I learned that in 1990, there was a World Declaration on Education for All (EFA) in Jomtiem,

Thailand, which prescribed that Basic Learning Needs shall be met for all by various means. As a
response, the Philippines crafted and implemented the 10-year EFA Philippine Plan of Action covering
1991-2000. The EFA plan articulated the countrys national goals, objectives, policies and strategies, as
well as the regional programs for implementation for the first decade of the EFA movement. Under the
1991-2000 Plan (EFA 1), the thrusts included: Early Childhood Development; Universalization of Quality
Primary Education; and Alternative Learning System.
In 2000, the Philippines, as a reaffirmation of the vision set in the 1990 World Declaration,
committed itself to the following EFA 2015 Goals at the World Education Forum in Dakar:
Goal 1: Expand and improve comprehensive early childhood care and education, especially for the most
vulnerable and disadvantaged children; Goal 2: Ensure that by 2015, all children, particularly girls,
children in difficult circumstances and those belonging to ethnic minorities, have access to complete free
and compulsory primary education of good quality; Goal 3: Ensure that the learning needs of all young
people and adults are met through equitable access to appropriate learning and life skills programs;
Goal 4: Achieve a 50 percent improvement in levels of adult literacy by 2105, especially for women and
equitable access to basic and continuing education for all adults; Goal 5: Eliminate gender disparities in
primary and secondary education by 2015, with focus on ensuring girls full and equal access to and
achievement in basic education of good quality; and Goal 6: Improve every aspect of the quality of
education, and ensure their excellence so that recognized and measurable learning outcomes are achieved
by all, especially in literacy, numeracy and essential life skills.
Instead of six target dimensions as advanced by global EFA, the Philippines grouped them into
four component objectives when it considered the local situation, all geared towards the overall goal of
providing basic competencies to everyone to achieve functional literacy by 2015:
a. Universal coverage of out-of-school youth and adults in the provision of learning needs;
b. Universal school participation and total elimination of drop-outs and repetition in Grades 1 to 3;
c. Universal completion of full cycle of basic education schooling with satisfactory achievement levels by
all at every grade or year; and
d. Commitment by all Philippine communities to the attainment of basic education competencies for all
Education for All by All.
I realized that with the deadline for the Education for All goals less than two years away, it is
clear that, despite advances over the past decade, not a single goal will be achieved globally by 2015. The
year 2013-2014 EFA Global Monitoring Report vividly underlines the fact that people in the most
marginalized groups have continued to be denied opportunities for education over the decade. Under EFA
Goal no. 1 Early childhood education and care, the Philippines if far from target (30-69%) in the
likelihood of countries achieving a pre-primary enrolment target of at least 70% by 2015 (source: EFA
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GMR 2013/14). For the Goal no. 2 Universal Primary Education (UPE), the Philippines is one of the ten
countries with highest out-of-school populations with 1.46M. But for goal no. 3, 4, and 5 Youth and Adult
skills, Adult Literacy, and Gender Parity, respectively, the Philippines is among the countries who is likely
to achieve its target by 2015. But for goal no. 6 Quality of Education, the key indicator of which is the
pupil teacher ratio, our country is way above the average in the countries in the East Asia and the Pacific
which is only 1:18 in primary and 1:16 in secondary as oppose to ours which is 1:36 and 1:35
respectively. (Source: DepEd 2012 data)

With all the above data of the performance of our country, we are likely to achieve the 3 out of 6
EFA by 2015 goals then we should look at this like a glass half full. With a little more push and effort
we are half way in achieving the remaining goals. With the help of the increase in funding that the
government allocates to education, attracting the best candidates to teaching by giving them attractive
remuneration packages, well designed curricula and assessment strategies to improve teaching and
learning, then there is no way that we cant achieve quality education for all beyond 2015.
As a teacher, I plan to use what I learned about EFA in setting goals in improving the quality of
education. I will ensure that all children and young people are learning the basics and I am giving them
the opportunity to acquire the transferrable skills needed to become global citizens. I will be a source of
information to other education stakeholders who lacks knowledge and information about the goals of
EFA2015 and beyond.
Yes it is true that our Educational system is facing a lot of problems like lack of classrooms,
chairs, textbooks, sanitation facilities, lack of teachers (and incompetence of some), I should not
contribute more to those problems by whining and attacking the government specifically the Department
of Education for their alleged lack of competence and weak leadership in making our education system
become better. They too have limitations and reasons why they cant function the way they should, one of
which is the lack of budget being allocated to the DepEd because of our governments poor economic
status. But instead, I should contribute to improving the quality of education by focusing on myself,
changing myself to become better, advocating on the right way on doing things by being vigilant on the
corrupt practices of some or our educational leaders and administrators. I shall advocate zero tolerance on
corruption and be fearless in uncovering anomalies that would hinder on achieving quality education for
all. I shall campaign for the support of private and non-government organizations for the cause of the
betterment of our educational system.

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