quality education in the philippines essay

Quality Education in the Philippines

CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION A. Overview What is good quality education? What is the use of this to our daily lives? What will the effects be on our future? These are but just a few questions that run through our mind when we think of what education is. Education, for many, is the forefront in building our future; it gives us the power of knowledge that helps us cope up with the different steps in our lives. Some think of it as a mere process to gain access to monetary security and better life, but this is not mere education should be.

It is one of the most powerful instruments for reducing poverty and inequality and lays a foundation for sustained economic growth. ” (2008) In my own words, education is merely a step to make us grow in all aspects of life, but useless without the proper guidance provided by the teachers and administrators and the given teaching aids used today. Good Quality education is a given name to those that have the complete or necessary requirements in having a good atmosphere for learning and proper growth.

Schools should have the goal to achieve this good quality education and garner more merits and more students. They should teach them by teaching them sing the new and effective methods rather than what we see in the old days. Education is not necessarily good at first, it takes years of service and practice to achieve this kind of excellence just as UST surpassed other institutions in this field.

Proficient in: Teaching

“ KarrieWrites did such a phenomenal job on this assignment! He completed it prior to its deadline and was thorough and informative. ”

The effects of this kind of education can be seen through their fine work on students and the respect and love that they give on each one. It is through this kind of education that spawns great men of the past.

This will lead us to more lucrative jobs and better lives. This will determine our fate in this cruel world. “Education makes man a right thinker. It tells man how to think and how to make decision” Khan (2008). Teachers are the drivers of this future that we want. We can see their fruits of labor on the people that they have produced. One such example is Jose Rizal; he did not like the quality of education in the Philippines that is why he went abroad. He garnered intellectual fame through his wit and possession of good quality education.

So now I ask you, is education really only for those who want the finer things in life or is it also about the knowledge that we receive? This will now depend on the basis of our foundation as human people. I believe that to attain good quality education: we must push through the very thought of money and consider the power of knowledge, for if there is n power, then there will certainly be no knowledge. ”The modern world in which we live is often termed a “knowledge society”; education and information have become production factors potentially more valuable than labor and capital” (2008).

B. Research Aims This paper aims to: 1. discuss the reasons why we are lacking in teachers 2. discuss the similarity and difference of public from private schools 3. discuss the difference of a normal college program from a ladderized program 4. discuss ways on how to promote values, peace, and order inside the classroom 5. discuss how to make the class active through proper motivation C. Research Questions The proponent intends to provide answers to the following questions: 1.

Why are we lacking in teachers? 2. What are the similarities of public and private schools? 3. What are the differences of public and private schools? 4. How to promote effectively values, peace, and order inside a classroom? 5. How is motivation a key to having an active class? 6. What is a Ladderized program? 7. What is its difference with the normal college educational program? CHAPTER 2 METHODS A. Principle/s of Organization Cause and effect Is a form of analysis that examines the causes and consequences of events and ideas.

An organizational structure of text in which there is a description of events and their causes or consequences. Explanation: The author used the principle of cause and effect to give out reasons on why promoting values and motivating students will increase their perception in studying. The author also wants to express the possible effects if the teachers and parents will help in enhancing the skill of the child in his/ her aspect. Comparison and Contrast An organizational structure of text in which a description of similarities and differences among two or more things occurs.

Explanation: The author used the principle of comparison and contrast to differentiate the two Philippine college educational programs which are the normal and the ladderized program. By giving their differences and similarities the author achieved part of his paper which is to differentiate the two educational systems. B. Conceptual Framework Explanation: The author shows in this simple diagram what he points out on this paper. These topics will be discussed in this paper. The origination and development of the Philippine education system since many do not know where it began.

The differences between the two modern programs, the normal and the ladderized because some students are confused on the two programs since the ladderized program was just adapted by the Philippines on the year 2006. Motivating students can lead to many effects according to (Calderon, 1998) there are several definitions of motivation but they all amount to the arousal of interests that directs the learning towards a goal. ” The transformation of students takes place in school since it is where a student mainly spends his time.

This paper will discuss these topics to answer the questions given and to achieve the aim to discuss the quality education in the Philippines. CHAPTER 3 RELATED READINGS Start of Education in the Philippines When did it start? When was it developed? These are but a few of the question that run into one’s mind. It all started in ancient Philippines. The start of education was the use of Alibata, or otherwise known as the Tagalog script. The Pre-Spanish Philippine era already started with Education in writing in which resulted to the development of the Alibata.

This writing system was used by the ancient Filipinos in order to communicate with each other. When the Spaniards first set foot on the Philippine Island they saw that the use of the Tagalog script was their main form of communication and that the use of bamboo as papers and knives or styli as a pen or pencil. When the Spaniards conquered Philippines the writing system of Alibata was replaced by formal education system in Universities run by Spanish priests. Though until now in some parts of our country that the writing system of Alibata is still being used.

Modern Philippine Education Today our education has two programs offered a normal school program which is a straight education from elementary to college and another one is the ladderized program in which in college you will two years in technical and vocational schools and another one to three years(depending on your choice of course) as your college program. Ladderized program helps to ease the students in getting a college diploma that according to (Syjuco)” You start with tech-voc modules and thereafter will require much less college courses to earn a college diploma. In a normal educational program you will start from elementary to high school covering about twelve years and then taking up a course of your choice which will take about four-five years straight. The difference between them is that in a ladderized program you will need to have a two year technical vocational educational course before you can go to college to finish your chosen course while in a normal educational program you will just have to finish a four or five year course straight. Importance of Teachers

Today many of our schools are lacking of highly capable teachers, since most prefer to go abroad and continue their profession in other countries as a result we lack in instructors that can guide students to the right path. Many of today’s students choose education as a last choice of course for some say that it only has a low pay, but we only look at education in the technical or in the monetary side why not look at a different side? Our teachers are the ones responsible to help the parents of their students guide them to be a well educated and highly respectable citizen.

However, if a student becomes successful but does not have any values at all then his success means nothing if he or she cannot promote values. Our teachers play this important role in a child’s life so if a school lacks its teachers then a student cannot be properly taught then he or she cannot gain any success. These are but a few effects that are happening due to our lack of teachers. So we can see that teachers have the most important job of all which is to prepare them for the challenges of life.

According to Manapat (2008), “Whenever they hear one of their students achieve something, they always feel that they are part of it. ” Schools as Centers for Transformation Our education is slowly decreasing in its quality why? It is because of one simple reason, corruption. Our government has already planned a large amount for education but since some officials are corrupt that a big part of the money needed is inside their pockets. Now our schools are responsible to help the country to prevent these situations. Students are taught with values that will help them in future life.

According to (Clemente, 1996), “Schools can be the vehicle for the peaceful revolution to bring about a better Philippines. ” Our schools should be promoting peace and order to their campuses and help in stopping the hindrances for the students to learn and be active. Hindrances like unrecognized organizations, vices, and the likes are disadvantageous to a child’s learning for it may help in promoting the wrong values. A result of these may occur in the future wherein the child becomes a worker or an adult and due to his wrong values that he may not at all succeed in life.

Every teacher always say that no matter how much you have forgotten the lessons taught it is fine but forgetting the values learned is not acceptable. Values learned at school are what make a person who he or she is. Everyday our teachers are preparing lesson plans so when they discuss they can also relate it to real life situations and explain the values that can be learned through it. According to Manapat (2008), “Knowledge or intelligence is second than spirituality, one cannot be very intelligent and yet have lost track of his/ her spirit. Promoting discipline into a child can help change its behavior in class, at school and even anywhere else. According to Manapat (2008), “A disciplined student can face the challenges of life and succeed. ” Student Motivation A student whenever achieves anything a teacher will always be a part of it. Teachers should never discourage their students in having an interest in extraordinary things, for this may be an opportunity for the child to excel in this aspect. A parent should also not discourage their child in having a crush or entering a relationship since this is where their child gets their inspiration.

A teacher also needs an inspiration for teaching is not a very easy job. A teacher can help the parent of their student to develop the child into a responsible adult through proper motivation. According to Manapat (2008), “The students need to inspire their teachers because teachers also need to know whether or not they are able to give them quality education through their teaching. ” Motivating a student can help him/ her to develop in a certain aspect and also motivating the teacher can help to give more meaningful discussions.

A possible example of this would be if the student achieves success in sports a teacher should credit their student’s success since it can help the student to excel more on sports and possibly become a professional athlete in the future. So if both the teachers and the parents would cooperate the child can develop its potential and may become successful in life. Public and Private Schools Public Schools differ in size of school, teaching, uniform, facilities and others. During the old times they say that public schools are better than private schools that according to Cruz (2007) “All the bright students went o public schools. Why a private school when the public school was free and had a better reputation? Those in private schools went there by force of circumstance. ” Today, private schools are better than public schools since they are more advanced in curriculum than in public schools. Both public and private schools are doing their own way to give their students the quality education they deserve. This is through the PAASCU accreditation. If a school passes the accreditation they will be given levels of which level 1 being the first and level four being the highest.

According to PAASCU (2008) “PAASCU judges an institution not by comparison with other institutions but primarily by the degree to which each institution’s own avowed purposes are matched by actual practice in the various areas being evaluated. ” Public and private schools only differ in their physical appearances but in same in their goals and objectives both for the school and the student. CHAPTER 4 PROPOSITIONS These are the statements that the author has learned throughout his research work. These came from the author and not elsewhere.

These are the facts based from his interview, materials, readings and sources: Proposition 1: Discipline is key to success. Discipline is key to a man’s success because no man can face challenges if he is not disciplined. If he will be disciplined then he can make his own way into his success. He can choose what will be best for him. According to Manapat (2008), “Disciplined students can face the challenges of life. ” Proposition 2: We always need to connect God and knowledge. According to Manapat (2008), “We can never be knowledgeable and yet we lost track of our spiritual life”.

God created everything and we owe Him our knowledge. God is the one who guides us in our life and helps us in gaining new knowledge. Proposition 3: Teachers are always part of our success. We must always remember that if not for the teachings of our dear mentors then we would not have achieved success in life. Teachers have become a part of our lives since they patiently taught us the values that we learn. We make a special connection with them not only as our teachers but also as our friend in life. Proposition 4: Teachers also need the inspiration of their students.

If teachers see their students having high marks then they are motivated to work. Teachers improve their style of teaching based on their students’ capabilities. They can give their students their best performance if they know that they are motivated to gain new knowledge. Proposition 5: A teacher won’t give up their job no matter how hard it may be. A teacher will never give up their love for teaching. Our teachers will patiently guide us even if we are a slow learner until we got our momentum at studying. They are with us from the beginning up to the end.

Proposition 6: There are no challenges that are hard if we are guided by God and we are disciplined. Challenges are part of life but if we are disciplined, we can always face them. Discipline helps us to be prepared in facing life’s challenges. If God guides us then we can make the right decisions that can help us develop our life. Proposition 7: Years of experience can help a teacher in giving a quality education. Every year as we progress in life, our knowledge also increases. Teachers who have years of experience can help their students in developing techniques in solving problems.

They can use their experiences in their approach to the students in tackling the lesson. Proposition 8: Motivated students can perform differently than others. Students who are motivated can perform better in class. A student can achieve more in life through motivation. Through this that they can excel and be disciplined in their studies therefore helping them prepare for their future life. Proposition 9: Philippines lack highly capable teachers. Our country is having a hard time in adapting and coping up with the educational system of the other countries why?

It is simply because we lack the teachers who are capable of giving quality education. Many students who are scholars after finishing college, they will go to other countries and practice their profession there and not serve the Philippines. According to Salamat (2006), “With their low wages unable to keep up with the rising cost of living, more and more teachers leave the country to get a higher pay teaching in the U. S. ” Proposition 10: Teachers and parents cooperate to help the child develop its potential. They both help us in developing our otentials through their support. It is their duty to help us grow but it is also our duty to help them help us to reach our potentials. Reaching our full potentials can help us in having our future secured. Teachers alongside with parents help each other in knowing the child’s performance. “A good parent-teacher relationship can be the difference between knowing how your child’s doing in school and knowing how he tells you he’s doing. ”(2009) Proposition 11: A peaceful and orderly environment can help a child develop his values.

A school’s environment is a very important factor in developing values. These values can help them in life, since by knowing and promoting it that one can earn respect. An environment with peace and order will be able to stop the hindrances for the students to receive their educational right. Proposition 12: Ladderized program can help a student get to college easier. A ladderized program is just having a two year technical vocational course then a two-four year course, again depending on your chosen course, as a continuation for your college.

