argumentative essay about lack of education in the philippines

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

The Philippine education system faces challenges like lack of resources and overcrowded classrooms. To address these, the government introduced the K-12 program in 2013. This extended basic education to 13 years and aimed to improve the quality of education. The success of these reforms is still being evaluated.

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.

In conclusion, the education system in the Philippines is structured and comprehensive, aiming to provide quality education to all its students. This system, though facing challenges, is continually improving to ensure a bright future for the youth of the country.

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 second level is the secondary or high school level. This lasts for four years. Students usually enter high school at the age of 12 or 13.

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

Teachers in the Philippines use a variety of methods to teach students. They use lectures, group work, and hands-on activities. They also use technology, like computers and projectors, to make learning more engaging.

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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Home Essay Samples Education Inequality in Education

The Roots of Education Inequality in the Philippines and Its Outcomes

Table of contents

Geographic root, socioeconomic root, corruption root, class inequality as the root of education inequality.

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Addressing the Philippine education crisis

Human Side Of Economics

By Bernardo M. Villegas

It is obvious that the Philippine Government is struggling to comply with the constitutional mandate that the State is obliged to provide free quality education at the basic education level for all Filipino children and youth. The inadequacies of the State are either due to limited funds or poor governance or both.

As in other areas of attaining the common good, the efforts of the government to attain the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) of quality education for all must be strongly complemented by initiatives of business and civil society. Among emerging markets, the Philippines is notable for the role of both the business sector and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in promoting the common good, oftentimes replacing the State in what it is mandated to do by the Constitution. What in other countries in which the State practices good governance, such as Singapore, Finland and Germany, are delivered by the government to the public, in the Philippines the private sector is oftentimes obliged to provide by default. An outstanding example in the field of education is the non-profit organization founded in 2006 by top CEOs, the Philippine Business for Education (PBEd). This NGO is the business community’s response to the need for greater education and economic alignment. Its advocacies include teacher quality and workforce development.

In a recent multisectoral assembly, the PBEd presented an Agenda for Education Reform that could lead, among others, to certain legislative measures. To get as wide a participation among the public in pushing for the implementation of the necessary action program, let me present here the main items in the PBEd Agenda:

1. Address malnutrition and stunting among zero- to five-year-old children and students through a strong implementation of the Philippine Plan of Action for Nutrition;

2. Increase the budget and resources for education: widen the pie and ensure accountability;

3. Establish an Autonomous Assessment Agency: consistently diagnose strengths and weaknesses, and target interventions;

4. Infuse the system with the best and brightest teachers through a National Teacher Education Scholarship Bill;

5. Bridge the gap and strengthen the implementation of the mother tongue-based multilingual education.

As regards the first item in the Agenda, it is a fact that even before they step foot in the classroom, hunger and malnutrition hinder our children from learning. One of three children under the age of five is undernourished and thus not ready to learn. Schools were supposed to help address this problem. Their continuous closure during the pandemic made it more difficult to remediate malnutrition among the children. As of the end of the third quarter of 2020, the Department of Education’s feeding program had an unobligated allotment of P6.8 billion. In this regard, the spontaneous response of private citizens to the community pantry movement started by a lone woman in Quezon City, which spread like wild fire all over the archipelago, is another example of citizens’ response to a national problem. Also to be noted are efforts of NGOs like the Philippine Food Bank Foundation to channel millions of pesos worth of soon-to-expire (SOTEX) manufactured food products and surplus food from restaurants and other eating establishments to orphanages and feeding clinics of schools and local government units (LGUs).

In this regard, LGUs all over the Philippines should take note of the very successful program of Quezon Province to implement the “First 1,000 Days of Life, Maternal and Child Healthcare Program” which consists of a package of healthcare and nutrition intervention in the first 1,000 days of life of the child (starting in the mother’s womb) and its pregnant mother. This was launched as far back as 2015 and has been strongly endorsed by such international organizations as the Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO), the World Health Organization (WHO), the World Food Program, and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF). At the level of the municipality, the example that can be followed is a similar 1,000 Days Program being implemented by the municipality of Quezon in Palawan. This is a project of the Food and Nutrition Research Center (FNRI) and the Department of Science and Technology (DoST). It cannot be over emphasized that the battle for quality education is already lost if millions of children are undernourished or malnourished in their first 1,000 days. The damage to the brain is irreversible.

