PHILIPPINES
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Sources: United Nations Population Division and Statistics Division (www.un.org); United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (www.unesco.org); UNESCO Institute for Statistics (www.uis.unesco.org); United Nations Development Programme (www.undp.org); The World Bank (www.worldbank.org); Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (www.fao.org).
[…] not available.
Updated version, May 2003.
Principles and general objectives of education
In the Philippines the education system aims to:
- Provide a broad general education that will assist each individual in society to attain his/her potential as a human being, and enhance the range and quality of the individual and the group;
- Help the individual participate in the basic functions of society and acquire the essential educational foundation for his/her development into a productive and versatile citizen;
- Train the nation’s manpower in the middle-level skills required for national development;
- Develop the high-level professions that will provide leadership for the nation, advance knowledge through research, and apply new knowledge for improving the quality of human life;
- Respond effectively to changing needs and conditions through a system of educational planning and evaluation.
Current
educational priorities and concerns
The growing awareness of the benefits of education, the constitutional provision (a new constitution was adopted in 1987) for free and compulsory elementary education, the demand for education relevance and responsiveness to changing societal needs and the alarming rate of increase in the country’s population have contributed to the problem of providing education for all, a problem which becomes more serious each year. The Department of Education, Culture and Sports (now the Department of Education, DepED) has attempted to implement educational reforms, programmes and projects to address the key issues of access and quality of basic education, relevance and efficiency of the education system. However, many problems are besetting education in the Philippines. Among the school-related causes are the unqualified and poorly trained teachers, inadequate facilities and equipment, and lack of instructional materials (textbooks and teacher’s manuals). Non-school factors include poverty, low educational attainment and illiteracy of parents, and poor health and nutrition.
In recent years, the DepEd has pursued several development programmes and projects through government funding and overseas economic co-operation both multilateral and bilateral. The strategies to improve education include overall review of elementary and secondary education, universal access to and quality of education (notably by emphasizing teaching of English, science, technology and mathematics), provision of alternative delivery schemes (such as multigrade teaching, mobile teaching, and instructional management by parents, community and teachers in disaster areas), management training for principals and school administrators, development of research, improvement of school libraries and teachers’ welfare. Technical and vocational education was also revised in an effort to cope with rapid technological advancements and to provide young people with more meaningful preparation for their future employment. The strategies include curriculum development, improvement of pre- and in-service education of teachers in both public and private schools, updated instructional materials in various fields, and upgrading of equipment for both public and private institutions.
At the higher education level, the strategies include improving access of the poor and disadvantaged, improving quality––notably by focusing on pre-service and in-service training of teachers––, liberalizing policies for private schools, rationalizing state colleges and universities (SUCs), and strengthening linkages with government professional boards for evaluation.
Among the development programmes implemented in recent years, the following should be mentioned:
The Elementary and Secondary Education Project: the aim of the project has been to meet the sector’s requirement for essential physical resources (facilities and equipment), especially in educationally and economically disadvantaged areas; improve the professional competence of teachers and school administrators; expand the population’s basic knowledge and the skills of children at risk of dropping out of school as well as illiterate out-of-school youth and adults; and further develop DepEd institutional capacities in planning and management of the education system.
Implementing the New Secondary Education Curriculum (1992-93): mass training of Grade IV teachers was undertaken, and complemented with the production and delivery of textbooks and teachers’ manuals to fully support the implementation of the new curriculum. The physical facilities component of the programme also provided for the construction of 673 packages of equipped and furnished academic classrooms, workshops and science laboratories to augment the accommodations problem in the secondary level.
The School Building Programme: this programme provides for the construction of classrooms, science laboratories and multi-purpose workshops, and the provision of equipment for instruction for selected elementary and secondary schools within the typhoon belt of the country and in remote and rural areas.
Science Teaching Improvement Project: this project aims to develop science equipment through research, prototype production, standards setting and tests, and expertise within the educational sector through workshops, seminars, and training of teachers and staff locally and abroad.
Science Equipment Project: this project addresses the pressing need of the public school system for instructional materials and equipment. The National Science Equipment Centre and three Regional Distribution/Service Centres were developed and institutionalized for the purpose of developing, testing, producing, and distributing science equipment to the public secondary schools.
Rationalizing programme offerings of state colleges and universities on a regional basis: this programme aims at encourage specialization in each SUC and intra-regionally among SUCs with special emphasis on capital and land-intensive courses such as agriculture, technology and engineering, and technical education. It encourages regional co-ordination among SUCs to minimize duplication of programme offerings.
Among the achievements, benefits and performance of the education system over a ten-year period (1986-95), the following should be mentioned:
- Education has been given the highest budgetary priority in the national government budget.
- The New Elementary School Curriculum (NESC) and the New Secondary School Curriculum (NSSC) have been fully implemented.
- Free public secondary education has been implemented.
- The programme of assistance for low-income students and faculty in private schools has been expanded.
- The Values Education Framework has been formulated and implemented.
- Centres of excellence in teacher education have been established.
- Professionalization of the teaching profession has been achieved through the Philippine Teachers Professionalization Act of 1994.
