The Philippines is known to have an educational system which needs lots of improvement.

Though the government has been providing the needs of the schools and institutions to provide
education to Filipinos, it cannot be denied that there are loopholes and issues which the system
faces.

 Government Budget

One of which is that there is a lack of school materials and classrooms. Yes, the
government has allotted a part of its budget to the education system but it seems not enough.
There are localities which lack materials like chairs, boards and even the classroom itself which
makes the teachers find a hard time to teach their lessons. There are barangays that don’t have
schools which makes their students come across towns just to educate themselves. This makes
transportation unaffordable for them or worse, makes them not go to school.
There are certain areas which cannot be reached by the fund given by the government, especially
those rural areas in mountains or are of difficult access. These are also the schools which lacks
teachers and volunteers that makes education incompetent. The reform needs budget to build
new buildings and classrooms for the students, they would need more teachers to fulfill the
vacancies to teach in the additional years. There is a need of more non-teaching personnel and
there are lots of changes to the curriculum which every school must endeavour to surpass.

 Mismatch between training and actual jobs

Another problem being faced the education system is the production of many
unemployed people. Despite the massive number of graduates the country’s institutions of
higher learning produce annually, not all possess the life skills needed to enter and become
productive members of the work force. The education adapted from the previous constitutions is
believed to be the producer of incompetent graduates which makes the evaluation of the system
poor.

 Affordability

Many are not able to pursue college because of lack of financial aid which leaves them to
do jobs like labor, clerks, sales personnel, drivers and many others. There are also graduates
who are unemployed because of their lack of training, many are kept to be bystanders and add
burden to the society since some of those become part of cindicates and sometimes are the ones
causing trouble to the country through crimes and other bad things.

 Quality of Education

Another problem faced is the lack of competent teachers. We all know that teachers are
the ones who run the school and are the molders of every student. We cannot say that all
teachers have the enough capabilities in order o nurture the minds of the students, there are
some which needs more training and that they are not enough in sustaining the students with
enough knowledge that they need for the students. Yes, there are numerous teachers who are
very diligent and are very good in teaching but they are not enough to provide quality education
for the whole country. We need more devoted teachers who are not just into salaries and such
but also has a heart and the eagerness to impart knowledge to the students.
Many also believe that the country is not ready to the change of the education system: K-12. The
central feature of the K to 12 Program is the upgrading of the basic education curriculum to
ensure that learners acquire the relevant knowledge and skills they will need to become
productive members of society. But the Philippine needs more time to prepare to embrace the
education system.

 Researches and Findings

QUALITY education is viewed as any country’s pillar of success.

