THIS is another article in a series dealing with an assessment as to how our education system can be made more internationally competitive. It is underpinned by the Department of Education’s (DepEd) recognition that all is not well with our overall standard of education. We are encouraged by DepEd’s openness about the current situation.
What is needed, and I believe DepEd now recognizes this, is a vigorous dialogue between all stakeholders with a view of finding out how we can improve the level of achievement of our students.
This should be a fact-finding exercise, not a fault-finding one. Clearly there are issues involving difficulties in implementing our desire for quality education. DepEd believes that it is making progress. One of its platforms is the engagement of stakeholders for support and collaboration. This is welcome and I trust that there will be a vigorous discussion as to what should be done.
As far as education is concerned, I suppose we are all stakeholders – in the sense that we are all interested in the success of the need to implement a more effective system in delivering quality education. I hope that it is generally agreed that this means that we wish to do better in international comparisons than we do at present.
I have always been intrigued by the proposal of a revision to our education system by Sen. Ralph Recto in 2011. His consultations with stakeholders at the time led him to believe that there was not much support for a high school program that was longer than four years. What he did believe, therefore, was that there needed to be greater achievement in the grade school years. His proposal was sidelined by the propaganda onslaught by the proponents of K-12.
We have now seen the effects of K-12, passed into law via RA 10533 in May 2013 but retroactively implemental in June 2012. We have ‘given it a try’ as we were exhorted to do, but have found it wanting.
I recall that in December 2015, presidential aspirant Rodrigo Duterte spoke critically of K-12. The fact that he convincingly won the election in May 2016 and that the Liberal Party candidate Mar Roxas did not do well was partly due the electorate not being enthusiastic about K-12.
I believe that education policy will be a fairly significant issue in the 2022 presidential election.
How can we improve the quality of education in grade school?
DepEd speaks of ‘Teachers upskilling and reskilling’ as one of its platforms for ‘aggressive reforms’ for quality. I agree. Specifically, we need a rigorous review of the Bachelor of Education course, an essential pre-requisite for entry into the teaching profession. Is this where ‘upskilling and reskilling’ is reassessed?
DepEd’s search for collaboration with stakeholders to help to achieve better quality of education is welcomed. The past DepEd administration seemed to take the view that ‘we (that is DepEd) know best’.
A dialogue with stakeholders, followed by effective implementation, will surely produce good results!/PN
