endured the agony of staying in bland

classrooms, my section’s classrooms through

the years were actually good. They had science
quotes posted on the walls, a solar system
model attached to the ceiling, diorama projects
Teaching Science In The on different ecosystems, a life-size human
skeletal model, shelves of science textbooks,
Philippines: Why (And How) and even laboratory glass wares donated by
We Can Do Better alumni.

Published on August 3, 2018 All of these things in our classroom created the
by Rafael Ambag impression that our science classes were good
and fun, but that’s not how it works. For one,
Science has been defined in a plethora of ways our section NEVER used the glass wares placed
since the scientific revolution, dating back to in our classrooms. As a child, I really wondered
the 17th century. In fact, the Merriam-Webster why we never used them. Would it be any
Dictionary (2018) hosts a multitude of its better if we just let such resources collect dust
conceived definitions, including “the state of on the shelves? Our teacher always explained
knowing which distinguishes from ignorance,” that these items were ‘fragile’ and not suitable
“a departmentalized and systematized for children’s use. I always thought that even
knowledge as an object of study,” and “a the simple lesson of introducing such glass
system of knowledge covering general truths or wares and a demonstration of how they are
the operation of general laws as obtained from used would be really exciting; unfortunately,
the scientific method.” It is worth noting that that never happened.
most of these definitions all emphasize the
notion that science is merely equivalent to A large chunk of our science classes were not
knowledge, which for a six-year-old kid can just necessarily ‘classes’ – most of them revolved
mean a huge depot of facts and trivia. around being the fastest pupil to copy all the
words on the board. We did this two to three
Science in public schools: a personal times a week, alongside the signature “shh”
experience sounds that the monitor makes in order to
prevent the class from being too noisy. Most of
How is science education in the Philippines? If
our classes involved group presentations with
you are a part of the majority of the population
our ever-reliable Manila paper and black
that went through their elementary education
markers. We were given tasks, and we were
in a public school like me, you would easily
obligated to present our answers to the class.
recall the atmosphere of such an environment.
Experiments were indeed sporadic, and most of
Forty to fifty students clustered in a classroom,
the time, we only had one per quarter. Up to
staying in school from 8 am to 4 pm, patiently
this point, I feel bothered by the fact that I can’t
going through all their subjects in one day. I
specifically remember any of the experiments
belonged to the special science class, the top
we did.
section of the batch as perceived by most
teachers. Unlike most of my batchmates who

Page 1 of 5
That is my personal experience as a science implementation of the K to 12 program, which
class pupil, and I can only wonder how my created 36,641 free teaching posts. The
batchmates from the non-special science class government tried to make ends meet for this
fared. Things changed when I went to Philippine shortage by having DepEd offer teaching posts
Science High School for my secondary with above entry-level salary grades to Science
education, but was that the case for my other and Technology graduates under the Junior
batchmates who went to the other public Level Science Scholarships of the Department of
DepEd schools as well? Science and Technology-Science Education
Institute. The scholar graduates of the program
Lackluster performance would also receive a teacher training program
Science education in our country cannot be for them to qualify for the Licensure
considered as a strength. Based on results from Examination for Teachers (LET). Qualifying
2014, the passing rate for the national graduates from the scholarship would be given
achievement test (NAT) for grade six pupils is the position of special science teacher with a
only 69.21%. The passing rate for high school starting salary grade of 13. DepEd also called for
seems far worse, with a passing rate of only graduates of Science, Math, or Engineering
46.38% from 2010 statistics. Aside from the courses without LET certification, as well TESDA
aforementioned national examination, the accredited technical-vocational graduates with
Philippines has exhibited a consistently abysmal expertise in specific learning areas, to apply as
performance in international surveys such as part-time teachers for the K to 12 Senior High
Trends in International Mathematics and School Program.
Science Study (TIMSS). In 2003, for high school, Shortage of classrooms and laboratories
the country ranked only 34th out of 38
countries in HS II Math, and 43rd out of the 46 The shortage of classrooms and lack of science
participating countries in HS II Science. For laboratories for DepEd schools is also an issue.
elementary, fourth grade participants ranked With the implementation of the K-12 program,
23rd out of the 25 countries in both math and Benjie Valbuena, national chair of the Alliance
science. Our country stopped participating in of Concerned Teachers-Philippines (ACT-
the survey in 2008, perhaps after getting such Philippines) estimated the classroom shortage
lackluster scores. in the country to be 113,995 as of 2017. By June
2017, Education Undersecretary Jesus Mateo
This raises an all-important question: Why is announced that 50,000 of the needed 113,000
this so? classrooms had already been completed and
Shortage of teachers are pending for use. The undersecretary
stressed the objective of the government to
Numerous factors can be attributed to the create more classrooms “to meet lower class
current predicament faced by the country. First size, which leads to conducive learning.”
and foremost would be the shortage of science
and math teachers in the country. In 2016, Aside from the obvious lack of classrooms,
DepEd secretary Leonor Briones stressed the there is also a lack of science laboratories to
need to hire more teachers with the facilitate science learning and application of its
concepts to students. In 2014, DepEd reported