This program has just been adapted by our country last 2006. This program also helps a student to take up college at a low tuition fee. Proposition 13: Parents guiding their children can help them get better performance. A student can perform better if they will be guided by their parents more. It is like a parent looking up for their children while they are growing. A parent should not be too confident that their child is getting enough guidance from their schools. A parent should also guide their child to help them decide on important matters and to help deepen their relationship.

According to Sanders (2008) “Increase the 1-to-1 support your child receives with personal career and education guidance to help your child sort through his/her best-fit choices. ” CHAPTER 5 CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS A. Summary of Main Points The author learned through his research that major factors contribute in determining the quality of education that the Philippines give. One is the low salary of teachers that they tend to migrate to other countries to get better payment. Teachers should be given higher wages since they have the most important job of all which is to guide and help the students in their life.

Another is the school environment if the environment of the school is inappropriate then it will greatly affect the performance of the student. Students will never grow in their studies or will never be molded into their true potential. This is due to their school’s environment; if it is not suitable in learning then the students will not be able to learn what they will need to use in their lives. Students are having difficulties choosing the right school since they will have to choose the standards, the environment, and other criteria.

The country’s educational system is giving students two choices in college; one is to continue in their normal college program or to be in a ladderized program. Being in a ladderized program makes a student enter into a two year technical vocational course then one to three years, which will depend on your course, will be your final college degree. The students need to be guided to know their preferences because knowing their preference can help them grow in their chosen career. The students need to be motivated not only by their teachers but also their parents since they can be able to perform better.

Students are not the only one who needs to be inspired and motivated, teachers also need to be inspired and motivated so that they can also perform their best in their class. Students will be receiving more quality lessons if teachers are at their best. Private schools are not the only ones who should give their students quality education. Even in a public school, teachers should be giving their students high standards in teaching. Students can always perform better if they are motivated, guided, and given their lessons accurately. B. Recommendation After series of research the proponent recommends, . Higher salary of teachers. Teachers should also be given importance for they have the hardest job of all. They leave our country because they believe that they can get more money so the students in other countries can receive the quality education that should have been given to students in our country. Teachers are working not only because it is their job but it is their life. 2. Motivate students to perform better. Students’ performances are judged by their grades, activities, and other co-curricular activities. They perform their best when they are inspired and reaching a goal.

They need to be guided by their teachers and parents so they will know how to transfer their motivation positively and in a way that it can help them to perform better in class. 3. Have a clear connection with the teacher of your child. Parents having a clear connection or relating with their child’s teachers and guidance counselors can help them know on how their child’s saying they are performing than what their teachers are saying. Co-relating with your child’s teachers and guidance counselors can help inform you of what your child’s behavior is while at school. . Giving discipline to students can help them in life. Discipline is one major key to success. It is through this that they can concentrate more and focus more on their goals and therefore achieving it. A disciplined student is different from a student who does nothing. A disciplined student performs better in class and other activities because he can focus but a student who does nothing can reach nothing. 5. Schools should fix their facilities and environment. A student can focus more on his studies if his environment is suitable for learning.

The school’s environment and facilities plays a major role in the quality of education that they can give. Since it can help the students to do better in class and to use the different facilities to gather knowledge and learn. BIBLIOGRAPHY http://www. gov. ph/news/default. asp? i=15637 (January 27, 2009) www. alibata. ph (January 27, 2009) http://web. worldbank. org/WBSITE/EXTERNAL/TOPICS/EXTEDUCATION/0,,menuPK:282391~pagePK:149018~piPK:149093~theSitePK:282386,00. html (February 15, 2009) Clemente, A. (1996). Philippines Into the 21st Century: Quezon City: Valeria Publishing House www. alrisala. rg/Articles/mailing_list/importance_of_education. html (February 10, 2009) Cruz, Neal. “Public schools used to be better than private schools” Philippine Daily Inquirer. February 4, 2007 Meinardus, Ronald. “The Crisis of Philippine Education in the Philippines” Business World Internet Edition. June 30, 2003 Calderon, Jose. Foundations of Education: Manila, Philippines: Rex Printing Company ———————– Student Transformation Development Origination Student Motivation Inspiration Moral Support Values Peace and order Ladderized Normal Educational Programs Philippine Education Skill Enhancement

Cite this page

Quality Education in the Philippines. (2018, Jul 26). Retrieved from https://paperap.com/paper-on-quality-education-in-the-philippines/

"Quality Education in the Philippines." PaperAp.com , 26 Jul 2018, https://paperap.com/paper-on-quality-education-in-the-philippines/

PaperAp.com. (2018). Quality Education in the Philippines . [Online]. Available at: https://paperap.com/paper-on-quality-education-in-the-philippines/ [Accessed: 2 Jul. 2024]

"Quality Education in the Philippines." PaperAp.com, Jul 26, 2018. Accessed July 2, 2024. https://paperap.com/paper-on-quality-education-in-the-philippines/

"Quality Education in the Philippines," PaperAp.com , 26-Jul-2018. [Online]. Available: https://paperap.com/paper-on-quality-education-in-the-philippines/. [Accessed: 2-Jul-2024]

PaperAp.com. (2018). Quality Education in the Philippines . [Online]. Available at: https://paperap.com/paper-on-quality-education-in-the-philippines/ [Accessed: 2-Jul-2024]

• Enhancing the Quality of Education in the Philippines Essay Pages: 15 (4257 words)
• The Cost and Quality of Housing Affects The Quality of Life in America Pages: 5 (1391 words)
• Philippines Toward a Child-Friendly Education Environment Pages: 9 (2561 words)
• Review of Related Literature of Volcano Tourism in the Philippines Pages: 8 (2149 words)
• Football at Polytechnic University of the Philippines (PUP) Pages: 2 (307 words)
• Essay About Overpopulation In Philippines Pages: 2 (474 words)
• Mumbaki Buod Tagalog in Culture of the Philippines Pages: 2 (553 words)
• Politics In The Philippines Essay Pages: 2 (584 words)
• Male Degeneracy And The Allure Of The Philippines Pages: 2 (566 words)
• An Overview Of The Gender Situation In The Philippines Pages: 3 (813 words)

Essay on Education System In The Philippines

Students are often asked to write an essay on Education System In The Philippines in their schools and colleges. And if you’re also looking for the same, we have created 100-word, 250-word, and 500-word essays on the topic.

Let’s take a look…

100 Words Essay on Education System In The Philippines

The philippine education structure.

The education system in the Philippines is divided into three levels. These are the elementary level, the secondary level, and the tertiary level. The system is overseen by the Department of Education for basic education, and the Commission on Higher Education for college and university education.

Elementary Education

Secondary education.

Secondary education in the Philippines is divided into two parts: Junior High School (Grade 7-10) and Senior High School (Grade 11-12). These years prepare students for the next stage of their education or for work. They study a range of subjects, including electives based on their interests.

Tertiary Education

Tertiary education in the Philippines includes undergraduate and postgraduate studies. Students can choose from a wide range of courses. This stage is not compulsory but is important for those who want to pursue professional careers. The quality of tertiary education varies from institution to institution.

Challenges and Reforms

250 words essay on education system in the philippines.

The education system in the Philippines is managed by the Department of Education. It is split into three levels: elementary, secondary, and tertiary. Students start school at the age of 5 or 6. They spend six years in elementary school and four years in high school. After high school, they can choose to go to college for further studies.

Elementary education is the first step. It starts with kindergarten for children aged 5 or 6. This is followed by six years of primary education where students learn basic skills like reading, writing, and math.

High School Education

After completing elementary education, students move on to high school. This is a four-year program where they learn more advanced subjects. After high school, students can choose whether to go to college or start working.

College Education

College education is optional in the Philippines. Students who choose to go to college can study for a bachelor’s degree, which usually takes four years. They can also choose to study for a master’s or doctoral degree after that.

Quality of Education

The quality of education in the Philippines is improving. The government is working hard to make sure all children can go to school. They are also trying to improve the quality of teaching and learning in schools.

500 Words Essay on Education System In The Philippines

Introduction.

The education system in the Philippines is unique and has evolved over many years. It is known for its strong emphasis on basic education, which is made up of six years of elementary school and four years of high school. In 2013, the K-12 program was introduced, adding two more years to the high school curriculum.

Structure of the Education System

The Philippine education system is divided into three levels. The first level is the elementary or primary level, which lasts for six years. Children usually start school at the age of six.

The second level is the secondary or high school level. This lasts for four years. Students usually enter high school at the age of 12 or 13.

K-12 Program

The K-12 program was added to the education system in 2013. This program added two more years to the high school level, making it six years in total. The extra years are meant to prepare students for work, entrepreneurship, skills development, or higher education.

Teaching Methods

Despite its strengths, the education system in the Philippines faces many challenges. One of these is the lack of resources. Many schools lack basic facilities like classrooms, libraries, and science labs. There is also a shortage of teachers in some areas.

Another challenge is the quality of education. Some students struggle with reading and math, even after finishing elementary school. This shows that the education system needs to improve in these areas.

The education system in the Philippines has made many changes to improve the quality of education. The K-12 program is one of these changes. It aims to prepare students for the future, whether they choose to work, start a business, or continue their studies. Despite the challenges, the country continues to work on improving its education system for the benefit of its students.

If you’re looking for more, here are essays on other interesting topics:

Apart from these, you can look at all the essays by clicking here .

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Overview of Education in the Philippines

• Later version available View entry history
• First Online: 24 December 2021

Cite this chapter

• Lorraine Pe Symaco 3 &
• Marie Therese A. P. Bustos 4  

Part of the book series: Springer International Handbooks of Education ((SIHE))

252 Accesses

The Philippines has embarked on significant education reforms for the past three decades to raise the quality of education at all levels and address inclusion and equity issues. The country’s AmBisyon Natin 2040 or the national vision for a prosperous and healthy society by 2040 is premised on education’s role in developing human capital through quality lifelong learning opportunities. Education governance is handled by three government agencies overseeing the broad education sector of the country. At the same time, regional initiatives relating to ASEAN commitments are also witnessed in the sector. However, despite the mentioned education reforms and initiatives, the education system remains beset by challenges. This chapter will give readers an overview of the education system of the Philippines through an account of its historical context and its main providers and programs. Key reforms and issues within the sector are also discussed.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Institutional subscriptions

Batalla EVC, Thompson MR (2018) Introduction. In: Thompson MR, Batalla EVC (eds) Routledge handbook of the contemporary Philippines. Routledge, New York, pp 1–13

Google Scholar  

Bautista MB, Bernardo AB, Ocampo D (2008) When reforms don’t transform: reflections on institutional reforms in the Department of Education. Available at: https://pssc.org.ph/wp-content/pssc-archives/Works/Maria%20Cynthia%20Rose%20Bautista/When_Reforms_Don_t_Transform.pdf . Accessed 29 Jan 2021

Behlert B, Diekjobst R, Felgentreff C, Manandhar T, Mucke P, Pries L, et al (2019) World Risk Report 2020. Available at: https://reliefweb.int/sites/reliefweb.int/files/resources/WorldRiskReport-2020.pdf . Accessed 29 Jan 2021

Bustos MT (2019) Special educational needs and disabilities in Secondary Education (Philippines). Bloomsbury Education and Childhood Studies. https://doi.org/10.5040/9781350995932.0023

CHED (2005) CHED memorandum order 1: revised policies and guidelines on voluntary accreditation in aid of quality and excellence in higher education. CHED, Pasig

CHED (2008) Manual of regulations for private higher education. CHED, Pasig

CHED (2013) CHED Memoradum Order 20: General Education Curriculum: Holistic Understandings, Intellectual and Civic Cometencies. CHED, Pasig

CHED (2019a) AQRF referencing report of the Philippines 2019. CHED, Quezon City

CHED (2019b) CHED Memorandum Order 3 Extension of the Validity Period of Designated Centres of Excellence (COEs) and Centres of Developments (CODs) for Various Disciplines

CHED (2019c) Professional regulation commission national passing average 2014–2018. Retrieved from https://ched.gov.ph/wp-content/uploads/2004_2018-PRC-natl-pass-rate-from-2393-heis-as-of-18June2019.pdf

CHED (n.d.-a). Statistics. Available at: https://ched.gov.ph/statistics/ . Accessed 30 Jan 2021

