencies required (i.e., things to be studied in a given school year) versus test scores.

The major finding: high-performing countries focused on a lesser number of competencies (8 to 12 in a given year) versus low-performing countries which covered as many as 80+ competencies in the same year. This meant that students in high-performing countries had time to digest concepts, do more practice on problem sets or written exercises, and generally had time gain facility and competence on the subject studied.

Students in countries that pushed for more competencies to be learned (including the Philippines), on the other hand, were forced to nibble on different competencies without much chance to internalize concepts, gain practice solving problems, or generate solutions. This “smorgasbord” approach does not result in deep learning or the acquisition of expertise.

Rethinking (de-cluttering) the curriculum should start in Grade 1. The early grades should focus on foundational competencies cutting down on the number of academic subjects to be taken. At higher grade levels, we should abandon the spiraling approach that DepED does in mathematics and science and move back to a more focused discipline approach to these two subject areas.

Teacher training and development is another area that needs to be better managed. Thankfully, DepED is embarking on this with at least two initiatives:

  • The Philippine Professional Standards for Teachers first rolled out in 2019; and,
  • The transformation of the National Educators Academy of the Philippines (NEAP) as the lead institute in DepED on teacher training and development to starting in 2020.

If these two initiatives can be implemented well and sustained, this will make a big difference in the long term.

But the key to turning these dismal results around has to begin with Reading and Writing.  This starts with preparation for reading in Kindergarten and Grade 1 to at-level reading proficiency in all grade levels after.  Here, reading does not mean in English alone (though this is the language of the PISA test as decided by DepED); reading in any language including the mother tongue will have a positive effect on test-taking whether for math, science or reading.

A 9-year plan

PISA not only provides us with a baseline of where we are today. It can also provide us with a benchmark target to aim for. This can be the Olympic target for our basic education system.

What should we be aiming for?

We should aspire to be at the world average within nine years (three PISA test cycles).  By 2018 scoring, this means raising our 15-year olds’ average score by 130-140 points over a nine-year period.  Objectively, this means bringing the reading level of our 15-year olds up by 3 levels (or one level per test cycle).

To realize this Olympic dream for gold, we need to start at the base (Grade 1) and scaffold a strong foundation building upwards to Grade 12. This will take time to realize results. In the next two PISA tests (2021 and 2024), we will still be doing remediation as our students are already in their late elementary years or junior high school.

But if we start at strengthening Reading at Grade 1 today (school year 2020-2021), by 2027, our Grade 1 students will be taking the PISA test and hopefully, we will be rewarded with much better results.

No quick fix

There may be a sense of urgency given the dire results.  But a problem as complex as this needs systemic, systematic, and structural reform to be long-term and sustainable.  This will take time and will demand patience and grit.

We need a clear strategy to address this problem and as in all strategy situations, we should ask ourselves four important questions:

  • Where are we today? (Dismal PISA results.)
  • Where do we want to be in 10 years? (At the PISA average or 3 reading levels higher than the 2018 scores.)
  • How do we get there? (De-clutter the curriculum to allow students to deepen learning of featured competencies + Focus on building strong foundational reading skills + Improved teacher pre-service and in-service training.)
  • How do you know you are on the right path and trajectory?  (Continue international testing (PISA, TIMSS) + Restructure the National Achievement Tests as a proper assessment tool)

Quality, not spending

The politician response to this situation will be, without doubt, to spend more on education. While it is true that the Philippines is still below the desired share of GDP spending for education (and below our neighbors’ education spending), we should make sure that the manner by which we spend reflects quality and not quantity.

The annual budget for the Department of Education has grown five-fold in a short 10-year period.  While this has helped the Department deal with material shortages, this Learning problem is less about a lack of resources and more about new ways to address the Low Learning situation. This is a concern about quality (how things are done).

The PISA results jolt us.  But if it does to us what it did to Peru years ago (Peru had dismal results in its first PISA test but used this to rally its education sector to perform better), then there is hope that the same can happen here.

But this cannot be a quick fix.  What is needed is not a one- or two-year effort.  What is required is a sustained undertaking spanning multiple presidential administrations.  That will be the true test of how focused we can be in reforming our education system and how serious we are in addressing this situation.

Juan Miguel Luz is a Fellow of FEU Public Policy Center

NOTE:  This essay is a revision of the same article published by Rappler (December 11, 2019) by the author.

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[OPINION] What society is today is a reflection of its education

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This is AI generated summarization, which may have errors. For context, always refer to the full article.

