Curriculum congestion

FOR A LONG time, we have regularly been judged by international surveys as lagging behind other countries in terms of our educational achievement. The reaction from the Department of Education (DepEd) has often been disappointing with a defensive posture being adopted.

It is gratifying that DepEd is undertaking an assessment of the learning competencies of Kindergarten to Grade 10 students. This includes a curriculum review, particularly in terms of reading attainment amongst Grade 1 students.

DepEd has always reportedly been supportive of in-person classes and we hope these can be implemented in full quite soon. Covid is receding and subject to appropriate measures such as social distancing, where appropriate, being taken, a safe environment should be obtained

I have always been puzzled as to why students from other countries, including those where the general standard of English is not as high as the Philippines, have probably greater achievements than ourselves in Math, English, and Science. Perhaps a partial answer depends on the difference between learning and understanding. The noted educationalist B.F. Skinner said “that what we have understood is what remains after what we have learned has been forgotten”.

This begs the question as to whether our classrooms emphasize too much on rote learning and not enough attention is paid to understanding the topics being taught.

Then there is the question of what goes on in the classroom. Anecdotal evidence suggests that during a lesson, from time to time the teacher asks whether the students have understood what has been taught. This is, perhaps, an unfair question since it takes courage for an individual student in an overcrowded classroom of 50 peers to pipe up and say “No Ma’am, I haven’t a clue”.

So, apparently, students give the answer preferred by the teacher which is to indicate that, yes, they do understand.

DepEd is now saying that it will address the area of teachers’ teaching competencies for reading and math. I hope this is successful. In particular, I hope that DepEd management and administration will be sensitive to teachers’ concerns that their proficiency as teachers will be under scrutiny. I hope that teachers will not be too defensive about how this necessary task should be carried out.

DepEd also asserts that the current curriculum is highly congested. I have read teachers’ manuals and, as a result, agree with DepEd. Typically, only three to five days is allocated to a teacher for each new topic in the curriculum. Many students are not able to grasp the topic before the teacher moves onto the next one. Once a student is left behind, it is unlikely that he will be able to catch up.

A successful curriculum review when properly implemented will help students more often have the pleasurable experience of keeping up with the classwork that is taught.

I salute DepEd for undertaking the review and am confident that, in time, we shall become globally competitive with our academic achievements./PN