CHED (n.d.-b) About CHED. Available at: http://ched.gov.ph . Accessed 10 Aug 2020

CHED (n.d.-c) Expanded Tertiary Education Equivalency and Accreditation (ETEEAP). Available at: https://ched.gov.ph/expanded-tertiary-education-equivalency-accreditationeteeap/ . Accessed 11 Sept 2020

CHED (n.d.-d) Higher education data and indicators: AY 2009–10 to AY 2019–20. Available at: https://ched.gov.ph/wp-content/uploads/Higher-Education-Data-and-Indicators-AY-2009-10-to-AY-2019-20.pdf . Accessed 29 Jan 2021

CHED (n.d.-e) CHED K to 12 transition program. Retrieved from https://ched.gov.ph/k-12-project-management-unit/ . Accessed 1 Mar 2021

Cohen C, Werker E (2008) The political economy of “natural” disasters. J Confl Resolut 52(6):795–819

Article   Google Scholar  

Department of Budget (DBM) (2020) PRRD signs the P4.506 Trillion National Budget for FY 2021. Available at: https://www.dbm.gov.ph/index.php/secretary-s-corner/press-releases/list-of-press-releases/1778-prrd-signs-the-p4-506-trillion-national-budget-for-fy-2021#:~:text=President%20Rodrigo%20Roa%20Duterte%20today,to%20the%20COVID%2D19%20pandemic . Accessed 11 Feb 2021

Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) (2020) Regional summary number of Provinces, Cities, Municipalities and Barangays, by region as of September 30, 2020. Retrieved from https://www.dilg.gov.ph/PDF_File/factsfigures/dilg-facts-figures-2020124_c3876744b4.pdf . Accessed 1 Mar 2021

DepEd (2005) Basic Education Sector Reform Agenda (2006–2010). Available at: http://www.fnf.org.ph/downloadables/Basic%20Education%20Sector%20Reform%20Agenda.pdf . Accessed 29 Jan 2021

DepEd (2010) Implementation of the basic Education Madrasah Programs for Muslim Out-of School Youth and Adults, Department Order 57, s. 2010

DepEd (2012) Adoption of the unique learner reference number, Department Order 22, S. 2012

DepEd (2017) Policy guidelines on Madrasah Education in the K to 12 Basic Education Program, Department Order 41, s. 2017

DepEd (2019) Policy guidelines on the K to 12 Basic Education Program, Department Order 21, s. 2019

DepEd (2020) Major projects, programs & activities status of implementation. Available at: https://www.deped.gov.ph/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/List-of-Programs-and-Project-Implementation-Status.Final_.TS_.pdf . Accessed 29 Jan 2021

Department of Education (DepEd) (n.d.-a) Historical perspective of the Philippines Educational System. Available at: https://www.deped.gov.ph/about-deped/history/ . Accessed 11 Sept 2020

DepEd (n.d.-b) Entollment Statistics. DepEd, Pasig.

Early Childhood Care and Development (ECCD) (n.d.) The National Child Development Centre. Available at: https://eccdcouncil.gov.ph/ncdc.html . Accessed 9 Jan 2021

ECCD Council (n.d.) Early Childhood Care 2018 Annual Report. Pasig, ECCD Council, Metro Manila

ECCD Council/UNICEF (n.d.) The National Early Learning Framework of the Philippines . Available at: https://eccdcouncil.gov.ph/downloadables/NELF.pdf . Accessed 28 June 2020

GoP (1990) Barangay-Level Total Development and Protection of Children Act. Republic Act 6972

GoP (1994a) Higher Education Act. Republic Act 7722

GoP (1994b) TESDA Act. Republic Act 7796

GoP (1998) Expanded Government Assistance to Students and Teachers in Private Education Act, Republic Act 8545

GoP (2000) Institutionalizing the System of National Coordination, Assessment, Planning and Monitoring of the Entire Educational System, Executive Order 273, s. 2000

GoP (2001) Governance of Basic Education Act of 2001, Republic Act 9155. Available at: https://www.officialgazette.gov.ph/2001/08/11/republic-act-no-9155/ . Accessed 29 Jan 2021

GoP (2002) Early Childhood Care and Development Act. Republic Act 8980

GoP (2007) Amending Executive Order No. 273 (Series of 2000) and Mandating a Presidential Assistant to Assess, Plan and Monitor the Entire Educational System, Executive Order 632, S. 2007

GoP (2013) Enhanced Basic Education Act. Republic Act 10533

GoP (2014) Ladderized Education Act. Republic Act 10647

GoP (2016) Executive Order No. 5, s. 2016. Approving and Adopting the Twenty-five-year long term vision entitled Ambisyon Natin 2040 as guide for development planning

GoP (2018a) PQF Act. Republic Act 10986

GoP (2018b) Organic Law for the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao Act. Republic Act 11054

GoP (2018c) Safe Spaces Act. Republic Act 11313

GoP (2019a) Transnational Higher Education Act. Republic Act 11448

GoP (2019b) Executive Order No. 100, s. 2019. Institutionalising the Diversity and Inclusion Program, Creating an Inter-Agency Committee on Diversity and Inclusion, and for Other Purposes

GoP (2020) Alternative Learning Systems Act . Republic Act 11510

Government of the Philippines (1987) 1987 Constitution of the Republic of the Philippines

GOVPH (n.d.) About the Philippines. Available at: https://www.gov.ph/about-the-philippines . Accessed 29 Jan 2021

Malipot (2019) DepEd in 2019: the quest for quality education continues. Available at: https://mb.com.ph/2019/12/29/year-end-report-deped-in-2019-the-quest-for-quality-education-continues/ (Manila Bulletin). Accessed 9 Jan 2021

Mendoza DJ, Thompson MR (2018) Congress: separate but not equal. In: Thompson MR, Batalla EVC (eds) Routledge handbook of the contemporary Philippines. Routledge, New York, pp 107–117

Chapter   Google Scholar  

National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) (2017) Philippine Development Plan 2017–2022. Available at: http://pdp.neda.gov.ph/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/PDP-2017-2022-10-03-2017.pdf . Accessed 29 Jan 2021

OECD (2019) Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) Result from PISA 2018 (Philippines). Available at: https://www.oecd.org/pisa/publications/PISA2018_CN_PHL.pdf . Accessed 11 Sept 2020

Paqueo V, Orbeta A Jr (2019) Gender equity in education: helping the boys catch up. Philippine Institute for Development Studies, Quezon City

Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) (2020) SGD watch Philippines. Available at: https://psa.gov.ph/sites/default/files/phdsd/PH_SDGWatch_Goal04.pdf . Accessed 9 Jan 2021

Philippines Qualifications Framework (PQF) (n.d.-a) The Philippine Education and Training System. Available at: https://pqf.gov.ph/Home/Details/16 . Accessed 9 Jan 2021

PQF (n.d.-b) Philippine Qualifications Framework. Available at: https://pqf.gov.ph/Home/Details/7 . Accessed 9 Jan 2021

Professional Regulations Commission (PRC) (2019) March 2019 LET teachers board exam list of passers. Available at: https://www.prcboardnews.com/2019/04/official-results-march-2019-let-teachers-board-exam-list-of-passers.html . Accessed 11 Sept 2020

PSA (2019a) 2019 Philippines statistical yearbook. PSA, Quezon City

PSA (2019b) Proportion of Poor Filipinos in ARMM registered at 63.0 percent in the First Semester of 2018. Available at: http://rssoarmm.psa.gov.ph/sites/default/files/001%20Proportion%20of%20Poor%20Filipinos%20in%20ARMM%20registered%20at%2063.0%20percent%20in%20the%20First%20Semester%20of%202018.pdf . Accessed 11 Sept 2020

PSA (n.d.) List of Institutions with Ladderized Program under EO 358, July 2006 – December 31, 2007. Available at: https://psa.gov.ph/classification/psced/downloads/ladderizedprograms.pdf . Accessed 29 Jan 2021

Schwab K (2019) The global competitiveness report 2020. Available at: http://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_TheGlobalCompetitivenessReport2019.pdf . Accessed 29 Jan 2021

Senate of the Philippines (SoP) (2007) Senate P.S. Resolution No.96 Resolution directing the committee on education, arts and culture and committee on constitutional amendments, revisions of codes and laws to conduct a joint inquiry, in aid of legislation, into the implementation of executive order no. 632 abolishing the national coordinating council for education (NCCE) and mandating a presidential assistant to exercise its functions

Syjuco A (n.d.) The Philippine Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) System . Available at: https://www.tesda.gov.ph/uploads/file/Phil%20TVET%20system%20-%20syjuco.pdf . Accessed 11 Sept 2020

Symaco LP (2013) Geographies of social exclusion: education access in the Philippines. Comp Educ 49(3):361–373. https://doi.org/10.1080/03050068.2013.803784

Symaco, TLP (2019) Special educational needs and disabilities in primary education (Philippines). Bloomsbury Education and Childhood Studies. https://doi.org/10.5040/9781474209472.0025

Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) (2007) TESDA circular 2007. Available at: https://tesda.gov.ph/uploads/file/issuances/omnibus_guide_2007.pdf . Accessed 10 Aug 2020

TESDA (2012) Philippines qualification framework. Available at: http://www.tesda.gov.ph/uploads/File/policybrief2013/PB%20Philippine%20Qualification%20Framework.pdf . Accessed 11 Sept 2020

TESDA (2020a) Philippine TVET statistics 2017–2019 report. Available at: https://www.tesda.gov.ph/Uploads/File/Planning2020/TVETStats/20.12.03_BLUE_TVET-Statistics_2017-2019_Final-min.pdf . Accessed 29 Jan 2021

TESDA (2020b) TVET statistics 2020 4th quarter report. TESDA, Taguig

TESDA (2020c) 2020 TVET statistics annual report. TESDA, Taguig

TESDA (n.d.-a) TVET programmes. Available at: https://www.tesda.gov.ph/About/TESDA/24 . Accessed 9 Jan 2021

TESDA (n.d.-b) National Technical Education and Skills Development Plan 2018–2022. Available at: https://www.tesda.gov.ph/About/TESDA/47 . Accessed 9 Jan 2021

TESDA (n.d.-c) Competency standards development. Available at: https://www.tesda.gov.ph/About/TESDA/85 . Accessed 9 Jan 2021

TESDA (n.d.-d) Assessment and certification. Available at: https://www.tesda.gov.ph/About/TESDA/25 . Accessed 9 Jan 2021

Timberman G (2018) Persistent poverty and elite-dominated policymaking. In: Thompson MR, Batalla EVC (eds) Routledge handbook of the contemporary Philippines. Routledge, New York, pp 293–306

TIMSS & PIRLS International Study Center (n.d.) TIMSS 2019 international results in Mathematics and Science. Available at: https://timss2019.org/reports/ . Accessed 9 Jan 2021

UNESCO Institute of Statistics (2020) COVID-19 A global crisis for teaching and learning. Available at: https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000373233 . Accessed 11 Sept 2020

UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UNESCO UIS) (2021) Philippines education and literacy. http://uis.unesco.org/en/country/ph?theme=education-and-literacy . Accessed 18 Feb 2021

Valencia C (2019) Companies still hesitant to hire K12 graduates. Available at: https://www.philstar.com/business/business-as-usual/2019/09/30/1955967/companies-still-hesitant-hire-k-12-graduates . Accessed 28 June 2020

Worldometer (n.d.) Philippines demographics. https://www.worldometers.info/demographics/philippines-demographics/ . Accessed 27 Sept 2021

Useful Websites

Ambisyon Natin 2040 . http://2040.neda.gov.ph/

Commission on Higher Education (CHED) https://ched.gov.ph/

Department of Education (DepED). https://www.deped.gov.ph/

ECCD Council of the Philippines (ECCD Council). https://eccdcouncil.gov.ph/

National Council on Disability Affairs (NCDA). https://www.ncda.gov.ph/

Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) https://www.tesda.gov.ph/

UNESCO Institute for Statistics Philippines profile. http://uis.unesco.org/en/country/ph?theme=education-and-literacy

Download references

Author information

Authors and affiliations.

College of Education, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China

Lorraine Pe Symaco

College of Education, University of the Philippines, Quezon City, Philippines

Marie Therese A. P. Bustos

You can also search for this author in PubMed   Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Lorraine Pe Symaco .

Editor information

Editors and affiliations.

School of education, Southern Cross University, Lismore, NSW, Australia

Martin Hayden

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2022 Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd.