- The National Elementary Achievement Test for Grade VI pupils and the National Secondary Achievement Test for Form IV high school students have been administered.
- Student contact time has increased through a lengthened school calendar and additional time for English, science and mathematics.
- Science education has been strengthened through the establishment of regional science high schools, the formulation and implementation of the Science and Technology Education Plan, the establishment of the Regional Science Teaching Centres, and the organization of the National Science Teaching Instrumentation Centre.
- Policies governing private education have been liberalized––notably as regards curriculum requirements and tuition fee policy––to promote efficiency, autonomy and responsiveness.
- Educational performance during the period has improved, as indicated by the literacy rate, the improved enrolment rate at the primary and secondary levels, the decrease of repetition rates, and the provision of textbooks and instructional materials.
The DepEd will continue to provide access to basic education. In accordance with the broadening of accessibility to basic education, the programme commitment has the following components: (a) establishment of a school in every barangay not having an elementary school and in every town without a high school (a barangay is the basic governmental unit in the country’s political structure, consisting of a number of families within the same geographic area); (b) organization of multigrade classrooms; (c) completion of incomplete elementary schools; and (d) provision of basic instructional materials, facilities and equipment at the elementary and high school levels.
In addition, the Master Plan for Basic Education (1996-2005) has the mandate of modernizing education. The programme is being pursued through the introduction of modern instructional materials––such as computers and Internet, videos, well equipped science laboratories and machine shops as well as libraries––to enrich instruction through training programmes and further studies, including staff development abroad, teaching techniques and teachers’ mastery of subject matter. Training programmes will also be provided for the upgrading of managerial skills in planning, project and fund management as well as resource management and community mobilization. Information and telecommunication systems will serve as basic tools for carrying out educational administration and supervision.
Laws and other basic regulations concerning education
In the Philippines, education is a public or state function. Public elementary and secondary education is supported by the national government, the former as mandated by the Constitution (1987), which states that “the State shall protect and promote the right of all citizens to quality education at all levels and shall take appropriate steps to make such education accessible to all”, and the latter by Republic Act No. 6655 (Free Secondary Education Act). Specific provisions on education upon which all decrees, policies, regulations, and rules on education are based, are provided in the Constitution. These are expressly stated by way of the constitutional mandate, Presidential decree, and other legal provisions.
The objectives of formal education at the elementary, secondary, and tertiary levels as well as those of non-formal education are specified in the Education Act of 1982. The Republic Act No. 6728 deals with private education, notably by setting common minimum physical facilities and curricular requirements for all schools and by liberalizing the subject content of values education.
The creation of the Commission on Higher Education by Republic Act No. 7722 and of the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority separated these entities from the Department of Education where they originally belonged.
The Philippine Teachers Professionalization Act, Republic Act No. 7836, was issued in 1994. The Literacy Co-ordination Council, an interagency body administratively attached to DECS, was created by Republic Act No. 7165 to carry out State policy to eradicate illiteracy. The House Bill No. 1875 entitled “An Act to Strengthen Teacher Education in the Philippines by Establishing Lead Teacher Training Institutions, Appropriating Funds Therefore and for Other Purposes” deals with the improvement of teacher education.
The Republic Act No. 7796, otherwise known as the Technical Education and Skills Development Act of 1994, aims to encourage the full participation of and mobilize the industry, labour, local government units and technical-vocational education and training (TVET) institutions in the skills development of the country's human resources.
In August 2001, Republic Act No. 9155, otherwise called the Governance of Basic Education Act, was passed transforming the name of the Department of Education, Culture and Sports (DECS) to the Department of Education (DepEd) and redefining the role of field offices (regional offices, division offices, district offices and schools). This Act provides the overall framework for: (i) school heads empowerment by strengthening their leadership roles; and (ii) school-based management within the context of transparency and local accountability. The goal of basic education is to provide the school age population and young adults with skills, knowledge, and values to become caring, self-reliant, productive and patriotic citizens.
According to legislation, primary education is free and compulsory for children aged 7-12. Secondary education is free but not compulsory.
Administration
and management of the education system
The Department of Education (DepEd) is the principal government agency responsible for education and manpower development. The mission of the Department is to provide quality basic education that is equitably accessible to all and lay the foundation for life-long learning and service for the common good. The Department is primarily responsible for the formulation, planning, implementation and co-ordination of the policies, standards, regulations, plans, programmes and projects in areas of formal and non-formal education. It also supervises all basic education institutions, both public and private, and provides for the establishment and maintenance of a complete, adequate and integrated system of education relevant to the goals of national development.
The current Department structure consists of two parts: the Central Office and the field offices which consist of regional and sub-regional levels. The Department proper consists of: the Office of the Secretary; five Services (Office of Planning Service, Financial and Management Service, Administrative Service, Human Resource Development Service, and Technical Service); four Bureaus (Elementary Education, Secondary Education, Non-Formal Education, and Physical Education and School Sports); and Centres (such as Health and Nutrition, and National Education Testing and Research). There are field offices in sixteen regions, each headed by a Regional Director; 157 provincial and city schools divisions, each headed by a School Division Superintendent; and 2,227 school districts headed by a District Supervisor.