As earlier mentioned, the Philippine Government is spending only 17% of its budget on education, while our more progressive neighbors are spending 20% or more. The PBEd recommends that when the Internal Revenue Allotment (IRA) to LGUs is finally implemented, following the Mandanas ruling, the LGUs should appropriate at least 20% of its annual allotment for education. There should be an increase in local accountability and the local school boards should be empowered and strengthened. There should be 100% utilization of the Special Education Fund (SEF) as well as full parental engagement. There should also be decentralization of authority, devolving more power to school division officials and principals. At the national level, serious efforts should be exerted to attain the 20% of the national budget target for education.

The additional resources should be especially directed towards solving the “last-mile” problem. According to the Department of Education, in 2020, there were 4,536 waterless schools in the country. There were 1,562 unenergized schools. Among the public-school pupils studying at home during the pandemic, 6.2 million had insufficient load in their digital devices, 6.9 million had unstable connections, and 6.8 million lacked gadgets. Given the realistic expectation that these last-mile challenges will take time to address, it is imperative that face-to-face classes be introduced as early as possible once the pandemic is put under reasonable control. Online learning and even blended learning will leave millions of school children behind unless physical presence in the classroom is soon allowed. Blended learning will work only for the children of the well-to-do (A, B, and some C households) who have access to the best digital devices and efficient internet connections.

The third recommendation is the establishment of an Autonomous Assessment Agency. The Philippine National Education Assessment Program will be implemented by an independent Philippine National Education Assessment Authority, modelled after Australia’s National Assessment Program – Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN). What are assessed are reading, writing, numeracy and the so-called 21 st century skills. The grade levels assessed are Grades 4, 9, and 12. Sampling will be utilized with regular and consistent diagnostic testing. There will be student and school summary reports. This autonomous assessment agency will allow the Department of Education to focus on teaching and learning interventions.

The fourth item in the Agenda has to do with the quality of the teachers. We should attract the best and brightest to the teaching profession by implementing a teacher education scholarship program. The granting of scholarships will be merit-based. The successful candidates will be given a full scholarship to study in select high-quality Teacher Education Institutions (TEIs), whether public or private. To maximize learning, each student will be assigned a mentor who will closely follow her or his progress, not only in academic matters but also in the values and virtues that are especially relevant to the teaching profession. In the contract of scholarship, there will be incorporated a return of service obligation. Each scholar will have a guaranteed teaching position after graduation.

The fifth relates to an issue in which there is no consensus among the experts and policy makers. It has to do with the mother-tongue based (MTB) multilingual education (MLE) law. Under this MTB-MLE law, the mother tongue (there are 19 mother tongues in the Philippines for this purpose) is the medium of instruction during Grades 1 to 3, after which there is a transition to Filipino and English. International research has shown that students with well-developed skills in their first language have been shown to acquire additional languages more easily and fully and that, in turn, has a positive impact on academic achievement. Second language learners use what they know in their own language to help develop other languages. The positive transfer effect has been found especially significant in reading. Under this MTB-MLE law, it is expected that by the end of Grade 3, students will enjoy communicating in their first language on familiar topics for a variety of purposes and audiences using basic vocabulary and phrases, read texts in their mother tongue with understanding and create their own stories and texts in their mother tongue.

This is the theory. Unfortunately, the reality is that for a variety of reasons, most Filipino students — especially in the public schools — are not able to transition to English well enough to be competent in reading in their later years.

Considering that our 15-year-old students who participate in international achievement tests like that of Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) take the tests in English, and their lack of fluency in English is a handicap. This fact could partly explain why they do very poorly in these tests. To address this problem, the PBEd recommends that the implementation of the MTB-MLE law be strengthened through: a.) Teacher training (pre- and in-service) in MTB-MLE; b.) Adequate and quality teaching and learning materials for students written in the mother tongue: and, c.) Sticking to 19 mother tongues and avoid undue multiplication. This approach rests on the assumption that mother-tongue based teaching and learning, if done well, positively correlates to better learning.

