Challenges In The Philippine Basic Education System

CHALLENGES IN THE PHILIPPINE BASIC EDUCATION SYSTEM

JOVITO R. JOBO, JR. Graduate School Student – Master in Public Affairs University of the Philippines Los Banos

March 26, 2009

INTRODUCTION: Leadership in any organization is crucial and often determine the success or failure of the organization.

The law of the lid states that the leader’s

perspective and direction leads the whole organization to its destination. In any organization, the management and/or leadership depends on the organizational structure.

Larger organizations have a more complex

organizational set-up compared to that of a smaller organization.

Hence, it is

easier to manage or to lead a smaller organization compared to a larger one. Public and Private educational organizational set-up also differ as it is said that public education tend to be bureaucratic and transactional in nature. especially in case of local community setting,

Often,

decision making is being made

with the approval of the head of the local government especially in terms of budget consideration, and staff appointments. Private on the otherhand is often linear in nature and has the advantages in decision making since often, the decision making process is made by the owners themselves. The present public education system is besiege with a lot of problems which this paper will discuss. These problems calls for good will of our leaders in solving these problematic situation. As such, the presentation of this paper calls for leaders who can “Rock the

Boat”,

who

are visionaries,

risk

takers,

good

collaborators

and

communicators, mentors, and people with uncommon passion and persistence. The severity of the problem calls for leaders who

have personal integrity,

assertive and ambitious for their organizations. Leaders who are optimists even in bad times. Leaders who can bring energy, are opportunistic and flexible, and are not easily deterred.

THE PHILIPPINE BASIC EDUCATION SYTEM: In the Philippines, basic education is one of the shortest in the world. This is composed of ten years where: six years of elementary and four years of secondary education. A pupil enters elementary education at 6 or 7 years of age and by age 11, he/she completes elementary education. At age 12 or 13, a Filipino child is at the secondary level. After completing basic education at the age of 15 or 16, a Filipino youth then proceeds to institutions of higher learning either to

obtain a college degree, earn a certificate from a post-secondary

vocational/technical institution, enter the

work force, or be included in the

growing number of the unemployed and underemployed .

DepEd BASIC FACT SHEET: Schools can be classified as either government supported or private finded. The DepEd Fact Sheet for Academic Year 2002 to 2007 gives the following education data: Teacher : Pupil (Elementary Students) Average Ratio is 1:36 while Teacher : Student (High School Students) Average Ratio is 1:41. Included in the DepEd fact sheet is

the Ratio of

Public Elementary

Schools compared Private Elementary Schools which is 42,000 : 37,000 while Public High Schools compared to Private High Schools is 8,000 : 5,000. Enrollment Data indicates that the ratio of Public to Private Elementary Enrollees averaged

12Million (92%): 1Million (8%)

while Enrollment Data

comparison for Public versus Private High Schools averaged 5.05Million (80%) : 1.29Million (20%).

To analyze, the above data shows: 1. That there is a huge reduction of the number of students that came from Elementary to High Schools with Completion Rate which averages 70% and drop-out rate average of 7%. 2. That the huge number of enrollment reduction mostly came from Public Education Systems. 3. That although there is a little different in the number of Public and Private Schools,

majority of the students are enrolled in the Public Education

System.

Alarming Increase of Drop-out and Out of School Youth There is an alarming increase of Out of School Youth and Student Drop-out as indicated in the table below: Table 1. Participation Rate Education Level Elementary High School Source: DepEd Fact Sheet

AY 2002-2003 90.29% 59.00%

AY 2006-2007 83.22% 58.59%

AY 2002-2003 71.55% 74.81%

AY 2006-2007 71.72% 72.14%

Table II. Completion Rate Education Level Elementary High School Source: DepEd Fact Sheet

Local Survival and Retention Rate: Local survival and retention rates remain low: Out of 100 students that enter Grade 1, only 58 go on to high school and only 14 become college graduates. Because education is expensive, students are shifting to public from private schools, most notably in the secondary level. From a 62% enrollment rate previously enjoyed by private schools, the figure significantly dropped to 21% in 2005. Public schools, which in 1965 only had 38% enrollment rate, had this figure rise to 79%.

http://www.gmanews.tv/story/97955/Philippine-education-

still-in-crisis

AGGRAVATING FACTORS The dismal picture presented where student survival rate is slim is further aggravated by the the shortages in Classroom, Textbook, Seats , and Teachers. Observing the succeeding data presents the gravity of the situation which calls for proper attention.