The Bureau of Elementary Education (BEE) is responsible for providing access and quality elementary education for all. It also focuses on social services for the poor and directs public resources and efforts at socially disadvantaged regions and specific groups. The Bureau of Secondary Education (BSE) is responsible for providing access and quality secondary education. Its aim is to enable every elementary graduate to have access to secondary education. It improves access to secondary education by establishing schools in municipalities where there are none and reviews the overall structure of secondary education as regards curriculum, facilities, and teachers’ in-service training.
The Bureau of Non-formal Education (BNFE) is responsible for contributing to the improvement of the poor through literacy and continuing education programmes. Its aim is to provide focused basic services to the more disadvantaged sections of the population to improve their welfare and contribute to human resource development.
The Bureau of Physical Education and School Sports (BPESS) is responsible for physical fitness promotion, school sports development, cultural heritage revival (Kundiman Fiesta), natural heritage conservation, and values development. Its aim is to inculcate desirable values such as self-discipline, honesty, teamwork, sportsmanship, excellence and others and make the Filipino youth fit to respond adequately to the demands, requirements, challenges and opportunities that the next century may bring. The functions of the BPESS were absorbed by the Philippine Sports Commission in August 1999.
Attached agencies to the Department are the National Museum, National Library, National Historical Institute, and Records Management and Archives Office. Other offices are the Instructional Materials Corporation, Instructional Materials Council, Educational Development Projects Implementing Task Force, Educational Assistance Policy Council, National Youth and Sports Development Board, National Social Action Council and Teacher Education Council. The main objective of the cultural agencies of the Department is to preserve, conserve, restore and enrich the cultural heritage, customs and traditions.
The Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) was established through the enactment of Republic Act No. 7796 otherwise known as the Technical Education and Skills Development Act of 1994. This Act aims to encourage the full participation of and mobilize the industry, labour, local government units and technical-vocational education and training (TVET) institutions in the skills development of the country's human resources. Overall, TESDA formulates manpower and skills plans, sets appropriate skills standards and tests, coordinates and monitors manpower policies and programs, and provides policy directions and guidelines for resource allocation for the TVET institutions in both the private and public sectors.
The Commission on Higher Education (CHED) is independent and separate from the DepEd. The Commission is responsible for formulating and implementing policies, plans and programmes for the development and efficient operation of the system of higher education in the country. Its coverage is both public and private higher education institutions as well as degree-granting programmes in all post-secondary educational institutions. The creation of CHED was part of a broad agenda for reforms in the country's education system, outlined by the Congressional Commission on Education in 1992. Part of the reforms is the trifocalization of the education sector. The three governing bodies in the education sector are the CHED for tertiary and graduate education, the DepEd for basic education, and the TESDA for TVET and middle level education.
There is an imperative need to strengthen and streamline the internal management of educational institutions in order to achieve efficiency and responsiveness to trends and challenges of the next millennium. This could notably be done through decentralizing decision-making authority, reviewing staffing and personnel policies, developing the school as initiator of innovation and improvement, liberalizing policies to ensure competitiveness, autonomy and responsiveness, and streamlining processes for delivery of inputs and services.
A recent policy thrust of the DepEd is the empowerment of school principals. The principal shall assume more administrative authority and the corresponding accountability for improving teaching competencies and pupils’ achievement. The policy gives principals the authority to: manage the school’s funds for maintenance and other operating expenses; raise additional funds for the school through Parent-Teachers and Community Associations; design and develop his/her own school improvement programme in collaboration with parents and community leaders; participate in the selection, recruitment and promotion of teachers; plan and develop an innovative curriculum, using the national curriculum as a framework. The Decentralization Programme is being implemented by transferring substantive decision-making powers to the school level.
Structure and organization of the education system
Structure of the education system in the Philippines
Pre-school education
Pre-school education consists of nurseries and kindergartens that cater to children aged 3-6. This level of education is not compulsory.
Primary education
Elementary education is compulsory and provides basic education to pupils aged 7-12. It consists of six years of study except in a few schools––mainly private––offering a seven-year course. Elementary education is organized into two levels: primary, which covers Grades I-IV; and intermediate, which covers Grades V and VI (or VII). After completing the six-year elementary programme, pupils receive a certificate of graduation.
Secondary education
Secondary education (high school) is a continuation of the basic education provided at the first level. It is expanded to include learning (general education) and training in basic employable skills (vocational/technical education). This covers a period of four years of formal schooling and is addressed to students aged 13-16.
Tertiary education (higher education) provides prescribed courses of studies which are credited towards degrees in academic disciplines or professions. It includes two-year post-secondary technical and vocational courses, various professional courses, and general higher education, including graduate and post-graduate studies (for students aged 17-25). Normally, a baccalaureate degree takes four years. Graduate and post-graduate courses normally take two to three years to complete.
According to the DECS (now DepEd) Order no. 16 of 2001, at the elementary and secondary levels the 2001/02 school year began on 4 June and ended on 27 March of the following year. It consisted of 203 days, or about thirty-three weeks of classes in public schools.