Restructuring the Philippines’s basic educational system through the K to 12 Program is a tough
but strategic move by the government to ensure that it produces competent graduates who can
serve as the backbone for a highly skilled and employable work force.
Elementary School at Leveriza Street in Pasay City take time to write on their paper during the
opening of classes in Metro Manila area and other provinces.
Introduced in 2011 by the Department of Education (DepEd), headed by Secretary Armin
Luistro, FSJ, the K to 12 Program made kindergarten a prerequisite to basic education. It
lengthened basic schooling to include a two-year senior high school and offered technical and
vocational courses to students not planning to go to college, thus giving them more chances of
getting employed in blue-collar work.
The program replaced the 10-year basic education curriculum, which consisted of six years in
grade school and four years in high school that concentrated on the English language and
Filipino, the sciences, arithmetic and mathematics, and the social sciences.
It also incorporated these basic lessons to include basic science and technology, engineering,
mathematics, accountancy, business and management, humanities and social sciences, and
general academic courses such as technical-vocational-livelihood, arts and design, and sports.
The implementation of the program has aroused fear among 13,600 teachers and 11,400
nonteaching staff in higher education institutions (HEIs) that they would end up losing their
jobs due to the lack of college enrollees.
Petitions have been submitted to the Supreme Court to suspend the program because politicians
and groups find the new system as insufficient preparation for life after school.
Lack of infrastructure is also one of the issues confronting the DepEd prior to and during the
initial implementation of the program. Needed for the new curriculum are 30,000 new
classrooms; 30,000 new teachers; and 6,000 nonteaching staff.
Like most government endeavors, public education cannot succeed without the support of the
private sector. With the help of companies and business groups, programs by the government
are important in building a strong future for the country that would enhance our
competitiveness in the global community and would advance the competencies of Filipino
graduates to stand at par with global practices and be equipped with relevant skills and
knowledge in their chosen professions. Different programs will give the youth a steady and
confident footing in pursuing a career that will empower them to become able and productive
participants in the shared task of nation-building.
Toward this end, business organizations have been supporting the K to 12 Program on its
continued and proper reform implementation. Consistent support has been provided by the
Makati Business Club, Philippine Business for Education (PBEd), Philippine Chamber of
Commerce and Industry, Management Association of the Philippines, the Information
Technology and Business Process Association of the Philippines, Employers Confederation of
the Philippines, American Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines, German-Philippine
Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and the Australia-New Zealand Chamber of Commerce of
the Philippines.
Studies have repeatedly shown that “more schooling leads to a higher income, averaging a 10-
percent increase for every additional year in school.”
The League of Cities of the Philippines has also expressed its full and unwavering support for the
flagship education reform of the Aquino administration, led by Quezon City Mayor Herbert
Bautista.
Quality education is the best that the country can offer, a call that leads to quality employment
for a better quality of life. Hence, lawmakers should still be in the lookout for potential
advancements in the current status of our education system.
As of January 2015, the Philippine Statistics Authority Labor Force Survey showed a 6.6-percent
unemployment rate from 7.5 percent the previous year. Meanwhile, the survey also showed
employment grew to 93.4 percent, up from 92.5 percent the preceding year.
If industries, members of academe and society as a whole can work concertedly toward
empowering the students with global-standard competencies, the country’s employment rate
will improve further.
Despite the massive number of graduates the country’s institutions of higher learning produce
annually, not all possess the life skills needed to enter and become productive members of the
work force.
Workers in the services sector dominated the largest proportion by 54.6 percent, comprised of
those engaged in wholesale and retail trade, or in the repair of motor vehicles as the largest
percentage. Meanwhile, workers in the agriculture and industry sector comprised the second
and the smallest group with 29.5 percent and 15.9 percent, respectively. Laborers and unskilled
workers have remained in the largest group, accounting for 31 percent.
Due to financial reasons, many high-school graduates today cannot proceed to college, which
contributes to the aggregate of about 15 million out-of-school youth, according to PBEd.
The nonprofit organization proposes a voucher system to the DepEd and Commission for
Higher Education (CHED) to give out-of-school youth a chance to pursue tertiary education.
According to PBEd, the Unified Financial Assistance System for Higher and Technical Education
(UniFAST) and the Tertiary Education Transition Fund (TETF) will facilitate the funding for the
program if Congress will pass the two bills into law.
The UniFAST bill will harmonize government scholarships, grants-in-aid and loan programs,
while the TETF bill, in turn, will establish a development and welfare fund, PBEd says.
The UniFAST bill has been approved on third and final reading in the House of Representatives
and on second reading at the Senate.
The community where the students live is a key factor in collective assistance and
encouragement. With the help of volunteers through the DepEd’s Brigada Eskuwela program,
the public and private sectors unite to provide services and resources through the repair and
ensuring the safety and cleanliness of classrooms and schools for the opening of public schools
this June.
The program brings together teachers, parents, community members and stakeholders every
third week of May in an effort to maximize civil participation and utilize local resources to
prepare public schools for the opening of classes.
During the long week event, volunteers take time doing minor repairs, painting and cleaning of
school campuses.
The program has become the DepEd’s model of genuine public and private partnership to curb
challenges that Philippine education is facing and serves as one of its front-line initiatives.
The Gulayan sa Paaralan Program of the DepEd, which began in 2007, also helps to address
child malnutrition among elementary students. The crops harvested from school gardens,
which were also planted by the students, are used to sustain the school’s feeding programs.
Children lacking proper nutrients have lesser energy, physically and mentally, hence are unable
to fully participate in class.
Because of significant inflation in the country and improvement of facilities, private institutions
have raised their tuition in 313 private colleges and universities for the coming school year,
slightly higher than the 287 HEIs allowed by the CHED last year, for an increase in tuition and
other fees.
The CHED said that of the 313 schools, only 283 HEIs were allowed to increase tuition, 212
would increase other fees, and 182 out of 313 schools were allowed to increase both tuition and
other school fees.
Despite the higher number compared to that of last year, the increases were lower from an
average of P35.66 per unit to P29.86. Other school fees were also lowered to P135.60 from
P141.55 last year.
Due to Supertyphoon Yolanda that devastated a wide swath of land in Eastern Visayas in 2013,
the CHED did not approve any application from the schools affected to increase tuition and
other school fees.
As no applications were submitted to CHED, no increases were imposed in the provinces of
Batanes, Cagayan, Isabela, Nueva Vizcaya and Quirino in Region 2; Albay, Camarines Norte,
Camarines Sur, Catanduanes, Masbate and Sorsogon in Region 5; Bohol, Cebu, Negros Oriental
and Siquijor in Region 7; Camiguin, Misamis Oriental, Lanao del Norte, Bukidnon and Misamis
Occidental in Region 10.
For a program to go through, right appropriation is essential to deliver a smooth program
implementation. Mandated by the Philippine Constitution, the government must allocate the
highest proportion of its budgetary needs to education. As part of the Aquino administration
vow, of the P2.606-trilliion national budget, the Department of Budget and Management (DBM)
allocated P367.1 billion for the DepEd, the highest among the government agencies. The 2015
budget increased by 18.6 percent from last year.
Among the DepEd’s programs are Abot-Alam Program, Alternative Delivery Mode Projector e-
IMPACT, Basic Education Madrasah Program, Computerization Program, Redesigned
Technical-Vocational High School Program and Government Assistance to Students and
Teachers in Private Education.
Modernizing the higher public education system is an integral part of making school facilities a
conducive environment for students to learn. Hence, to improve the country’s state universities
and colleges (SUCs), a total of P44.4 billion was allocated to the SUCs, 16.8 percent higher from
last year.
The P2.5-billion allocation is designed to aid 40,453 Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program
beneficiaries.
To aid students who want to earn a college degree, the DBM allotted P7.9 billion for scholarship
grants and financial assistance. Under this allocation, the CHED’s Students Financial Assistance
Program was appropriated a total of P763 million that will help 54,208 students nationwide.
The Crisis of Public Education in the Philippines

