Filipino kids get cheated by the school system
Analysis and Opinion
By Joe America
Senator Sonny Angara was appointed Secretary of Education last week. It’s a big job. It’s a huge opportunity.
It’s an opportunity to recast education IN FAVOR of kids rather than against them. I don’t know if Secretary Angara is bold enough. Not many are I think. But I hope so because Filipino kids are cheated by the existing school system. The only way out is to change the system.
It’s a much deeper problem than priorities like ROTC vs. knowledge, although that one seems to be stupidly front burner. It is not bare walls or the ten commandments either.
The “system” I’m talking about is (1) a poor nation (2) running bricks and mortar distribution (3) of paper based material (4) through an under-paid, overworked, unexceptional army of teachers. Kids in outlying provinces have it especially tough. Try walking three kilometers in the rain with a banana leaf for cover. The paper gets soggy.
Teachers are an earnest army of dedicated souls. But knowledge is moving fast. And AI is speeding it up. The faster it goes, the further behind Filipino kids get.
The Philippines is fielding a foot-based army of teachers with old rifles, no ammunition, and bancas for transportation in an era of missiles, stealth planes, and drones. In the jungles. Where boats don’t float so good.
The Philippines leaped past rotary phones and went directly to cell phones because it was systems bound and could not wire the place. It needs to do the same with education.
Education should be a blend of online and classroom work, dumping the paper and making better use of classrooms and teachers. Using notebook computers and the internet. Multiplying the reach and impact of the best teaching pros. Using AI to develop lessons. Teaching AI.
The notebook computers should be manufactured in the Philippines under license from Taiwan’s tech superstars. Or Singapore’s. But not China’s.
“Oh look Sonny. See the system. See the system hold kids back.”
Free them up to excel. Filipinos have brains. Empower them.
There is no time like the present to be bold.
____________________
Cover photo from PeopleAsia in the article “Education Secretary Sonny Angara: In the footsteps of the wise”.
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The Society of Honor by Joe America 
How about
“ii” (inspired intelligence)
instead of, or inspite of,
“ai” (artificial intelligence)
for Filipinos?
From ChatGPT:
x-
The concept of “Inspired Intelligence” (II) as opposed to “Artificial Intelligence” (AI) is intriguing, especially in the context of Filipino culture and innovation. Here’s a breakdown of what “Inspired Intelligence” might entail and its potential benefits and implications for Filipinos:Inspired Intelligence (II)
Definition:
Core Principles:
Benefits for Filipinos
Implementation Strategies
Conclusion
“Inspired Intelligence” (II) offers a compelling alternative or complement to “Artificial Intelligence” (AI), particularly for Filipinos. By prioritizing cultural integration, creativity, ethical considerations, and community-centric approaches, II can drive sustainable and inclusive development, preserving the rich heritage of the Philippines while embracing technological advancements.
-x
Well, i7sharp, you and ChatGPT have a great relationship, I can tell. That’s the most elaborate, inventive, thing I’ve seen done yet. “Inspired Intelligence” by definition is human based because humans have inspiration as a motive whereas computers have instructions, data, and math driven language. II indeed leverages what computers miss.
The implementation steps are education, community, public-private partnerships, and sharing successes. Terrific. It could form the core of a “critical thinking” class in the education platform of DepEd. Communities could be local but I’m guessing on-line communities (like this blog) would be more prevelant. Getting businessmen and women to invest in education is brilliant, but the avenues to do so would have to be ironed out (Microsoft investing in tech schools for eg,) Successes would be motivational.
Thanks, Sharpie. Terrific insights there. Modern methodology.
i7, Joe, et al. i like this inspired intelligence stuff. first of hearing this. reminds me of that scene in Cryptonomicon where Randy and Enoch Root first meet and they get to talking about Athena and what Athena really represented. then i got to thinking about Philippines not so much the cities but the providence where there was seasons of crafts or hobbies like spider fighting where they had their prized spiders in boxes then fight ’em on bbq sticks or shells attached to strings and they bang the top of these shells swinging them whose ever breaks loses. and of course sungka played on the ground dugged small holes. so theres already tradition of crafts in the Philippines. i remember them making paper guns off tiny bamboos too legend has it diesel got the idea from this toy/weapon. i’d add knot tying of the japanese variety not so much their S&M but from which it came the police knot tying but theres maritime and camping outdoorsy knot tying too like for mountain climbing stuff. so knot tying and then origami instead of just the paper boat expand to more origami patterns. same too with knots master more. this is cheap and simple. like spiders and shells and sungka on the ground. creativity to cunning from cunning to wisdom. why Athena bests Ares all the time in warfare. loved reading about this part, Joe. and totally relevant to i7’s inspired intelligence. i’d just add from simple crafts. no need for high technology yet, save that for high school or college.
ps. Baruch Spinoza was really into spider fighting apparently and theres a whole festival of it in Japan.
