State of Philippine Education

Mr. Gilbert Forbes of the Dept. of Education submitted his take on the state of Philippine Education today.  He has raised sweveral issues but insists that there are probably more. 

It is very heartening to know of such a gigantic encouragement.  Certainly, all Filipino teachers abroad together with other professionals, ordinary migrant workers can do a lot to help the ailing educational system of our mother land.  While there are already lots of programs that have been done and are on-going, the problem is so big that there is a need for everybody to converge and work together regardless of boundaries.  There are lots of NGO's doing projects not related to education that could be a bench-mark for any interested entities like the GAWAD KALINGA which is trying and is dedicated to build homes for all the indigent Filipinos.   

So far, aside from other interventions that so many funding agencies are inclined into, I believe that there is no more rewarding and highly sustainable than focusing on human development or education.  I believe it is by far more ideal and must be the first consideration of the social programs that could be attended to.  (There are actually three, education, health and livelihood)   Just recently before the opening of classess, the president has ordered a release of 1 billion pesos earmarked for the training of all teachers in English due to reports that we are losing our advantaged.  However, there are other more concrete problems that also need much attention.  Here are some based on experience:  

1.  Development of Instructional Materials particularly in the core subjects.  Teachers must be trained and be given financial support in the development of much Instructional Materials like modules, standardized validated rating, achievement and diagnostic tests viz qualitative one's.  Books backlog has been reduced tremendously but text books doesn't contain enought exercises and testing materials that teachers could use in their daily instruction.  As a result, most of the time, the teacher is required to write all the exercises on the board taking a lot of time or not at all.

2.  Teachers' Training and Development.  It has been observed that most of education graduates except of course the graduates institutions designated as CHED center of excellence have a lot of deficiencies particularly in the immediate grasp and knowledge of the content areas.

3.  Palakasan System, Utang na Loob, Pakikisama System the negative side of these all must totally be eradicated by professionalizing all the ranks from the top to bottom just like the corporate world does.  Still, much of those who are getting promoted don't necessarily have the guts to become an educational leader.  Many are just after the salary increase and most of all of the prestige that goes with being a school manager!  The worst, having no real concern and dedication to initiate reforms for the betterment of the system.

4.  The Multi-grade System of Education as a viable alternative to depopulated areas must be strengthened by providing the teachers and all the schools with enought resources just like each counterparts on other parts of the world experience.

5.  Performance-Based Management and Assessment must not only be a by-word but an actual rule to all.  In other words, strengthened accountability of all.  In this way, they could recognize the deserving and possibly replace those who don't by the deserving ones.

6.  Establishment of evaluative tool or continuous impact assessment of trainings made and a strict standards and guidelines for those who will undergo free trainings with pay to maximize the resources that will be made available.

7.  Outstanding teacher practicioners must be hired or given an opportunity to teach and share their knowledge and expertise in the existing TEI's so that the products of these institutions will really be professionally equipped once they are hired as teachers. 

8.  DepEd must be depoliticized by trying to install department secretaries who rose from the ranks instead of the regular trend of installing political appointees under the auspisces of the office of the republic of the philippines.

9.  May be, instead of spending a lot of the IRA or the Internal Revenue Allotment for the honorarium of barangay officials all over the country who are actually doing nothing and are just making it their milking cow must be spent to education.  Only community leaders who are really working in accordance with what they are expected, elected and mandated to do deserve to be paid!  There's actually more than enough funds but these are not spent wisely.   These are only some of the considerations that I can personally enumerate so far.   God Bless Us All and the Philippines!  

GILBERT M. FORBES ESHT III

Department of Education

Pitogo District Division of Quezon Region IV-A (CALABARZON)

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