EDUC 101 Module

Philippine Education System
Workbook
Ma. Theresa L. de Villa
University of the Philippines

OPEN UNIVERSITY
Philippine Education System: Workbook

By Ma. Theresa L. de Villa
Copyright 2006 Ma. Theresa L. de Villa

and the University of the Philippines Open University
Apart from any fair use for the purpose of research or private study,
criticism or review, this publication may be reproduced, stored
or transmitted, in any form or by any means
ONLY WITH THE PERMISSION
of the author and the UP Open University.
Published in the Philippines by the UP Open University

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First printing, 2006
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Table of Contents
Unit I Education, Society and Development

Module 1 Concepts on Education and Schooling; Socio-cultural
Context of Education
Objectives, 3
References, 10
Module 2 Education and Development; School and Community; Teachers
Roles The Magna Carta for Public School Teachers
Objectives, 11
Unit II The Philippine Education System
Module 3 Historical Overview from the Pre-colonial Period to Post-Edsa I
Years
Objectives, 25
Pre-Colonial Period, 26
Spanish Colonial Period, 26
American Colonial Period, 27
Japanese Occupation, 28
Module 4 Governance and Management (Administrative and Organizational
Structure, Financing, Planning and Policy Formulation, Issues and
Problems)
Objectives, 35
Unit III
Curricular Programs from Pre-school to Graduate
Module 5 Policies, Practices and Developments, Issues and Problems

Objectives, 39
Early Childhood Care and Development, 39
Basic Education (Elementary and Secondary Levels), 44
The Alternative Learning System, 47
Vocational-Technical Education, 50
Tertiary and Graduate Education, 52
Module 6 Teacher Education in the Philippines History, Policies, Practices,

Development Issues and Problems
Objectives, 57
After EDCOM, 59
Initiatives on Teacher Education Reforms, 61
Unit IV Selected Topics
Module 7 Education for Special Learners/Indigenous Peoples Education/
Madrasah Education
Objectives, 65
On Special Education, 65
Education for Special Learners/Indigenous Peoples Education/Madrasah Education, 69
On Indigenous Peoples Education, 69
On Madrasah Education, 73
Module 8 Language of Instruction and Language of Learning/Globalization
and Education/ICT and Education
Objectives, 77
On Globalization and Information and Communication Technology, 83
Module 9 Gender in Education/Media and Education/Special Subjects
NSTP/Scouting, Art, Music
Objectives, 87
Towards a Relevant Social Transformation Through Education, 98
Unit I
Module 1
Unit I
Education, Society and

Development
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2 EDUC 101: Philippine Educational System
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Unit I
Module 1
Module 1
Concepts on Education and

Schooling; Socio-cultural
Context of Education
n the recent past, the importance of education

has been underscored both by the public and
private sectors as reflected by the numerous undertakings and other activities initiated and/or
supported by them. These sectors recognize the
significant role of education in the development
of the community, society and the nation as a
whole.
This module will focus on the concept of education as viewed by the different sectors of a community or society and the impact of education
on their lives. It will examine education from a
socio-cultural perspective.
Objectives
After going through this
module you will be able to:
1. Differentiate education
from schooling;
2. Formulate a generalization on the concept of
education and schooling from the perspective of representative
sectors of a community/society; and
3. Formulate your own
definition of education
vis-a-vis schooling.
As a people, we have always taken pride in our

educational attainment. A typical Filipino home
displays prominently the diplomas and graduation pictures of family members. It does not matter whether these members graduated from preschool or elementary school. However, a family member who graduates
from high school will have a bigger photograph, and an even bigger one
and in full color (courtesy of the towns or citys well-known studio) for
those who earned a college degree. The diplomas are framed and so are
the photographs. These are placed in an area which any visitor in the
house will not miss.
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Is an educated individual the same as a schooled individual? Is schooling

