Workbook
Ma. Theresa L. de Villa
University of the Philippines
OPEN UNIVERSITY
Copyright © 2006 Ma. Theresa L. de Villa
and the University of the Philippines Open University
Apart from any fair use for the purpose of research or private study, criticism or review, this publication may be reproduced, stored or transmitted, in any form or by any means
ONLY WITH THE PERMISSION
of the author and the UP Open University.
Published in the Philippines by the UP Open University Office of Academic Support and Instructional Services 2/F National Computer Center
C.P. Garcia Avenue, Diliman, Quezon City 1101 Telephone 63-2-426-1515
Email [email protected]
First printing, 2006
Layout by Cecilia Geronimo-Santiago
Unit I – Education, Society and Development
Module 1 Concepts on Education and Schooling; Socio-cultural Context of Education
Objectives, 3 References, 10
Module 2 Education and Development; School and Community; Teacher’s Roles The Magna Carta for Public School Teachers
Objectives, 11
Unit II The Philippine Education System
Module 3 Historical Overview from the Pre-colonial Period to Post-Edsa I Years
Objectives, 25
Pre-Colonial Period, 26 Spanish Colonial Period, 26 American Colonial Period, 27 Japanese Occupation, 28
Module 4 Governance and Management (Administrative and Organizational Structure, Financing, Planning and Policy Formulation, Issues and Problems)
Objectives, 35
Unit III Curricular Programs from Pre-school to Graduate
Module 5 Policies, Practices and Developments, Issues and Problems
Objectives, 39
Early Childhood Care and Development, 39
Basic Education (Elementary and Secondary Levels), 44 The Alternative Learning System, 47
Vocational-Technical Education, 50 Tertiary and Graduate Education, 52
After EDCOM, 59
Initiatives on Teacher Education Reforms, 61
Unit IV Selected Topics
Module 7 Education for Special Learners/Indigenous People’s Education/ Madrasah Education
Objectives, 65
On Special Education, 65
Education for Special Learners/Indigenous Peoples Education/Madrasah Edu-cation, 69
On Indigenous Peoples Education, 69 On Madrasah Education, 73
Module 8 Language of Instruction and Language of Learning/Globalization and Education/ICT and Education
Objectives, 77
On Globalization and Information and Communication Technology, 83
Module 9 Gender in Education/Media and Education/Special Subjects — NSTP/Scouting, Art, Music
Objectives, 87
Unit I
Education, Society and
Development
Module 1
Concepts on Education and
Schooling; Socio-cultural
Context of Education
I
n the recent past, the importance of education has been underscored both by the public and private sectors as reflected by the numerous un-dertakings and other activities initiated and/or supported by them. These sectors recognize the significant role of education in the development of the community, society and the nation as a whole.This module will focus on the concept of educa-tion as viewed by the different sectors of a com-munity or society and the impact of education on their lives. It will examine education from a socio-cultural perspective.
As a people, we have always taken pride in our educational attainment. A typical Filipino home displays prominently the diplomas and gradua-tion pictures of family members. It does not mat-ter whether these members graduated from
pre-school or elementary pre-school. However, a family member who graduates from high school will have a bigger photograph, and an even bigger one and in full color (courtesy of the town’s or city’s well-known studio) for those who earned a college degree. The diplomas are framed and so are the photographs. These are placed in an area which any visitor in the house will not miss.
Objectives
After going through this module you will be able to: 1. Differentiate education
from schooling;
2. Formulate a generaliza-tion on the concept of education and school-ing from the perspec-tive of representaperspec-tive sectors of a commu-nity/society; and 3. Formulate your own
definition of education vis-a-vis schooling.
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Is an educated individual the same as a schooled individual? Is schooling the same as education? In our native language we have the terms may
pinag-aralan and nakapag-aral. Is one who is nakapag-aral necessarily also
a may pinag-aralan? Columnist Conrad de Quiros explains his view on one of these terms.
There is much to be said for the folk wisdom that goes by the phrase
may pinag-aralan. I really do not know how to translate it. It does
suggest someone who has gone to school. We Filipinos also put a great deal of premium on academic credentials and... we do have a great deal of respect for professionals which are what you be-come when you walk away with a degree from college. But I don’t know that that is all the phrase says. Its expectations of civility and tolerance must suggest something more, something akin not just to knowledge or academic excellence but to judiciousness and wisdom. These are things you get not just from the classroom but from the streets, not just from the universities but outside of it. Life is the greatest school of all, experience is the greatest teacher there is. I should think the phrase may pinag-aralan encapsulates those things too.
I’ve never regretted my decision to leave school. And to this day, I do think the horde that did so in my time became far more edu-cated than their counterparts who stayed in school, earned a lot of letters after their names, and became lawyers and politicians, or worse, both. They became more may pinag-aralan than those who merely thought of themselves and their future. Indeed, in more ways than we can possibly think, or thank enough. Many of them did not live to see the fruits of their labors, perishing in the hills during martial law and after. Many more lived only to see a bitter harvest. But they did get to learn—and practice— the true essence of education. Which is to u
se knowledge for the betterment of
the community, which is to use learning to leave a better world
for the children.
The expensive schools people go to do not always improve their stature. They often only make them look worse, by emphasizing the contrast between their height of academic achievement and their depth of ignorance. People who do this miss the point of learning, which has nothing to do with schools but doing the most for the least of one’s fellows.
Activity 1-1
1. In Mr. de Quiros’ opinion, what is the main difference between education and schooling? Do you agree with his opinion? Ex-plain your answer.
2. According to the same article, what is learning?
3. In what ways can an individual get educated without going to school? Give specific examples.
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Activity 1–2
Interview five people in your community, each one representing the different sectors in your area. These may include farmers, fisherfolk, carpenters, market vendors, sidewalk vendors, street vendors, sales clerks, drivers, machine operators, househelpers, etc.Your interviewees need not be all adults. Get the following in-formation:
gender age
highest educational attainment
main reason/s for dropping out of school [for those who did] skills learned in school they find useful in their present work skills they learned outside of school
concept/definition of education and its significance in life views on nag-aral and may pinag-aralan
Activity 1-3
After completing Activity 1-3, answer the following questions: 1. What does your interview show about education and
school-ing as “agents for social transformation”?