ChatGPT (ai – artificial intelligence) does not yet really know
what I had in mind when I brought up ii (inspired intelligence).
In the meantime, let us consider this …
Input:
Tell me about the (past, present, future) effect of K-12 in the Philippines.
It took ChatGPT less than half a minute to come up with this:
x-
K-12 education in the Philippines, implemented in 2013, has had significant impacts on the past, present, and future of education in the country. Here’s an overview of its effects across these timeframes:
Past
Educational Reform: Before the K-12 program, the Philippines had a 10-year basic education cycle, which was one of the shortest in the world.The implementation of the K-12 system was a major shift, adding two more years to basic education (Grades 11 and 12) and aligning the Philippines with global education standards.
Initial Challenges: The transition faced challenges, including a lack of infrastructure, resources, and trained teachers.There was significant resistance from stakeholders due to concerns over increased educational costs and the readiness of the education system to accommodate the changes.
Curriculum Changes: The curriculum was overhauled to focus more on critical thinking, skills development, and readiness for higher education, employment, and entrepreneurship.There was an introduction of specialized tracks in senior high school: Academic, Technical-Vocational-Livelihood, Sports, and Arts and Design.
Present
Improved Competitiveness: Filipino students are now better equipped with skills and knowledge comparable to international standards, improving their competitiveness globally.The addition of two years has helped bridge the education gap, providing students with a more comprehensive education.
Enhanced Skills and Preparedness: Graduates are better prepared for tertiary education, employment, or entrepreneurship due to the specialized tracks and focus on practical skills.There is a stronger emphasis on STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) education, addressing the need for skilled professionals in these fields.
Ongoing Challenges: Despite improvements, there are still challenges related to infrastructure, teacher training, and resource allocation.Issues such as overcrowded classrooms, underfunded schools, and disparities in education quality between urban and rural areas persist.
Future
Long-term Economic Benefits: A more educated workforce is expected to contribute to the country’s economic growth and development.The K-12 system aims to produce graduates who are not only employable locally but also globally competitive.
Continued Reforms and Adjustments: The education system will likely undergo further reforms to address ongoing challenges and improve quality.Innovations in education, such as the integration of technology and distance learning, will become more prominent.
Broader Social Impact: Improved education is expected to lead to better social outcomes, including reduced poverty and inequality.The K-12 system aims to foster a generation of critical thinkers and innovators who can contribute to societal progress.
Conclusion
The implementation of the K-12 education system in the Philippines represents a significant step towards aligning with global educational standards and improving the quality of education in the country. While there have been notable improvements and benefits, ongoing challenges need to be addressed to ensure that the system reaches its full potential and provides equitable education for all students. The long-term outlook is optimistic, with the potential for substantial economic and social benefits as the system matures and adapts to future needs.
-x
That is a very clear-minded readout, and fits with my assessment. As the parent of a college bound kid, I know Junior will be able to show 12 years of studies and aptitude on international tests as well (he goes to a private school). It’s a big deal. He competes with the world now, not only with Filipinos.
Thanks for the good application of AI. I hereby award you title as the blog’s AI Chief Guru. Karl, please take note for our records.
Duly noted, Joe.
17sharp is our A.I. Chief guru.
Thank you very much, Joe.
But I believe there are members who can do much better.
Nope. You have displayed initiative and talent. You’ve given us orderly data and fresh insights. You’ve honed in on the topic like a laser with a sharp beam. You’re it. Wear your title with pride.
Thanks, Joe, for this article. Senator Angara’s father BTW was Marcos Sr.’s choice as UP President, so he indirectly has an educational background.
1. I like i7sharp’s inspired intelligence catch. Sounds like Lumad schools, minus leftist ideology, plus online blended learning. It’s about leaving no Filipino behind, giving them a feeling that what they are learning is for them, not just to prepare them for jobs in town or abroad.
2. For the online aspect to work, better Internet coverage of the countryside is needed. I have heard that outside the towns and beach resorts it isn’t good. Well, Marcos Sr. had USAID help him electrify the countryside from 1968 onwards. I still have vivid memories of Batangas villages in the early to mid-1970s lighted by oil lamps, from our trips to beaches back then. Their main link to the outside world was battery-operated transistor radios. BTW, I would favor tablets towards notebooks, but that is a quibble. Agree with the foreign partners for that.