The financing of education
Many of the problems of education today are linked to the under-investment in education. The increase in the education budget from 1986 to 1989 was not sustained in the succeeding three-year period. After reaching a peak of 13.2% of the national budget in 1989, the share of education declined to 11.7% in 1991. Real per capita expenditures declined starting in 1990. The growth in the nominal size of the education budget was attributed to the growth of salary inputs which account for about 70% of total education expenditures. The level of spending is very much below those of other ASEAN countries. Actual expenditure per student increased from 783 pesos (P) in 1986 to P1,380 in 1994 at the elementary level. During the same period, a slight decline was observed at the secondary level from P1,271 to P1,257 per student.
However, education has been given the highest budgetary priority in the national government budget in recent years. Realignments within the DepEd budget have been made to augment the financial resources for elementary education. In addition, two-thirds of the President’s Social Fund have been committed primarily to establish new schools in barangays without an elementary school. The share of education in the national budget increased to 14% in 1995. The education budget (DepEd and state universities and colleges) increased from P13.13 billion in 1986 to P53.7 billion in 1995. The average teachers’ salary increased from P1,553 per month in 1986 to P5,902 which is probably the highest rate of increase among the various professional groups in the national government. To implement the Master Plan for Basic Education (1996-2005), it is estimated that P50 billion will be allocated for the modernization of basic education in the next ten years.
The national government is authorized by the Constitution to contribute to the financial support of educational programmes. The DepEd is likewise asked to formulate measures to broaden access to education through financial assistance and other incentives to schools, teachers, and students. Public elementary schools, national secondary schools, vocational and technical schools, other special schools, and chartered and non-chartered tertiary educational institutions are funded primarily from national funds. Local governments are encouraged to assume the operation of non-national public schools, while the national government provides funds and adequate sources of revenue. Government educational institutions are allowed to receive grants, legacies, and donations for purposes specified by existing laws. The management and use of such income is subject to government accounting and auditing rules and regulations.
Private schools throughout the country are funded from capital investments, equity contributions, tuition fees and other school charges, grants, loans, subsidies and other income sources in accordance with current legislation. The national, regional, provincial, city and municipal governments may also aid school programmes with loans, grants and scholarships to recognize the complementary role of the government and of private schools in the educational system.
A number of programmes have been funded through international finance assistance. For instance, the Secondary and Elementary Education Project (1990-94) was financed through a support loan from the World Bank with co-financing by the Overseas Economic Co-operation Fund of Japan. The Philippine-Australia Technical and Vocational Education Project aimed at improving the sub-sector was supported by the Australian bilateral assistance. The Science Teaching Improvement Project was jointly financed by the German government and the Philippine government. The Science Equipment Project (1989-1992) was implemented with the financial assistance of the German government.
The
educational process
Pre-primary education
Pre-school education at the kindergarten level (age group 5-6 years) must aim to develop children in all aspects (physical, social, emotional, and cognitive) so that they will be better prepared to adjust and cope with life situations and the demands of formal schooling; and to maximize the children’s potential through a variety of carefully selected and meaningful experiences considering their interests and capabilities. The curriculum focuses on the following areas:
§ Physical development: it includes gross and fine motor co-ordination through play and manipulative activities like games, simple works, etc.
§ Personal-social development: it involves skills and social behaviours and it includes the development of health habits, independence, abilities to follow rules and routines. Learning about the family and other people is part of the concerns in this area.
§ Affective development: it includes experiences that help children develop love for God, self, others and the community, and develop awareness of their feelings and sense of the right and wrong.
§ Cognitive development: it includes the development of communication skills and sensory-perceptual and numeracy concepts and skills. Communication skills refer to competencies in expressing ideas and feelings both in English and Filipino (oral expression and basic readiness skills of listening, pre-reading and writing). Sensory-perceptual and numeracy skills refer to the ability to observe, discriminate, compare and classify, and to understand, count, read and write numbers.
§ Creative-aesthetic development: it includes exploration of sounds, music and rhythms, and the development of children’s creative expression through drawing, painting, manipulative activities, etc.
In order to attain and ensure the holistic development of children, a well-planned curriculum and a well-balanced programme of activities are necessary, although they may vary according to each pre-school’s approach. Indoor and outdoor play are essential whatever approach the pre-school follows. The language spoken by the child should be valued. It is necessary that such language be used initially and until the children have attained the facility and confidence in expressing themselves in English and Filipino. The following table shows a sample programme of pre-school activities:
Sample programme of pre-school activities
Area of development |
Activities |
No. of minutes |
Communication skills and socio-emotional development |
Sharing period (experiencies, songs, poems, news and informal conversation |
10 |
Cognitive development, socio-emotional development, physical development, creative development |
Self-selected activities |
20 |
Cognitive development, socio-emotional development |
Working period, including more structured activities |
45-60 |
Physical development, creative development, socio-emotional development |
Supervised outdoor paly |
30 |
Personal-social development, health care |
Clean up and snack |
30 |
Physical development |
Rest |
15 |
Any of the areas of development |
Story time or indoor activities |
15 |
Total minutes |
165-180 |
The Pre-school Education Programme, established in 1992, aims to provide 5-year-olds in disadvantaged areas an opportunity for early peer socialization and learning activities before starting elementary education. The former DECS organized a total of 1,428 classes with 40,780 pupils in the twenty provinces covered by the Social Reform Agenda (SRA). A total of 638 pre-school teachers were trained in nine selected regions. Instructional materials and supplies were distributed to classes under the Department Programme, pre-schools run by Parent-Teacher Associations, and community-based pre-schools.