In a consultation meeting with legislators, however, there were dissenting opinions from this view. The harsh reality in the Philippines is that an effective implementation of the MTB-MLE law is made very difficult because of the paucity of resources that can address the problem of producing teaching and learning materials in 16 mother tongues. Only three fourths of students have access to textbooks per student. The rest have to share textbooks with others. Only half have access to libraries. This shortage of materials has been compounded with the need to make available all sorts of learning materials that have been made necessary by blended learning during the pandemic. The peculiar linguistic situation in the Philippines in which there are numerous mother tongues may make it necessary to review the MTB-MLE law and already introduce English as one of the media of instruction even during the pre-school years. This is one of the contentious issues that can only be resolved by constant multi-sectoral research and dialogues that are facilitated by civil society organizations like the PBEd. The establishment of an Autonomous Assessment Agency will also help in arriving at more practical solutions to this admittedly very difficult language problem.

Having resided in Europe for a couple years, I observed that some of the most successful multi-lingual programs in education were in regions like Catalunya in Spain and countries like Switzerland and Germany. While teaching in Barcelona, I observed that Catalan is the mother tongue used from the very start of basic education. The Catalans, however, are also sufficiently fluent in Castilian (Spanish). The multilingual society par excellence is Switzerland. The Germans come close as a multilingual people. One has to remember, however, that these societies have per capita incomes 10 or more times that of the Philippines. They can afford to spend huge amounts in providing teaching and learning materials to teachers and students in their MTB-MLE educational programs. We may have to make the hard choice of giving priority to English in our language policy because of its crucial role in making possible two sectors which account for 12% to 14% of our GDP, the OFW and the BPO-IT sectors.

As regards the cultivation of fluency in the national language, Filipino, we just have to rely on the widespread use of Filipino in the mass media and in the film and entertainment industry. An optimistic note in this continuing controversy is the finding of linguists that children who are exposed to the sounds of different languages from the cradle find it easier to learn several languages when they grow up. This may partly explain why our 10 million or more OFWs, most of them with modest academic attainments, are able to adjust to the linguistic requirements of their hosts, even in countries whose languages foreigners find difficult to learn, like Japan, China, and Finland (in fact, in one of my visits to Helsinki, I was impressed to listen to Filipina domestic helpers speaking the esoteric language of the Finns).

Those who have difficulties learning new languages are individuals who were exposed to only one sound in their childhood, like North Americans whose mother tongue is English.

To be continued.

Bernardo M. Villegas has a Ph.D. in Economics from Harvard, is Professor Emeritus at the University of Asia and the Pacific, and a Visiting Professor at the IESE Business School in Barcelona, Spain. He was a member of the 1986 Constitutional Commission.

bernardo.villegas @uap.asia

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International Handbook on Education in South East Asia pp 1–27 Cite as

Overview of Education in the Philippines

• Lorraine Pe Symaco 3 &
• Marie Therese A. P. Bustos 4  
• Later version available View entry history
• First Online: 24 December 2021

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

The Philippines has embarked on significant education reforms for the past three decades to raise the quality of education at all levels and address inclusion and equity issues. The country’s AmBisyon Natin 2040 or the national vision for a prosperous and healthy society by 2040 is premised on education’s role in developing human capital through quality lifelong learning opportunities. Education governance is handled by three government agencies overseeing the broad education sector of the country. At the same time, regional initiatives relating to ASEAN commitments are also witnessed in the sector. However, despite the mentioned education reforms and initiatives, the education system remains beset by challenges. This chapter will give readers an overview of the education system of the Philippines through an account of its historical context and its main providers and programs. Key reforms and issues within the sector are also discussed.

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Symaco, L.P., Bustos, M.T.A.P. (2022). Overview of 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_1-1

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Lack Of Education In The Philippines

Education is a fundamental human right that plays a crucial role in the development of individuals and societies. However, in the Philippines, there exists a significant educational crisis characterized by a lack of access, quality, and equity in education. This article aims to shed light on the challenges faced by the Philippine education system, the factors contributing to the lack of education, and potential solutions to address this pressing issue.

Table of Contents

The State of Education in the Philippines

Despite efforts to improve access, many Filipino children still face barriers to education. Remote and marginalized areas lack schools and infrastructure, making it difficult for children to attend. Additionally, poverty forces many children to work or contribute to household income instead of pursuing an education.