2. Recall your own experiences as a student. Did these experi-ences reflect the statement that “schools serve society as agents of
cultural transmission and the continuity of the status quo”? (Josefina
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Activity 1-4
Based on your interview and your personal experiences as a stu-dent, define education.
SAQ 1-1
Read each statement. Write T if it is True, and F if False. 1. “Education” and “schooling” are the same.
2. Education is important to improve one’s quality of life. 3. An educated individual has gone to school.
4. A schooled individual may not be educated.
approaches to teaching to produce better learners. Hence, education has been referred to as “the teaching-learning process”. In the late 1990s, how-ever, the view on education has changed. Some educationists prefer to use learning not education. In other words, learning has replaced educa-tion in their vocabulary.
Learning is as crucial as breathing. Learning is the process through which we become the human beings we are, the process by which we internalize the external world and through which we construct our experiences of that world.
The focus on learning is not on the providers or processes Education has always reflected the forces which shape society.
Jarvin, Holford and Griffin, 1998
Activity 1-5
As a student, do you agree that the term education should be re-placed by learning? Explain your answer in a brief paragraph by giving specific examples based on your experiences and observa-tions.
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ASAQ 1
1. F 2. T 3. F 4. T 5. F
References
Cortes, J.R. (1993). Explorations in the theory and practice of Philippine
Education. Foundations for Continuing Education (Forec).
Holford, J., Jarvis, P., Griffin, C. eds. (1998). The theory and practice of
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Module 2
Education and Development;
School and Community;
Teacher’s Roles; The Magna
Carta for Public
School Teachers
H
aving seen education from the viewpoints of the different sectors in your community, and from Western educationists, and from a socio-cultural context, you will now examine the interrelationship between education and deve-lopment. If a nation’s literacy level is an indi-cator of its economic level, what does the present state of Philippine economy say about our literacy level? The module will also discuss the role/s of the teacher in both the school and the commu-nity, and will take a closer view of The Magna Carta for Teachers.With the increasing demand for our skilled work-ers, nurses, teachwork-ers, enginework-ers, doctors and other professionals worldwide, have we become the knowledge suppliers and/or the slaves of the world? Our country cannot compete with the more developed nations in terms of salaries, ben-efits and post-graduate training. The exodus has alarmed concerned citizens. Reports say that the number of students enrolling in nursing and
edu-Objectives
After going through this module you will be able to: 1. Illustrate the
interrela-tionship between education and develop-ment; between the school and the commu-nity;
2. Discuss the teachers’ roles in the school and the community and its development; and 3. Explain the significance
of The Magna Carta for Teachers and critique its implementation.
demand overseas. Hospitals in some provinces have stopped operations as there are no doctors nor nurses available. Colleges and universities even in Metro areas have been unable to keep their seasoned and compe-tent teachers. Armed with their masters degrees (and a few with their doctorate degrees), the teacher-applicants have found work abroad, in some instances, in unwelcoming places.
Filipino Teachers Abroad: Their Stories and Stories About Them
Story 1
Let me go on the expose some darker sides of society con-cerning foreign teachers. I have a suspicion that some non-native teachers sometimes get frustrated because they don’t really get the recognition they deserve. It is not unusual for Thai parents to look down upon non-farang teachers of English. It’s completely unrelated to the quality of the teach-ers involved and has everything to do with face. Parents will gain a huge amount of face when they can tell their family and friends that little Somchai is being taught by Mike, a fair-haired, blue-eyed farang teacher from the USA, compared to a very small amount of face when the teacher is brown-skinned Felicito from the Philippines
www.ajarn.com/blogs/phil-roeland/june2006 Story 2
But her story is not unique. All the teachers share the similar if not difficult experiences of adjusting to life away from family, teaching in schools with students who would tend to ridicule them for their accent. They all share a com-mon story of survival and triumph.
During a year filled with daily frustrations and triumphs, culture shock and homesickness, the Filipino teachers turned to each other, Mercado was the elected leader of the group, organizing weekly Bible study sessions and prayer meetings.
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In the teachers’ personal lives, a lot happened in a year. Three couples in the group fell in love, with one marrying at Baltimore City Hall. One teacher spent six weeks in the hospital before giving birth to a premature baby. One was unable to return home for her mother’s funeral. Eileen Mercado’s roommate nearly died of pneumonia.
Teacher Eileen saw her family on a Web camera almost daily, but her absence clearly took a toll on her children, particularly 3-year-old Adrienne, who started crying a lot and throwing tantrums. Earlier this month, when Mercado told her over the phone she’d be home soon, Adrienne ran outside and looked to the sky for her plane. She sobbed when she learned her mother wasn’t coming that day. Last week when the school was out for summer, most of the teachers took their much-needed break as well and went home to the Philippines. They will come back this August to fulfill the second year of their three-year contracts. This time. I think it won’t be as difficult for them since their families will be coming over to stay.
www.filipinasoul.com/2006/06/a-teachers-exodus/
In her book, Explorations in the Theory and Practice of Philippine Education,
1965 – 1993, Dr. Josefina R. Cortes of the UP College of Education, quoted
Harbison and Myers (exponents of the human capital theory) who stated that education is important to national development.
Not capital, nor income, nor material resources constitute the ultimate basis for the wealth of nations.... human beings are the active agents who carry forward national development. Clearly, a country which is unable to develop the skills and knowledge of its people and to utilize them effectively will be unable to develop anything else (Cortes, 1993, p.32).
Activity 2-1
What situations in your community prove or disprove the state-ment of Harbison and Myer on the direct correlation between education and development?
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Activity 2-2
1. Recall the teachers you fondly remember. List down the quali-ties that made them endearing not only to you but to the other students as well.
2. Share your list with other students in this class. As a team, make a composite listing of the qualities of an effective teacher.
Activity 2-3
Based on your composite list, what do you think are the different roles of a teacher in school and in the community as a whole? Give at least two examples to show the active role of teachers in the development of the community. Write these as an anecdote.