Teacher : Pupil Ratio Comparison Table III: Selected Asian Country Comparison, Teacher : Pupil Ratio COUNTRY Elementary Lower Secondary Indonesia 24 : 1 17.6 : 1 Japan 23 : 1 17 : 1 Laos Less than 20 : 1 17 : 1 Malaysia 21 : 1 45 : 1 Philippines 27 : 1 South Korea Thailand 21.5 : 1 Vietnam 30.1 : 1 Source : Education for All – 2000 Assessment Country Reports It is surprising that among the eight Asian countries mentioned, the Philippine Teachers has the highest number of pupils. It also point out that the closest figure ,Vietnem,

marks 33% lower load compared to Philippine teachers.

Further readings will reveal the effect of these figure to the quality of education.

Shortages... Shortages…. The table below presents the worsening number of classroon and teacher deficit. Addressing the shortage in textbook is a good indicator as well as decrease in the shortages in seats. However, the figure shows the geometrical increase of 686 % in classroom

shortage and artihmetic increase of 31% in

teacher shortage. Table IV. Classrooms, Seats , Textbooks, and Teachers Shortages Shortages

2001-

2002-

2003-

2004-

2005-

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

Classrooms

8,443

12,470

44,716

51,947

57,930

Seats

2,108,17

1,886,49

4.87M

4.56M

3.48M

3

9

Textbook

---

---

24.22M

34.7M

---

Teachers

37,932

35,818

46,356

38,535

49,699

Source: DepEd Briefing Materials, 2002-2005 Budget Hearing

Shortages

2001-2002

2005-2006

Classrooms

8,443

57,930

Teachers

37,932

49,699

Public education in the Philippines is at a crossroads. There are largescale shortages of classrooms, teachers, desks and chairs, textbooks,

audio-video materials. Over-crowding of classrooms is standard with class sizes averaging about 80 students per class. The education system is marked by inadequate teacher training programs and declining per capita expenditure per child by the government. For every school-aged child enrolled in school, there is another who has

never attended or has dropped out. These problems are

particularly acute in the conflict-affected areas of Mindanao, especially in the Autonomous

Region

in

Muslim

Mindanao

(ARMM). .

http://philippines.usaid.gov/documents/oed/education.pdf. January 2008.

Teacher Shortage and Brain Drain Though the DepEd Factsheet present a good teacher : pupil/student ratio and also the class size per classroom, reality check reveals the shortages in Classroom and Teachers.

As mentioned in an article made by Pinoy Teachers

Network written on Novermber 12, 2006 , it says:

“The exodus of Filipino

teachers has taken a toll on the Philippine educational system. It is not uncommon

to

have

a

teacher-to-student

ratio

of

1:150”

http://pinoyteachersnetwork.blogcity.com/brain_gain_not_brain_drain.htm

.

Living Salary Gap Figure below indicates the Living Salary Gap our teacher faces monthly. Teacher salaries has not increased since 2001.

Further inflation increases the

living salary gap annualy. Table V. Entry Level Salary of Philippine Teachers.

Year

SALARY Level : Teacher 1

Cost of Living

Living Salary Gap

1998

P8,605

P13,438.80

P4,833.80

1999

P8,605

P13,825.50

P5,220.50

2000

P9,466

P14,825.50

P6,359.10

2001

P9,939

P15,174.30

P5,235.30

2002

P9,939

P15,975.90

P6,036.90

2004

P9,939

P18,069.30

P8,130.30

Family Living Salary 1st Quarter 2006 P19,950 (NCR) P16,3344 (National) (P665/day; P544.80/day – IBON Facts and Figures)

Teacher Exodus Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) Data reveals that 1,666 Filipino teachers leave the country every year to teach in Africa, Europe and Asia while other work as caregivers and domestic help in the Middle East, Hongkong and Singapore. It is saddening that the teachers give up their profession for caregiver or domestic helper job abroad because of the living salary gap.

The domestic

helper in Hongkong for instance earns a minimum HK$3,480 or equivalent to PhP21,500.