The quality of education in the Philippines remains a concern. Limited resources, outdated teaching methods, and overcrowded classrooms hinder effective learning. Teacher shortages, low salaries, and inadequate professional development contribute to the challenge of delivering quality education.

Disparities in education persist, with marginalized groups such as indigenous peoples, children with disabilities, and those in conflict-affected areas facing significant barriers. Gender-based discrimination also affects access to education, particularly for girls in certain regions.

Factors Contributing to the Lack of Education

Poverty is a major underlying factor in the lack of education in the Philippines. Families living in poverty struggle to afford basic necessities, let alone education-related expenses such as school fees, uniforms, and supplies. The need for children to work to support their families further exacerbates the issue.

Many remote and underserved areas lack proper school infrastructure. The absence of schools or the presence of dilapidated buildings, insufficient classrooms, and lack of basic facilities hinders access to education and compromises the learning environment.

The Philippine education system faces budgetary challenges, with inadequate funding allocated to education. Insufficient resources limit the government’s capacity to improve infrastructure, provide quality instructional materials, and invest in teacher training and development.

The shortage of qualified teachers is a significant obstacle to providing quality education. Low salaries and limited opportunities for professional growth discourage talented individuals from pursuing teaching careers or retaining experienced educators within the system.

Social and gender inequalities contribute to the lack of education in the Philippines. Discrimination against marginalized groups, including indigenous peoples, children with disabilities, and those in conflict-affected areas, further restricts their access to educational opportunities.

Potential Solutions to Address the Lack of Education

Increased Funding and Resource Allocation: The government must prioritize education by increasing investment and allocating a larger portion of the national budget to address the systemic challenges. Adequate funding would enable the construction of schools, improvement of facilities, provision of quality instructional materials, and enhancement of teacher training programs.

Strengthening Teacher Education and Professional Development: Enhancing teacher education programs and providing continuous professional development opportunities can improve the quality of education. Competitive salaries and incentives can attract and retain highly qualified teachers, ensuring a skilled and motivated teaching workforce.

Expansion of Access through Infrastructure Development: Efforts should focus on expanding access to education by improving infrastructure in underserved areas. Building new schools, renovating existing facilities, and providing necessary resources such as textbooks, technology, and learning materials can help bridge the gap in access to education.

Targeted Programs for Marginalized Groups: Special attention should be given to marginalized groups, including indigenous peoples, children with disabilities, and those in conflict-affected areas. Implementing inclusive policies, providing support services, and ensuring equal opportunities can address the educational disparities faced by these groups.

Public-Private Partnerships: Collaboration between the government, private sector, and civil society organizations can play a significant role in addressing the lack of education. Partnerships can provide resources, expertise, and innovative solutions to improve education access, quality, and equity.

Community Engagement and Awareness: Engaging communities, parents, and local stakeholders is crucial in addressing the educational crisis. Raising awareness about the importance of education, empowering communities to take ownership of their schools, and fostering a culture of learning can contribute to sustainable improvements in education.

Final Thoughts

The lack of education in the Philippines represents a significant challenge that hinders individual development, social progress, and economic growth. Addressing this crisis requires a comprehensive approach that tackles issues of access, quality, and equity. By increasing funding, improving infrastructure, investing in teacher education and professional development, targeting marginalized groups, and fostering partnerships and community engagement, the Philippines can strive towards a more inclusive and equitable education system. Only by prioritizing education and addressing its challenges can the country unlock the full potential of its people and pave the way for a brighter future.

About Mr. Greg

Mr. Greg is an English teacher from Edinburgh, Scotland, currently based in Hong Kong. He has over 5 years teaching experience and recently completed his PGCE at the University of Essex Online. In 2013, he graduated from Edinburgh Napier University with a BEng(Hons) in Computing, with a focus on social media.

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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.

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.

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.

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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[OPINION] Philippine education: Of apologies and priorities

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

Illustration by Alejandro Edoria

An old woman who could not take criticism — that was how social media depicted our DepEd Secretary Leonor Briones, after she demanded an apology from the World Bank after its report on the Philippines’ poor education ranking. 

As a public school teacher, I could only sympathize with our secretary after all the ruthless posts and comments online. To be fair, Briones explained that her demand for a public apology stems from the fact that the World Bank reported old data — from 2019, to be exact. Apparently, a lot has changed in the DepEd between 2019 and the current school year. 