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You and your classmates have given your own picture of an effective teacher. However, through the years, the teacher has been stereotyped as Miss Tapia, stern, strict, unsmiling, an old maid, with ultra-conservative manners and looks—hair neatly combed back and tied into a bun (no fringes), bespectacled, dressed in a long-sleeved and closed-neck dress that reaches three-inches below the knees, shod in closed black shoes, and carrying the ubiquitous big handbag and umbrella. Is this stereotype still true today?
Activity 2-4
Based on your observations, and on anecdotes and news heard, compare and contrast the teachers in the 1980s and at the present.
Activity 2-5
Write a profile on the teachers today after interviewing two teachers in your community, one from a public school and another from a private school. Get the following information:
gender age
number of years in teaching
roles and responsibilities actually given and performed as teachers
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Activity 2-6
After doing Activity 2-5, share answers with four (4) other members of the class. Make a composite listing of the roles and responsibilities actually given and performed as teachers.
SAQ 1-1
Which statements are correct?
1. Countries with high levels of human resource development have high levels of economic growth.
2. Education and national development are positively correlated. 3. Education and economic development are closely intertwined. 4. Education oftentimes fails to make an impact on the economy. 5. The Philippines’ high literacy rate translates to an improved
economy.
For Activities 2-7 to 2-9, you will need to have a copy of the Magna Carta for Public School Teachers (R.A. 4670). You can find this in your school library or on the Internet.
Activity 2-7
Case 1 Rhea is a young and personable teacher in a school in a coastal area. She teaches Science to Grade 5 students who have difficulty reading the Science textbook in English and comprehending the basic concepts. To solve this problem, Rhea decided to hold her class by the shore one Saturday. Her class enjoyed the change and were very participative since the class was conducted in the dialect.
a. What possible violations did Rhea commit?
b. Can she invoke any provision in The Magna Carta for Pub-lic School Teachers to support her activities? If so, what are these?
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Case 2 Rey has a very strong religious background such that he never fails to pray and integrate Christian values in his lessons. He teaches Araling Panlipunan and Values Education. He often quotes Christian proverbs and asks his classes to start and end each class session with a prayer. Since he teaches at a public school, some of the students are surprised at the change. However, in time, his students get used to the routine.
a. What problems may arise from Rey’s approach to teaching?
b. Did he violate any provisions in the Magna Carta for Public School Teachers? If so, what are these?
Activity 2-7 continuation
Case 3 After teaching at a private school for five years, Samuel gets accepted at a national high school as a Chemistry teacher. Aside from teaching, he coached the school team which won in the division science competition. During one of the pre-final events, Samuel found out about the DOST scholarship for science teachers. He filled out an application form but his principal refused to endorse this since Samuel has rendered service to the school for just over a year, and there are other teachers more qualified to apply.
a. What should Samuel do?
b. Can he invoke provisions in The Magna Carta for Public School Teachers? If so, what are these?
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Activity 2-8
Interview two teachers in your community, one from a public school and the other from a private school. Ask them the follow-ing questions:
1. What provisions in the Magna Carta for Public School Teachers are you familiar with?
2. Which of these provisions have you benefited from?
3. What suggestions can you give regarding the implementation of the Magna Carta for Public School Teachers?
Activity 2-9
Do you believe that all the provisions in The Magna Carta for Teachers will improve not only the status of teachers but also the state of Philippine education? What suggestions can you give for a better and more effective implementation?
ASAQ 1-1
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Module 3
Historical Overview from the
Pre-Colonial Period to
Post-Edsa I Years
W
e have seen the significance of education or learning on community and national development, and how education is viewed by the different sectors, which by and large, also reflect the socio-cultural context within which education or learning takes place. In what ways have these different concepts developed? This module will look at our education system from a historical perspective for a better understanding of the continuing malaise in the system, and hopefully, take part in improving the system as education students.At the beginning of each schoolyear, the problems that have beset the education system
for years recur. These are problems such as shortage of classrooms, bloated classes, lack of teachers, lack of books, lack of chairs, and even ghost school staff. Some observers say that there are more serious problems: corrup-tion, incompetent teachers and administrators, an irrelevant curriculum, and an indifferent community.
And to make matters worse, there has been an exodus of competent teachers to other foreign countries where their monthly salary is higher and the benefits more and better.
Objectives
After going through this module you will be able to: 1. Trace the history of the
Philippine Education System; and
2. Identify, describe and critique the significant changes implemented during each period.
kind of exodus has happened, that of students moving from private schools to public schools where cost is very minimal. This movement has un-necessarily bloated the public school population such that class size ranges from 60 to 100 students per class. This happens in densely populated areas. Imagine the problem a teacher has to face compounded by the lack of chairs or desks and books.
Were these problems faced by our ancestors prior to the colonization period? What was the education system like during the pre-Hispanic times?
Pre-Colonial Period
Philippine historians Teodoro Agoncillo and Renato Constantino have refuted reports that the country was “not civilized” and “primitive” before the arrival of the Spaniards. The existence of the alibata is one of the evidences of civilization. We had our own system of writing. To date, the Tagbanuas of Palawan and the Mangyans of Mindoro still use their own system of writing too.
During those early times, writing implements included barks of trees and sharpened pieces of iron, palm leaves and bamboo nodes. Schools existed where children were taught reading, writing, religion and incantation, and self-defense. Most schools offered learning the Sanskrit and arithmetic. However, instruction was also done at home where parents and other elders in the household taught children obedience to elders, and loyalty to tribal laws and traditions (Agoncillo, 1990; Alzona, 1932).
Spanish Colonial Period
With the arrival of the Spanish colonizers, there was a shift in the focus of education. Thru administrative orders, the alibata was replaced by the Romanized script and the Castilian language was mandated as the medium of instruction. More importantly, education was put under the control of the religious orders, specifically, the friars. However, the friars “brutalized the masses” that led to the establishment of the Frailocracy, one of the basic issues illustrated by Jose Rizal in his two novels.
Schools were opened separately for boys and men, and for girls and women. The objectives of the opening of schools were to popularize education and to train “religious, obedient, and instructed teachers”. As such, courses included
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arithmetic and practical agriculture, rules of courtesy, and Spanish history. Girls in the elementary level had special courses on sewing, mending and cutting while those in high school had instrumental music (piano), painting and sketching, sewing and embroidery, and domestic science (Tiongson, 1990). The University of Sto. Tomas, then, was the only institution of higher learning offering courses such as medicine, pharmacy, midwifery, and jurisprudence and canons (law).
