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PUBLIC grade and secondary schools reopen next Monday, and with them
the reopening of the education Pandora’s box—the multitude of
problems that has beset the education system, students, teachers and
parents for decades that the government has not fully dealt with.
Come Monday, many students will return to
overcrowded classrooms (50 to 60 per class is the norm) or study
under shade trees. The school-building program has not kept pace
with population growth (and the growing pupil population) and the
massive migration to urban centers.
Many schools are threatened with eviction or
closure because the lots they stand on are not properly titled.
Properties unselfishly donated to schools are now being reclaimed or
being considered for repossession for business reasons.
Schoolbuildings in Metro Manila are easily
flooded. Quite a few have no decent toilets. They are vulnerable to
drug pushers, thieves, pickpockets and cellphone snatchers.
The textbook shortage has not been adequately
addressed. In addition, numerous textbooks, especially those in
social science, are poorly written or plagued with factual errors.
It appears no system of review or evaluation exists in the
Department of Education.
Public-school students must fight for their ride
to school. It is common practice for students to scramble on jeepney
steps and hang on to rails for dear life. DepEd, the MMDA and local
governments have largely ignored this threat to public safety.
Enrollment in public schools ought to be cheap,
but it is not. Many expenses have to be met for school projects,
contributions, food, books, school supplies and transportation.
Public school teachers are overworked and
underpaid. The pressure to moonlight is great. Participation in
national and local elections is a must, but payment of stipends is
always late. In addition, teachers have been charged in court for
simple omissions.
The response to many of these problems is
inadequate, some laughable. The Manila Police Department has
promised to distribute police whistles as an aid to crime. Education
Secretary Jesli Lapus has threatened to jail parents who fail to
send their children to school. Local governments have restricted
enrollment to residents.
The fundamental problems remain. Basic education
from grade to secondary schools is weak. The language policy is
questionable. Poor children are unable to take advantage of
universal education. The dropout phenomenon is a national and global
embarrassment. The quality of teaching continues to decline.
Public schools start and close on schedule, the
system endures. But learning is largely a lurching experience. Large
numbers continue to be miseducated or brought up on poor values,
civics and history. We are ignoring the long-term answers in favor
of band-aid cures.
The education reform act
Some of the long-range reforms to the education
crisis are found in the Omnibus Education Reform Act of 2008
introduced by Sen. Mar Roxas a week ago.
The bill embodies the results of an ongoing
study on the weaknesses of education. The author said it is a first
step towards promoting higher standards in education for millions of
students.
“We need to fix our educational system to
promote social justice and better opportunities for the youth. This
is the best way to catch up with our neighbors that have long made
wise and huge investments in their own educational systems,” Roxas
said.
Currently, only 65 of 100 Grade 1 students are
able to complete Grade 6, and only 43 graduate from high school.
Most students who pass secondary schooling do not achieve mastery in
English, Science and Math.
Government spending on education is low,
presently only three percent of the Gross National Product, six
percent below the global standard.
“Education is a building-blocks system,” the
senator said. “Employability cannot be assured if college
education is flawed. College outcomes cannot be fixed if high school
education is flawed. High school outcomes cannot be improved if
elementary school basics are lacking. Genuine reforms must begin at
the lowest levels and work upwards. We cannot afford to take
shortcuts.”
The bill proposes the following reforms:
• Increase the number of years in basic
education, from 10 years to 12 years, consistent with global
standards;
• Use Filipino as medium of instruction for
Grades 1 to 3; studies have shown that early education in the mother
language tends to be more effective;
• Institutionalize long-term planning through
rolling five-year budget plans consistent with quantitative and
qualitative targets;
• Provide school-feeding program for Grade 1
and 2 students in the poorest provinces and municipalities;
• Impose performance standards through
diagnostic tests at the end of Grades 3 and 6 to identify students
who will need special learning as they proceed to the next grade;
• Equip high school students with the
competencies needed to help them decide about pursuing college or
working after graduation;
• Provide teachers intensive training and
upgrading programs: adopt a training program on teaching methods
using the mother language for teachers in Grades 1 to 3; upgrade
courses for English, Science and Math teachers who are not majors in
these subjects; and
• Create a compulsory pre-school education
year.
The Roxas bill seeks to substantially improve
the system within 10 years, and sets qualitative and quantitative
results to meet this goal. President Arroyo, the Senate and House
leaders should certify the measure for immediate passage.
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