[OPINION] What society is today is a reflection of its education

The Philippine educational system, by looking at its roots, came from our colonial past. It was when the Americans used education as a tool for us to act, speak, and even think in line with our colonizers, separate from the Spanish who only made some reforms when the Educational Decree of 1863 was enacted, enabling mestizos to study in Europe and gain liberal ideas, which sparked the Philippine nationalism and thus, revolution. We cannot deny the fact that our educational system is one big determiner of how well we perceive quality in many aspects of our lives. 

One will agree that the educational system is a product of our distorted identity as a nation. It is true, however, that the other side of the coin is also the case. How we shape our society can be seen through the lens of education. This includes the way we view individual responsibilities, mental health, inclusion, providing critiques, and questioning the current and pressing issues that we face, among other things. 

Unfortunately, there is a need for us to check our current value system, not just the value system that we got from the Spaniards which were repeatedly taught in basic education, such as the maniana habit, ningas kugon, palabra de honor, and inter alia . What I am referring to is our problematic behaviors such as gullibility, the low viewpoint of research, how we view mental health, how we choose the next president of the country, and others as well. 

[OPINION] On the lack of public historians and intellectual spaces

[OPINION] On the lack of public historians and intellectual spaces

On education and advancing social change

John Dewey presented the idea that the school system must be an important vessel to nurture learners into becoming valuable and performing members of society. This means that the traditional school system must be rehashed for it to become progressive, allowing learners to become enablers of cataclysmic socio-politico-economic change. 

As an example, when the Basic Education Act of 1982 was still in effect, it was lacking in terms of instilling the “social’”part of education, which Dewey refers to as “Education for Democracy,” wherein true discourse and the engaging of different ideas based on evidence and meaningful engagements could not be observed well. This was because the focus of the Marcos administration, aside from institutional reforms, was only on strengthening the human capital production of the Philippines in terms of supporting the import-substitution-industrialization (ISI) companies – which also failed due to mismanagement and corruption. 

Currently, even with the institutional changes such as the implementation of the K-12 program, free college education, and technical-vocational training courses, things are still lacking. Here, I am talking about our value system and how we take things on a larger scale as Filipinos. The national and local elections (NLE) is fast approaching, and with that, aside from instilling voter’s education, I argue that it is also important that we put our value system under scrutiny in order for us to hopefully come up with a consensus on progress and development. 

In school, we learn different things such as solving for the area of any shape, writing poems, how to properly do an exercise, understanding how the human body works, among other things. But despite the rigorous undertaking for any individual to learn, it seems that these concepts are not in touch with reality, particularly with how each individual is taught and anticipated to participate as a full member of society.

It is always expected that the highest form of citizenship, for the most part, is through voting. Renato Constantino, in his essay entitled, “The Anti-Social Filipino” has pointed out that the educational system has failed to fulfill its role to transform the nation and instead has only equipped learners to become valuable workers and employees, not emancipated citizens who can see both the small and large scales of things in society. This essay was written more than 50 years ago, and I still ponder on the relevance of Constantino’s words, as it is also true today. The ills of the system must be addressed in order for its stakeholders to focus on sustaining this system.

I also lament teachers who have been alienated by the status quo. It is quite problematic that some of them, being renowned in their fields, have decided to not come to their senses and decide to become partisans, thus, supporting unqualified and even questionable candidates such as Ferdinand Marcos Jr. It is quite ironic that many teachers prohibit cheating, lying, and any form of academic, behavioral, and disciplinary misconduct, but fail to see that these misconducts are also happening in political spheres and even in government. 

In line with this, it is frightening that it seems that many have forgotten that entitlement to one’s opinion is not equal to entitlement to facts. It is easy to manipulate and provide altercations without really addressing the most pressing issues at hand. It is like a modern-day divide-and-conquer strategy, but instead of foreign invaders, we are now influenced by our fellow Filipinos and it is now usually done via the internet and social media platforms.  

[OPINION] On the Filipino obsession with patriotism and heroism

[OPINION] On the Filipino obsession with patriotism and heroism

On realigning our values

The effects of academic neutrality and rather, lack of academic freedom even in basic education, is massive. In fact, this neutrality has led to tolerance. The core values of maka-Diyos, maka-kalikasan, makatao, and makabansa are not evident anymore. I agree that it is open to different interpretations and practices, but we must not forget that these core values are place each one of us on the common ground. For example, how can we exhibit maka-Diyos as a core value if we support extrajudicial killings, human rights violations, and people who practice and/or have records of graft and corruption? 