Primary education
Elementary education provides basic education to pupils aged 7-12. The elementary course comprises six years (in some cases, seven years), the first four years termed primary grades and the last two years, intermediate grades.
The overall mission of elementary education is to enable pupils to acquire a basic preparation that will make them an enlightened, disciplined, self-reliant, God-loving, creative, versatile and productive citizens in a national community. The main objectives of elementary education are:
§ to provide knowledge and develop the skills, attitudes and values essential to the children’s personal development and necessary for living in and contributing to a developing and changing social milieu;
§ to provide learning experiences aimed at increasing the children’s awareness of and responsiveness to the demands of society, and to prepare them for constructive and effective involvement;
§ to promote and intensify the children’s knowledge of, identification with, and love for the nation and the people to which they belong;
§ to promote work experiences aimed at developing and enhancing the children’s orientation to the world of work and creativity, and to prepare them for an honest and gainful work.
“Curriculum policies are usually set forth by the Department of Education through various orders, circulars, memoranda and bulletins. They are aligned with national priorities and contribute to the achievement of development goals. However, several laws passed by the national legislature specifically relate to the school curriculum.
Development of the basic education curriculum is the responsibility of the Central Office Bureau of Elementary and Secondary Education, Curriculum Development Divisions. This bureau defines the learning competencies for the different subject areas; conceptualizes the structure of the curriculum; and formulates national curricular policies. These functions are exercised in consultation with other agencies and sectors of society (e.g. industry, social and civic groups, teacher-training institutions, professional organizations, school administrators, parents, students, etc.). The subject offerings, credit points and time allotments for the different subject areas are also determined at the national level. In this sense, a national curriculum exists in the Philippines. However, while curriculum implementation guidelines are issued at the national level, the actual implementation is left to school-teachers. They determine the resources to be used; teaching and assessment strategies and other processes. Furthermore, schools have the option to modify the national curriculum (e.g. content, sequence and teaching strategies) in order to ensure that the curriculum responds to local concerns.
The approach to curriculum design in the country is based on content topic and competency. The Department of Education prescribes competencies for the subject areas in all the grade/year levels. The Bureau of Elementary and Secondary Education develops, publishes and disseminates these learning competencies to the field. Most of the subject/learning areas have a list of learning competencies expected to be mastered by the children at the end of each grade/year level and also at the end of elementary/secondary schooling. Some subject/learning areas have a combination of both (i.e. learning competencies under each content/topic). The curriculum is designed to be interpreted by teachers and implemented with variations. Schools are encouraged to innovate and enrich or adapt, as along as they have met the basic requirements of the curriculum. In this context, the regional science high schools offer an enriched science and mathematics programme whereby students take additional science and mathematics subjects. In some private schools, English, science and mathematics subjects are taken in lieu of values education; this is because subjects like religion, moral values and ethics already have been incorporated. In addition, students are required to participate in co-curricular activities. These are managed by students with the teacher as facilitator/moderator.
The curriculum plan (learning competencies) does not present teaching methods and learning activities that teachers must follow in implementing the curriculum. The guiding philosophy is that the creativity of teachers is stimulated by the option to plan and use the appropriate teaching/learning activities independently. However, teacher’s manuals or guides do incorporate higher-level content areas and suggestions for teaching and assessing.” (See Mariñas & Ditapat, 2000).
The features that make the new 2002 curriculum for elementary and secondary education different from previous curricula (NESC and NSEC) are: (i) restructuring of the learning areas, reducing them to five (Filipino, English, science, mathematics and Makabayan); (ii) stronger integration of competencies and values within and across learning areas; (iii) greater emphasis on the learning process and integrative modes of teaching; and (iv) increased time for tasks to gain mastery of competencies of the basic tool subjects. The objectives are expressed in terms of competencies, which are knowledge, skills and attitudes that the learner is expected to acquire at the end of the programme. A significant feature of the competencies is the inclusion of the use of ICTs, articulated in terms of skills in accessing, processing, and applying information, and using educational software in solving mathematical problems and conducting experiments. Content is delivered using a variety of media and resources. The teaching-learning process considers the learner an active partner rather than an object of pedagogy. The learner takes on the role of constructor of meaning, while the teacher serves as facilitator, enabler and manager of learning. (Department of Education, 2002).