Yes, internet service in outlying areas is troublesome. Two possible solutions come to mind. Write laws that require telcos to up their game, or put schools on Starlink with only local networking by notebook or tablet. Some classroons would have to be dedicated to on demand student use. This all deserves more thought.
I would add that the goal of digitizing education systems should move forward fast where that is possible and slower where it is difficult. Schools might be categorized into categories A, B, and C.
A. Fully digital
B. Substantially digital.
C. Working on it.
Then score progress annually.
Joe, I honestly just have one suggestion off the top of my head:
In the spirit of a little ASEAN solidarity, let’s have Vietnam have their education guys take a trip to our little archipelago and see what they have to say. Unlike the likes of Singapore or South Korea, Vietnam is roughly—more or less—as rich as our country is. And yet, Vietnam is over-performing almost all her neighbors as the PISA results indicate—without Singapore’s wealth or Brunei’s oil money.
…
I know that many have clamored for more attention to be paid to the education sector. And I don’t disagree with them. But honestly, it’s rather…underwhelming (to put it mildly)…that our education sector is under-performing this badly, when already it has long had the highest budgetary allocation for years. We’re spending big bucks and getting nada.
What do we need to do to turn things around? I wonder.
That’s a good idea. Or Sec. Angara can trundle over himself, or send a team over to see how they do it.
seemingly, incoming deped sec angara will have to wade through the tiers and layers of undersecretaries and assistant secretaries appointed by sara. they control agencies and sub agencies and make recommendations.
as career public servant, angara knew he has to play this well, else the bureaucracy sara left behind will be less cooperative, will gang up and isolate him from the day to day functioning of the dept and make him less effective.
angara may have to fire some of sara’s appointees (some are hardliners from dabaw) and appoint his own people. and maybe extract some of them from sara’s satellite offices.
already, there has been suggestion for angara to oversee and review the budget allocation made under sara, and see where the money is really going.
I recall there was a question how a teacher got approval for 3 maternity leave/s in one year!
Francis,
We would love to read an article written by you.
Just tell us here if you want to submit one.
Thanks
Nice suggestion. Unfortunately different political environment. We really have a current political system that encourages stasis. This now reverberates to most of the parts of our nation. The key right now is finding places where that vibe is different.
Napag-iwanan na tayo. What did Sara without H do in the two years that she was in charge? Did you notice? Even some college graduate nowadays can’t write and speak English well. Was there an advantage for those K12 graduates? Maybe it’s time they make further studies of it.
https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2023/01/13/2237224/sara-appoints-densing-deped-infrastructure-program-chief
sara has been busy creating bureaucracies, appointing education undersecretaries and assistant secretaries, also having at latest count a total of six satellite offices in major cities, and employs around 400 security officers that many thought were her own private army. she will stop being deped sec on july 18, 2024. in the meantime, still as current deped sec, sara told graduating journalists student never assume and never tell lies!
https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2024/05/15/2355189/nearly-11-million-children-youth-not-school-psa
just a food for thought.
https://tribune.net.ph/2024/07/08/k-12-a-failed-experiment-teacher
k-12 is apparently a failure. too many online distractions for students nowadays and the school system is apparently not to blame for its failure to compete and grab students attention away from their personal devices, failure as well to guide and enforce disciple on students like maybe strictly banning use of cellphones during school hrs, etc.
teachers are allegedly bogged down and uberly pressured to pass students on to the next year level even though students cannot read. teachers saving their own sanity? maybe freeing themselves from the hassle and the trouble of explaining why students failed and so, pass on student to become another teacher’s problem, and the cycle goes on.
“The “system” I’m talking about is (1) a poor nation (2) running bricks and mortar distribution (3) of paper based material (4) through an under-paid, overworked, unexceptional army of teachers.”
A poor nation with corrupt officials more intent in lining their pockets than taking care of the nation’s children.
Bricks and mortar distribution is uneven, PH lacks school rooms and some officials are saying it’s not possible to catch up with it. As of 2023, there is a reported 165K classroom deficit. Of planned construction of 6K classrooms, only 3K were completed.
The lack of textbooks is colossal. Out of the 90 titles only 27 had been procured since 2013. Only grades 5 and 6 have complete textbooks but even these often need to be shared among students.
