PART II: Program/Project Presentation/Discussion – Reaction Paper

EDUCATION SECTOR

A. Education is not how well you can read and write but whether you can communicate with

and understand the world around you. A good education not only teaches you skills but

also helps you broaden your horizons, gain better perspective, and teaches you to think

for yourself. People today are quite aware and comfortable speaking about social

injustices and other pressing issues. This can be attributed to the increased access to

education around the world, which in turn has made society more accepting and open-

minded. Therefore, education is an element of human evolution. The importance of

education is also pronounced in areas of creativity and innovation. Education

encourages thinking outside the box and experimenting with new ideas. Suffice it to say

that education matters. Studies have shown that those who are more educated are more

likely to live longer, live healthier lives, and are even more likely to help strangers.

Investing in various types of education from the time children are young ensures that

they have a strong foundation and that the whole person is being educated. The more

diverse and well-rounded we can make education for children, the better educated they’ll

be.

The Philippine educational system is an organized bureaucracy which provides formal

and non-formal education. The three academic levels of formal schooling are the

elementary or primary, secondary and tertiary. The new school year has already begun,

with problems from the previous school year carried over. It is an understatement to say

that the education crisis continues to be a great challenge for students, teachers, and

parents alike, especially for those living in poverty. This crisis is not news — it has been

around for quite some time. But the pandemic has spotlighted the cracks in the system

and the widening gap between socioeconomic classes. Education in a time like this has
 demanded so much from its constituents, but at what cost? The effort to meet these

demands has ironically kept many families in poverty, negatively affected academic

performance as well as overall well-being, and worst of all, held millions of students

back. We did not need a pandemic to tell us that the learning outcomes of our education

system have long been declining in terms of quality and accessibility. It has obviously

failed to evolve and innovate into one that is resilient and that can continue to place

learners on the path to progress.

B. Education is a basic factor in economic development. At the microeconomic level

education has an important role in social mobility, equity, public health, better

opportunities for employment (lower unemployment and higher wages), etc. In the case

of the Philippines the previous Poverty Assessment (World Bank 2001) showed clearly

that the educational attainment of the head of the household was the single most

important contributor to the observed variation in household welfare. 

However, it is also well known that the workers of Philippines have one of the highest

levels of education of Asia, especially when considering its level of development.

Probably Philippines is the most typical case of what is called the education puzzle.

Therefore, the level of poverty of the Philippines is difficult to be explained by the level of

education of their workers.  We could summarize the characteristics of the education

system in Philippines as follows:

 High quantity, in terms of average level of education of the population.

 Low quality of education and small contribution of the quality of education to the

growth of TFP.

 High degree of mismatch and over qualification in the labor market.

 Lack of equity in the access to higher education.

 Filipino parents value education as one of the most important legacies they can impart 

to their children. They believe that having a better education opens opportunities that 

would ensure a good future and eventually lift them out of poverty. Thus, they are willing 

to make enormous sacrifices to send their children to school (Dolan 1991, De

Dios 1995, 

LaRocque 2004). However, with a poor family’s severely limited resources, education 

tends to be less prioritized over more basic needs such as food and shelter. Hence, the 

chances of the family to move out of poverty are unlikely. It is therefore, important that 

the poor be given equitable access to education.

C. Education has always been a vital component in human and societal development. The

World Bank describes it as “a powerful driver of development and one of the strongest

instruments for reducing poverty and improving health, gender equality, global peace,

and stability.”

The Philippines is one of the countries that has been investing more in its educational

system, seeing it as an instrument for accelerating the country’s human capital

development. This is reflected in the Philippine Development Plan 2017-2022, which

states that the government intends to “achieve quality accessible, relevant, and

liberating basic education for all,” as well as “improve the quality of higher and technical

education and research for equity and global competitiveness.”  The Philippine

education sector has therefore been given the highest allocation from the national

budget, allowing the Department of Education (DepEd) to implement various educational

reforms such as the K to 12 Program and the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary

Education–all aimed at giving Filipino students equal access to quality education.