About this chapter

Symaco, L.P., Bustos, M.T.A.P. (2022). Overview of Education in the Philippines. In: Symaco, L.P., Hayden, M. (eds) International Handbook on Education in South East Asia. Springer International Handbooks of Education. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-16-8136-3_1-1

Download citation

DOI : https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-16-8136-3_1-1

Received : 02 November 2021

Accepted : 02 November 2021

Published : 24 December 2021

Publisher Name : Springer, Singapore

Print ISBN : 978-981-16-8135-6

Online ISBN : 978-981-16-8136-3

eBook Packages : Education Reference Module Humanities and Social Sciences Reference Module Education

Share this chapter

Anyone you share the following link with will be able to read this content:

Sorry, a shareable link is not currently available for this article.

Provided by the Springer Nature SharedIt content-sharing initiative

• Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Chapter history

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-16-8136-3_1-3

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-16-8136-3_1-2

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-16-8136-3_1-1

• Find a journal
• Track your research

• Email us: [email protected]
• Contact us: (02)8836-2002

PISA AND WHAT IT REVEALED ABOUT THE QUALITY OF OUR EDUCATION SYSTEM

The spotty quality of Philippine basic education is something we knew anecdotally but until the PISA results of 2018, did not have objective evidence to bring this into a national discourse on education quality.  (Back in 2000, then Secretary of Education, Brother Andrew Gonzales, FSC, had Philippine Grade 7-8 students aged 12-13 years tested under TIMSS [International Math and Science Study] to dismal results.  The next DepED Secretary, Senator Raul Roco took the Philippines out of TIMSS rationalizing the move by saying it was a waste of funds to pay for expensive testing if we already knew the outcome.)

The  2018 PISA results  were not stellar.  Test results for the country’s 15-year olds randomly tested as a group scored the country lowest among the 79 countries tested in Reading literacy and second lowest in Science and Mathematics literacy.

This was the first time the Philippines has ventured into the PISA, or Programme for International Student Assessment, and international testing since 2000.  Despite of the poor results, the Department of Education (DepED) should be commended for taking a brave approach to PISA. By doing so, we now have a baseline around which we can hold discussions that are evidence-based and not tendentious. The results, dismal as they are, show where we are today as an education system and how far we need to go to be a better-performing one.

In the letter of invitation to the launch of a new program to push for quality in the education system ( Sulong EduKalidad ) using the PISA results as a springboard, Secretary Leonor T. Briones wrote, “The results, which we anticipate will mirror our performance in the National Achievement Test, will put into sharp focus the challenge we face as we aim to globalize our quality standards.”

What is PISA and why is it important?

PISA is a worldwide study by the OECD (Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development) that evaluates education systems in member and non-member countries. A total of 79 countries participated in the latest PISA test in 2018 by measuring 15-year olds’ academic performance in mathematics, science and reading.

The test, done every 3 years, is a system test where a randomly selected group of students in each participating country are tested. The aim of the test is to provide comparable data that would give each country a chance to benchmark its education system against the best in the world in order to improve on education policies, practices, and outcomes. The test does not focus on factual knowledge; rather, it focuses on problem-solving and cognition – two essential 21 st  century skills.

The application of skills and knowledge to solve real-world problems serves as an indicator of how prepared a student might be for the real world.

In addition to testing students, PISA has survey questions that can provide insight that might help explain how country education systems perform. Access to this data should be invaluable to the Philippines and DepED (Department of Education) for policy planning and programming. In previous tests, PISA looked at factor inputs (quality of teachers, material inputs) and the effects these might have on learning outcomes in different countries.

Comparison between boys and girls test performance is also useful data for policy and programming.  (In the 2018 test, data was also collected on bullying. Here, data on the Philippines should be studied more carefully given that reported bullying was highest for the Philippines among all countries in PISA 2018. This will be the subject of a future article.)

What does PISA tell us about our education system?

The headline news is that the Philippines scored lowest in Reading and second lowest in Mathematics and Science among the 79 participating countries.

15-year olds tested in Reading literacy had an average score of 340 (out of a possible 600) versus the OECD average of 487. A breakdown of this score revealed that 81% were reading below level.  And of this number, 24% were one level lower and 57% were two or more levels below.

In Science literacy, the average scores were similar. The average score for the Philippines was 357 versus the OECD average of 489.

In Mathematics literacy, the average score for the Philippines was 353 versus 489 for the OECD average.

Philippine girls, in all three tests, were marginally better than boys but not by much.

The way forward

The initial conclusion points to low levels of reading comprehension which might be at the root of the problem. We pride ourselves as being a country with a high level of literacy.

The name of the game today, however, is about functional literacy (Reading, Writing, Arithmetic plus an ability to follow written and verbal instructions to accomplish given tasks and solve problems) proceeding to more complex problem-solving.

The latter requires an ability to break down problems into smaller parts and then re-assemble these in a meaningful manner in order to come up with a solution or create something new.  Our 15-year olds, for the most part, are having difficulty doing this based on the PISA test results.

In management, if doing something does not produce the desired results, it is time to do something new.  Putting more resources into the same old processes will only result in more of the same poor results.

What is needed is to think of a different way to get the superior results we are aiming for. The system needs to introduce self-correcting processes and mechanisms.  More specifically, the Philippine education system needs to be better streamlined so that better results (i.e., Learning outcomes) can be realized.

What might be done?

• One, de-clutter the curriculum.
• Two, start with building strong fundamentals in Reading and Writing as basic building blocks (Learning tools).   (The question of what language – English of Filipino – is a topic that needs more discussion at the national level and will be the subject of a future essay.)
• Three, refocus and strengthen teacher pre-service and in-service training around the top two concerns.

On the curriculum, ours is actually comparable in scope to other countries including high-performing PISA countries with one major difference:  The DepED curriculum is too cluttered with mandated competencies to be covered.

In science and mathematics, for example, a study that looked at high performing countries versus low performers did a correlation between the number of competencies required (i.e., things to be studied in a given school year) versus test scores.

The major finding: high-performing countries focused on a lesser number of competencies (8 to 12 in a given year) versus low-performing countries which covered as many as 80+ competencies in the same year. This meant that students in high-performing countries had time to digest concepts, do more practice on problem sets or written exercises, and generally had time gain facility and competence on the subject studied.

Students in countries that pushed for more competencies to be learned (including the Philippines), on the other hand, were forced to nibble on different competencies without much chance to internalize concepts, gain practice solving problems, or generate solutions. This “smorgasbord” approach does not result in deep learning or the acquisition of expertise.

Rethinking (de-cluttering) the curriculum should start in Grade 1. The early grades should focus on foundational competencies cutting down on the number of academic subjects to be taken. At higher grade levels, we should abandon the spiraling approach that DepED does in mathematics and science and move back to a more focused discipline approach to these two subject areas.

Teacher training and development is another area that needs to be better managed. Thankfully, DepED is embarking on this with at least two initiatives:

• The Philippine Professional Standards for Teachers first rolled out in 2019; and,
• The transformation of the National Educators Academy of the Philippines (NEAP) as the lead institute in DepED on teacher training and development to starting in 2020.

If these two initiatives can be implemented well and sustained, this will make a big difference in the long term.

But the key to turning these dismal results around has to begin with Reading and Writing.  This starts with preparation for reading in Kindergarten and Grade 1 to at-level reading proficiency in all grade levels after.  Here, reading does not mean in English alone (though this is the language of the PISA test as decided by DepED); reading in any language including the mother tongue will have a positive effect on test-taking whether for math, science or reading.

A 9-year plan

PISA not only provides us with a baseline of where we are today. It can also provide us with a benchmark target to aim for. This can be the Olympic target for our basic education system.

What should we be aiming for?

We should aspire to be at the world average within nine years (three PISA test cycles).  By 2018 scoring, this means raising our 15-year olds’ average score by 130-140 points over a nine-year period.  Objectively, this means bringing the reading level of our 15-year olds up by 3 levels (or one level per test cycle).

To realize this Olympic dream for gold, we need to start at the base (Grade 1) and scaffold a strong foundation building upwards to Grade 12. This will take time to realize results. In the next two PISA tests (2021 and 2024), we will still be doing remediation as our students are already in their late elementary years or junior high school.

But if we start at strengthening Reading at Grade 1 today (school year 2020-2021), by 2027, our Grade 1 students will be taking the PISA test and hopefully, we will be rewarded with much better results.

No quick fix

There may be a sense of urgency given the dire results.  But a problem as complex as this needs systemic, systematic, and structural reform to be long-term and sustainable.  This will take time and will demand patience and grit.

We need a clear strategy to address this problem and as in all strategy situations, we should ask ourselves four important questions:

• Where are we today? (Dismal PISA results.)
• Where do we want to be in 10 years? (At the PISA average or 3 reading levels higher than the 2018 scores.)
• How do we get there? (De-clutter the curriculum to allow students to deepen learning of featured competencies + Focus on building strong foundational reading skills + Improved teacher pre-service and in-service training.)
• How do you know you are on the right path and trajectory?  (Continue international testing (PISA, TIMSS) + Restructure the National Achievement Tests as a proper assessment tool)

Quality, not spending

The politician response to this situation will be, without doubt, to spend more on education. While it is true that the Philippines is still below the desired share of GDP spending for education (and below our neighbors’ education spending), we should make sure that the manner by which we spend reflects quality and not quantity.

The annual budget for the Department of Education has grown five-fold in a short 10-year period.  While this has helped the Department deal with material shortages, this Learning problem is less about a lack of resources and more about new ways to address the Low Learning situation. This is a concern about quality (how things are done).

The PISA results jolt us.  But if it does to us what it did to Peru years ago (Peru had dismal results in its first PISA test but used this to rally its education sector to perform better), then there is hope that the same can happen here.

But this cannot be a quick fix.  What is needed is not a one- or two-year effort.  What is required is a sustained undertaking spanning multiple presidential administrations.  That will be the true test of how focused we can be in reforming our education system and how serious we are in addressing this situation.

Juan Miguel Luz is a Fellow of FEU Public Policy Center

NOTE:  This essay is a revision of the same article published by Rappler (December 11, 2019) by the author.

Licence or Product Purchase Required

You have reached the limit of premium articles you can view for free. 

Already have an account? Login here

Get expert, on-the-ground insights into the latest business and economic trends in more than 30 high-growth global markets. Produced by a dedicated team of in-country analysts, our research provides the in-depth business intelligence you need to evaluate, enter and excel in these exciting markets.

View licence options

Suitable for

• Executives and entrepreneurs
• Bankers and hedge fund managers
• Journalists and communications professionals
• Consultants and advisors of all kinds
• Academics and students
• Government and policy-research delegations
• Diplomats and expatriates

This article also features in The Report: The Philippines 2017 . Read more about this report and view purchase options in our online store.

Education reform in the Philippines aims for better quality and more access

The Philippines | Education

The Philippine education system has evolved over hundreds of years of colonial occupation, first by Spain and then by the US, through martial law and the people’s power revolution that brought democracy to the sprawling archipelago. The education sector’s development has mirrored the changes in the country’s administration. Today the focus is on expanding access and ensuring more Filipinos receive a decent basic education, as a means of reducing poverty and improving national competitiveness. The World Bank notes that in other countries such initiatives have brought “large economic benefits”. The K-12 reform was introduced in 2016 and funding was increased, easing concerns that its implementation would be hindered by limited resources and winning over new President Rodrigo Duterte, who was initially sceptical about the plan.

Despite these successes and President Duterte’s commitment to socio-economic issues as his policy priorities, the education system continues to struggle with deep inequalities. Quality also remains a concern. Addressing these problems will require a continued commitment to increased funding for education, and an efficient mechanism to ensure the money is spent in the most effective manner.

The Philippines has a vibrant and diverse education system, with the government, assisted by the private sector, providing a wide range of education from early years up to college and university across the archipelago. The Department of Education (DepEd) oversees the provision of basic education. The private sector includes kindergartens, international schools and religious schools. In 2015/16 there were 14.9m children enrolled at primary school and 6.01m at secondary level.

Today’s system has been shaped by the Philippines’ colonial and post-war history. Under the Spanish, education was largely provided by missionaries and the study of religion was compulsory, but most Filipinos were not included. It was only in the 19th century that they were able to attend the universities that had been established two centuries earlier, and it was only when the US took control of the Philippines in 1898 that consideration was given to non-religious education, English-language teaching and free primary school education for all.