The weekly lesson timetables for elementary education
(1999 and according to the 2002 basic education curriculum) are shown below:
Elementary education: weekly lesson timetable (1999)
Subject |
Weekly time allocated to each subject (in minutes) |
I |
II |
III |
IV |
V |
VI |
|
Character-building activities |
100-150 |
100-150 |
100 |
100 |
100 |
100 |
Filipino language |
300 |
300 |
300 |
300 |
300 |
300 |
English language |
300 |
300 |
300 |
300 |
300 |
300 |
Mathematics |
200 |
200 |
200 |
200 |
200 |
200 |
Civics and culture |
200 |
200 |
200 |
- |
- |
- |
History, geography, civics |
- |
- |
- |
200 |
200 |
200 |
Science and health |
- |
- |
200 |
200 |
200 |
200 |
Arts and physical education, home economics and livelihood education |
- |
- |
200 |
200 |
200 |
200 |
Optional |
- |
- |
- |
200 |
300 |
300 |
Total weekly minutes |
1,100–1,150 |
1,100–1,150 |
1,500 |
1,700 |
1,800 |
1,800 |
Total minutes per day |
220-230 |
220-230 |
300 |
340 |
360 |
360 |
Source: Mariñas & Ditapat,
2000.
Elementary education: weekly lesson timetable
(2002 basic education curriculum)
Learning area |
Weekly time allocated to each subject (in minutes) |
I |
II |
III |
IV |
VI |
VII |
|
Filipino language |
400 |
400 |
400 |
300 |
300 |
300 |
English language |
500 |
500 |
500 |
400 |
400 |
400 |
Science (1) |
- |
- |
200 |
300 |
300 |
300 |
Mathematics |
400 |
400 |
400 |
300 |
300 |
300 |
Makabayan: (2) |
300 |
300 |
300 |
500 |
600 |
600 |
– Civics and culture |
300 |
300 |
300 |
- |
- |
- |
– Social studies (3) |
- |
- |
- |
200 |
200 |
200 |
– Home economics and livelihood |
- |
- |
- |
200 |
200 |
200 |
– Values education, good manners and right conduct (5) |
||||||
Total weekly minutes |
1,600 |
1,600 |
1,800 |
1,800 |
1,900 |
1,900 |
Source: Department of Education, 2002.
Notes:
(1) In Grades I and II, science is integrated into English
and Makabayan (Civics and culture); in Grades III–VI, science includes basic
health concepts.
(2) Makabayan is a learning
area that serves as a practice environment for holistic learning to develop
a healthy personal and national self-identity. Ideally, Makabayan entails
the adoption of modes of integrative teaching which will enable the learner
to personally process and synthesize a wide range of skills and values
(cultural, aesthetic, athletic, vocational, politico-economic, and ethical).
In Grades I–III, Makabayan competencies and topics are developed through ‘Civics
and culture.’ Children engage in character-building activities, develop
good behaviour, and are taught values like love for the country, good citizenship,
and respect for one’s cultural heritage. Children are also introduced to
basic health knowledge, healthy practices, and simple scientific skills.
Civics and culture also nurtures creative expressions through music, arts,
physical exercises and games. In Grade III, Civics and culture focuses
on the development of a work ethic.
(3) Geography in Grade
IV, History in Grade V, and Government & civics in Grade VI.
(4) Integrated into Civics
and culture in Grades I–III.
(5) Values education and ‘good manners and right conduct’ are integrated
in all learning areas.
In 2001/02, the gross enrolment rate at the elementary level was 114.4% and
the average teacher-pupil ratio in the public sector was 1:36. The cohort
survival rate was 67.1%. The average drop-out rate in 2000/01 was 7.2%.
The National Elementary Achievement Test (NEAT) is an achievement test given to Grade VI pupils completing the elementary education course. In 2000/01, the overall achievement rate was 51.7%.
“Students at the elementary level are annually promoted from one grade to the next provided that they meet the achievement standards set for the grade. […] In Grades I-VI, students are rated in every subject four times during the year. A cumulative rating system is used as the basis for promotion. The pass grade is 75 percent. The periodic ratings are reported to the students and their parents through an individual report card which provides for a brief narrative evaluation of the student’s behaviour. After satisfactorily completing the six-year elementary curriculum, the students receive a certificate of graduation from the elementary school. No examination is required for admission to public secondary schools.” (Sutaria, 1995, p. 791).
Secondary education
Elementary school graduates are admitted into the secondary level which is
a continuation of the elementary education programme and a preparation
for higher education. The secondary course consists of four years. Curricular
offerings are classified as either general or vocational/technical secondary.
Elementary and secondary education levels are considered basic education.
Secondary education is addressed to students aged 13-16.
The New Secondary Education Curriculum was implemented in 1992/93. The major subject areas are science, mathematics, technology, Filipino, English, and civics/national culture. Technical and vocational education was also revised and adapted to technological progress and employment needs in recent years.
The weekly lesson timetables
for secondary education (1999 and according to the 2002 basic education
curriculum) are shown below:
Secondary education: weekly lesson timetable
Subject |
Weekly time allocated to each subject (in minutes) |
I |
II |
III |
IV |
|
English language |
200 |
200 |
200 |
200 |
Filipino language |
200 |
200 |
200 |
200 |
Science and technology |
400 |
400 |
400 |
400 |
Mathematics |
200 |
200 |
200 |
200 |
Social studies |
200 |
200 |
200 |
200 |
Physical education, health and music |
200 |
200 |
200 |
200 |
Values education |
200 |
200 |
200 |
200 |
Technology and home economics |
400 |
400 |
400 |
400 |
Total weekly minutes |
2,000 |
2,000 |
2,000 |
2,000 |
Total minutes per day |
400 |
400 |
400 |
400 |
Total hours per day |
6h40m |
6h40m |
6h40m |
6h40m |
Source:
Mariñas & Ditapat, 2000.