An assessment done recently found that there are number of untrained and/or incompetent teachers hired to teach kindergarten classes for peanuts. At least 90K teachers are needed for School Year 2023-2024 and DepEd is suppose to hire 9,650 teachers but only 3,352 were hired. https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/topstories/nation/887851/deped-lacks-nearly-90-000-teachers-pia-cayetano/story/
What PH have is an education crisis. Gatchalian has this work cut out for him. I agree with the Diplomat article author. To achieve a meaningful educational reform, the new DepEd Secretary must have the “willingness to file appropriate charges against erring officials involved in anomalous transactions under the previous administration. And second, Marcos’ commitment to substantially increase the funding for education.”
https://thediplomat.com/2023/02/the-philippines-basic-education-crisis/
I wonder how many school teachers choose the OFW option as I know some.
In detail I know a former Filipino school teacher (started early 1970s, just after the first gen who started in Quezon’s time were retiring) who became a maid in HK and then married an Englishman there. She is now a widow in London and speaks very British English. But indeed, she had a problem with how underpaid and overworked she was for her qualification, which unfortunately became useless – there will be a lot more examples, I am sure, and patterns.
I would hazard a guess that there are at least a million teachers in the Filipino diaspora. I know one who is in Italy, one in Canada, one in Australia and a few in Hong Kong. Several counties in the US import Filipino teachers to shore up the shortages from time to time.
Even in PH, a lot of education degree holders are unemployed I’ve met a few licensed teachers working as salesgirls in department stores, cashiers in grocery stores and telemarketers in BPOs. No wonder some salesgirls have bad attitudes, they are very unhappy with their job prospects.
I read that Gatchalian is going to talk to some business owners about their practice of requiring college degrees for jobs that could be performed by a high school graduates. I’d say look into its practice in public sector too.
there’s a glut of graduates, a boom for employers. naturally, they go for the highest qualified even though they know those persons may not stay long on the job, it’s waste of time training them. faced with a revolving door, disgruntled employees are always looking for greener pasture.
some of those graduate teachers undercut themselves and work as lowly paid teachers aide/teachers assistant until the right opportunity comes along. maybe that is what deped wants, get teachers on the cheap, unwilling to pay their real worth.
*Angara is going to talk
*Sorry keep on naming Gatchalian instead of Angara
Hahaha! I think they may be brothers in a parallel universe, so no problem at all.
*DepEd Angara has his work cut out for him (Not Gatchalian)
I hope angara has eyes behind his head! question everything coz stats presented to him are not always reliable, some are fake.
I’d say he is being careful not to upset the mango cart. While appointed by Marcos, he talked about continuing all Sara’s programs.
Corruption is imbedded in a lot of governmental units and DepEd is not immune to it. I would not be shocked if he uncovers a lot of it as he analyzes various department documents past and present.
And will he bury or reveal, I wonder.
leonor briones, professor emeritus of the university of the philippines served as deped sec under president duterte. and summat lackluster too. filipinos students have been under performing then as now. incensed she was too when world bank commented negatively on the status of filipino students.
it’s scary the way millions of money pours into deped. during briones’s tenure, thousands over priced supposedly state of the art computers bought for distant learning during covid turned out to be useless and found their way into pawnshops and ukay ukay stores. if briones was seething, hard to say. she readily handed in the secretariat to sara duterte.
https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2021/07/05/2110336/briones-wants-apology-world-bank-over-unflattering-schools-report
Yes, tragedy in slo slo mo.
Are we only allowed one link on our comment. My post have 2 links and it went to moderation. Or am I being moderated for something else?
Its this new comment WP is using, JP. comments just disappear. thats why i don’t do paragraphs cuz text is chucked in blocks of paragraphs hard to copy paste with paragraphs. I always copy paste prior to sending it. cuz its prone to disappear. but 2nd time usually goes thru. so just copy past before posting. could be what device you’re on too. but yeah my posts disappear all the time. thus copy paste. no rhyme or reason.
see that went thru just fine. but i copy pasted it just in case it didn’t go thru.
Thank you, LCPLX. I’ll copy and paste next time.
I will be issuing comment guidelines in a few days. I’d like to get away from memes and links in favor of original thought, as in the days of yore. We are not Instagram.
I think in some cases, link(s) are necessary so readers can read the article in full for context and/or to give credit to the person who originated the idea being discussed in the post.
@JP: Agree, though my pet peeve are links dropped without any summary of what is in the link for those who want a quick overview.