INTRODUCTION

Section 1, Article XIV of the 1987 Philippine Constitution states that “the State shall protect and
promote the right of all citizens to quality education at all levels, and shall take appropriate steps
to make such education accessible to all”.

Truly, the state must provide an accessible and quality education to all the citizens of this
country regardless of their social status and also the education the state must provide is free at
all levels. This means that the government must provide all the facilities, equipment, and
teacher force to educate its citizens.

However, nowadays, Philippine educational system earns its prestige having produced a low
quality graduates due to some factors. Thus, the current administration decided to upgrade
Philippine educational system to a k+12 basic education curriculum thinking that it is the years
we have studied that we learn a lot not knowing the fact that public institutions’ facilities are in
scarcity.

No.5, section 5 of the article XIV of the 1987 Constitution also states that “The State shall assign
the highest budgetary priority to education and ensure that teaching will attract and retain its
rightful share of the best available talents through adequate remuneration and other means of
job satisfaction and fulfillment”. But what this that I heard that the budget for the tertiary level
of education will be cut off? Does it mean that tertiary education is no longer a priority of the
government?

Sad to say, the quality education that we are wanting started to vanish into ashes. This critique
paper is done for the purpose of the knowing the proper quality education and if it is comparable
to the current educational system that we have nowadays or shall we say, we need to improve
our educational system adopting the K+12 basic education curriculum?

I have related my point of view on the article written by Origuda entitled “The Crisis of Public
Education in the Philippines” on May 2009, the article can be found before this introductory
part.