However, based on most people’s reactions on social media, I guess Filipinos don’t need statistics and data from any reputable international student assessment program to remind us about students’ poor learning results. I could not blame the thousands of netizens for negatively reacting, since we have seen how the DepEd has handled public education over the years — especially during this pandemic. For instance, the countless erroneous details, unforgivable grammatical errors, and the inappropriate information in our self-learning modules speak volumes of how our education system is far from excellent. Needless to say, we are all aware of the educational crisis we are facing. 

House panel wants center to check quality of DepEd’s learning materials

Being part of the DepEd, I am disheartened by World Bank’s report. I honestly feel horrified about it, but I know this report has its grounds. And like any other issue on education, all of this will be traced back to our teachers again. After all, they are the ones molding the country’s young minds. Unfair as it may seem, it’s that dreaded “teacher factor” that is always put to blame. In every student’s failure, there is always a teacher who failed to do his job. That is just the sad reality that our educational leaders and administrators constantly remind us. 

The need for upgrade 

The call to equip our teachers for 21st century teaching-learning instruction is being made once again as issues like this invade national news. But what most people do not know is that the DepEd, together with its different partner organizations, is slowly addressing the need for our public education to be at par with international standards. In fact, the DepEd Educational Technology Unit works tirelessly to bridge the educational technology gaps among teachers and students.

Through a series of free quality webinars, trainings, and workshops, teachers are taught about different methodologies that can be used in classes and are even assisted in acquiring certain national and international certifications. 

In addition, all teachers are given premium subscriptions to various EdTech apps that we can use online and offline. All these efforts aim to benefit both students’ learning and teachers’ professional growth. 

Unfortunately, not everyone takes advantage of this opportunity due to several reasons. Most teachers I know are still strangers to DepEd’s free training programs, simply because these are not a priority among local school heads. We lack the encouragement from our school heads to attend these virtual trainings and workshops. Instead, we are challenged to do ancillary tasks and work on various flagship programs. 

Mistakes were made: Errors in DepEd distance learning materials

An old working culture prevails

No matter how equipped we want to be, we still end up short in our classroom instruction because there are other “more important” things we need to attend to. Aside from the mountains of paperwork, different demanding flagship programs make us forget to focus on improving our teaching methods. These various programs launched by the DepEd, and sometimes by local school administrators, hinder us from doing our main job of teaching. 

We can complain about programs that only focus on school beautification, but we know we can’t afford to be non-compliant about it. In most cases, teachers are covertly pressured to spend their own money or solicit from stakeholders just to show the kind of improvements in their classrooms that will ultimately please superiors.

Teachers, school heads to get higher special hardship allowance – DepEd

These flagship programs, together with some conflicting DepEd policies, sometimes bring the quality of education down. I know I speak on behalf of all teachers when I say that the culture of mediocrity is a cycle we sometimes tolerate just to prove that “nobody should be left behind.” That despite all the target competencies being unachieved, students still need to be promoted. At times, we are pressured not to fail non-performing learners because it will affect the achievement rate of our school. And one thing DepEd officials do not like is alarming statistics. 

Focusing on the priorities  

If there’s a silver lining to all of this, it’s probably the fact that we get to ponder about the amount of work that needs to be done to improve our education system. 

As a public school teacher, I have seen the problems and complexities of the profession I chose to embrace. However, I have also seen the efforts of the department I’m serving, and I know that these efforts will be fruitful and will show promising results soon. I still believe that the day will come when all DepEd teachers are fully equipped with highly needed skills in teaching and are at par with their Asian neighbors in terms of quality instruction. 

However, the Department of Education must realize that even if it equips all teachers with the necessary 21st century skills, and awards them all with flashy international certifications, they will still not be effective educators unless they focus on what they should be doing: TEACHING. Perhaps minimizing the unnecessary paperwork and prioritizing time for instruction will genuinely help achieve DepEd’s mission of producing quality education.  – Rappler.com

Rey Francis L. Dayaan is a public school teacher at Manolo Fortich National High School in Bukidnon. He usually spends his Saturdays and free time upskilling through free webinars and workshops conducted by the DepEd EdTech Unit. 