the same as education? In our native language we have the terms may
pinag-aralan and nakapag-aral. Is one who is nakapag-aral necessarily also
a may pinag-aralan? Columnist Conrad de Quiros explains his view on
one of these terms.
There is much to be said for the folk wisdom that goes by the phrase
may pinag-aralan. I really do not know how to translate it. It does
suggest someone who has gone to school. We Filipinos also put a
great deal of premium on academic credentials and... we do have
a great deal of respect for professionals which are what you become when you walk away with a degree from college. But I dont
know that that is all the phrase says. Its expectations of civility
and tolerance must suggest something more, something akin not
just to knowledge or academic excellence but to judiciousness and
wisdom. These are things you get not just from the classroom but
from the streets, not just from the universities but outside of it. Life
is the greatest school of all, experience is the greatest teacher there
is. I should think the phrase may pinag-aralan encapsulates those
things too.
Ive never regretted my decision to leave school. And to this day, I
do think the horde that did so in my time became far more educated than their counterparts who stayed in school, earned a lot of
letters after their names, and became lawyers and politicians, or
worse, both. They became more may pinag-aralan than those who
merely thought of themselves and their future. Indeed, in more
ways than we can possibly think, or thank enough. Many of them
did not live to see the fruits of their labors, perishing in the hills
during martial law and after. Many more lived only to see a bitter
harvest. But they did get to learnand practice the true essence
of education. Which is to use knowledge for the betterment of
the community, which is to use learning to leave a better world

for the children.
The expensive schools people go to do not always improve their

stature. They often only make them look worse, by emphasizing
the contrast between their height of academic achievement and
their depth of ignorance. People who do this miss the point of
learning, which has nothing to do with schools but doing the most
for the least of ones fellows.
De Quiros, 2001
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Unit I
Module 1
Activity 1-1
1. In Mr. de Quiros opinion, what is the main difference between
education and schooling? Do you agree with his opinion? Explain your answer.
2. According to the same article, what is learning?
3. In what ways can an individual get educated without going to

school? Give specific examples.
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Activity 12
Interview five people in your community, each one representing
the different sectors in your area. These may include farmers,
fisherfolk, carpenters, market vendors, sidewalk vendors, street
vendors, sales clerks, drivers, machine operators, househelpers,
etc.Your interviewees need not be all adults. Get the following information:
gender
age
highest educational attainment
main reason/s for dropping out of school [for those who did]
skills learned in school they find useful in their present work
skills they learned outside of school
concept/definition of education and its significance in life
views on nag-aral and may pinag-aralan
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Unit I
Module 1
Activity 1-3
After completing Activity 1-3, answer the following questions:
1. What does your interview show about education and schooling as agents for social transformation?
2. Recall your own experiences as a student. Did these experiences reflect the statement that schools serve society as agents of
cultural transmission and the continuity of the status quo? (Josefina
R. Cortes, 1993).
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Activity 1-4
Based on your interview and your personal experiences as a student, define education.
SAQ 1-1
Read each statement. Write T if it is True, and F if False.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Education and schooling are the same.

Education is important to improve ones quality of life.
An educated individual has gone to school.
A schooled individual may not be educated.
People in a community have similar definitions of education.
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Unit I
Module 1
The years of research on education have resulted in new and improved

approaches to teaching to produce better learners. Hence, education has
been referred to as the teaching-learning process. In the late 1990s, however, the view on education has changed. Some educationists prefer to
use learning not education. In other words, learning has replaced education in their vocabulary.
Learning is as crucial as breathing. Learning is the process
through which we become the human beings we are, the process
by which we internalize the external world and through which
we construct our experiences of that world.
The focus on learning is not on the providers or processes
Education has always reflected the forces which shape society.
Jarvin, Holford and Griffin, 1998
Activity 1-5
As a student, do you agree that the term education should be replaced by learning? Explain your answer in a brief paragraph by
giving specific examples based on your experiences and observations.
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ASAQ 1
1. F
2. T
3. F
4. T
5. F
References
Cortes, J.R. (1993). Explorations in the theory and practice of Philippine
Education. Foundations for Continuing Education (Forec).
Holford, J., Jarvis, P., Griffin, C. eds. (1998). The theory and practice of learning. London: Kogan Page.
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Unit I
Module 1
11
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Unit I
Module 2
11
Module 2
Education and Development;