It is interesting to note the problems that persisted at that time. One of these was the lack of equipment: desks, chairs, writing materials. Students were also often absent such that there were times when the class-rooms were empty especially during the planting and harvesting seasons, during feastdays of secular officials and religious personalities, and during storms, and floodings. Corporal punishments were also given: pinching, beating with the use of the ruler, and paddling.
During the brief period after the success of the Philippine revolutionaries against Spain, the leaders of the Republic tried to infuse nationalism in the education system. Tiongson reported that while the Malolos Constitu-tion stipulated Tagalog as the naConstitu-tional language, Spanish still dominated the curriculum.
American Colonial Period
We are all familiar with the events that preceded the arrival of the Americans as the new colonizers, as well as that of the Thomasites, heralding the institution of English as the new medium of instruction. If the Spanish leadership used religion to take control of the colony, the American leadership used education. As part of its benevolent assimila-tion approach, the public school system was instituted making it obliga-tory for all children to go to school. This was welcomed by the parents as education was given free. English and Mathematics dominated the curriculum, and the teaching of religion was prohibited. In the high school, the study of Latin and Spanish classics were replaced by the study of English language and Anglo-American literature. Required courses included general science, algebra, geometry, physics and U.S. history and government. In 1908, the University of the Philippines (U.P.) was estab-lished through a charter. The U.P. curriculum was patterned after some American universities. The U.P. Charter states that the University was created “to realize the Filipino’s dream of a state institution of higher learning entirely free from clerical control.”
Japanese Occupation
Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere—this was the basic policy of the Japanese. Fully aware of the great impact of the two colonial periods on the Filipino psyche, the Japanese officials set out to “remold” the Filipino. According to Ricardo Jose (1998), the military administration outlined the basic principles of education in the Philippines. Some of these included the following: cut dependence on Western nations and instead, foster a New Filipino culture, spread the Japanese language and eventually end the use of English, focus on basic education and promote vocational edu-cation and inspire the people with love of labor. As a result, social sci-ences and literature were de-emphasized while vocational education and service to the country were given much focus. To win the sentiments of the Filipinos, the use of Tagalog was encouraged, specially in literature. This move was further bolstered with the installation of Jose P. Laurel as President of the Second Philippine Republic. He created the National Edu-cation Board to look into curriculum changes and develop a more rel-evant education program. His administration advocated the use of the national language and the teaching of Asian history and culture. He also mandated that only Filipinos should teach Filipino history. Jose consid-ered such moves as President Laurel’s form of resistance against the Japa-nese.
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Activity 3-1
Which of the subjects you took up in the elementary and high school were influenced by the colonial system of education? Which of these subjects do you consider significant in preparing you for college work? for everyday life?
Activity 3-2
Compare and contrast the text you have just read with the history of the Philippine education system found in the following website: http://www.deped.gov.ph/historydecs.html
What changes were implemented? What laws legislated these changes?
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Activity 3-3
Maraming Pilipino ay nananatiling ”walang pakialam, walang interes, at walang komitment.” May pagkamanhid na nagaganap kaugnay ng mga usapin sa moralidad kaya madalas inuunawa na lamang yaong mga bagay na di dapat palagpasin; ang kasamaan ay hindi nasusugpo dahil lubhang abala ang mga tao sa pagkayod ng ikabubuhay. Kung gusto nating tayo’y umunlad, hindi ito dapat magpatuloy.
Sinipi mula sa Pinoy Times, Lunes, Marso 5, 2001, p. 4.
Express your agreement or disagreement to the statement above. Give concrete examples. In what ways have colonial education developed this apathy or lack of interest? In what ways can the present system of education help solve this problem?
SAQ 3-1
Answer the following questions briefly:
1. What system of writing was replaced by the Romanized script?
2. What basic tenets were children taught during the pre-colonial period?
3. What was the basic method of teaching during the Spanish and American colonial periods?
4. Why did Pres. Laurel’s administration advocate the use of the national language?
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ASAQ 3-1
1. alibata
2. respect for elders and loyalty to tribal laws and practices 3. memorization
4. to resist Japanese colonization
Activity 3-4
Interview members of your community who were schooled during the American and Japanese occupations. Ask them about the songs they were required to sing. Tape these songs and if possible, transcribe them. Find out in what ways the songs impinged on the consciousness of the Filipinos.
Additional Reading
The Continuing Miseducation of the Filipino (An Excerpt) by Renato Constantino.
Module 4
Governance and Management
(Administrative and Organizational
Structure, Financing, Planning and
Policy Formulation, Issues
and Problems)
T
he previous module provided us with a brief overview of the history of the Philippine education system. This module will be on the governance and management of the system as reflected in its structure. Try to find out if the problems and issues emanate from the structure and how the system itself has evolved to provide solutions to recurring problems.With more than 600,000 teachers in its employ, the Department of Education is considered the biggest bureaucracy in the country. But this is just a small portion of the whole education system. Excluded in the statistics are the pre-school and the tertiary levels of education.
Prior to 1990 when the Congressional Commis-sion on Education (EDCOM) was organized, the Philippine education system was highly centra-lized. All the programs, personnel and financing from the elementary to the tertiary level were under the supervision of the Department of
Objectives
After going through this module you will be able to: 1. Enumerate and explain
the features in the present educational system which could be traced to a historical period;
2. Differentiate the roles, responsibilities, and accountabilities of each section of the education structure; and
3. Identify the issues and problems of the gover-nance and manage-ment of the Philippine Education System; 4. Propose workable ways
to minimize or solve these problems.
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Department of Education and Culture through Proclamation 1081. Regional offices were created and major organizational changes were implemented. Subsequently, the Education Act of 1982 created the Ministry of Education, Culture and Sports (later renamed Department of Education, Culture and Sports or DECS).
The EDCOM was tasked to investigate the problems of Philippine educa-tion and implement the provisions in the 1987 Constitueduca-tion. One of these was the restructuring of the system. Hence, the creation of the following: Commission on Higher Education (CHED), Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), Department of Basic Education (DepEd) and the Council for the Welfare of Children (CWC).