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Essays on the PH Education System

Philippine Basic Education is not in good shape. While more Filipino kids are entering Grade 1 these days, too many are dropping out before completion of the entire K-12 cycle. Worse, of those completing the cycle, the levels of learning as revealed in large-scale international assessments is low (one to two or more levels below proficiency).

For years, the definition of success in education was measured as (a) Access to education and (b) the provision of education materials and infrastructure in basic education. It was a numbers-crunching exercise of indicators. Little attention was paid to Learning as argued in the World Bank’s World Development Report on the topic of Learning in 2018. To be fair to the Philippines and the Department of Education (DepED), other countries around the world fell into the same trap.

In 2018, the Philippines, through DepED, participated in PISA (Programme in International Student Assessment) for the first time to abysmal results. A year later, the country participated in TIMSS (Trends in International Math and Science Survey) with similar results. A third large-scale international assessment, SEA-PLM (Southeast Asia Program Learning Metrics), confirmed the same conclusions.

Different groups in the country, particularly those participating in the DepED-organized Education Forum, have recognized the gravity of the situation and have raised the alarm bells. The call for a second Education Commission 30 years after the first EDCOM has been even as educators lament the fact that a number of issues today mirror the issues back then. Did we not, as an education system and as a country, not learn anything from the first EDCOM?

In discussing the Philippine Education system, critical questions are asked. How is the system organized? Why is it under- performing? Why is overall learning low? How can the state of low performance be remedied?

The essays look at the education system as a series of education levels a child goes through in their journey to becoming fully functioning member of society. Each level adds more value to what a child learns, each level having different learning objectives. The topics will focus on what we need to focus on to re-do basic education so that it supports the future/present growth of society and the economy. Using education as a lever, how can we help turn a weak state (the Philippines) into a moderately strong state [i.e. aperforming state]?]

Published Essays in 2021

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

LEARNING TO THINK BY SUBJECT MATTER DISCIPINE AND BEYOND 

PRIMARY LEARNING METRICS: HOW ARE FILIPINO ELEMENTARY CHILDREN LEARNING?

Developing Functional Literacy and 21st Century Skills

Today’s Reality in Philippine Learning

Kindergarten: The First Step in Formal Education – The Need to Get Children Started Well

Setting Early Childhood Development Standards

THE IMPORTANCE OF EARLY CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT TO FUTURE LEARNING (UP TO ADULTHOOD)

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Strategies in Teaching Academic Essay Writing, Level of Effectiveness, and Instructional Barriers: The Case of Filipino Learners

2023, World Journal of English Language

This study about academic essay writing strategies was conducted in order to propose teachers' lesson guide based on the effective strategies that were ascertained after the investigation. The study used the descriptive-quantitative method of research. The University-approved questionnaire was used to identify the frequency of use of the strategies utilized in students' essay writing activities. There were 126 students and 20 English teachers in Cebu City, Philippines, used as the respondents of the study. It was discovered that the three academic essay writing strategies investigated in the study were always used in both argumentative and informative essay writing, as perceived by the respondents. The first two strategies, traffic light color coding, and planning using informal outline, were found to be very effective in both writing the argumentative and informative essays, while the third strategy, framed paragraph, was also effective to use in both writing the two types of essays. The strategies used, and the students' performance showed a significant relationship. The top barriers in teaching academic essay writing were as follows: teaching essay writing to second language learners, lack of time for explicit instruction, no strategies in place for the part of the students, lack of parental support, and lack of essay structures on the part of the teachers. It was concluded that there were various effective pedagogical strategies that teachers could utilize in teaching academic essay writing. Based on the findings, this study further presents its recommendations.

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The purpose of this study was to investigate the difficulties faced by English-majored students in writing academic essays. To collect the data for the investigation, the sample involved was twenty-seven English-majored students who have been studying English as their specialization at a public university in Vietnam. The instruments of this study conducted a mix-method as a qualitative and quantitative approach. To achieve the purpose of this study, the questionnaire was administered as the quantitative data collection and the semi-structured interview as the qualitative data collection. Then, five of the total participants were randomly interviewed to gain insight ideas of the difficulties that they face when writing academic essays in their writing course. The results of this study demonstrated that the majority of students had obstacles related to insufficient linguistic knowledge namely, lexicon-grammar, vocabulary, and the structure of sentences. The findings from the interview...

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