One of our problems is that we tend to tolerate any problematic issues because they are outside our personal boundaries. As a nation, many of us do not believe in collective efforts and actions towards social justice, emancipation, and progress. This is a reminderof Karl Popper’s Paradox of Tolerance, wherein the more we tolerate anyone who does the slightest thing that can be considered as a red flag, the more they become powerful, which can result in intolerance. 

We keep on focusing on our individuality that we have overlooked the real issues that we must address: structural inequality and poverty, the prevalence of political dynasties and warlords, lack of access to quality social services, work-related exploitation, human rights violations, fanaticism, among other things. As citizens, we must realize that we have become alienated by these structures that we keep on running in circles. I believe that this overhaul must start between the interaction of the teacher and students. As John Dewey has pointed out, education must be social. It must be in touch with reality and what solutions can be done in order for us to become proactive and engaging citizens. Once realized and implemented, there is still hope for a better Philippines – a country with progress in mind rooted in its core values.  – Rappler.com

Juniesy Estanislao earned his Bachelor’s in Secondary Education, Major in Social Studies at Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Marikina in 2018. He currently teaches Araling Panlipunan subjects at the Junior High School of Ingenium School Inc., Marikina City. He is also currently taking up a Master of Arts in Philippine Studies, Major in Development Studies at the Asian Center, University of the Philippines Diliman.

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basic education in the philippines essay

The Current Education Issues in the Philippines — and How Childhope Rises to the Challenge

  • August 25, 2021

Even before COVID-19 struck and caused problems for millions of families, the country’s financial status is one of the top factors that add to the growing education issues in the Philippines. Furthermore, more children, youth, and adults can’t get a leg up and are thus left behind due to unfair access to learning.

Moving forward, such issues can lead to worse long-term effects. Now, we’ll delve deep into the current status and how we can take part in social efforts to help fight these key concerns of our country.

Crisis in Philippine Education: How is It Really?

Filipinos from rich households or living in cities and developed towns have more access to private schools. In contrast, less favored groups are more bound to deal with lack of classrooms, teachers, and means to sustain topnotch learning.

A 2018 study found that a sample number of 15-year-old Filipino students ranked last in reading comprehension out of 79 countries . They also ranked 78 th in science and math. One key insight from this study is it implies those tested mostly came from public schools. Hence, the crisis also lies in the fact that a lot of Filipinos can’t read or do simple math.

Indeed, it’s clear that there is a class divide between rich and poor students in the country. Though this is the case, less developed states can focus on learning if it’s covered in their top concerns. However, the Philippines doesn’t invest on topnotch learning as compared to its neighbor countries. In fact, many public schools lack computers and other tools despite the digital age. Further, a shortfall in the number of public school teachers is also one of the top issues in the country due to their being among the lowest-paid state workers. Aside from that, more than 3 million children, youth, and adults remain unenrolled since the school shutdown.

It goes without saying that having this constant crisis has its long-term effects. These include mis- and disinformation, poor decision-making, and other social concerns.

The Education System in the Philippines

Due to COVID-19, education issues in the Philippines have increased and received new challenges that worsened the current state of the country. With the sudden events brought about by the health crisis, distance learning modes via the internet or TV broadcasts were ordered. Further, a blended learning program was launched in October 2020, which involves online classes, printouts, and lessons broadcast on TV and social platforms. Thus, the new learning pathways rely on students and teachers having access to the internet.

Education issues in the Philippines include lack of resources and access to online learning

This yet brings another issue in the current system. Millions of Filipinos don’t have access to computers and other digital tools at home to make their blended learning worthwhile. Hence, the value of tech in learning affects many students. Parents’ and guardians’ top concerns with this are:

  • Money for mobile load
  • Lack of gadget
  • Poor internet signal
  • Students’ struggle to focus and learn online
  • Parents’ lack of knowledge of their kids’ lessons

It’s key to note that equipped schools have more chances to use various ways to deal with the new concerns for remote learning. This further shows the contrasts in resources and training for both K-12 and tertiary level both for private and public schools.

One more thing that can happen is that schools may not be able to impart the most basic skills needed. To add, the current status can affect how tertiary education aims to impart the respect for and duty to knowledge and critical outlook. Before, teachers handled 40 to 60 students. With the current online setup, the quality of learning can be compromised if the class reaches 70 to 80 students.