Secondary education: weekly lesson timetable
(2002 basic education curriculum)
Subject |
Weekly time allocated to each subject (in minutes) |
I |
II |
III |
IV |
|
Filipino language |
300 |
300 |
300 |
300 |
English language |
300 |
300 |
300 |
300 |
Science and technology (1) |
300 |
300 |
300 |
300 |
Mathematics |
300 |
300 |
300 |
300 |
Makabayan: (2) |
780 |
780 |
780 |
780 |
– Social studies (3) |
240 |
240 |
240 |
240 |
– Home economics, agriculture & fisheries, industrial arts, and entrepreneurship |
240 |
240 |
240 |
240 |
– Music, arts, physical education and health |
240 |
240 |
240 |
240 |
– Values education (4) |
60 |
60 |
60 |
60 |
Total weekly minutes |
1,980 |
1,980 |
1,980 |
1,980 |
Source: Department of Education, 2002.
Notes:
(1) Integrated science in the first year (basic concepts in
earth science, biology, chemistry and physics); biology in the second year;
chemistry in the third year; physics or advanced chemistry in the fourth
year (this scheme shall take effect in the school year 2003/2004).
(2) At the secondary level, Makabayan is a learning
area designed to develop the personal, social and work/special skills of
learners, in particular interpersonal skills, empathy with other cultures,
vocational efficiency, problem-solving, and decision-making in daily life.
(3) The component social studies covers: history of the Philippines
(first year); Asian studies (second year); world history (third year);
and economics (fourth year).
(4) Also integrated in all learning areas.
“Vocational and technical education […] covers five main fields, namely, trade (technology, communication, electronics, computers, transportation, etc.), agriculture, fisheries, home industries, and non-traditional courses. These comprise more than 250 different courses of six months’ to three years’ duration. These courses include formal school work in the field of specialization and related academic subjects. In the one-, two- and three-year courses, these are combined with supervised industrial training in a co-operating firm.” (Sutaria, cit., p. 788).
Under the proposed TESDA Occupation, Qualification and Certification System (TOQCS) qualification requirements will be based on the National Occupational Skills and Standards approved by the TESDA Board while certification requirements will be addressed by occupational skills tests. The proposed system will introduce four levels of certification. The first three levels will correspond to the existing levels of certification in the National Skills Certification Programme (NSCP). The fourth one will be intended for Technician or Master Craftsman certification. Each level will have a set of competencies as qualification requirements. These requirements will correspond to the competencies stipulated in the existing occupational skills standards for each specific trade. The system calls for a competency-based learning scheme, which will correspond to the set of competencies identified in each level. A certificate of competency will be issued upon completion/passing of the test. Completion of competencies within a level will entitle a person to a "statement of competency". The system has a provision for ease of entry and exit in the education system through recognition of prior learning whether acquired in school or in the workplace. The attainment of a license and certificate are not time-bound since the system will give emphasis on the skills and knowledge required to gain qualification rather than the type and length of the training/course.
The existing occupational skills standards will be the basis of all qualification and certification activities. Under the existing skills testing and certification system, occupations are classified into three categories, namely Third Class, Second Class and First Class (the highest). In some cases, occupations may be classified into two classes (Class A and B) or one category. These categories/levels have corresponding tests that serve as an instrument in evaluating the level of knowledge and skills competence for a particular occupation/job. The TOQCS will adapt the existing system with additional level intended for Technicians or Master Craftsman to form part of the framework. The following are the basic features of the qualification and certification system:
- Recognition prior to Learning (RPL) whether acquired in a learning institution or enterprise-based. It provides a framework that would make it possible for the ease of entry and exit in the educational system through the recognition of skills and knowledge acquired either in school or in the workplace. This means that for workers who want to pursue further schooling relevant to their work, their job experiences can have equivalent units earned in the formal educational system.
- The TOQCS recognizes two ways of achieving certificate and license. The first one being through institution-based learning while the second one is through work-based learning. Although these two ways have their own evaluation system (i.e. learning evaluation for institute-based and performance assessment for work-based), occupational assessment is a must for qualification under the proposed TOQCS. The proposed system will use the existing skills testing instrument in the skills assessment.
- Modularized and competency-based learning based on occupational skills standards. The system calls for a modularized and competency-based learning such that each level has set of qualification requirements (i.e. a set of competencies). These competencies are the identified duties set forth in the occupational skills standard developed and endorsed by the industry. The duties under the occupation are converted into modules (learning environment), while tasks are converted into learning elements.
- Accumulation of certificate of competencies towards license/certificate through a "statement of competency". Upon completion of each competency, a Certificate of Competency will be issued attesting that the learner possesses the required skills and knowledge for the particular competency. A learner has to complete all the competencies within a certain level.