In October, 2004, the Office of the President of the Philippines issued Executive Order No. 366, s. 2004 entitled “Directing a Strategic Review of the Operations and Organizations of the Executive Brach and Providing Options and Incentives for Government Employees who may be Affected by the Rationalization of the Functions and Agencies of the Executive Branch. This EO also known as the Rationalization Plan or Rat Plan di-rects all Department Secretaries to conduct “a strategic review of the operations and organization of all component units . . . for purposes of: a. focusing government efforts and resources on its vital/core services,
and
b. improving the quality and efficiency of government services delivery by eliminating/minimizing overlaps and duplication, and improving agency performance through the rationalization of service delivery and support systems, and organization structure and staffing.” Source: www.gov.ph/2004/10/04executive-order-no-366-s-2004/
Activity 4-1
Visit the websites below and get acquainted with the four national bodies overseeing the education system of the nation.
www.cwc.gov.ph www.tesda.gov.ph www.deped.gov.ph www.ched.gov.ph
Find out about the following: Legal basis for their creation Mandate
Organizational structure Policies
Programs
Present your findings in a chart. Post it on the discussion board.
Activity 4-2
Which of the four national bodies do you consider the most vulnerable to corruption? Explain your answer.
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Activity 4-3
Visit the following sites to find out the changes in the administra-tive and organizational structure as presented in the Rationaliza-tion Plan of these agencies. Show these in not more than ten (10) slides in Power Point Presentation. Remember each slide should not have more than five (5) lines and to cite your source/s.
www.cwc.gov.ph www.deped.gov.ph www.tesda.gov.ph www.ched.gov.ph
Activity 4-4
Based on your personal experiences as a student, what are the issues and problems that have confronted each body? List at least three for each one and rank them. Suggest a solution for the top-ranked issue/problem.
Module 5
Policies, Practices,
Developments
Issues and Problems
I
n the previous module, we studied the gover nance and management of the system as reflected in its structure. We also analyzed if the problems and issues emanate from the structure and how the system itself has evolved to provide solutions to recurring problems. In this module, we will examine the objectives of each level as embodied in the legal bases, thereby providing us with the basic framework for the curricular programs at the different levels namely, pre-school, basic education (elementary and high school), vocational-technical education and tertiary.Early Childhood Care and
Development
All educational institutions shall inculcate patriotism and nationalism, foster love of humanity, respect for human rights, appreciation of the role of national heroes in the historical deve-lopment of the country, teach the rights and duties of citizen-ship, strengthen ethical and spiritual values, develop moral
Objectives
After going through this module you will be able to: 1. Analyze the curricular
programs at the differ-ent levels;
2. Identify and discuss the issues and problems in the curricular programs and their implementa-tion; and
3. Propose workable ways to minimize or solve these problems.
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character and personal discipline, encourage critical and creative thinking, broaden scientific and technological know-ledge, and promote vocational efficiency.
Section 3 (2), Article XIV, The Constitution of the Republic of the Philippines 1987
Mathematics, history, astronomy, biology, geography, literature, music, Latin, psychology, government, citizenship, philosophy, reading, chemistry, art, reading, calculus, GMRC, algebra, geometry, poetry, micro-biology, molecular biology . . .
The list contains subjects which you have heard about but are not totally familiar with because they were not part of the curriculum when you were attending school. These were the subjects meant to contribute to the operationalization of the constitution’s mandate to all educational insti-tutions.
Recall the first time you attended classes. You were either three years old or six. If younger, you were lucky enough to have the opportunity to attend pre-school, either at a privately run center or at a public or barangay-administered center. What lessons did you have? How long did you stay in school? What skills did you learn? Did these skills help you adapt and “survive” your elementary school years?
Let us now briefly review the restructuring of the Philippine education system as reflected in their legal bases. Focus on the curriculum as reflected in the objectives.
After the EDCOM report was released in 1993, most of its recommenda-tions were implemented. One of these was the creation of separate bodies to take charge of the different levels in the education system. Hence, Republic Act 8980 promulgated a comprehensive policy and a national system for Early Childhood Care and Development or the ECCD Act. The ECCD System includes health, nutrition, early education and social services programs that should provide for the basic holistic needs of young children from 0 to 6 years old. To ensure the promotion of their optimum growth and development, one of the programs to be institutionalized is
The objectives of the National ECCD System are:
To achieve improved infant and child survival rates by ensuring that adequate health and nutrition programs are accessible to young children and their mothers from the pre-natal period throughout the early childhood years;
To enhance the physical, social, emotional, cognitive, psychological, spiritual and language development of young children;
To enhance the role of parents and other caregivers as the primary caregivers and educators of their children from birth onwards; According to the ECCD Act, the ECCD curriculum should focus on the children’s total development according to their individual needs and social background. Specifically, the curriculum has the following basic policies:
It shall promote the delivery of complementary and integrative services for health care, nutrition, early childhood education, sanita-tion, and cultural activities;
It shall use the child’s first language as the medium of instruction.
Activity 5-1
What are the high and low points in your experiences as a pre-school child? In what ways were you able to overcome the problems?
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Activity 5-2
Observe a pre-school class. In what ways does the teacher operationalize the basic policies in the ECCD curriculum? You may use the following questions as guides:
1. In what way/s does the teacher begin the class session?
2. What is the sequence of activities?
3. What instructional materials are used?
4. Does the teacher integrate health care, nutrition and sanita-tion? Cite examples.
5. What medium of instruction is used?
Activity 5-3
Compare and contrast the pre-school class you attended when you were young, and the pre-school class you observed. You may focus on the following points: subjects, skills, instructional materi-als and medium of instruction, number of hours per class session.
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Basic Education (Elementary and
Secondary Levels)
In the previous unit (Module 4), we saw how the education system of the country has been restructured to make it more efficient. What used to be the Department of Education, Culture and Sports (DECS) is now the Department of Education (DepEd). We also saw how the EDCOM recommendations were implemented basically to “decongest” the DECS, which, as a national body, is one of the biggest bureaucracies and there-fore, prone to graft and corruption. The sports functions, programs and activities were transferred to the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) and the functions related to culture were assumed by the National Commis-sion for Culture and the Arts (NCCA). As a result, DepEd has full respon-sibility over basic education programs and policies. Republic Act 9155 or the “Governance of Basic Education Act of 2001”spells out the frame-work of governance for basic education and renames the institution as the Department of Education.
