PRESIDENTIAL candidates are seeking voters’ support. As always, there has been a disappointing lack of specifics from those wanting our vote.
One area which has been neglected in the electoral debates is the question as to what, if anything, should be done about our education policy.
International comparisons have shown repeatedly that the results of our system of education lag behind nearly all countries in terms of the achievement levels of our students.
The pandemic has, of course, created an enormously difficult situation for those who administer our education system.
I agree with President Duterte who did not favor a return to face-to-face classes. At some point in the near future, however, we can hope that students can attend classes at their schools.
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We need government officials who can follow the lead set by the Cabinet and articulate the policies of their own area of responsibility. For example, Benjamin Diokno has successfully explained Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas’ (BSP’s) strategies and forecasted important outcomes in areas that affect all of us – the inflation rate, for example.
In contrast, the Department of Education (DepEd) has been reticent about what it needs to do in order to improve matters.
We cannot blame the pandemic.
In late 2020, DepEd recognized the need for improving the quality of education. It defined four areas that required examination. The objectives were:
* to review and update the K-12 curriculum
* to improve the learning environment
* to improve, presumably by providing in-service training, the skills of our teachers
* to engage stakeholders for support and collaboration.
But we have not seen any results!
The appointment of the next DepEd Secretary is vital. We need an energetic iconoclast.
Earlier entry to tertiary education for able students would be helpful.
Our investment in education is huge. Within the term of the next president, the annual budget for our K-12 education will be in excess of P1 trillion.
We need to see demonstrably better results./PN