The country was ill-prepared for the sudden expansion of education and did not have enough teachers to meet the new demand, so the colonial authorities established a teacher-training school and brought in 1000 teachers from the US to provide training. An emphasis on vocational and adult education was introduced in the early 20th century, while bilingual teaching – with maths, science and literature taught in English – was introduced under Ferdinand Marcos in 1974. The commitment to a bilingual education and universal access was enshrined in the 1987 constitution.

K-12 Implementation

Three years since the Enhanced Basic Education Act (EBEA, known as the K-12 law) was signed, the Philippines has finally embarked on its most ground-breaking change to the schooling system in decades, the K-12 reform.

K-12 extends compulsory schooling to grades 11 and 12, adding two years to secondary school, and makes secondary education compulsory. Prior to its implementation, the Philippines was the only country in Asia, and one of only a few in the world, to have a basic education system of just 10 years. The EBEA also mandated kindergarten as the start of compulsory formal education, while the Kindergarten Act of 2012 made pre-school free. In August 2016, 1.5m Filipino children attended 11th grade, with senior school students choosing between four tracks through the system: academic, technical-vocational, sports or the arts. Much of the opposition to the initiative, which triggered five separate petitions to the Supreme Court, centred on whether the country’s teachers, schools and administration were in a position to implement the reform. President Duterte expressed scepticism about the programme before he was elected, but changed his mind in May 2016 after a delegation from DepEd told him that the change was necessary, as Filipino students were falling behind their neighbours.

Indeed, increased spending on basic education – including an expanded Alternative Learning System (ALS) – is a centrepiece of the new president’s 10-point socio-economic agenda. President Duterte insists that the development of the Philippines’ human capital is a priority of his administration. Building on existing programmes, the education secretary, Leonor Briones, said that the Duterte administration’s education policy intends to ensure that the country provides a quality education that is accessible to all and relevant to the needs of the nation. Filipinos should also find education “truly liberating” through the development of critical thinking skills and an appreciation of culture and the arts.

10-Point Plan

The shift to K-12 began under President Duterte’s predecessor, Benigno Aquino III, who approached education as an investment in Filipinos, and offered a 10-point plan for improving education as part of his election campaign. As well as K-12, the 10 fixes included pre-schooling for all, technical-vocational training as an alternative in senior high school, working with local governments to build new schools, proficiency in science and maths, and working with private schools as “essential partners” in basic education. The plan is to expand the Government Assistance to Students and Teachers in Private Education, supporting as many as 1m students at private high schools through the Education Service Contracting Scheme.

Education For All

In 2015 the Education for All (EFA) initiative included provisions to ensure all Filipinos were able to achieve what UNESCO calls “functional literacy”, the ability to read, write and do calculations at a level that is sufficient for the country in which a particular person lives. Further supporting the K-12 reform, the government set four key objectives for the EFA initiative: providing education options for all out-of-school adults and young people; eliminating drop-outs and repetition during the first three years of school; encouraging the completion of a full cycle of basic schooling to a satisfactory level at every grade by all Filipino children; and committing to the attainment of basic education competencies for everyone.

In fact, recognition of the need to move towards K-12 was evident much earlier. In 2005 the government promised, under the Basic Education Reform Agenda, to remove all hurdles limiting access to and delivery of basic education, whether regulatory, structural, financial or institutional. The policy involved five key thrusts: school-based management; the development of teacher education; national learning strategies; quality assurance and accountability; and changes to the administration of DepEd, using the latest technology to ensure more effective use of resources, whether staff or funds.

World Bank Assessment

In June 2016 the World Bank published its assessment on the Philippines reform of basic education, “Assessing Basic Education Service Delivery”, noting that reforms were now backed with a substantial increase in funding, after years of underinvestment exacerbated by average population growth in excess of 2%.

The World Bank estimates that public spending increased by 60% in real terms between 2010 and 2015, helping finance infrastructure improvements and provide the means to hire more teachers. As a result, between 2010 and 2013 the student-to-teacher ratio in public high schools fell from 38:1 to 29:1, while the student-to-classroom ratio dropped from 64:1 to 47:1. However, “despite impressive recent increases, the Philippines still spends less on education than many neighbouring and middle-income countries,” the study noted. “Recent analysis has confirmed the need for more spending to meet national education norms and standards.”

The World Bank study was commissioned by DepEd to assess how the public budget was being used, in order for funds to be allocated more efficiently and effectively. It tracked 80% of the government’s national education budget, as well as spending by local authorities, in the last quarter of 2014.

In a separate report looking at the EFA initiative, UNESCO noted that even though the largest portion of the Philippine budget had consistently been devoted to education, in percentage terms this fell short of international standards, with the state spending only 2.6% of GDP on the sector in 2011.

That figure has risen over the past few years to an expected 3.5% in 2017, but the Philippines continues to spend far less on education as a proportion of GDP than many of its neighbours. Both Vietnam and South Korea, which have some of the world’s best-performing schools according to international benchmarks, spend 5% of GDP on education.

Early Encouragement

DepEd itself assessed the implementation of K-12 at a January 2017 conference with stakeholders including government officials, school administrators and teachers.

Among the encouraging news, it found that the situation in kindergartens had improved, with a more localised curriculum, the construction of clean, safe and child-friendly classrooms, and closer cooperation with the community. Children were developing a love of reading, while teachers’ skills had been enhanced via use of technology and the adoption of more effective teaching strategies.

For grades one to six, best practice included a curriculum more suited to the needs of Christian and Muslim pupils, closer cooperation with indigenous communities, the provision of self-paced learning materials, catch-up programmes at all levels and the introduction of Learning Action Cell sessions for teachers’ professional development. DepEd noted that in schools that had adopted these practices enrolment rose and the drop-out rate fell. Minority groups were also more confident, with Muslim children having the opportunity to learn Arabic.

Junior high schools also focused on programmes to reduce the drop-out rate and nurture continued learning, including the use of ALS through a virtual classroom, a basic literacy programme for adults, and scholarships for adult learners and students with special needs. Schools reported increased enrolment and participation, along with rising community awareness. Teacher competency also improved with training in new learning strategies focused on real-world application.

In senior high schools, where the full roll-out of grade 12 is now taking place, DepEd said that the policy has been largely successful, noting the transfer of junior high school teachers to fill vacancies, and improved cooperation both between local and national government, and with the private sector on the provision of facilities, including classrooms and dormitories for pupils living in remote areas. A large percentage of those enrolled in private schools received vouchers, with scholarships also available.

Raising Standards

Much of the official discussion on K-12 centres on the need to raise standards, improve teacher quality and encourage completion of basic schooling. The drop-out rate has remained high, and data from the “Functional Literacy, Education and Mass Media Survey” produced by the Philippine Statistics Authority, shows that around 4m children and young people were out of school in 2013, while as of April 2016, 16.6m Filipinos – or 39% of the workforce – had not completed basic education. The World Bank noted continuing problems with access and inequality. The report found that only 53% of the poorest 20% of households sent their children to high school, while 81% of the wealthiest families did so. To address the problem, the government aims to incentivise attendance, extend school feeding programmes and expand programmes under the ALS, a “second chance” designed to ensure more Filipinos complete their basic education. President Duterte has indicated that an enhanced ALS – better targeted with wider coverage, more partnerships and approaches that meet learners’ needs – will be one of his administration’s major legacies.

Regional Inequalities

The World Bank also found differences in allocations to education in different regions at the level of both national and local government. While both have responsibility for funding education, the World Bank estimates the local contribution, which is funded by property taxes, has been declining since 2006. Currently, more than 90% of school funding originates from the national government, with the proposed allocation to DepEd at P569.1bn ($12bn) in 2017, compared with P431.5bn ($9.1bn) in 2016. Most goes towards teachers’ salaries, but a significant amount funds financial assistance programmes for children from low-income families. Regional disparities in funding levels do not necessarily correspond directly with outcomes. The report found that although city schools received higher funding, their pupils tended to do less well in national tests than their rural peers. The report cited insufficient infrastructure to cope with the larger student bodies at urban schools and higher rates of teacher absences as reasons for this.

“Many schools, particularly in urban areas, have insufficient and poor quality facilities and a shortage of teachers,” the report said. “Operational funding still falls short of the amounts that schools need to pay bills, undertake basic repairs, and provide the day-to-day materials their students need. And there is rarely anything left over to fund school-level initiatives to improve student learning achievement.”

Allocation Of Funds

More effective targeting of funds to the areas of greatest need is therefore a priority alongside an overall increase in budget allocations. Briones told the Education Summit in November 2016 there is “a need for a drastic improvement in absorptive capacity”. The Duterte administration is planning to introduce a series of financial management reforms to improve education outcomes, including: enhanced leadership supervision and oversight over finance, administration and procurement; the creation of an education programme delivery unit to monitor budget execution and intervene to ensure funds move smoothly to where they are needed; a financial management information system to track budget spending in real time; and a more proactive approach to spending.

Teaching Standards

In recent years DepEd has introduced a number of measures to improve the standard of teaching, revising professional benchmarks and providing more on-the-job training. It has also made a concerted effort to attract the brightest and the best by raising compensation and making the selection process more competitive. In the past, teaching was poorly paid and often seen as the fall-back course for university applicants who did not get onto their preferred course. Studies found teacher knowledge in both elementary and high school was low, and that the professional development programmes were insufficient.

Civil society is also helping. Non-profit organisation Philippine Business for Education launched the Scholarships in Teacher Education Programme to Upgrade Teacher Quality in the Philippines (STEPUP), which is funded by Australian Aid, in 2015. The idea is to encourage the country’s best-performing college graduates and professionals to join the profession, with the aim of producing 1000 high-quality teachers for the public school system by 2019. Accepting candidates up to the age of 45, STEPUP covers full tuition fees and offers a range of benefits for participants. In return, successful applicants must work with DepEd for three years. The organisation offers a similar scheme to encourage the best high school seniors to pursue degrees in education, majoring in subjects including maths and English. The Philippines has not participated in an international survey of school performance since a 2003 study showed only one-third of children in elementary and secondary school were able to reach the lowest international benchmark in maths. It also revealed stark differences in performance between children from low-and high-income families. While that makes it hard to get a sense of how well the country’s children are doing relative to their peers in region, results in national tests remain patchy. At elementary school, the average score rose to 69.97% in 2013/14, but slipped back to 69.1% in 2014/15. The government targeted a score of 77% in 2016. A similar trend is evident at the secondary level, where the average score edged up to 53.77% in 2013/14 before dropping back to 49.48% in 2014/15. In 2016 the target was 65%. National results also show that pupils in urban schools do not perform as well as those in rural areas, according to the World Bank. The average score in the 2014 grade six exam was 66% in city schools and 75% in those outside urban areas, even though the former tended to have larger revenues.

Meeting National Needs

The government insists that the education system must be more appropriate to the needs of the country, including its economy. The aim is to improve students’ abilities in science and technology, and nurture critical thinking, creativity and entrepreneurial spirit, as well as to encourage them to support the wider community, especially those on the margins. Sex education, along with awareness of the issues surrounding teenage pregnancy and the dangers of drugs (from grade four), will be strengthened, and there will be a special emphasis on the environment, climate change and disaster preparedness in a country that has frequently endured earthquakes, volcanic eruptions and severe weather. To achieve these goals, the government is overhauling the curriculum to establish a “spiral” approach, which is designed to challenge and stimulate pupils so that they develop critical thinking skills. DepEd consulted industry during the development of the new curriculum, although the final design was the work of DepEd alone. Those learning science under the spiral approach, for example, learn general science, biology, chemistry and physics on a per quarter basis. The basics are taught in grade seven, with more complicated theories added as pupils progress through subsequent grades.

Higher Education

The Philippines is one of the few countries where the number of private higher education institutions and students enrolled there is greater than in the state sector. Leading private universities, such as the University of Santo Tomas, were established hundreds of years before their public sector counterparts – although Filipinos were not allowed to attend until the 19th century – while the University of the Philippines, the archipelago’s leading state university, was set up in 1908, when the country was under US control.

National government spending on the tertiary education segment has risen in recent years, but at 12.2% of the sector budget, spending remains below the international benchmark of 15-20%. The 2017 allocation reflects a government decision to scrap tuition fees at all state universities and colleges. However, students will still need to pay their living expenses with grants and other forms of aid available to those from low-income families.