This legal document states that quality basic education is the right of all citizens and therefore, should be accessible to all “by providing all Fili-pino children free and compulsory education in the elementary level and free education in the high school level.” It also underscores the inclusion of alternative learning systems for out-of-school youth and adult learners who should be provided with skills, knowledge and values to become caring, self-reliant, productive and patriotic citizens. Noteworthy is the statement on “localization”, and that is “The State shall encourage local initiatives for improving the quality of basic education . . . shall ensure that the values, needs and aspirations of a school community are reflected in the program of education for the children, out-or-school youth and adult learners . . . and schools and learning centers shall be empowered to make decisions on what is best for the learners they serve”.
Ang daming
dala ng bata! Madaming pinag-aaralan
The school can make children read in a month!
The school teaches
English well. Di ko makita gamit nung calculus sa buhay ko.
You can take the PEPT at age 18 or just be an OSY.
on the basic subjects as Math, Science and English has not been anything but dismal. Reports say that the Philippines ranked fifth and fourth from the last of 46 countries in the international assessment of the mathematics and science skills of 13- and 14-year old students. And the students’ performance in national achievement tests in these two subjects is the same—the students fared poorly with mean percentage scores falling below 50 percent. The result in the English achievement tests was even lower.
Experts point out that one reason for this problem is the overloaded curriculum and the short education cycle (which is ten years) while many other Asian countries have either eleven or twelve years. To “decongest” the curriculum and give more time to the learning of English, Math and Science, DepEd implemented the Revised Basic Education Curriculum (RBEC).
Moreover, cognizant of immediately responding to recurring problems, DepEd prepared The Education National Development Plan for Children (ENDP), 2000-2025 which aims “to provide the focus for setting local as well as national priorities in education.” The ENDP also considered the key goals set forth at the Jontien Conference in 1990 where the Philippines was a signatory to attain the goal of Education For All (EFA). The Conference defined basic learning needs such as literacy, oral expres-sion, numeracy, problem-solving, as well as basic learning content: know-ledge, skills, values and attitudes. These needs and content are essential for “human beings to survive, to develop their full capacities, to live and work in dignity, to participate fully in development, to improve the quality of their lives, to make informed decisions, and to continue learn-ing.”
On May 15, 2013, the President of the Republic signed into law Republic Act No. 10533 (An Act Enhancing the Philippine Basic Education System by Strengthening its Curriculum, and Increasing the Number of Years for Basic Education, Appropriating Funds Therefor and for other Purposes. This law is also known as the “Enhanced Basic Education Act of 2013”.
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Activity 5-4
Find out the following information on the K to 12 Program: rationale
salient features
schedule of implementation
You may refer to RA 10533 or the Department of Education website.
Activity 5-5
Interview any two of the stakeholders listed below. Find out their opinions on the implementation of the K to 12 Program, specifi-cally on (1) the advantages and disadvantages, (2) problems met, and (3) suggested solutions.
Stakeholders: student teacher
parent community leader school administrator
The Alternative Learning System
Higher Education Vocational -Technical Education
Formal Basic Education Alternative Learning System System
The illustration above shows the relationship among the components of the Philippine Education System. Note that the Alternative Learning System (ALS) is the component that bridges the gap between Formal Basic Education and Vocational -Technical Education since it is designed to be “a parallel learning system that provides a viable alternative to the existing formal education instruction; further, it encompasses both the nonformal and informal sources of knowledge and skills” ( as defined in the Governance Act of Basic Education – RA 9155). To make the system operative, Executive Order No. 356 was released renaming the Bureau of Nonformal Education to Bureau of Alternative Learning System. This system has three major nonformal programs. These are:
Basic Literacy Programs: community based program for non-literates (out-of-school children, youth, adults)
Accreditation and Equivalency Program: certification of learning for out-of-school youth and adults, 15 years old and above, who are un-able to avail of the formal school system, or who have dropped out of formal elementary or secondary education, therefore, have not completed ten years of basic education.
Indigenous Peoples (IP) Education Program: a program that aims to develop an IP culture-sensitive core curriculum, learning materials and assessment tools and instruments.
It must be underscored that the ALS curriculum is parallel and compa-rable to the formal school curriculum and has a set of learning competen-cies for learners in basic literacy, elementary and secondary levels. The following chart illustrates the similarities and differences between ALS and Formal Education System.
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Alternative Learning System
Community Learning Centers Facilitator/Instructional Manager - trained in ALS
- college graduate (for A & E pro-gram)
- HS graduate or lower (for Literacy Program)
None
Same competencyies as Formal Education System
5 Learning Strands - Communication Skills
- Critical Thinking and Problem Solving
- Sustainable Use of Resources/ Productivity
- Self-development and Sense of Community
- Expanding World Vision Modules - self-paced - self-instructional - indigenous - integrated Andragogy Basic Literacy
Accreditation and Aquivalency (A&E)
Formal Education System
School
Classroom Teacher - licensed
- education graduate (BSE or BSEE)
6 years old and above Same competencies as ALS 5 Major Subjects - English - Filipino - Math - Science - Makabayan Textbooks - teacher-facilitated Pedagogy Achievement Tests
Activity 5-6
Do you believe that the K to 12 Program will improve the quality of basic education in the country? State your reasons.
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Vocational-Technical Education
Vocational Technical (Voc-Tech) Education is under the supervision of the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority. TESDA was created through Republic Act 7796, enacted in 1994. What is now con-sidered as the Polytechnic Education System includes the Polytechnic Schools and Colleges and Post-Secondary Voc-Tech Education.