I happen to be a fan of judiciously used fotos and videos as well, though it is also important to caption them so people know what they are about. Probably a balance between the discipline of linear text and more visual forms is the key – here and in modern blended learning.
Yes, but right now the blog too often has an instagram feel and I’d rather read original thought. Irineo is the model I suppose. On occasion he uses links or videos to get to the point. But mostly he brings his insights to bear, or argues a point.
Even we or especially we, long time contributors and commentators here should be guided accordingly. My pet bad habit are the links. And one line to no caption accompanying them.
The downside of no links or at least non mentioning of any source is the tendency for one to look like a know it all.
It is dumping comments into spam. JP’s is explained by an inadvertent extra link. I suspect they are having trouble with a lot of spam and have tightened the algorithms that read content. I don’t know. If a posting disappears let me know and I’ll extract it. I’d add that if people are tagged as spam elsewhere, that is picked up here.
There is rhyme, there is reason. We just don’t know all of them. Trolls do get marked for posterity, and the computers do read content.
JP, three or more links puts a comment into moderation. “Charges” came through as a link, probably inadvertently pasted in.
Ahhh. That was in the quote on Diplomat that I copied and pasted. Got it. Will be looking out for those imbedded links next time. Thanks, Joe.
More licenced manufacturing of computers from Taiwan companies. I agree 100%.
We must be future proof.
Study if hybrid setup or home schooling or remote learning is good or bad.
Because like work from home vs remote working has many pros and cons to consider.
like those who force onsite
work will only make some employees to move to companies that offer wfh.
Now does remote learning dumb down or not?
But since what I ask requires R and D more budget for R and D is a must.
https://manilastandard.net/opinion/columns/open-thoughts-by-orlando-oxales/314468588/the-urgency-for-broadband-infra-upgrades.html
philippines really need to upgrade its overall infra connectivity. we have been neglected for so long and so far behind, and catching up may take more than a mammoth budget and political will power. but we can start. the sooner the better.
Many a times dpwh accidentally cut fiber optic cables, I was very in favor of underground cabling to replace the aerial cabling, but if it will always be an issue in DPWH projects more things to consider.Linke the sinling Ungka fly over. Underground cabling should be considered in fortifying the flyover’s foundation.
dpwh supervisors are on the job to oversee projects. most are accredited engineers and should be able to reconnect fiber optics cut accidentally, though on site workers should know what those color coded cables are and the significance of their serial numbers, if they care to look. but accidents happen and rest assured, dwph workers are trained for the unexpected like maybe a sinkhole developing ready to gobble them!
Thanks again for your insights. Makes sense.
No matter how wireless we go, we still live in a fully wired world.
Outages due to construction work happen everywhere in the world.
One can try to avoid them with some diligence and caution, that’s all,
I was overthinking again, Thanks.
Knot tying I think should be taught starting from 3 to 5 years of age, theres the maritime and camping traditions of knot tying. but the Japanese tradition trumps both of those imho, weirdly with the same tradition the Japanese turned it into S&M but it really sprouted from police knots along side samurai arts in Japan. theres actually a whole martial arts associated to these police knots. which when you get into the more eloborate stuff it kinda circles back to origami.
like for example i know that most Filipinos know how to do a paper boat but it seems they’ve stopped at that. same same with knots don’t just stop at one or two or three, keep learning new knots like in origami don’t just stop at one paper boat but do more shapes and animals etc. etc.
all about creativity. cheap and simple. just rope and paper and you’re set.
then cunning. i loved that part in Cryptonomicom where Enoch Root explains Athena as being the goddess of cunning of which the most direct representation of it is crafts and crafts is essentially technology.
thus cunning and creativity are interwined like knots. all about patterns really. and why Athena always bests Ares too in warfare. teach cunning thru creativity, Joe. make Mama Mary there assume the role of Athena also maybe. but Filipinos am sure pre-Muslims pre-Hindu pre-Christian have dieties representing cunning. celebrate this.
There is the goddess Mayari of Tagalog lore..