Data on Students that Have Missed School due to COVID-19

Of the world’s student population, 89% or 1.52 billion are the children and youth out of school due to COVID-19 closures. In the Philippines, close to 4 million students were not able to enroll for this school year, as per the DepEd. With this, the number of out-of-school youth (OSY) continues to grow, making it a serious issue needing to be checked to avoid worse problems in the long run.

List of Issues When it Comes to the Philippines’ Education System

For a brief rundown, let’s list the top education issues in the Philippines:

  • Quality – The results of the 2014 National Achievement Test (NAT) and the National Career Assessment Examination (NCAE) show that there had been a drop in the status of primary and secondary education.
  • Budget – The country remains to have one of the lowest budget allotments to learning among ASEAN countries.
  • Cost – There still is a big contrast in learning efforts across various social groups due to the issue of money—having education as a status symbol.
  • OSY – The growing rate of OSY becomes daunting due to the adverse effects of COVID-19.
  • Mismatch – There is a large sum of people who are jobless or underpaid due to a large mismatch between training and actual jobs.
  • Social divide – There is no fair learning access in the country.
  • Lack of resources – Large-scale shortfalls in classrooms, teachers, and other tools to sustain sound learning also make up a big issue.

All these add to the big picture of the current system’s growing concerns. Being informed with these is a great first step to know where we can come in and help in our own ways. Before we talk about how you can take part in various efforts to help address these issues, let’s first talk about what quality education is and how we can achieve it.

Childhope Philippines' program employability session

What Quality Education Means

Now, how do we really define this? For VVOB , it is one that provides all learners with what they need to become economically productive that help lead them to holistic development and sustainable lifestyles. Further, it leads to peaceful and democratic societies and strengthens one’s well-being.

VVOB also lists its 6 dimensions:

  • Contextualization and Relevance
  • Child-friendly Teaching and Learning
  • Sustainability
  • Balanced Approach
  • Learning Outcomes

Aside from these, it’s also key to set our vision to reach such standards. Read on!

Vision for a Quality Education

Of course, any country would want to build and keep a standard vision for its learning system: one that promotes cultural diversity; is free from bias; offers a safe space and respect for human rights; and forms traits, skills, and talent among others.

With the country’s efforts to address the growing concerns, one key program that is set to come out is the free required education from TESDA with efforts to focus on honing skills, including technical and vocational ones. Also, OSY will be covered in the grants of the CHED.

Students must not take learning for granted. In times of crises and sudden changes, having access to education should be valued. Aside from the fact that it is a main human right, it also impacts the other human rights that we have. Besides, the UN says that when learning systems break, having a sustained state will be far from happening.

Childhope Philippines keeps abreast of changes to face education issues in the Philippines

How Childhope KalyEskwela Program Deals with Changes

The country rolled out its efforts to help respond to new and sudden changes in learning due to the effects of COVID-19 measures. Here are some of the key ones we can note:

  • Continuous learning – Since the future of a state lies on how good the learning system is, the country’s vision for the youth is to adopt new learning paths despite the ongoing threat of COVID-19.
  • Action plans – These include boosting the use of special funds to help schools make modules, worksheets, and study guides approved by the DepEd. Also, LGUs and schools can acquire digital tools to help learners as needed.

Now, even with the global health crisis, Childhope Philippines remains true to its cause to help street children:

  • Mobile learning – The program provides topnotch access to street children to new learning methods such as non-formal education .
  • Access to tools – This is to give out sets of school supplies to help street kids attend and be ready for their remote learning.
  • Online learning sessions – These are about Skills for Life, Life Skill Life Goal Planning, Gender Sensitivity, Teenage Pregnancy and Adolescent Reproductive Health.

You may also check out our other programs and projects to see how we help street children fulfill their right to education . You can be a part of these efforts! Read on to know how.

Shed a Light of Hope for Street Children to Reach Their Dreams

Building a system that empowers the youth means helping them reach their full potential. During these times, they need aid from those who can help uphold the rights of the less privileged. These include kids in the streets and their right to attain quality education.

You may hold the power to change lives, one child at a time. Donate or volunteer , and help us help street kids learn and reach their dreams and bring a sense of hope and change toward a bright future. You may also contact us for more details. We’d love to hear from you!

With our aim to reach more people who can help, we’re also in social media! Check out our Facebook page to see latest news on our projects in force.

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Home / Essay Samples / Education / High School in The Philippines / Free Education in the Philippines: Breaking Down the Pros and Cons

Free Education in the Philippines: Breaking Down the Pros and Cons

  • Category: Education , World
  • Topic: Education System , High School in The Philippines , Philippines

Pages: 2 (694 words)

Views: 3620

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