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a shortage of science laboratories in regions III, grammatical, factual, and conceptual errors.
IV-A, X, XI, and XII, with an average of only one Antonio Calipjo Go, a critic of the circulating
in ten schools having its own laboratory. In the DepEd textbooks, was able to identify 1,300
National Capital Region, the ratio improved with “errors” in a Grade 10 English Learning book. An
three laboratories for every 10 schools; anonymous teacher also pointed out numerous
however, the findings showed that the rest of errors in her draft copy of the 2014 Grade 9
the regions did not have any science Science Learner’s material. These errors were
laboratories. This problem prompted already reported in order to improve the final
researchers from Diliman and Los Banos of the version of the material.
University of the Philippines to develop
Versatile Instrumentation System for Science The general perception of science in the
Philippines
Education and Research (VISSER). This
instrumentation system includes hardware, The aforementioned predicaments of Philippine
software, sensors, and experiment modules for education severely limit how most the public
various science subjects. The device’s hardware schools can teach science to their students. The
component includes multi-channel plug and lack of classrooms limits the conduciveness of
play analog and digital sensors that run on a lectures to students; public schools that lack
microcontroller. The microcontroller pools all classrooms oftentimes compensate by holding
the information and connects such hardware to classes at their multipurpose gymnasiums, with
the device’s modules. The modules include their makeshift classrooms separated only by
experiments in biology, chemistry, physics, and curtains. Students there can hear the chatter all
engineering. As of this writing, the lab is being over the place, and end up listening not only to
pilot-tested by the UP National Institute of their teacher’s lecture, but also to the lecture
Physics. from the adjacent classroom. Textbooks and
VISSER learning materials are also critical. If they are
bland and unengaging, how can one expect
UP associate professor Ranzivelle Marianne L. students to even flip through their pages with
Roxas-Villanueva presents the VISSER project at interest? The lack of laboratories also damages
a press briefing. Image credit: Newsbytes.ph the quality of education, limiting teachers to
lectures and reporting activities for students
Quality of learning materials instead of lab experiments that show how the
DepEd also faces a challenge in terms of the concepts work in real life. Filipino students are
quality of its textbooks, with many teachers bombarded with theories and terminologies,
reporting that the books are obsolete and which are not necessarily the things that make
flooded with errors. In Torrijos, Marinduque, science exciting. Scientists do not memorize and
the situation of “sick books” is nothing new. regurgitate information; they ask questions,
Teachers from that municipality are well- predict outcomes, and actually perform
acquainted with the circulation of such experiments.
textbooks. They even provided a copy of an With these limitations in science teaching, one
English book for children inundated with marks cannot help but wonder how our countrymen
from highlighter pens showing typographical, perceive science. The average Filipino who does