- Self-pacing. The attainment of a certificate or license is not time-bound since the system will give emphasis on the skills and knowledge required to gain qualification rather than the type and length of training programmes.
In 2001/02, the gross enrolment rate at the secondary level was about 86% and the average teacher-student ratio in the public sector was 1:39. The cohort survival rate was 73.2%. The average drop-out rate in 2000/01 was 8.7%. The National Secondary Achievement Test (NSAT) is a test given to students completing the secondary level. In 2000/01, the overall achievement rate was 53.4%.
“As in the elementary school, secondary school students are rated four times
a year. If a student fails in a particular subject, he or she repeats the
subject the next year, but is, nevertheless, promoted to the next higher
year. A certificate is issued to secondary school graduates. All high school
graduates seeking admission to post-secondary programmes requiring a minimum
of four years’ study are required to qualify in the National College Entrance
Examination (NCEE) administered by the National Educational Testing and Research
Centre.” (Sutaria, cit., p. 791).
Assessing learning achievement nationwide
The National Educational Testing and Research Centre (NETRC) assumes the lead role in the field of educational measurement, evaluation and research as a means of providing information necessary to improve the state of the education system. Among the tests that are annually developed are the National College Entrance Examination (NCEE), the National Technical and Vocational Examination (NTVE), and the Philippine Educational Placement Test (PEPT), the latter for drop-outs desiring to be re-admitted into the formal system. The Centre, in collaboration with the Civil Service Commission, annually develops the test for the Philippine Board Examination for Teachers (PBET). The Centre also develops the National Elementary Achievement Test (NEAT) and the National Secondary Achievement Test (NSAT).
Achievement levels in elementary and secondary education still fall below
standards. In 1988, achievement scores of elementary pupils stood at
only 55.2% against a standard of 75%. Results of the NEAT reflect national
mean scores below the target mean score. The lowest scores were registered
in language/reading, science and mathematics. It was further revealed
that only 29% or 38 of 131 competencies/skills were learned by the children.
The problem of poor quality has been traced to a number of causes which
include socio-economic factors, teacher-related factors, inadequate learning
materials, and the short and congested school curriculum, among others.
Based on the NEAT scores, there was an increase in the percentage of elementary
pupils who mastered basic competencies in reading/writing and in mathematics
between 1995 and 1998. During the same period, there was a decrease in
the percentage mastering basic competencies in life skills/others.
Nationwide, the percentage
of pupils mastering reading/writing increased from 59.0% in 1995 to 61.6%
in 1998. Males and females had essentially the same rate of increase between
1995 and 1998. There was practically no improvement in the urban areas;
in contrast, there was a significant improvement in the rural areas. In
terms of the percentage of pupils mastering reading/writing, the urban
areas nevertheless had an edge over the rural areas in 1995 (urban: 64.2%;
rural: 51.7%) and in 1998 (urban: 64.5%; rural: 57.7%).
Nationwide, the percentage
of pupils mastering mathematics increased from 67.7% in 1995 to 78.2% in
1998. Males and females had essentially the same rate of increase between
1995 and 1998. The rural areas experienced a higher increase (76.3% in
1998 vs. 63.1% in 1995) than the urban areas (79.7% in 1998 vs. 71.0% in
1995). In terms of the percentage of students mastering mathematics, the
urban areas nevertheless had an edge over the rural areas in 1995 (urban:
71.0%; rural: 63.1%) and in 1998 (urban: 79.7%; rural: 76.3%).
Nationwide, the percentage of pupils mastering competency in life skills decreased from 61.7% in 1995 to 60.9% in 1998. Test scores from the science and HEKASI (geography, history and civics) were used to form the measure for life skills, these subjects being the closest proxy available in the NEAT. There was no change in male performance between 1995 and 1998; however, female performance deteriorated, causing the overall decrease in life skills competency among pupils. Nonetheless, the percentage of females (66.5% in 1995 and 60.9% in 1998) was greater than that of the males (56.7% for both 1995 and 1998) during both years. While urban performance declined (67.2% in 1995 vs. 64.9% in 1998), the rural areas experienced a slight increase (55.6% in 1998 vs. 54.5% in 1995). In terms of the percentage of students mastering life skills, the urban areas nevertheless had an edge over the rural areas in 1995 (urban: 67.2%; rural: 54.5%) and in 1998 (urban: 64.9%; rural: 55.6%). The decreased level of performance in life skills has been attributed by the DECS to the inadequacy of inputs to support the component subjects, particularly science (DECS, 1999).
Higher education
As stated in the Long-Term Higher Education Development Plan 2001-2010, the vision for higher education is as follows: The higher education system of the Philippines is a key player in the education and integral formation of professionally competent, service-oriented, principled, and productive citizens. Through its tri-fold function of teaching, research, and extension services, it becomes a prime mover of the nation's socioeconomic growth and sustainable development. The missions of higher education institutions are: (i) to educate and train Filipinos for enhanced labor productivity and responsible citizenship in an environment where educational access is equitable; (ii) to inculcate nationalism and patriotism in the hearts and minds of the students and graduates; (iii) to accelerate the development of high-level professionals ready to meet international competition; and (iv) to serve as centers of research and development