The shortages of teachers abroad, especially in U.S. entices Filipino teachers to migrate. It will be noted that by 2014 U.S.A. is projected to need Two (2) Million Teachers to teach their children. http://www.abcte.org/how-we-help. This prospect of employment in U.S. and other prosperous nations gives a larger salary gap along with other teacher benefits such as free access

teacher

trainings/seminar. Moreso, teachers in U.S. are being paid when they go to trainings/seminars. The table below shows the comparison of the Net Income that received by Teachers in selected countries as of Year 2005. Figures on these countries were Considered since they are the prime destination for our teachers.

It is

observed that the Philippine Teacher’s average net income for one year is even less compared to one month average net income of teachers in the United States.

Our closest neighbor, Thailand, have a 64% higher average net

income of teachers compared to the Philippines. Countries in the which includes South Korea, Japan, Canada, Australia,

and United Kingdom have their

teacher’s average net income of 9 to 15 times compared to Philippine Teachers. Table VI. 2005 Teacher’s Income Comparison with Selected Countries COUNTRY

Average

Net Income in US$ United States $ 4,055 United Kingdom $ 3,568 Australia $ 2,742 Canada $ 2,236 Japan $ 2,961 South Korea $ 2,096 Thailand $ 388 Philippines $ 237 Source: http://www.worldsalaries.org/teacher.shtml

Rapid Population Growth

Weekly Hours Work Requirement 36.6 32.5 39.1 31.1 No data 39.7 38.0 40.0

Data from National Census and Statistics Office cites that the Philippines official population count as of August 2007 is 88.57 Million. Out of this figure, more than 30% of the population is found at NCR, CALABARZON, and Central Luzon. For eight consecutive years, 2000 to 2007, the population growth rate is 2.04% per annum. This means that 1.81 Million new babies are being born annually.

It is projected that by

Philippine Population is expected to reach

100Million in 2016. If we are to continue our present teacher : pupil ratio which is 1 : 45, the government should strictly consider

addressing the present shortages in

classroom and teachers with due additional buffer for the

1.81 Million new

students annually (1.81Million is the actual new borns per year).

National Toilet Bowl to Pupil Ratio One of the things which caught the country’s attention is the national toilet bowl ratio which was featured in the News Programs of Television, Radio, Newspapers, and even the Internet. Toilet, as a basic facility is a must have for all establishments be they public or private in nature. Quoted below is the article written in Inquirer, a top Media Corporation in the country. “The national toilet bowl to pupil ratio stands at 1:51 in primary schools and 1:102 in secondary schools. In the ARMM, it’s 1:171 in the elementary level and 1:250 in the secondary level while in NCR, it’s 1:114 and 1:143, respectively…..…. … Take the case of Silangan Elementary School (Annex) in Taguig, Metro Manila. Last year, all 2,031 students enrolled in that school were provided

with one toilet bowl. That’s a toilet bowl to pupil ratio of

1:2,031.” http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/breakingnews/metro/view_article.php?article_ id=143332

TOLL ON THE QUALITY There is a strong perception that the Philippines is lagging behind other Asian countries such as Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore. Among the reasons given is the low quality of basic education in the country. Recent High School Readiness Test given to all grade six graduates in public elementary schools in May 2004 show very low scores in science and mathematics test. In the National Secondary Achievement Test given in year 2000, students gave correct answers to less than 50% of the questions in science and mathematics. http://www.adb.org/Education/philippines-country-analysis.pdf In the 2008 World Competitive Yearbook of the Swiss-based International Institute for Management Development, the Philippines ranked 52nd out of the 55 countries in education. http://www.gmanews.tv/story/121226/Solon-reiteratescall-for-higher-teachers-salary

DepEd’s BUDGET REVISITED Though the present education situation in the country which is besiege with problems of lack of classrooms, facilities, textbooks (some of whom have been found containing erroneous data), and teacher emigration poses a gargantuan task for the education officials and the political leaders to save our education sytem. Romulo Nerie, a key Cabinet official of Gloria Arroyo stated the proposed solution of the government

that the Arroyo administration aims to build 6,000

classrooms a year, grant a scholarship for every qualified student from a poor family, put a computer in every school.

PROCEEDINGS – Policy Dialogue

Series 2004 : Academe Meets the Government on the Philippine Economy . As learned above, building 6,000 new classrooms per year is way behind the requirement to address the present shortage in classrooms which continue to add annually because of high population growth.

