Mixing up the Ingredients in Curriculum Baking

by Jerwin R. Vianzon
(published on http://thedefenderjournal.blogspot.com/2011/02/devcom-mixing-up-ingredients-in.html)

Curriculum is like molding dough which is twisted and shaped by the muscled arms and
hands of bakers.  The final products, the breads, should not only satisfy our taste buds but also
should contain nutrition to equally produce physically healthy persons which also connotes
mind-healthy individuals.   Breads should not only be mouth-watering but also should sustain the
minerals and vitamins needed by our body to continue the flow of our strive for survival. Breads
should not only be partially delicious and the rest deserves to be regarded as trash.  They should
be wholly yummy, tasty and nourishing to produce holistic development among its consumers.

However, the present status of the Philippine curriculum is considered crammed.  For the
past decades of the implementation of 10 years basic education which includes four years in
elementary and six years in high school, it was baked under the highest possible degree of
temperature that the critiquing eyes of those who are well-educated emitted, yet the product is
undercooked.  It was given crucial attention and emphasis that it was revised and redesigned not
only once, yet the proper amount of ingredients hasn’t mixed right.  It has been a long battle for
the Department of Education (DepEd) the problem in the Philippine Education, yet the winners
with the delicious idea and suggestion of how can we uplift the education system in our country
haven’t been recognized and hailed, but not until now.  Maybe.

As the new administration takes over the 10 years spoiled government under the headship
of former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, President Benigno  Simeon”Noynoy” C. Aquino
(PNOY) laid on the table a new and alien program which is called K+12 that originates from the
Western countries.    Is it nutritious? Or just delicious? If I am the one to answer this, my stand
about the implementation of the K+12 program is two thumbs up and evidences made me
conclude that it can make the heaven open wide and the angels come at our sight when we taste
it.  It would not be just plain tasteless dough straight to the bin.

Behind technological revolution is the ballooning problem of our population.  This

population problem resulted to many unsolved dilemma such as the increasing number of
Filipinos who are unemployed.  An online news report of Asia News revealed that at the end of
January 2009, 4.3 million Filipinos in our country are unemployed.  This problem can be
resolved if the Philippine education will also go with the flow of innovation and revolution in
this modernized world specifically the change of present educational system to new educational
program, K+12, which can help reduce the digits of jobless people because this new curriculum
will add two more years in secondary education which is called senior high school, wherein
students will be allowed to take specialization in mathematics, science, music, arts and
entrepreneurship, so even the students can’t afford to continue college education, they are
equipped with the knowledge and skills of how they can earn money by themselves.
 Furthermore, science and mathematics subjects are crucial in this technology-based world
because it is needed in the alleviation of human suffering and giving the comfort of modern
living such as the production of medicines and other human needs.  However, in these fields,
international studies such as the latest Trend in Mathematics and Science Studies (TIMSS) 2003
which is an international assessment of the mathematics and science knowledge of fourth- and
eighth-grade students (second year high school students in our country) around the world that
allows participating nations to compare students' educational achievement across
borders, showed that Philippines is lag behind the other countries, and the only way to resolve
this dilemma is through redesigning our present curriculum and giving more emphasis on the
vital role of these two subjects in the elevation of our country’s economy.

For the grade IV level in mathematics area, the Philippines ranked 23rd among the 25
participating countries. In the grade VIII, the country positioned fourth to the last among the 45
participants.  In science area, for the grade IV level, the country ranked third to the last among 25
participants.  In the grade VIII level, Philippines placed 42nd among 45 participants.

Actually, PNOY’s proposed innovation in the present educational system in our country
smells fragrant but Philippines, as what the Teachers Dignity Coalition opposed, is not yet ready
for this change  since we haven’t resolve the perennial problems in the lack of school facilities,
laboratories, teachers, chairs, textbooks and classrooms,.  However, in the baking of breads with
high quality of texture, taste and overall aspect, the most important values to be executed and
internalized is patience. We can’t force dough to be baked and turned to delicious bread for few
minutes only or they will be undercooked or overcooked.  For the dough to be completely
cooked with nourishing content and appetizing flavor, we should learn how to wait and we will
see that our dreams will suddenly and gradually grow just like dough. For the breads to have
properly mixed ingredients, we should give our trust to the mighty hands of our premium
curriculum bakers. We should trust them that this K+12 educational program can meet our
hunger for high quality of education.

SOURCES:

Santosh Digal.At least 4.3 million Filipinos unemployed.http://www.asianews.it/news-en/At-least-4.3-

million-Filipinos-unemployed-14779.html(March 30, 2009)

Juon.TIMSS 2003 Update: When Juan dela Cruz Went into Battle with a Tattered
Textbook.http://juon.blogspot.com/2006/05/timss-2003-update-when-juan-dela-cruz.html(May 17, 2006)

Jason Faustino.Add’l 2 years to current 10-year basic education cycle

opposed.http://www.tucp.org.ph/news/index.php/2010/09/add%E2%80%99l-2-years-to-current-10-year-basic-
education-cycle-opposed/(September 30, 2010)