QUALITY OF PHILIPPINE EDUCATION: M ULTI-DIMENSIONAL CHALLENGES

I. ABSTRACT
The supreme law of the land protect the right of education in the country. However, the right to education must not be reduced to the right of schooling,
and access to education need not be equated with emphasis on the construction of more buildings and putting children inside the four walls of the
classroom. Thus, quality education becomes a problem. Education is a powerful tool that can provide people, especially the poor and vulnerable groups,
with necessary knowledge, awareness, skills, and competencies to transform their conditions. It is a tool for empowerment, unfortunately, positive quality
education does not supersede the current educational system in which the causes will be identified as well as its recurring effects in the country.
II. PROBLEM
Quality Education according to UNICEF refers to a system of education that through programming, process, structure and content enables:
1Learnerswho are healthy, well-nourished and ready to participate and learn, and supported in learning by their families and communities;
2
Environments that are healthy, safe, protective and gender-sensitive, and provide adequate resources and facilities; 3Content that is reflected in relevant
curricula and materials for the acquisition of basic skills, especially in the areas of literacy, numeracy and skills for life, and knowledge; 4Processes through
which trained teachers use child-centered teaching approaches in well-managed classrooms and schools and skillful assessment to facilitate learning and
reduce disparities; 5Outcomes that encompass knowledge, skills and attitudes, and are linked to national goals for education and positive participation
in society
Learners: Most of the Filipino learners, particularly the young are considered to be malnourished, or are hungry when they attend their classes,
or more or less, have some sort of health-related problems, but words, some Filipino learners are part of the so-called child labor. The children
of indigenous peoples are disadvantaged, with lower educational attainment, lower enrolment rates and higher dropout rates.
Learning Environment: At present, A Filipino teacher is handling a class of 60-70 students in an average of two shifting a day. Daily realities in
schools are cramped classrooms and makeshift classes in open spaces or gyms. Unnecessary noises and commotions not only distract Filipino
learners, but they hardly make the instructions audible. Students in a remote and conflict areas are deprived of quality and regular classes
because teachers work in hazardous situations without the necessary support and incentives. In the latest estimates of DepEd, there is a shortage
of 66 800 classrooms for the school year 2011-2012. If the problem is not on the deficiency of materials, it can be seen in the old and waning
school facilities, books, etc.
Content: Basic Literacy is defined as the ability to read and write with understanding a simple message in any language or dialect as well as
count. According to 2008 FLEMMS (Functional Literacy, Education, and Mass Media Survey), around 95.6% aged 10-64 years are literate.
Functional Literacy is a higher level of literacy which includes being able to read and write, numerical skills, communication skills, critical problem
solving, sustainable use of resources, development of self and sense of community, and expanding one’s world vision. The FLEMMS (2008)
found out that the country reached 86.4% functional literacy rate.
Process: The problem with quality learning process would focus on the interaction between the students, the teachers and the supervision and
support administratively. It would revolve around the quality of teachers and their level of professionalism as well as the deep-rooted corruption
underlying the funds given to the educational system. Education must have the highest budget priority but still, it is underspending towards
such aspect.
III. GOVERNMENT COURSES OF ACTION
Education in the country is managed and regulated by the Department of Education (DepEd), Commission on Higher Education
(CHED) and Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA).
o DepEd – responsible for the K-12 basic education, and has full and exclusive control over public schools and nominal
regulation over private schools
o CHED (RA 7722) – regulates the academically-oriented universities and colleges
o TESDA (RA 7796) – oversees the development of technical and vocational education institutions and programs
 ART XIV Sections 1-5 – Constitutional provision to quality education
 Batas Pambansa Blg 232 – Education Act
 RA 4670: Magna Carta for Public School Teachers; promote and improve the social and economic status of public school teachers, their
living and working conditions, their employment and career prospects
 RA 9155: Governance of Basic Education Act of 2001 – governance of basic education shall begin at the national level
 Basic Education Sector Reform Agenda (BESRA) of 2005: a policy reform package that seeks to improve the regulatory, institutional,
cultural and physical conditions that affect the provision of access to, and delivery of basic education, particularly in the field.
 Education for All (2006) National Action Plan for 2015: the central goal is to provide basic competencies to everyone, and to achieve
functional literacy for all
 K-12 educational system – started in 2011; it has four phases namely Phase 1 (laying the foundations), Phase 2 (modelling and migration),
phase 3 (complete migration) and phase 4 (completion and reform)
 Alternative Learning System (ALS): center-based programs, community-based programs or enterprise-based programs
IV.PROPOSED GOVERNMENT POLICIES/ POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS
Using the INCREMENTAL MODEL THEORY, the following policies which were existing and has been practiced continuously with some minimal revisions are
seen as possible solutions to the problem of quality education. This is due to the fact that it is already legitimized and has been recognized as well as the
prevention of new consequences.
Another model that was used in the recommendation is the RATIONAL THEORY, which it is considered that the most appropriate actions will cater the
existing problems that contributed to a poor quality education. These policy recommendations at the same time, will benefit not just the educational system
in the Philippines but in some other facets as well.
a) QUALITY LEARNERS
 Collaboration between Department of Education (DepEd) and Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) to monitor
and save those children who are being exploited at such a young age (In terms of labour or livelihood)
  Collaboration between Department of Education (DepEd) and Department of Health (DOH) to conquer malnutrition or hunger or
other health related problems that were experienced by children. (Feeding Program for students especially among areas where
extreme poverty is experienced)
b) QUALITY LEARNING ENVIRONMENT
 Strict implementation of number or ratio of students in a classroom (1:40)
 Establishments of classrooms(includes improvement of physical facilities most especially on remote areas)
 Establish a democratic relationship between teacher and student in order to promote active and cooperative learning (teachers must
be able to control students)
c) QUALITY CONTENT
 Free basic education (includes basic educational materials books, periodic, computer and etc.)
 Strict qualifications that will validate professional teachers to teach
d) QUALITY PROCESSES
 Increase salary of teachers
 Strict implementation of existing policies
 Transparency ((FOI)of budget allocations within Deped)
V. CONCLUSION
Even with the recent developments of the education system in the Philippines, it must still continue to develop to achieve
the quality education it seeks. In considering such goal, there are a lot of dimensions or factions to consider and that it
must address it all to truly realize the service it seeks to give to the people.
VI. REFERENCES:
https://www.unicef.org/education/files/QualityEducation.PDF
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/school-facilities-affect-student-motivation-achievement-angel-ford
https://www.teacherph.com/legal-bases-of-philippine-educational-system/
https://renatomabunga.wordpress.com/2011/12/13/accessibility-affordability-quality-of-philippine-education-2011-right-to-
education-situation-philippines-2nd-of-3-series/