“In the short term, this will incrementally improve enrolment rates, and will help free up financial resources for other college expenses and needs of the students,” Patricia Licuanan, chair of the Commission on Higher Education (CHED), said in a statement after the budget was passed in December. “From a wider perspective, this amount will eventually increase the available income of families.”

The Philippine higher education system is managed by CHED and the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA). The country’s 228 state universities and colleges, which had 1.88m students in the 2015/16 academic year, are operated and subsidised by the government, with each university run by a board of regents and a board of trustees supervised by the chair of CHED. Local government units can also establish local universities. The state universities and colleges have a total of 454 satellite campuses, according to CHED.

The 1706 private universities and colleges, which have a total of 2.22m students, are generally much smaller, are governed under the Corporation Code and can be non-profit religious institutions or for-profit secular colleges. The greatest density of higher education institutions is in the south of the largest island of Luzon, including Manila. In 2015/16, 26% of students (1.07m) were enrolled in business-related courses, followed by 19% (791,000) studying education and teaching, and 13% (517,000) on courses in engineering and technology.

Quality Of Instruction

Despite the size of the higher education sector, the quality of instruction remains low, according to the Asian Development Bank (ADB). In professional board examinations, for instance, median pass rates between 2005 and 2015 ranged from 34% to 43%. The ADB also noted a “worrisome preponderance” within both the state and private sector of institutions with a pass rate of zero, “indicative of a large number of low-quality higher education institutions.”

“CHED has instituted a vertical/horizontal typology approach to assess the quality of higher educational institutions,” Caroline Marian Enriquez, president of Our Lady of Fatima University, told OBG. “However, given that the current university landscape is composed of over 2000 institutions of very uneven quality, some of the standards may be too stringent or not applicable to the core competencies of certain institutions.”

The government has been trying to rationalise the state sector by putting a halt to the establishment of new course programmes by state universities and local colleges that do not meet the standards set by CHED, by encouraging rationalisation and hopefully reducing course duplication. It is also trying to raise standards through the introduction of quality institutional sustainability assessment.

“For the government to truly improve the quality assurance system of education, it should provide strong data on the performance of schools. Once analysis is provided on the 10 best- or worst-performing schools, the market will be able to decide based on this information,” Chito Salazar, president and CEO of Phinma Education, told OBG PHILIPPINE QUALIFICATIONS FRAMEWORK: In addition, the government has enhanced the Philippine Qualifications Framework (PQF) to put it in line with the ASEAN Qualifications Reference Framework and ensure academic programmes meet international standards. “The PQF can significantly reduce jobs-skills mismatch. It can also boost international confidence among Filipino workers by making them more competitive and employable,” Senator Joel Villanueva, a former TESDA director-general, said in August 2016 (see analysis). The government is committed to creating a system that is more aligned to 21st century needs, positioning higher education as an accelerator for innovation and inclusive development. It is encouraging cooperation between academia and industry, supporting the professional development of teaching and research staff who want to complete their doctorate, and promoting research cooperation between institutions and across borders. Already, courses in subjects including meteorology, business analytics and naval architecture have been developed with industry, and a degree in health informatics is under development.

Research Partnerships

Research and development (R&D) has also been a focus in areas such as food security, the environment and natural disasters, biodiversity and health systems in order to support the Duterte administration’s socio-economic objectives. As part of the push for reform, the government is keen to encourage increased private investment and internationalisation in higher education.

Some institutions already partner with overseas universities on select courses, while the Philippine-California Advanced Research Institute (PCARI) was initiated in 2013 by the scientific community and academics to boost the country’s research capacity by supporting post-doctoral scholars and R&D proposals with the potential to address the Philippines’ developmental issues.

The PCARI’s R&D projects involve 15 private institutions working with partners at the University of California, and include work on traffic management in urban areas, the development of affordable solar energy systems for remote areas, and improving local capacity to design and develop medical devices.

The Philippines has embarked on education reforms that it considers crucial to its economic development, bringing its school system into line with international standards and seeking to open up its higher education sector to more people, while supporting R&D that will raise its academic profile and bring lasting benefits to the country.

The government had to overcome substantial opposition to introduce K-12, a sign of its determination to bring lasting change, but sustained funding to support the increased demand on resources will be crucial if these bold reforms are to be a success.

Request Reuse or Reprint of Article

Read More from OBG

In Philippines

The Philippine roadmap for inclusive, balanced, long-term growth is aligned with environmental, social and governance (ESG) principles and the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

In Education

Nurturing talent: Amir Berbic, Dean, Virginia Commonwealth University School of the Arts in Qatar (VCU arts Qatar), on professional opportunities for academic staff and the development of students’ skills Interview: Amir Berbic To what extent does the integration of foreign universities in the higher education segment contribute to the development of students’ skills? AMIR BERBIC: Investing in the higher education segment is fundamental for capacity building and societal development. Higher education institutions play a crucial role in nurturing the next generation, equipping them to lead the country forwards by advancing various industries. For example, by teaching disciplines like desi…

Khalid Jasim Al Midfa, Chairman, Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority (SCTDA) In this Global Platform video, Oxford Business Group speaks with Khalid Jasim Al Midfa, Chairman, Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority (SCTDA) about Sharjah’s strategies for fostering tourism growth by striking a balance between cultural appreciation and sustainability. In 2022 tourism constituted over 9% of the UAE's GDP and contributed around 10% to non-oil GDP in the emirate of Sharjah, which is positioning itself as a family and environmentally friendly destination. Sharjah, …

Register for free Economic News Updates on Asia

“high-level discussions are under way to identify how we can restructure funding for health care services”, related content.

Featured Sectors in Philippines

• Asia Agriculture
• Asia Banking
• Asia Construction
• Asia Cybersecurity
• Asia Digital Economy
• Asia Economy
• Asia Education
• Asia Energy
• Asia Environment
• Asia Financial Services
• Asia Health
• Asia Industry
• Asia Insurance
• Asia Legal Framework
• Asia Logistics
• Asia Media & Advertising
• Asia Real Estate
• Asia Retail
• Asia Safety and Security
• Asia Saftey and ecurity
• Asia Tourism
• Asia Transport

Featured Countries in Education

• Indonesia Education
• Malaysia Education
• Myanmar Education
• Papua New Guinea Education

Popular Sectors in Philippines

• The Philippines Agriculture
• The Philippines Construction
• The Philippines Economy
• The Philippines Financial Services
• The Philippines ICT
• The Philippines Industry

Popular Countries in Education

• Djibouti Education
• Nigeria Education
• Brunei Darussalam Education
• The Philippines Education
• Qatar Education
• UAE: Abu Dhabi Education

Featured Reports in The Philippines

Recent Reports in The Philippines

• The Report: Philippines 2021
• The Report: Philippines 2019
• The Report: Philippines 2018
• The Report: The Philippines 2017
• The Report: The Philippines 2016
• The Report: The Philippines 2015

Privacy Overview

The Current Education Issues in the Philippines — and How Childhope Rises to the Challenge

• August 25, 2021

Even before COVID-19 struck and caused problems for millions of families, the country’s financial status is one of the top factors that add to the growing education issues in the Philippines. Furthermore, more children, youth, and adults can’t get a leg up and are thus left behind due to unfair access to learning.

Moving forward, such issues can lead to worse long-term effects. Now, we’ll delve deep into the current status and how we can take part in social efforts to help fight these key concerns of our country.

Crisis in Philippine Education: How is It Really?

Filipinos from rich households or living in cities and developed towns have more access to private schools. In contrast, less favored groups are more bound to deal with lack of classrooms, teachers, and means to sustain topnotch learning.

A 2018 study found that a sample number of 15-year-old Filipino students ranked last in reading comprehension out of 79 countries . They also ranked 78 th in science and math. One key insight from this study is it implies those tested mostly came from public schools. Hence, the crisis also lies in the fact that a lot of Filipinos can’t read or do simple math.

Indeed, it’s clear that there is a class divide between rich and poor students in the country. Though this is the case, less developed states can focus on learning if it’s covered in their top concerns. However, the Philippines doesn’t invest on topnotch learning as compared to its neighbor countries. In fact, many public schools lack computers and other tools despite the digital age. Further, a shortfall in the number of public school teachers is also one of the top issues in the country due to their being among the lowest-paid state workers. Aside from that, more than 3 million children, youth, and adults remain unenrolled since the school shutdown.

It goes without saying that having this constant crisis has its long-term effects. These include mis- and disinformation, poor decision-making, and other social concerns.

The Education System in the Philippines

Due to COVID-19, education issues in the Philippines have increased and received new challenges that worsened the current state of the country. With the sudden events brought about by the health crisis, distance learning modes via the internet or TV broadcasts were ordered. Further, a blended learning program was launched in October 2020, which involves online classes, printouts, and lessons broadcast on TV and social platforms. Thus, the new learning pathways rely on students and teachers having access to the internet.

This yet brings another issue in the current system. Millions of Filipinos don’t have access to computers and other digital tools at home to make their blended learning worthwhile. Hence, the value of tech in learning affects many students. Parents’ and guardians’ top concerns with this are:

• Money for mobile load
• Lack of gadget
• Poor internet signal
• Students’ struggle to focus and learn online
• Parents’ lack of knowledge of their kids’ lessons

It’s key to note that equipped schools have more chances to use various ways to deal with the new concerns for remote learning. This further shows the contrasts in resources and training for both K-12 and tertiary level both for private and public schools.

One more thing that can happen is that schools may not be able to impart the most basic skills needed. To add, the current status can affect how tertiary education aims to impart the respect for and duty to knowledge and critical outlook. Before, teachers handled 40 to 60 students. With the current online setup, the quality of learning can be compromised if the class reaches 70 to 80 students.

Data on Students that Have Missed School due to COVID-19

Of the world’s student population, 89% or 1.52 billion are the children and youth out of school due to COVID-19 closures. In the Philippines, close to 4 million students were not able to enroll for this school year, as per the DepEd. With this, the number of out-of-school youth (OSY) continues to grow, making it a serious issue needing to be checked to avoid worse problems in the long run.

List of Issues When it Comes to the Philippines’ Education System

For a brief rundown, let’s list the top education issues in the Philippines:

• Quality – The results of the 2014 National Achievement Test (NAT) and the National Career Assessment Examination (NCAE) show that there had been a drop in the status of primary and secondary education.
• Budget – The country remains to have one of the lowest budget allotments to learning among ASEAN countries.
• Cost – There still is a big contrast in learning efforts across various social groups due to the issue of money—having education as a status symbol.
• OSY – The growing rate of OSY becomes daunting due to the adverse effects of COVID-19.
• Mismatch – There is a large sum of people who are jobless or underpaid due to a large mismatch between training and actual jobs.
• Social divide – There is no fair learning access in the country.
• Lack of resources – Large-scale shortfalls in classrooms, teachers, and other tools to sustain sound learning also make up a big issue.

All these add to the big picture of the current system’s growing concerns. Being informed with these is a great first step to know where we can come in and help in our own ways. Before we talk about how you can take part in various efforts to help address these issues, let’s first talk about what quality education is and how we can achieve it.

What Quality Education Means

Now, how do we really define this? For VVOB , it is one that provides all learners with what they need to become economically productive that help lead them to holistic development and sustainable lifestyles. Further, it leads to peaceful and democratic societies and strengthens one’s well-being.

VVOB also lists its 6 dimensions:

• Contextualization and Relevance
• Child-friendly Teaching and Learning
• Sustainability
• Balanced Approach
• Learning Outcomes

Aside from these, it’s also key to set our vision to reach such standards. Read on!

Vision for a Quality Education

Of course, any country would want to build and keep a standard vision for its learning system: one that promotes cultural diversity; is free from bias; offers a safe space and respect for human rights; and forms traits, skills, and talent among others.

With the country’s efforts to address the growing concerns, one key program that is set to come out is the free required education from TESDA with efforts to focus on honing skills, including technical and vocational ones. Also, OSY will be covered in the grants of the CHED.

Students must not take learning for granted. In times of crises and sudden changes, having access to education should be valued. Aside from the fact that it is a main human right, it also impacts the other human rights that we have. Besides, the UN says that when learning systems break, having a sustained state will be far from happening.

How Childhope KalyEskwela Program Deals with Changes

The country rolled out its efforts to help respond to new and sudden changes in learning due to the effects of COVID-19 measures. Here are some of the key ones we can note:

• Continuous learning – Since the future of a state lies on how good the learning system is, the country’s vision for the youth is to adopt new learning paths despite the ongoing threat of COVID-19.
• Action plans – These include boosting the use of special funds to help schools make modules, worksheets, and study guides approved by the DepEd. Also, LGUs and schools can acquire digital tools to help learners as needed.