In Bikolano and Visayan lore, there is the moon goddess Haliya:
https://www.aswangproject.com/haliya/
The sea goddess Magindara is also known in Bikol and Visaya lore but is more enchanting and dangerous than Haliya and Mayari, who are seen as warlike. In Bikol lore, it seems the Magindara is usually nice, unlike the serpent goddess Oryol, her sister in some accounts. Because I am not too deep into this and Trese unfortunately didn’t get a sequel, there may be the more accurate accounts and those diluted and mixed up in modern times.
wow. i guess this post didn’t disappear and was instead moderated. i posted this first, i failed to copy paste to I reposted same ideas up above. hence the redundancy.
thanks. ireneo. I remember theres a Haliya comics by Kwento Comics. Mask of Haliya. maybe this one can get it anime series in Netflix.
corporal, we do more than knot tying in primary school. girls at upper primary level were taught crochet and tatting but not knitting. taught formal table setting too, where to place knives and forks, the cups and glasses, etc. taught sewing as well, we have memorised parts of a sewing machine, learned to make skirt and blouse from a pattern, sew underwear and simple night gown. taught cooking too using the apron we made, boil an egg, cook fish escabeche, chicken and pork adobo, and most of all we know to cook the perfect rice!
girls are not completely useless after graduating elementary school, they knew basic housekeeping. plus we have become adept at gardening, grow our own vegetable patch, and get to bring home our harvest.
funny thing though, when our teacher introduced us the slip stitch (crochet) she looked at us weirdly like she was expecting a reaction, but we pretended we did not know a thing. coz by its sight alone, we know that the slip stitch can easily be modified to become a ‘hikug’ knot, you know, the one knot people use when they commit suicide and hang themselves!
boys at upper primary level do woodwork and carpentry, they can make a bookshelf and a chair and a table, etc. and sell them in the market.
thanks, kb. I wonder if this is still done over there. cuz over here. there used to be all this home economics and woodshop and horticulture etc etc, i’m sure the programs you listed came from here. but as over here, they for some reason did away with it. and mid-2000s I did not see any of what you’ve listed in the cities over there, maybe province but i didn’t look closely but yeah individual homes in province did have more gardens both for veggies/fruits and ornamental plants. so just noticed all the spider fighting and shell breaking and battles in the streets using bamboo and newspaper wads. there were also bbq sticks cobbled together using rubber bands as rounds. or rubber bands launching paper wads. there was also a game where in all the neighborhood kids would splash lines in water and played a type of tag where the person who was it must traverse the line made of water. and another with a short stick and long stick and dug a bit of the ground then lots of running around measuring with sticks. that one i didn’t quite understand but the one hitting cans with slippers was easy to figure out. all this is whats needed now, not more wifi and AI. imho. at least for K-8 grades.
that’s barbaric! spider fighting, like dog fighting. though feral kids do spider fighting in alleyways (not at school) and take bets. fights ensued sometimes and police are called.
anyway, have you heard of the viral boy dila! uhm, better ignore that. boy dila is no longer a boy but a 21yr old man behaving badly.
instead of spider fighting, pinoys have taken it to higher level and have robot wars now. there is a prize for the winner.
any sort of fighting i like, kb. cock fighting in bali’s done in the temple. religious connotations so i guess it just depends on the diskarte. gamblings gambling. but the fighting i love. like when the defeated spider gets wrapped in webbing goes into the victor’s box. so poetic. every defeat should be like that. i’ve tasted defeated cocks, just to taste, i was told it taste so bad not only cuz of muscle mass but also due to chemicals. you gotta link to filipino robot wars?
beggin’ your pardon. I dont promote wars of any kind. though there is a die hard group of filipinos robot warriors online. they have facebook page for members only. search and you shall find.
understood, kb. just to clarify i worship the 9 muses. and this part of my interest serves more Melpomene, for example all my UFOs aliens/angels/demons & religious posts which i bulk into one would be more for Polyhymnia. I try to get interested in Ireneo’s F-pop for Euterpe and Terpsichore, but his stuff on Halya its Clio that usually takes my attention. personally the muse operating in the Philippines in particular I think is Thalia. i worship her more these days. but let me assure you its for Melpomene thus my interest in what you’ve shared, kb. wars are more for Ares and Athena, I just want to explore the tragedy of it. which usually leads to Thalia. thus the enjoyment of it all. for example, the winning spider sucking the blood and eating the body of the losing spider well thats the body and blood of Christ. Filipinos just don’t connect it as such.
heto, robot wars. winner takes all. sometimes, the winner got to challenge the winners from other countries and have tournaments with them. senior IT students, engineering students, students of robotics, most are nerds creating their own robots to annihilate other robots and be crowned master of the universe. only to succumb to more powerful robots.