Body

Critical Analysis
As what a popular slogan goes “Education is the Best Foundation of a Better Nation”, I believe
that education is a powerful tool in succeeding in life but what if this education that we have is
not sufficient to fulfill our minds and prepare us for the real world? The best solution is to
change the educational system that we have.
However, what if the proposed changed is hard to be implemented and established due to some
factors? What these factors are? First, teachers, classrooms and educational utilities are limited.
How can 35 chairs could accommodate 45 students? How can a teacher teach these 45
individuals, to sharpen their mind and to make them ready for the real world? If 35 chairs can’t
be fit into a 15-meter classroom, how much more with the students?
It is a basic right of a Filipino citizen to have a good quality education, the very reason why the
current administration proposed to implement the K+12 Basic Education Curriculum that will
add two more years in elementary and secondary education system. However, many opposed in
this proposition because of certain reasons, one of these factors include the burden in the part of
the students parent to wait for another two years for their child to be graduated. Even though
basic education is free because it is subsidized by the government, the parents would still spend
a lot until their children would finish this 12 years in secondary level.
To the students it is always a burden to spend too long studying, in fact some students do not
attend classes that has a long duration of time, and they prefer going outside, cut their classes,
and have a good time. Another thing is that the two years in secondary can already be used in
two years in college and that if they graduate earlier, the earlier they will get a job. Therefore, for
some, these new educational system is both waste of time and effort.
But wait. Is this new curriculum really more disadvantageous? For me it is not. This new
curriculum has to do with mental development of the students and this burden will make
students more ready before entering college to take up a degree. It is because I strongly believe
that the more you struggle, the more you learn, the more you learn the more you are qualified
for a job. Yes, two more years in elementary and secondary education have brought with it many
burdens in the part of the educators, parents and students, however, if we are looking on the
positive side, we will then know that this new system has to do with educational development of
the Philippines and that graduates will be more ready and more competitive not only in Asia but
internationally. Two more years for me is two more years of learning,it is not only schooling but
life learning and a preparation of an individual to compete with the people in the real world.
Since then, public education in the Philippines is not so effective on producing and nurturing
value-laden, quality, goal-oriented and globally competitive graduates.
Another question is, 'is this two more years in elementary and secondary will be beneficial'? The
answer? It depends on the implementing persons, if they implement it carefully and support it
this new system will be beneficial and practicable. And to really know the real beneficial of this
new educational system, let us open to changes. Let us embrace this development, then, we
should know that it really is.

Conclusion and Recommendation

In conclusion, the article written by Ogurida explains the reality and the burden of the current
public school facilities that is in scarcity, hence, I speak of the development and change on this
system in order that public schools will produce not good quality students but the best ones.
Upon my observation, I had found out that we must go for this change because it is that the
government will be able to show that they really care for us-students and that they will set a
greater part of the country's budget to support education. I also believe that ten years of
education is not sufficient for a student to excel and discover his/her inner talent and skill
because in order for a man to be better he must undergo struggles and hardships, and the longer
the you struggle the better you will discover.
However, the government must support this system the best that they can. As what I have said,
they must set bigger portion to education so that the development that they aim will be at hand.
Therefore, I humbly recommend that the government, as their support to this new educational
system must work efficiently, build more educational facilities and supply equipment to all
public schools in the country and they must provide better benefits for the faculty and staff of all
public institution and most of all, jobs after graduation of the students.
http://nielbertmalimit.blogspot.com/2013/01/philconsti-critique.html

 Reflection and Realization

The government really wanted to improve the quality of education in the Philippines but the
Government itself isn’t read for the changes. The fact that the allotted budget isn’t enough to
suffice the country’s need of infrastructures for classrooms and teaching materials what more
that there are additional years in our education system.

The government must also consider the capability of the people to afford education, the fact that
there is an increase in the price of commodities brought by the TRAIN law; it is more difficult
for others to suffice daily and basic needs.

Yes, tuition fees are free but take into consideration the daily allowance of each, the net
economic income must first be taken into consideration, it must increase in order o be able to
afford the education that a student needs but what happens is that even if the Philippines
provide one of the cheapest education is that is quality is as poor as its price.

Big institutions with big tuition fees may have good education production but as there are
smaller institutions which costs lower, the quality that they give is low as well. We all know that
a larger percentage of the population cannot afford such big institutions which makes the
graduates of low quality when compared to other, this leads to the increase of jobless people or
people who may have degrees but their work isn’t appropriate to what they finished.

Another is that upon graduation there is a mismatch of work which tends to lower the quality of
work being done. The government must take its part by providing proper allocations and by
sustaining the projects of the branches which are for education.

A lot of improvement is needed to develop the quality of education in the Philippines.

Government must provide funds for the accessibility to reach the indigenous people.
Classrooms, teachers, books, and many things is needed to develop the quality of the education
in the Philippines. The government also needs to give enough funds to develop the education.
There are lot of ways to develop the education system in the Phillipines, we must help the
government.