Now, even with the global health crisis, Childhope Philippines remains true to its cause to help street children:

• Mobile learning – The program provides topnotch access to street children to new learning methods such as non-formal education .
• Access to tools – This is to give out sets of school supplies to help street kids attend and be ready for their remote learning.
• Online learning sessions – These are about Skills for Life, Life Skill Life Goal Planning, Gender Sensitivity, Teenage Pregnancy and Adolescent Reproductive Health.

You may also check out our other programs and projects to see how we help street children fulfill their right to education . You can be a part of these efforts! Read on to know how.

Shed a Light of Hope for Street Children to Reach Their Dreams

Building a system that empowers the youth means helping them reach their full potential. During these times, they need aid from those who can help uphold the rights of the less privileged. These include kids in the streets and their right to attain quality education.

You may hold the power to change lives, one child at a time. Donate or volunteer , and help us help street kids learn and reach their dreams and bring a sense of hope and change toward a bright future. You may also contact us for more details. We’d love to hear from you!

With our aim to reach more people who can help, we’re also in social media! Check out our Facebook page to see latest news on our projects in force.

Subscribe to our Mailing List

©1989-2024 All Rights Reserved.

Read The Diplomat , Know The Asia-Pacific

• Central Asia
• Southeast Asia
• Environment
• Asia Defense
• China Power
• Crossroads Asia
• Flashpoints
• Pacific Money
• Tokyo Report
• Trans-Pacific View

Photo Essays

• Write for Us
• Subscriptions

The Philippines’ Basic Education Crisis

Recent features.

Migrant Workers Pay Sky-high Fees to Expand Taiwan’s Biggest Airport

Indian Foreign Policy Under Narendra Modi: A Decade of Transformation

Mongolia’s Democracy in Action

Sara Hsu on China’s Economic Policy Under Xi Jinping

Why Poland Has Become a Gateway to Europe for Filipinos

Afghan Hopes Are Riding on the Doha Conference

Critical Infrastructure and Power Games in China-EU Relations

Taiwan’s Aging Society Poses a National Security Threat

Japan: No Indo-Pacific Order Without International Order 

Mongolia’s Precarious Energy Security

Rohingya Refugees in Bangladesh Pressured to Join Myanmar’s Civil War

In Southeast Asia, the Authorities Are the Biggest Gun Dealers in Town

Asean beat  |  society  |  southeast asia.

Out of the country’s 327,000-odd school buildings, less than a third are in good condition, according to government figures.

Three Filipino schoolgirls walking home from school on a muddy road in Port Barton, Palawan, the Philippines.

Several recent studies have pointed out the alarming deterioration of the quality of learning in the Philippines, but this was officially confirmed in the basic education report delivered by Vice President Sara Duterte on January 30. Duterte is concurrently serving as secretary to the Department of Education.

Addressing stakeholders with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. in attendance, Duterte highlighted the key issues that plague the country’s basic education system before announcing her department’s agenda for reform .

She echoed what previous surveys have indicated about the low academic proficiency of Filipino students. She also identified her department’s biggest concern. “The lack of school infrastructure and resources to support the ideal teaching process is the most pressing issue pounding the Philippine basic education,” she said.

She presented the latest government inventory which shows that out of 327,851 school buildings in the country, only 104,536 are in good condition. There are 100,072 school buildings that need minor repairs, 89,252 that require major repairs, and 21,727 that are set for condemnation.

She added that the procurement practices in the agency “had red flags that demanded immediate actions.” She shared initial findings in the ongoing review of the K-12 curriculum that underscored the failure of the 10-year-old program to deliver satisfactory results.

“The K-12 curriculum promised to produce graduates that are employable. That promise remains a promise,” she said.

Duterte criticized the heavy workload assigned to teachers as she pressed for an immediate review of the current setup in public schools. “This is a system that burdens them with backbreaking and time-consuming administrative tasks, a system that provides no adequate support and robs them of the opportunity to professionally grow and professionally teach, assist, and guide our learners,” she said.

She unveiled her education agenda themed “Matatag: Bansang Makabata, Batang Makabansa,” (Nation for children, children for the nation) and focused on curriculum reform, accelerated delivery of services, promoting the well-being of learners, and providing greater support to teachers.

Responding to the report, Marcos joined Duterte in acknowledging the government’s accountability to the nation’s young learners. “We have failed them,” he said. “We have to admit that. We have failed our children and let us not keep failing them anymore.” He promised to build better infrastructure by investing heavily in education.

He can cite as reference his government’s development plan , which was also released in January, about how the education crisis is linked to “decades of incapacity and suboptimal investment in education.”

Duterte’s admission about the dismal state of basic education was welcomed by some educators. Senators vowed to work with Marcos and Duterte in passing education reform measures. Opposition legislators urged Duterte to hear the views of school unions and student organizations whose appeals for better learning conditions are often dismissed by authorities as part of anti-government propaganda.

Meanwhile, the Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT) noted that the report “failed to present today’s real extent and gravity of the learning crisis due to the lack of an evidence-based learning assessment conducted after the pandemic-induced school lockdowns.” The group was referring to the prolonged closure of schools under the government of President Rodrigo Duterte.

“Her father was president for six years and had not done any significant move to improve the lot of our mentors and of the education system. It is the government who have failed the teachers and our learners,” the group insisted.

It was also under the Duterte government when around 54 Lumad schools for indigenous peoples in Mindanao Island were either suspended or forced to shut down by authorities based on accusations that they were teaching rebellion.

The report also didn’t mention that some of the major questionable procurement transactions in the education department took place under the previous government.

The ACT criticized Duterte’s reform agenda because it features “general promises that lack specific action plans and definite targets.”

“No specific targets and timelines were presented to convincingly show that the agency will cut down the classroom shortage significantly,” it added.

Duterte said the agency will build 6,000 classrooms this year, which is quite small compared to the backlog identified in the report. There’s also no deadline for the electrification of around 1,562 schools that still do not have access to power.

Despite her impassioned plea to uplift the working conditions of educators, Duterte was castigated for being silent about the pending proposals to raise the salary grades of public school teachers.

ACT reminded officials to prove their political will in reversing the decline of Philippine education. “The call to reforming education should not be a grandstanding cry but a sincere pledge to rectify the mistakes and shortcomings of the past and the present,” it said.

This can be measured in at least two ways this year. First, Duterte’s 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.

Philippines Undertakes Major Review of School Curriculum

By mong palatino.

The First 100 Days of Philippine Vice President Sara Duterte

How Philippine Education Contributed to the Return of the Marcoses

By franz jan santos.

Philippines’ Marcos Jr. Heads to China Amid Sea Disputes

By associated press.

Why is India’s Hindu Right Pro-Israel?

By akhilesh pillalamarri.

By Dayna Santana Pérez

Philippines Has ‘Secretly Reinforced’ South China Sea Outpost, Report Claims

By sebastian strangio.

China and the Philippines Inch Closer to Conflict in the South China Sea

By Peter Bengtsen

By Raquel Carvalho

By Freshta Jalalzai

By Mathieu Duchâtel

SDGs – Philippines

Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all

Goal 4 in numbers.

Ensure that all girls and boys complete free, equitable and quality primary and secondary education  leading to relevant and Goal-4 effective learning outcomes

Ensure equal access for all women and men to affordable and quality technical, vocational and tertiary education, including university

Substantially increase the number of youth and adults who have relevant skills, including technical and vocational skills, for employment, decent jobs and entrepreneurship

Eliminate gender disparities in education and ensure equal access to all levels of education and vocational training for the vulnerable , including persons with disabilities, indigenous peoples and children in vulnerable situations

Ensure that all youth and a substantial proportion of adults , both men and women, achieve literacy and numeracy

Ensure that all learners acquire the knowledge and skills needed to promote sustainable development, including, among others, through education for sustainable development and sustainable lifestyles, human rights, gender equality, promotion of a culture of peace and non-violence, global citizenship and appreciation of cultural diversity and of culture’s contribution to sustainable development

Build and upgrade education facilities that are child, disability and gender sensitive and provide safe, nonviolent, inclusive and effective learning environments for all

Substantially expand globally the number of scholarships available to developing countries , in particular, least developed countries, small island developing States and African countries, for enrolment in higher education, including vocational training and information and communications technology, technical, engineering and scientific programmes, in developed countries and other developing countries

Substantially increase the supply of qualified teachers, including through international cooperation for teacher training in developing countries, especially least developed countries and small island developing states

Goal 4 Indicators (Preliminary data from PSA).

GOAL 4 IN ACTION

List of Key Government Programs, Activities, or Projects (PAPs) Contributing to Goal 4.

Free TVET Programs

Free skills training, assessments and other benefits, as applicable under TESDA scholarship programs

Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education

The Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act (RA 10931) which was signed into law last August 2017

Alternative Delivery Modes

Two of the major ADMs of DepEd include the Modified In-School, Off-School Approach (MISOSA) and the Enhanced Instructional Management by Parents, Community, and Teachers (e-IMPACT) MISOSA.

related sdgs

Pagbubulaybulay

Reflections on philippine education by up educ 100 wfu ii semester 2013-14, an essay on the quality of philippine education by john camilo asis.

•                     Introduction

“A nation cannot be built without education.” (Taylor-Kamara, 2010)

According to dictionary.com ,   education is the actorprocessofimpartingoracquiringgeneralknowledge,developingthepowersofreasoning andjudgment,andgenerallyof preparingoneself or others intellectually for  mature  life . While the concept of nation-building is the process by which a diverse society unify in “ constructing or structuring a  national identity  using the power of the state. ” (Engin, 2013)

 Education fuels a nation-buliding machinery to achieve its objectives. Through it, the enlightenment of society is made. Education is also responsible in providing competent human resources that will be able to carry out day-to-day tasks according to the standards that is set by the society. It also breaks the boundaries made by the differences in a diverse society and encourages the citizens to come together for progress to be done.

In the Philippines, the provisions in Article II, Article XIV and Article XV of the 1987 Constitution deal with how our nation should create the Philippine Education System after the People Power Revolution which ousted former President Marcos after 20 long years of his reign. After 27 years, where does the quality of Philippine Education stand? What measures have the government taken to level our kind of education in the international scene?

This essay discusses the state of the quality of education in the Philippines based on our discussions and own experiences in our EDUC 100 class in the 2nd semester of A.Y. 2013-2014 at the College of Education, University of the Philippines- Diliman.

•                   Through the times

In the 300 years of colonization of the Spaniards in our country they educated us with their religion to maintain the ignorance of our ancestors. After them, the Americans started educating the Filipinos in public schools using the materials from their country to control them.

Education has been used as an instrument for colonization from the start. Our colonizers never intended to use education to liberate the minds of the early Filipinos but for us to be good followers. We have embraced the “gift” given to us by the Americans and have been performing their intended role for us very well until now.

Educational Philosopher shares Horace Mann’s (Father of Public Schools) belief in his statement sometime in 1920 that education should provide a “means for bringing people and their ideas and belief together, in such a ways as to lessen friction and instability, and introduce deeper sympathy and wider understanding.” The public school concept was applied to the Philippines to prevent the poor from revolting against the government which are composed of Americans and the Filipino elites. The American colonizers established English as the language of instruction in public schools and taught American history and values in schools and communities. Instead of uniting our people it created an elite class of English-speaking pro-American leaders from select families that traditionally ruled over the country.

The goals of public schools in US changed to training Americans for global competitiveness, and because the Philippines is a US colony there were also changes in our educational system that mirrored the change in US educational system. The biggest of these changes was the commercialization of education. The price of quality education in our country has remarkably increased that it prevents a lot of Filipinos from availing it. The Education Act of 1982 which was forced on us by the World Bank allowed the deregulation of tuition fees in private schools and thus deteriorating the quality of education offered by the schools. The goal of educators nowadays is no longer to educate but to make money from schools.

We Filipinos believe that education is our ticket to get out from poverty and that the lack of it as a sure way to failure. That is why responsible Filipino parents see to it that their children complete their schooling. But majority of the Filipino families’ budget isn’t enough to send their children to college. The government failed to provide the right of every Filipino to quality education by succumbing to WB’s orders. In the Philippine setting, the interest that school owners get is given higher priority than molding the minds of our children to be good and productive citizens.