https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/scitech/technology/617541/pinoy-made-battle-bots-duke-it-out-in-first-robo-rumble-tournament/story/
I am a proponent of K-12 education in PH. I read Marcos saying that the K-12 system did not help Filipino’s employability and he is looking into “short courses ranging from 3 to 1 year specialty.” In the US, these are called certificates and are usually conferred by community colleges. DepEd should look into community colleges curriculums for inspiration. A lot of education in community colleges are experiential like car mechanics students working in a real car repair garage, machinist student working in factories by shadowing a licensed machinist, being an electrician or plumber journeyman to get licensed in those trades. A lot of crafts internships and journeyman type jobs that give students hands-on experience will be key to employability. I think a collaboration with DOLE to find out what skilled laborers are needed in the country and making the last year of senior high specifically earmarked for practicums will help graduates land jobs in crafts and trades they wish to pursue. Community colleges usually have employment counselors who interface with businesses and partner with their Human Resources officers to fill in vacant jobs or to plug interns for practicums. In a country where who you know is more important than what you know, an employment counselor will be the students’ lifeline to employability.
*3 months to 1 year specialty
Germany used to have the K-12+ pilot project in the Philippines. It started in PNoy times and quietly was discontinued in Duterte’s time. The concept was basically German dual training adapted to the Philippine context. Grade 11 and 12 vocational courses, plus working as an apprentice in certain German companies in the Philippines. That isn’t too far from the American model you mentioned, with the additional advantage that apprenticeship means you already build an employer-employee relationship. Usually apprentices have a job over here after finishing the dual system which is usually three years here after Grade 9, unless for some reason the employer doesn’t like them or vice versa.
The trouble I guess with foreign models being adapted in the Philippines is there is a bit of a not invented here mentality over there by now. A certain thickheadedness and insistence to learn from Popeyes College of Hard Knocks, at times needed but not very effective.
The first time the K-12 idea surfaced in PH was in the1940’s when Americans surveyed the PH education system and suggested its implementation. Some blamed the war during that time and some blamed the nationalists for it being tossed in the dustbin. Arroyo brought it out again during her presidency and the PNoy administration tweaked and implemented it. Some Filipinos are against it because of PNoy and maybe there is some of of that Filipino disdain for imported ideas that you mentioned, too. K-12 is accepted globally, PH was one of last 4 holdout countries in the world.
I did not know about the PH-Germany pilot program. Thank you for sharing that info. I heard about a similar PH-Israel program though. I think the incumbent president could also look into reinstating those programs.
A lot of the animosity is strictly because of change that costs the most important resource which is time.
Law, Medicine, and Engineering in lots of ways did not benefit from the change because it takes time for the underlying institutions that are part of the ecosystem to change. Add to that the unfortunate issue of the Pandemic making any honest assessment of K-12 flawed because of the issue of isolation of variables with the effects of the pandemic.
The K-12 has allowed a lot of the upper middle income kids that can study abroad to study abroad. The extra 2 years used to mean they spend a year or 2 in a local college before applying to places overseas that require K-12. I believe a good percentage of PSHS MC now study in mid majors abroad because of 3 main reasons. Alignment of schedule, K-12, and internet making information more accessible to the students.
I see the big picture clearer now. Thanks, Gian.
Time is money. For a lot of poor families that is two more years of sacrifice and lost of (added) income.
The middle class benefited from it especially those have money to study abroad or those who seek employment outside of PH.
Is senior high mandatory? If it is, then the policy needs a second look. Amendments could be made such as making senior high voluntary and giving those who completed Grade 10 a certificate of completion. This will necessitate 10th graders to have a practicum/apprenticeship focused curriculum for employability.
It is mandatory. that is why GMA proposed an amendment to the law dubbed as K-10 + 2 . Where people not going to college can graduate Highschool and go straight to vocational courses. This is more similar to the Japanese model wherein after middle school you can go straight to engineering schools.
I think, we have tesda now, summat replacing vocational colleges. the bill was sponsored by senator francisco tatad and made into law by president fidel ramos in 1994. tesda offers online courses to make it easier and cheaper for applicants to access. though at times tesda requires face to face presentation like in welding. students have to be there in person for competency and grading.
That is the core of how I propose to make everything make financially possible.
Lack of Political will is often the culprit if one does not follow through in his pronouncements making them appear to be just lip service.
At least have a plan of action and blame the economy and or sub ordinates later.
I read in X that one said he will continue on VP Sara’s programs and the poster took it against him.
Continuity is good at times but not all the time like what people feel on the state of Education and it’s programs.
Gadzooks. That’s not good. But it seems to be his method. Don’t rock the boat. I hope he’ll move past that when he seeks to make his mark.
I hope so too.