School and Community;
Teachers Roles; The Magna
Carta for Public
School Teachers
aving seen education from the viewpoints

of the different sectors in your community,
and from Western educationists, and from a sociocultural context, you will now examine the
interrelationship between education and development. If a nations literacy level is an indicator of its economic level, what does the present
state of Philippine economy say about our literacy
level? The module will also discuss the role/s of
the teacher in both the school and the community, and will take a closer view of The Magna
Carta for Teachers.
With the increasing demand for our skilled workers, nurses, teachers, engineers, doctors and other
professionals worldwide, have we become the
knowledge suppliers and/or the slaves of the
world? Our country cannot compete with the
more developed nations in terms of salaries, benefits and post-graduate training. The exodus has
alarmed concerned citizens. Reports say that the
number of students enrolling in nursing and edu-
Objectives
1. Illustrate the interrelationship between
education and development; between the
school and the community;
2. Discuss the teachers
roles in the school and
the community and its
development; and
3. Explain the significance
of The Magna Carta for
Teachers and critique
its implementation.
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12 Philippine Educational System
cation has considerably quadrupled due to the constant and increasing

demand overseas. Hospitals in some provinces have stopped operations
as there are no doctors nor nurses available. Colleges and universities
even in Metro areas have been unable to keep their seasoned and competent teachers. Armed with their masters degrees (and a few with their
doctorate degrees), the teacher-applicants have found work abroad, in
some instances, in unwelcoming places.
Filipino Teachers Abroad: Their Stories and Stories About
Them
Story 1
Let me go on the expose some darker sides of society concerning foreign teachers. I have a suspicion that some nonnative teachers sometimes get frustrated because they dont
really get the recognition they deserve. It is not unusual for
Thai parents to look down upon non-farang teachers of
English. Its completely unrelated to the quality of the teachers involved and has everything to do with face. Parents
will gain a huge amount of face when they can tell their
family and friends that little Somchai is being taught by
Mike, a fair-haired, blue-eyed farang teacher from the USA,
compared to a very small amount of face when the teacher
is brown-skinned Felicito from the Philippines
www.ajarn.com/blogs/phil-roeland/june2006
Story 2
But her story is not unique. All the teachers share the
similar if not difficult experiences of adjusting to life away
from family, teaching in schools with students who would
tend to ridicule them for their accent. They all share a common story of survival and triumph.
During a year filled with daily frustrations and triumphs,
culture shock and homesickness, the Filipino teachers
turned to each other, Mercado was the elected leader of
the group, organizing weekly Bible study sessions and prayer
meetings.
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Unit I
Module 2
13
In the teachers personal lives, a lot happened in a year.

Three couples in the group fell in love, with one marrying
at Baltimore City Hall. One teacher spent six weeks in the
hospital before giving birth to a premature baby. One was
unable to return home for her mothers funeral. Eileen
Mercados roommate nearly died of pneumonia.
Teacher Eileen saw her family on a Web camera almost
daily, but her absence clearly took a toll on her children,
particularly 3-year-old Adrienne, who started crying a lot
and throwing tantrums. Earlier this month, when Mercado
told her over the phone shed be home soon, Adrienne ran
outside and looked to the sky for her plane. She sobbed
when she learned her mother wasnt coming that day.
Last week when the school was out for summer, most of
the teachers took their much-needed break as well and went
home to the Philippines. They will come back this August
to fulfill the second year of their three-year contracts. This
time. I think it wont be as difficult for them since their
families will be coming over to stay.
www.filipinasoul.com/2006/06/a-teachers-exodus/
In her book, Explorations in the Theory and Practice of Philippine Education,