•                 Quality of Philippine Education Today

The literacy rate of Filipinos is relatively high compared to the other ASEAN countries. But despite this, our economic condition still isn’t good. Because of this, researchers suggest that our leaders consider the quality of education that is being offered in our country.

A group of researchers guided by Professor Yutaka Otsuka suggested several factors that affect the quality of education in the Philippines after conducting their research.

•       There are not enough teaching materials provided by our government to aide learning inside the classroom. Normally, Filipino students don’t get their own textbook that they can bring home. They have to share it with their classmates so they can participate in class. I have experienced this situation when I was still in elementary. We were given a set of books but not everyone gets each book and so in some activities we have to share a book.
•       English is used as a medium of instruction in our schools alongside our national language which is Filipino. But we have over 100 languages in our country which are seldom used in schools before the Department of Education implemented the MTB-MLE program.
•       The number of students in a class shows that there is a lack in facilities offered by many of our schools in the country. I have been in a class of 50 when I was in elementary. And when we visited a public school in our class we were told o expect a class of 70 students. This situation is normal in the Philippine setting.
•       A number of high school graduates go directly to work in the society. However most of our high school graduates do not have the skills required to be hired by companies. This problem is being dealt with by DepEd through the addition of Senior High School in the K-12 program which aims to prepare the future graduates for work.
•       The significant difference between the quality of education offered in the rural and urban areas.

In my own experience in school, I have seen that there really is a big problem in our educational system. I was lucky because I was always in the top section and was given full attention by our teachers, but the treatment was different for the lower sections. Aside from the factors stated above, some of the other factors affecting the quality of education that I have observed from my experience are as follows:

•       The accreditation of teacher education programs offered by colleges and universities in the Philippines is voluntary. Meaning there is no assurance that these colleges abide by the standards set by the accrediting bodies in order to ensure the production of competitive graduates.
•       Every year, student activists fight for higher budget allocation for the education sector. The people who sit in the government make the decisions regarding the path of education in our country. In the current administration, education is not given the highest budget allocation which reflects their position in the importance of education in the present situation of our country.
•                Conclusion

There are a lot of problems regarding the Philippine education system that we need to face but our Department of Education should look at the factors listed above when they reflect on their current policies. DepEd has already taken several measures in order to solve these problems. There is the Mother Tongue- Based Multilingual Education (MTB-MLE) which aims to use the native language of children in their early stages of education, and the K-12 program which aims to produce graduates that are globally competitive.

The incumbent government is taking big leaps in our education system which may dictate the future of our country. And in this process they may need to make important decisions to be able to solve some problems.  We must not forget to remind them that above everything else we must prioritize the quality of education that the young Filipinos will get. And the government and its constituents must help each other hand-in-hand to achieve the best kind of education we can give to them.

Share this:

Leave a comment cancel reply.

• Already have a WordPress.com account? Log in now.
• Subscribe Subscribed
• Copy shortlink
• Report this content
• View post in Reader
• Manage subscriptions
• Collapse this bar

• Toggle Accessibility Statement
• Skip to Main Content

DepEd continues to drive improvements to teaching quality with new standards for school leaders

October 2, 2020 – The roles of school heads and supervisors in improving teacher quality are now more clearly defined with the issuance of two landmark education policies that set professional standards for the country’s school leaders.

The Department of Education issued DO 24, s. 2020 or the National Adoption and Implementation of the Philippine Professional Standards for School Heads (PPSSH), and DO 25, s. 2020 or the National Adoption and Implementation of the Philippine Professional Standards for Supervisors (PPSS).

“The changes of various national and global frameworks in education and the changing characteristics of our 21st century learners necessitate a call for the rethinking of our professional standards for our school heads and supervisors,” Secretary Leonor Magtolis Briones said.

“This is part of our efforts to prepare the Department for the transition into the future. We want to develop effective school leaders beyond our terms and beyond our lifetime for the future of education,” Secretary Briones added.

DepEd Undersecretary for Planning, Human Resource and Organizational Development, and Field Operations Jesus Lorenzo Mateo said that the development of the PPSSH and the PPSS is one of the Department’s key reforms in improving the quality of education.

“Quality learning outcomes are produced by quality teachers, who are supported by effective school leaders,” Undersecretary Mateo said. “Ensuring the delivery of quality education requires clear professional standards that are responsive to the demands of the dynamic education environment.”

The landmark policies are a product of a long-standing partnership between the Philippine and the Australian governments. Australia, through its support to the Philippine National Research Center for Teacher Quality (RCTQ)—a partnership between the Philippine Normal University and the University of New England, Australia—worked with DepEd in developing the two sets of standards.

“The development and adoption of professional standards for school heads, supervisors and teachers are significant milestones in DepEd’s efforts to improve teaching quality,” said Richard Sisson, acting Australian Ambassador. “We are pleased that in time for National Teachers’ Month, DepEd has adopted these evidence-based policies, which will help align the education system with global standards while responding to the Philippine context.”

The newly-adopted standards, which are consistent with the K to 12 reforms, set out clear expectations of school heads and supervisors at different career stages, from beginning to exemplary practice. The standards encourage greater proficiency; provide support for professional learning and development; help identify development needs; and facilitate uniform assessment of performance.

They also complement the Philippine Professional Standards for Teachers (PPST) – a major teacher quality reform supported by Australia and RCTQ – that was adopted as DepEd policy in 2017 and is now used by over 800,000 public school teachers.

RCTQ Director Dr. Gina Gonong said the professional standards will “provide a clear framework for school leaders to deepen their expertise in pedagogical, management and leadership skills, in ways that support improved student learning outcomes.”

“Teaching quality has been at the core of Australia’s education cooperation with the Philippines for more than 30 years, and we look forward to continuing our productive partnership,” Mr Sisson said.

In the DepEd system, there are currently 43,448 school heads and 5,550 supervisors who will put the policy into practice.

Download the PPSSH from this link:

https://www.deped.gov.ph/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/DO_s2020_024-.pdf

Download the PPSS from this link:

https://www.deped.gov.ph/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/DO_s2020_025-.pdf

• Entertainment
• Environment
• Information Science and Technology
• Social Issues

Home Essay Samples Education Inequality in Education

The Roots of Education Inequality in the Philippines and Its Outcomes

Table of contents

Geographic root, socioeconomic root, corruption root, class inequality as the root of education inequality.

• Andriesse, E. (2018). Primary Sector Value Chains, Poverty Reduction, and Rural Development Challenges in the Philippines. The Geographical Review, 3, 345. Ball, S. J. (2016). Education, Justice, and Democracy: The Struggle over Ignorance and Opportunity. In S. J. Ball, Reimagining the Purpose of Schools and Educational Organisations (pp. 189-205). Montgomery A., Kehoe I.: Springer, Cham.
• Benson, E. O. (2016). Public Education in the Philippines: Social Inclusion and Education Access. The University of Arizona.
• Constantino, R. (1987). The Miseducation of the Filipino. Foundation for Nationalist Studies.
• Contreras, A. (2017). Martial Law, partisan education, and the revisionist project. The Manila Times.
• Crawford, C. (2016, October 13). Higher education, career opportunities, and intergenerational inequality. Oxford Review of Economic Policy, 32(4), 553–575.
• Fernández, J. J. (2018). The Institutional Foundation of Social Class Differences in Pro-redistribution Attitudes: A Cross-National Analysis, 1985-2010. Social Forces, 1009-1038.
• Figueroa, L. L., Lim, S., & Lee, J. (2016). Spatial analysis to identify disparities in Philippine public school facilities. Regional Studies, Regional Science, 3(1), 1-27.
• FitzRoy, F. R. (2018). Education, income, and happiness: panel evidence for the UK. The University of St Andrews. School of Economics and Finance.
• Lauwerys, J. A., & Meyer, A. E. (2018, 29 August). Education. Retrieved May 2019, from Encyclopædia Britannica: https://www.britannica.com/topic/education/Nazi-Germany
• Luong, H. V. (2018). The Changing Configuration of Rural-Urban Migration and Remittance Flows in Vietnam. SOJOURN: Journal of Social Issues in Southeast Asia., 602-646.
• Magulod, G. (2017, February). Factors of School Effectiveness and Performance of Selected Public and Private Elementary Schools: Implications on Educational Planning in the Philippines. Asia Pacific Journal of Multidisciplinary Research, 5(1), 73-83.
• Marcelo, S. V. (2013). Investigating Corruption in the Philippines: a former Tanodbayan’s Experience. 12th Regional Seminar of the ADB/OECD Anti-Corruption Initiative for Asia and the Pacific, (pp. 24-25). Dili, Timor Leste.
• McGee, T. G. (1971). The urbanization process in the third world. , Ltd, 1971. London: London: G. Bell and Sons, Ltd.
• McKay, A. (2002). Inequality Briefing., (pp. 1-6).
• Mena. (2019). Philippines: the Angara to College Dropouts: Return to School, Avail of Free Tertiary Education. SyndiGate Media Inc.
• Mesa, E. P. (2007). Measuring education inequality in the Philippines. University of the Philippines, School of Economics (UPSE).
• Orale, R., & Quejada, A. B. (2018). Lived Experiences of Elementary Teachers in a Remote School in Samar, Philippines. Journal of Academic Research, 1-13.
• Ortega, A. A. (2015). Mega-regions in the Philippines: Accounting for special economic zones and global-local dynamics. Elsevier Ltd, 130-139.
• Pareño, R. (2018). Lawmakers, mayor fall in murky water in Zamboanga. The Philippine Star.
• Perez, J. B. (2017). One in Every Ten Filipinos Aged 6 to 24 Years is an Out of School Child and Youth. Philippine Statistics Authority. Philippine Statistics Authority.
• Perez, J. B. (2019). Urban Population in the Philippines (Results of the 2015 Census of Population). Philippine Statistics Authority. Philippine Statistics Authority.
• Peterson, E. W. (2017). The Role of Population in Economic Growth. SAGE.
• Plaza, M. A. (2018). Philippine Education System in 2018: Are We Moving Forward? Business Mirror.
• Robles, A. C. (2012, 06 15). Top tier schools and diploma mills. Retrieved from D and C Development and Cooperation: https://www.dandc.eu/en/article/expensive-not-always-worth-much-higher-education-philippines
• Sumande, C. T. (2016). The ICT Level of Confidence of Course Specialists in Distance Education: The Polytechnic University of the Philippines Experience. Turkish Online Journal of Distance Education.
• Talaue, F. T. (2014). Social Equity and Access to a Philippine STEM School. Theory Into Practice, 53(1), 33-40.
• The Manila Times. (2014). Poorly built roads ‘reek of corruption’. The Manila Times.
• UNESCO. (2005). EFA Global Monitoring Report. UNESCO.
• You, J.-s. (2015). Democracy, inequality, and corruption: Korea, Taiwan, and the Philippines compared. Cambridge: Cambridge Univ. Press.

*minimum deadline

Cite this Essay

To export a reference to this article please select a referencing style below

• Primary School
• Human Development
• Academic Freedom
• Role of Education
• Extracurricular Activities

Related Essays

Need writing help?

You can always rely on us no matter what type of paper you need

*No hidden charges

100% Unique Essays

Absolutely Confidential

Money Back Guarantee

By clicking “Send Essay”, you agree to our Terms of service and Privacy statement. We will occasionally send you account related emails

You can also get a UNIQUE essay on this or any other topic

Thank you! We’ll contact you as soon as possible.

Home / Essay Samples / Education / High School in The Philippines / Free Education in the Philippines: Breaking Down the Pros and Cons

Free Education in the Philippines: Breaking Down the Pros and Cons

• Category: Education , World
• Topic: Education System , High School in The Philippines , Philippines

Pages: 2 (694 words)

Views: 3608

• Downloads: -->

--> ⚠️ Remember: This essay was written and uploaded by an--> click here.

Found a great essay sample but want a unique one?

are ready to help you with your essay

You won’t be charged yet!

Texas Essays

Russia Essays

Italy Essays

Rome Essays

Florida Essays

Related Essays

We are glad that you like it, but you cannot copy from our website. Just insert your email and this sample will be sent to you.

By clicking “Send”, you agree to our Terms of service  and  Privacy statement . We will occasionally send you account related emails.

Your essay sample has been sent.

In fact, there is a way to get an original essay! Turn to our writers and order a plagiarism-free paper.

samplius.com uses cookies to offer you the best service possible.By continuing we’ll assume you board with our cookie policy .--> -->