Page 3 of 5
not work in a science-related industry has likely own variation of the method in order to cater
never related the concept to his or her everyday their respective needs. Thus, when one hears
life. The word ‘science’ itself seems distant and the term ‘scientific method’, what should come
elusive, only being applied to people who spend to mind are only the following: asking questions
most of their days in the lab or in the classroom. to explore cause and effect relationships,
When you hear the word ‘science’, what comes proper gathering and examining of acquired
to mind? Probably, it’s a bunch of concepts evidence, and synthesizing all available
from biology such as evolution, or the oft- information to come up with an answer to the
repeated statement that “the mitochondria is initial question. This is how science worked
the powerhouse of the cell.” As far as chemistry before, and how it will continue to work in the
goes, you might remember mixtures, foreseeable future. We should erase the notion
compounds, and elements. In terms of physics, that treats science just as a body of knowledge,
you would probably just imagine blackboard full expecting students to only cough up concepts
of equations and symbols, with Albert Einstein and fancy terms such as photosynthesis or
patiently and painstakingly trying to make you glycolysis. As Sagan said, it is a way of thinking
understand them. — and that is how it serves its purpose in
nation-building.
Science at its core
A long journey for science in the Philippines
Many would say that science is something that
normal people don’t actively engage in. Providing competent science education
However, in reality, science is a crucial part of facilitates students to be curious at a young age
our everyday lives. One of the most well-known and to cultivate their set of beliefs from the
promoters of science, Carl Sagan, once said: answers to their questions. Science pushes for
the concept of objectivity, as opposed to relying
“Science is more than a body of knowledge. It’s solely on emotions that might hinder proper
a way of thinking; a way of skeptically decision-making. Instead of arguing based on
interrogating the universe.” gut feel or emotions alone, we present data and
Notice that in his quote, there is no emphasis facts, while remaining open-minded about the
on memorizing all the bones in the body, or perspectives of other people. The values of
being adept at solving all the kinematic objectivity and open-mindedness, in turn,
equations. It simply boils down to questioning enable and encourage people to listen to each
everything around us. other.

Over the centuries, innumerable discoveries With this in mind, the current situation of STEM
and advances in science came as a result of the education in the Philippines proves that we
scientific method. It is a framework followed by have a long road ahead of us. Nevertheless, this
most scientists and researchers in conducting should not stop us from pausing and admitting
their investigations and scientific work. Note that yes, there is a problem that we should
that I used the term ‘framework’ instead of work upon. We can still improve our textbooks
procedure or steps. This is due to the fact that and learning materials. We can still encourage
there many fields in science, each with their more people to become STEM educators. We
can still improve our NAT scores, and

Page 4 of 5
confidently participate in international surveys Definition of SCIENCE. [accessed 2018a Mar 26].
once more. Improving science education will https://www.merriam-
webster.com/dictionary/science.
not only allow our country to have citizens who
are thinkers first and foremost, but also DepEd to hire more Math, Science teachers. 2016a.
increase the number of STEM graduates to The Manila Times Online. [accessed 2018 Apr 3].
http://www.manilatimes.net/deped-to-hire-more-
address the glaring industrial and agricultural math-science-teachers/286207/.
needs that will boost the economic growth of
our country. Dios A de. The National Achievement Test in the
Philippines. [accessed 2018 Apr 3].
The Philippines is still a developing country. It is http://www.philippinesbasiceducation.us/2013/07/t
he-national-achievement-test-in.html.
not a classification that one should be ashamed
of. What it is is an indication that that our How DepEd plans to address PH classroom shortage.
country experienced massive setbacks due to Rappler. [accessed 2018b Apr 3].
http://www.rappler.com//nation/172372-deped-
colonization, corruption, and the lack of a address-ph-classroom-shortage.
properly educated voting population. In fact, we
are completely capable of achieving the Mundo F del. 2015 Sep 14. A losing battle to improve
textbooks. [accessed 2018 Apr 4].
successes experienced by countries on the http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/721749/a-losing-battle-
other side of the globe. What we should know is to-improve-textbooks.
that for us to reach such a goal, we need
Science education realities. 2014. The Manila Times
science. Not just science discussed in textbooks Online. [accessed 2018 Apr 3].
and observed in laboratories, but science in http://www.manilatimes.net/science-education-
everyday life; science that is evident in how we realities/100096/.
handle all of our tasks and decisions. A strong The Birth of Modern Science. 2016b. The Great
science education is not an option, it is a must. Courses Daily. [accessed 2018 Mar 26].
We must improve the ways we teach science in https://www.thegreatcoursesdaily.com/birth-
the Philippines, if we want to see ourselves modern-science/.

moving and thinking forward. –MF UP team develops low-cost science lab for public
high schools. 2017. Newsbytes Philippines. [accessed
Note: The views expressed in this essay are based on 2018 Apr 3]. http://newsbytes.ph/2017/04/02/up-
the author’s opinions, experiences, and research, team-develops-low-cost-science-lab-for-public-high-
and do not necessarily represent the views of this schools/.
website.
Villar MB. Of aging farmers and food security |
BusinessMirror. [accessed 2018 Apr 10].
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Cruz MJS dela. 2017 Mar 11. Science ed and a

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