In the Philippines, numerous investment opportunities in the education sector abound. At

present, large players are still dominating the investment landscape, with most investors
 still preferring mainstream ventures. Private equity firms, for example, have historically

focused on corporate education, training systems, vocational training programme, for-

profit education models, and educational technology.  Impact investments in Philippine

education have also steadily gained popularity in recent years. However, it only accounts

for a small share of total investments made in the education sector, as most impact

investments in the country are still directed primarily on financial services, workforce

development, agriculture, and energy.

D. Challenges to education development in the region include lack of qualified teachers,

good learning materials and facilities, and relevant curricula. Addressing these

challenges will be crucial to achieving Sustainable Development Goal No. 4—ensuring

inclusive and equitable quality education and promoting lifelong learning opportunities

for all. The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic further heightened these

challenges and has made it more difficult to improve learning outcomes. Many countries

were ill-prepared to shift to online distance learning, and the lack of continuity in

formative assessment has prevented teachers from monitoring students’ progress.

Improve teacher training and education

Teacher education is essential to good teaching and student learning. However,

teachers are in short supply, isolated, and not given enough support to provide effective

teaching and learning in many countries. There is a need to increase the number of well-

trained and motivated teachers. The teaching capacity of teachers can be improved

through teacher training modules, classroom training and in-class mentoring using

information and communication technology (ICT). Online learning modules can help

improve access to high quality in- and pre-service teacher education and training

programs.

Develop relevant curriculum

 High-quality education requires a curriculum that provides depth of learning. It is also

necessary to bridge the gap between what the curriculum teachers deliver and what

students actually learn. Developing relevant curricula involves highlighting 21st century

skills, such as critical thinking, creativity, and communication. This can be done by

integrating “soft skills” into the curriculum and adding grade 12 to secondary education

to meet the international standard. Curriculum reforms can also be achieved by focusing

on secondary education curriculum, pedagogy, and student assessment to meet the

country’s labor force needs.

Enhance collaboration with stakeholders

Meeting the goals and targets of SDG 4 does not rest solely on teachers. While they

play a critical role in providing high-quality instruction, high-performing school systems

need collaboration between effective school leadership and local communities, local

governments, education authorities, parents, and other stakeholders. Strengthening the

secondary education sector management includes implementing reforms in the

education department’s public financial management and creating school governance

councils in secondary schools. Knowledge exchange through partnerships between

government and civil society organizations to improve teacher quality and effectiveness

can also boost collaboration among stakeholders.

Develop resilient infrastructure

Disasters triggered by natural hazards can restrict access to education. Thus, there

should be a focus on the development of critical education infrastructure and disaster-

preparedness. Electricity network, internet connection, and school buildings damaged by

cyclones need to be reconstructed. At the same time, these school facilities need to be

rebuilt to make them more resilient to disasters and climate change risks. Expanding

access to education also involves improving the overall school environment. This can
 include upgrading dormitories and training dormitory staff to enhance the school

experience and encourage families in remote areas to send their children to school.

Learning can further be Improved by focusing on these emerging priority areas:

Curriculum update. Reduce curriculum load, give emphasis on 21st century skills, and

shift to more formative and continuous assessment. The entire learning process, not just

final examinations, should be assessed. Learning disruptions due to COVID-19 have

highlighted the urgent need for formative assessment in curriculum delivery using

education technology or EdTech. This would allow teachers to focus instruction on

lagging students and for students to move toward personalized learning.

Teacher quality. Get the best secondary school graduates into pre-service teacher

education managed by universities and retain them as teachers. Teacher education

programs should match the rigor of university education and include the development of

basic research skills. In-service teacher training must also be prioritized. School

principals and education management quality. A motivated principal and support from

education management will help teachers and students achieve better results and

outcomes.

Education technology. Promote technology for online learning. The COVID-19 crisis

has shown the importance of EdTech as it helps teachers effectively deliver the

curriculum, monitor learning levels of students, and give students the necessary support.

Financial resources mobilization. Find or develop innovative ways to finance

education programs to improve learning outcomes, such as results-based lending,

public–private partnerships, and partnerships with high-quality universities and centers

of excellence. Normal education sector lending to widen access alone will not improve

learning outcomes. This requires raising the quality of teachers, school principals, and

other members of the education workforce, and changing the mindset of key

stakeholders.