On budget allocation, come 2009, the DedEd budget will increase by 15.32 % from PhP149.25 Billion to PhP167.94 Billion, the biggest budget so far in the history of the department.

However,

it is still insufficient to finance the

abovementioned shortages in the basic education. The original proposed budget given by the DepEd was PhP 259.46 Billion, PhP110.21 Billion higher than the approved budget. The International Standard for Education budget account for 6% of the country’s Gross Domestic Product, GDP.

Historical data reveals that from Year

2001 to 2007, the DepEd’s budget only account for 2.07 to 2.53 % of GDP, a substandard figure.

http://www.manilatimes.net/national/2008/sep/12/yehey/metro/20080912met1.html

Regarding the welfare of the Teachers, both upper and lower house of congress on the other hand have proposed bill, Senate Bill 2408 and House Bill 4734, aimed to increase the salary of teachers by PhP9,000 (from PhP 9,939 to PhP18,939). The bill, if approved, will place the teacher’s salary to Salary Grade 19 from Salary Grade 10.

Target implementation for this program will

spread on a 3 year timetable or PhP3,000 increase per year for three years.

BUREAUCRACY IN PHILIPPINE EDUCATION SYSTEM: It said that the Philippine Educational system is bureaucratic.

Being

bureaucratic have its advantages and disadvantages. The advantages of being a bureaucratic are: 1.)

it is characterized by hierarchical authority relations,

defined spheres of competence subject to impersonal rules, recruitment by competence, and fixed salaries. 2.) The main aims of a bureaucracy are to be

rational, efficient, and professional in the implementation of policies and procedures. However, self-perpetuating.

problems arises when bureuacracy become self-serving and This

results

to

losses

(overpriced/substandard assets, supply, etc.)

in

valuable

resources

due to corruption and the

placement of unideal/substandard people in the organization because of “palakasan”. This also results to slow down in transactions that need speedy results.

CONCLUSION: Education as a Public Good was created to make sure that progress will continue as citizens earns general knowledge and technological know-how. As the greatest equalizer, education is very important for people in all strata that is for the rich to ensure that they maintain and even upgrade their status in society, and for poor to be competitive and eventually attain their desired

economic

status. Low quality of education give rise to private schools. The perception that private schools offer better quality education makes many parents enroll their children to this schools which is marred with commercialism. However, still majority of Filipinos cannot afford sending their children to private schools for it is even hard for many to even send children in public schools as indicated in low participation rate.

The present administration have inherited flaws in the education system. Shortages in classrooms, teachers, seats, books, and even toilet is a very big problem that besiege the education process. For a country whose biggest export is manpower / skilled workers, human capital spending is a serious matter, and should be on the top priority of the government. An adage : “sometimes no reaction is a reaction” is indeed true much more the inadequate reaction.

International standard in the Education

Department’s budget of allocating 6% of a country’s GDP come with basis, that is to ensure that high standard of quality in education is met. Outcome of the shortages in education’s budget is clearly manifested in different aspects.

Effectiveness in learning is affected as we witness

our

students fare low on diagnostic test in comparison with our neighbors countries. Aggravating factors such as the exodus of teachers because of low salaries, the student to teacher ratio,

lack of facilities and other matters

continue to take its toll on our most valuable product: the Filipino. It is true that the Arroyo administration inherited problems in education. However, the government has the power to inflict change and not to worsen the status quo. As Babe Ruth used to say, “You can pay now and play later, or play now and pay later. But either way, you will have to pay”.

REFERENCES: 2007 DepEd Fact Sheet Education for All – 2000 Assessment Country Reports IBON Facts and Figures PROCEEDINGS – Policy Dialogue Series 2004 : Academe Meets the

Government on the Philippine Economy . http://www.manilatimes.net/national/2008/sep/12/yehey/metro/20080912met1.ht ml http://www.gmanews.tv/story/121226/Solon-reiterates-call-for-higher-teacherssalary http://www.adb.org/Education/philippines-country-analysis.pdf http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/breakingnews/metro/view_article.php?article_id=1433 32 http://www.worldsalaries.org/teacher.shtml http://www.abcte.org/how-we-help.

http://pinoyteachersnetwork.blogcity.com/brain_gain_not_brain_drain.htm http://philippines.usaid.gov/documents/oed/education.pdf http://www.gmanews.tv/story/97955/Philippine-education-still-in-crisis