I am going to add two links. People with long memories remember.
https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2003/07/19/214154/roco-charged-graft
http://www.geocities.ws/jr_arroyo2004/rocolet1.htm
The rot in the system starts in the bottom to the top.
Reformers such as Sen Roco will have a hard time.
The key is decentralization that would lead to better monitoring and accountability.
Fix accountability and we fix the issues that can be fixed.
Systemic issues that require charter change would flow from better educated children becoming better citizens.
gian, are there programs for 0-6 year olds? seems to me if you don’t get 0-6 year olds right, then all the K-12 stuff won’t really matter. you’ll always have a deficit.
the richer LGUs have programs for 2 to 4 but mostly for health for the younger 2 to 3 and pre school 3 to 4
5 is start of kinder
6 is start of grade 1
seems like 0-3 yrs of age, like instituting naps as well as constant stimulation of brain, on top of good nutrition especially hydration. over here not sure if its in other states too, but first 5 california is funded by the state (i’m sure federally too). are there national programs or just strictly LGU?
theres always outreach at events. and give aways. maybe Japan and USA can help fund a similar program over there.
there are programs but specifically targets indigents
I do not know how accurate the picture is but as can be seen compulsory education in Japan is only up to Middle School or something similar to the GMA proposed K-10 + 2.
This is to recognize that not everyone desires to go to College.
My son draws straight A’s but I wonder as to the need for college. The big benefit is that it is a good launch pad to independence, and has socialization. But as for knowledge, there are many sources these days. I wonder if employers are enlightened enough to take a high schooler though. Here I think you need a college degree to be a cop. Not sure on that. But the degree is used to identify “serious” job applicants.
The world would be very different for our kids.
The considerations right now is that the one person billion dollar company lay be possible with automation, AI, and outsourcing.
College allows us optionality but that optionality also needs to be rooted in reality. MIT, University of Waterloo have extensive and well developed internship programs.
University of Waterloo internship allows students to work during summers that means they can even graduate debt free( mostly technology or business related degrees).
if your kid wants to go straight into business that would probably be a good idea too. Maybe apply for one of those Thief fellowships.
Ah, excellent, thanks.
Decentralized how far? To cities and municipalities? Provinces? In the US, it is by county, or at least it was in Colorado where I grew up. People would move to Jefferson County to get good schools. School ratings are an integral part of online home purchase sites such as Zillow.
This is a good way to drive accountability, by the way. Publish ratings on individual schools.
This has to be done by experiment/experience. Biased for me is at the level of support. What does level of support mean?
2nd class and 3rd class municipalities in general do not earn enough for a choice. If you look at those LGUs they have a thin bench of public servants and in general also thin budgets to support education. Basically city level is good with DepEd and DILG acting as a place of redress for issues with government officials
Makes sense.
I know Palantir and Anduril don’t require college or even high school , other tech companies too are going this route. they have their own tests and recruitment methods to hire the best and brightest. but gov’t and more traditional coporations still require college, i guess cuz they don’t have tests and recruitment methods to weed out unoriginal thinkers. though looks like a bunch of small lib arts type colleges in the east coast to mid west are closing down cuz lack of students. so eventually these trends will meet. as to decentralized i remember some barangays depending on neighborhoods had libraries and day care and schools even like barangay runned schools. it varies, there was one barangay with a lot of OFWs thus barangay gov’t got them the OFWS to send to the barangay items for the education of the barangay kids. trends here is more kids are getting homeschooled and school districts and the state is making it easier for families to homeschool, giving them official documentations to use to be able to apply to college or for work. portfolios instead of resumes are on the rise too, like show us what you’ve done. schools and teachers will have to compete. bye bye teachers unions. bye bye school districts that don’t perform. there are more montesori type schools. and for families who don’t have access to montesori schools especially those homeschooling, there are companies that send you boxes of projects to do every week. montesori type stuff or even science projects to do at home. here: https://nymag.com/strategist/article/baby-montessori-toy-subscription-box-reviews.html
On a related note.
We are still too populated by Sea faring Schools and yer produce only a few officers and most are rated or in layman’s terms entry level positions.
This is due to many factors.
Lack of on board training due to lack of training berths. Even if it is a SC ruling for 1 ship 1 school back in the 50s.
Only the best schools have simulators.
Maritime education needs to catch up with the times.
We may know the existence of the technologies like Digital Twinning, Autonomous ships etc.
Still we suffer future shock after future shock in the real world.
True. My brother in law went through such a university but never got a ship job. He probably could have if he’d paid big money to a captain.