DECLINATION OF QUALITY EDUCATION

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Declination of Quality Education

In the present time the state of the educational system in the Philippines is a great cause for worry. We used to produce students who were well-rounded and ready for the challenges of the real world. Today, for every 10 children who started their primary education, only 6 go on to continue with their secondary education, and 4 will manage to enter college. What happened? Other countries such as Korea used to send students to the Philippines to learn, now they've overtaken us and are the experts. Isn't that exasperating?

We know that the dream of the every student is to finish college. For some students that dream seem so hard for them to achieve .One of the reasons might be POVERTY. The fact that Many Filipinos in poor areas can hardly send their children to school because they have no money to buy school requirements such us uniforms, notebooks, papers, and writing materials as well as the many projects in all subject areas. Instead of going to school, as they should, these children are forced to work to help in the family finances.. We couldn’t deny the fact that “no matter intelligent and willing we are, we can only finish college if we have money.”

Moreover, it is also vividly emblazoned in the eyes of many students the mistakes of our government. For the government keeps on footing the bill for the education of millions of people, who then spend the better part of their productive years abroad. In effect, the poor Philippine educational system is indirectly subsidizing the affluent economies hosting the OFWs. With 95 per cent of all elementary students attending public schools, the educational crisis in the Philippines is basically a crisis of public education. The wealthy can easily send their offspring to private schools, many of which offer first-class education to the privileged class of pupils.

Furthermore, economic in nature aided by corruption in the government. To save money , they agency once came up with a solution: the mass promotion of pupils in elementary when teachers were made to make beautiful lesson plans and perfect reports to satisfy school heads who in turn submit these to the higher authorities in the division, regional and central offices. These reports were able to whitewash and hide the problem. What can these teachers do? Kill them in producing these lesson plans and nice reports and teach the students at the same time? It takes many hours in producing one very nice and detailed lesson as well as make the necessary visual aids. Most of the time, the poor elementary teachers would sit down and write while letting the pupils copy the lessons on the board. They have no more time in explaining the lessons to the pupils. And the problem is like an avalanche or a landslide on the mountains which starts with smallest problem at the top rushing down to the bottom. The top being the elementary level.

This time there is what we call BRAIN-DRAIN in our country because of very low salaries and benefits for teachers. Many good teachers are decoyed to go abroad and work as domestic helpers to earn better salaries for their families. Who can blame them? They have children to feed and to send to better school.

Now, the question is who will suffer from this very frustrating problem? I would say If only the government would not engage too much in politics and do everything to hang on to power for the betterment of our educational system , if only it is sincere in its concern for every Filipino , it will implement better reforms to ensure progress for everyone and not just for a few.

I,as an observant of this declination of quality education and as one of those who experienced the crisis in education due to financial predicament is hoping to make some sense about the decline in the quality of education, and with the help of people as concerned as I, do something to change for the better.