Considered as post secondary and lower tertiary levels, vocational-tech-nical courses were envisioned to offer non-degree programs that will prepare middle-level personnel and para-professionals for national industries. Hence TESDA is also mandated to develop trade skills standards and trade tests for local, international and foreign organiza-tions. For instance, Filipinos desiring to work as “cultural performers” in Japan and elsewhere have to take a competency test in TESDA. More-over, this body must develop and strengthen linkages between educa-tional/training institutions and industry. An example of this linkage is one with the MERALCO Foundation which regularly offers short-term training courses. Exceptional trainees/graduates are absorbed into the workforce of the company, but since the programs are duly recognized and accredited by TESDA the trainees are eventually considered quali-fied by the local industry boards.
Two important components of TESDA-recognized programs are the following:
Apprenticeship: training within employment with compulsory instruc-tion.
Dual System Training: delivery system of quality technical and voca-tional education which requires training carried out alternately in two venues - in school and in the production plant. That is, the school provides the theoretical foundation and basic training, while the plant develops skills and proficiency in actual working conditions.
As such, TESDA works closely with the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) which offers apprenticeship programs. In fact, the Secretary of DOLE sits in the TESDA Board.
Activity 5-7
Visit the TESDA website (http://www.tesda.gov.ph) and note the different programs offered. Which of these are the most popular in terms of demand?
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Activity 5-8
Do you agree/disagree to the mandate given to TESDA by the Executive Department to develop training programs for call centers? Explain your reasons.
Tertiary and Graduate Education
The State shall protect, foster and promote the right of all citizens to affordable quality education at all levels and shall take appropriate steps to ensure that education shall be acces-sible to all. The State shall likewise ensure and protect academic freedom and shall promote its exercise and observance for the continuing intellectual growth, the advancement of learning and research, the development of responsible and effective
leader-and the enrichment of our historical leader-and cultural heritage.
Section 2. Declaration of the Policy, Republic Act 7722 (An Act Creating The Commission on Higher Education, Appropriating Funds Therefor and for other Purposes) The policy clearly states that it is the State’s responsibility to protect,
foster and promote the right to affordable quality education at all levels ... to ensure that education shall be accessible to all. The policy
is also clear that education is the right of every Filipino citizen.
Even if parents are not fully aware of this declaration and its contents, every Filipino parent dreams of a college degree for their children. In fact, a degree is seen as one of the ways by which households can escape from dire poverty. Tanging edukasyon lamang ang maipapamana namin at iyan
ang isang bagay na di mananakaw ng sinuman.
Tertiary or Higher Education includes all post secondary courses ranging from one-or two-year course to the four-year degree and professional programs, including graduate education offered in colleges and universi-ties. The objectives of this main component of the Philippine Education System can be gleaned from the mission statement of The Commission on Higher Education (CHED).
Higher Education shall be geared towards the pursuit of a better quality of life for all Filipinos by emphasizing the formation of those skills and knowledge necessary to make the individual a productive member of society and accelerate the development of high-level professionals who will search after new knowledge, instruct the young and provide leader-ship in the various fields required by a dynamic and self-sustaining economy. Higher Education shall likewise be used to harness the productive capacity of the country’s human resource base towards international competitiveness.
Similar to the ECCD schools and Basic Education institutions, CHED institutions are of two general categories: public and private. Public Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) are further classified by CHED as follows:
State Universities ad Colleges (SUCs): chartered public higher educa-tion institueduca-tions established by law, administered and financially sub-sidized by the government; a few have fiscal autonomy while others don’t.
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Local Universities and Colleges (LUCs): established by the local government through resolutions or ordinance; financially supported by the local government concerned
Example : Bataan State College
CHED Supervised Higher Education Institutions (CSIs): non-chartered public post-secondary education institutions established by law, administered, supervised and financially supported by the govern-ment
Example: Batangas State University
The number of SUCs has grown to 111 (as of 2003 data) and this is attri-buted to two reasons: phasing out of CSIs and combining them with LUCs; and local politicians’ penchant for immortalizing their families.
On the other hand, private higher education institutions are established under the Corporation Code and are governed by the special laws and general provisions of this Code. Non-sectarian institutions are duly incor-porated, owned and operated by private entities that are not affiliated with any religious organization. Sectarian institutions are usually non-stock, non-profit but duly incorporated, owned and operated by a religious organization. Whether sectarian or non-sectarian, these private HEIs are expected to implement the policies and standards formulated by CHED.
CHED requires the offering of subjects that cover the General Education Program. These are Language (English and Filipino), Mathematics, Natu-ral Sciences (Physical and Biological), Social Sciences (Philosophy, Psy-chology, etc.), Arts and Humanities. Non-credit but required subjects are Physical Education (PE) and National Service Training Program (NSTP).
Centers of Excellence (COEs) and Centers of Develop-ment (CODs) are HEIs (both public and private) which
have demonstrated the highest degree or level of standards along the areas of instruction, research and extension. They provide institutional leadership in all aspects of develop-ment in specific areas of discipline in the various regions by providing networking arrangements to help ensure the accelerated development of HEIs in their respective service areas.
Activity 5-9
In what ways have your general education program subjects prepared or not prepared you for the major subjects you have taken? Give specific examples. What suggestions can you give to further improve and standardize the implementation of these GE programs?
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SAQ 5-1
Acronyms are important in the study of the Philippine education system. What does each of the following acronyms mean?
1. EDCOM 6. SUCs 2. CHED 7. RBEC 3. TESDA 8. EFA 4. ECCD 9. COE 5. ALS 10. NSTP
ASAQ 5-1
Objectives
After going through this module you will be able to: 1. Discuss the history of
teacher education in the Philippines; 2. Identify and discuss
current issues and problems in teacher education; and
3. Propose workable ways to minimize or solve these problems.
Teacher Education in the Philippines
History, Policies, Practices, Developments
Issues and Problems
T
he previous module gave us an overview of the objectives of each level in the education system as embodied in the legal bases in their creation, thereby providing us with the basic framework for their curricular programs. Since teaching and the teacher are important factors at all levels, this module will discuss teacher education in the country—its brief history, some policies, practices, developments as well as some issues and problems.Brief History
Although teaching was done during the pre-colonial period and schools were established as formal institutions during the early years of the Spanish colonial period, there were no formal programs for teachers. It is possible that the Spanish colonizers trained teachers to teach the
Christian doctrine only. However, in 1860 the Governor ordered the establishment of a normal school in Manila as a “seminary for teachers”. Three years later, laws for the establishment of normal schools for teacher training were passed. According to Lolita Garcia-Rutland, the require-ments were: training for the teaching of industry and the arts, trainees should be open only to men, and they must learn to speak and write
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Castilian fluently (1955). Eventually, the Normal School for Teachers of Primary Instruction for the Natives of the Filipinas Islands was opened on May 17, 1864 under the administration of the Jesuits. It was named Manila Normal School. Since the trainees could not teach in schools for girls, normal schools for women were established. A certificate to teach was given to the graduate based on performance at an examination:
sobresaliente (first), ascenso (second), and bueno (third). The graduates were
required to render ten years of service to the government.
You are all very familiar with the arrival of the Thomasites most of whom were military personnel assigned to teach as part of the program of benevolent assimilation, but instead they organized and supervised schools and had little time to do classroom teaching. The establishment of the public school system created the need for more teachers. In each town where there were many students, young men and women were organized into a teacher’s class where they were taught English, arith-metic, geography and history. After a few months, they were given assignments as teachers who used instructional materials prepared by the American colonizers (Rutland, 1955). Your grandparents might be able to tell you some stories of how teachers were during this period. With the growing number of schools and teachers, the Bureau of Educa-tion held in-service trainings for teachers. This was done to raise the educational qualifications of teachers. Soon, institutes and home study programs as well as night schools were organized. By the end of 1925, a four-year normal curriculum had evolved. In the period between 1901 to 1935, the Philippine Normal School (formerly the Manila Normal School) and the College of Education of the University of the Philippines were considered the leaders in high quality teacher education (Rutland, 1955). The UP College of Education required a two-year preparatory course at the College of Liberal Arts.
Rutland adds that the 1950s saw the proliferation of the so-called diploma mills in teacher education institutions resulting to an over-supply of teachers. The present situation in the country is almost the same except for the fact that there is now an exodus of quality and qualified teachers out of the country.
Activity 6-1
Which universities or colleges in your community offer teaching or education degrees? Outline the brief history of its college of education by taking note of the following: date of establishment, Vision, Mission and Goals, enrolment figures, degrees/courses offered.
If you were the newly appointed Dean of a College of Education, what changes in the Teacher Education curriculum will you prioritize? Give the rationale.
After EDCOM
Cognizant of the significant role of teaching in improving the quality of education in the country, EDCOM recommended important reforms in the teaching profession, some of which are as follows:
Enactment of RA 7836, or an Act strengthening the regulation and supervision of the practice of teaching in the Philippines
Prescribing Licensure Examination for Teachers (LET)
Increasing salaries of pubic school teachers with additional remunera-tion from the local government
Enactment of RA 7784, or an Act Strengthening Teacher Education in the Philippines by establishing COEs and creating a Teacher Educa-tion Council (TEC) for the purpose
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It is likewise universally recognized that the teacher is the key to the effectiveness of the teaching-learning process by drawing out and nurturing the best in the learner as a human being and a worthy member of society. Thus, this Act aims to provide and ensure quality education by strengthening the education and training of teachers nationwide through a national system of excellence for teacher educa-tion.
Our vision is a teacher education system whose mission is to educate and train teachers of unquestionable integrity and competence, and who are committed to their continuing professional growth and obligation to help their students grow as responsible individuals and citizens of the Philippines and of the world.
Section 1 RA 7784
Activity 6-2
Recall the teachers you had—from pre-school to the most recent past—who exemplified the teachers described in the last paragraph of Section 1. Write a short personal letter to these teachers. Do cite specific situations to avoid generalization. You can use English or Filipino.
Initiatives on Teacher Education Reforms
To directly address the critical problems and issues relevant to teacher education, CHED issued Memorandum Order #11 on April 13, 1999. This memo outlined the Revised Policies and Standards for Teacher Education covering the basic principles and policies in operating a teacher educa-tion institueduca-tion, and more importantly, the new teacher educaeduca-tion curriculum. This was assessed by national and international organiza-tions which launched Project CITE (Curriculum Initiative for Teacher Edu-cation). The proposed curriculum is composed of general education (40% or 68 units, professional education (30% or 51 units), and major/field of specialization (30% or 51 units). An additional feature is the provision for community exposure through field-based experiences and the inclusion of emerging technologies in the courses. The curriculum was pilot tested in selected COEs and CODs.
Private corporations have extended help in the implementation of the program through computer donations and the training of teachers in computer skills. Teachers have been placed under the supervision of the National Educators Academy of the Philippines (NEAP) together with DepEd.
CHED Memo No. 11 also includes retention and admission requirements which, hopefully, would improve the quality of teachers. It states that all
teacher education institutions must have a system of selective admis-sion and retention of students to ensure that those who enter the teaching profession possess a reasonably high level of scholastic achievement and the appropriate aptitudes, interests, and personality traits. . .. can-didates shall have obtained in senior high school an average of at least 85% or its equivalent . . . Applicants with a lower average should pass a teaching aptitude test.
The Presidential Commission for Education Reform (PCER) meanwhile, submitted several proposed reforms. Noteworthy among these are : 1) to provide college scholarships to graduating high school students excelling in Math, Science, and English, 2) to limit the number of TEIs only to those qualified based on criteria set, and 3) to restructure the teacher education curriculum.
To address the issue on standardization and to rationalize the under-graduate teacher education in the country “to keep pace with the de-mands of global competitiveness”, CHED issued Memorandum No. 30 in 2004 which spelled out the revised policies and standards for undergradu-ate Teacher Education Curriculum and Memorandum No. 52 in 2007 which articulates the policies and standards for the administration of the
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Teacher Education curriculum. As a result, the National Competency-Based Teacher’s Standard (NCBTS) was developed. This defined effec-tive teaching using a single framework. Meanwhile, Memorandum No. 52 spelled out the minimum qualifications of a dean of a college of educa-tion, as well as of its faculty. It also set the requirements for the facilities and equipment including internet access.
Source: www.ched.gov.ph
Activity 6-3
Interview a public school teacher to find out the following: sound-ness of pre-service preparation, and of in-service training, opinion/s regarding CHED recommendation on admission require-ments to TEIs. Include a short paragraph expressing your own opinions and recommendations.