1965 1993, Dr. Josefina R. Cortes of the UP College of Education, quoted
Harbison and Myers (exponents of the human capital theory) who stated
that education is important to national development.
Not capital, nor income, nor material resources constitute the
ultimate basis for the wealth of nations.... human beings are the
active agents who carry forward national development. Clearly,
a country which is unable to develop the skills and knowledge of
its people and to utilize them effectively will be unable to
develop anything else (Cortes, 1993, p.32).
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Activity 2-1
What situations in your community prove or disprove the statement of Harbison and Myer on the direct correlation between
education and development?
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Unit I
Module 2
15
Activity 2-2
1. Recall the teachers you fondly remember. List down the qualities that made them endearing not only to you but to the other
students as well.
2. Share your list with other students in this class. As a team,

make a composite listing of the qualities of an effective teacher.
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Activity 2-3
Based on your composite list, what do you think are the different
roles of a teacher in school and in the community as a whole? Give
at least two examples to show the active role of teachers in the
development of the community. Write these as an anecdote.
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Unit I
Module 2
17
You and your classmates have given your own picture of an effective
teacher. However, through the years, the teacher has been stereotyped as
Miss Tapia, stern, strict, unsmiling, an old maid, with ultra-conservative
manners and lookshair neatly combed back and tied into a bun (no
fringes), bespectacled, dressed in a long-sleeved and closed-neck dress
that reaches three-inches below the knees, shod in closed black shoes, and
carrying the ubiquitous big handbag and umbrella. Is this stereotype still
true today?
Activity 2-4
Based on your observations, and on anecdotes and news heard,
compare and contrast the teachers in the 1980s and at the present.
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Activity 2-5
Write a profile on the teachers today after interviewing two
teachers in your community, one from a public school and another
from a private school. Get the following information:
gender
age
number of years in teaching
roles and responsibilities actually given and performed as
teachers
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Unit I
Module 2
19
Activity 2-6
After doing Activity 2-5, share answers with four (4) other
members of the class. Make a composite listing of the roles and
responsibilities actually given and performed as teachers.
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SAQ 1-1
Which statements are correct?
1. Countries with high levels of human resource development
have high levels of economic growth.
2. Education and national development are positively correlated.
3. Education and economic development are closely intertwined.
4. Education oftentimes fails to make an impact on the economy.
5. The Philippines high literacy rate translates to an improved
economy.
For Activities 2-7 to 2-9, you will need to have a copy of the Magna Carta
for Public School Teachers (R.A. 4670). You can find this in your school
library or on the Internet.
Activity 2-7
Case 1 Rhea is a young and personable teacher in a school in a
coastal area. She teaches Science to Grade 5 students who
have difficulty reading the Science textbook in English and
comprehending the basic concepts. To solve this problem,
Rhea decided to hold her class by the shore one Saturday.
Her class enjoyed the change and were very participative
since the class was conducted in the dialect.
a. What possible violations did Rhea commit?
b. Can she invoke any provision in The Magna Carta for Public School Teachers to support her activities? If so, what are
these?
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Unit I
Module 2
21
Activity 2-7 continuation

Case 2 Rey has a very strong religious background such that he
never fails to pray and integrate Christian values in his
lessons. He teaches Araling Panlipunan and Values
Education. He often quotes Christian proverbs and asks
his classes to start and end each class session with a prayer.
Since he teaches at a public school, some of the students
are surprised at the change. However, in time, his
students get used to the routine.
a. What problems may arise from Reys approach to teaching?
b. Did he violate any provisions in the Magna Carta for Public

School Teachers? If so, what are these?
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Activity 2-7 continuation

Case 3 After teaching at a private school for five years, Samuel
gets accepted at a national high school as a Chemistry
teacher. Aside from teaching, he coached the school team
which won in the division science competition. During
one of the pre-final events, Samuel found out about the
DOST scholarship for science teachers. He filled out an
application form but his principal refused to endorse this
since Samuel has rendered service to the school for just
over a year, and there are other teachers more qualified
to apply.
a. What should Samuel do?
b. Can he invoke provisions in The Magna Carta for Public

School Teachers? If so, what are these?
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Unit I
Module 2
23
Activity 2-8
Interview two teachers in your community, one from a public
school and the other from a private school. Ask them the following questions:
1. What provisions in the Magna Carta for Public School
Teachers are you familiar with?
2. Which of these provisions have you benefited from?
3. What suggestions can you give regarding the implementation

of the Magna Carta for Public School Teachers?
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Activity 2-9
Do you believe that all the provisions in The Magna Carta for
Teachers will improve not only the status of teachers but also the
state of Philippine education? What suggestions can you give for a
better and more effective implementation?
ASAQ 1-1
Statements 1, 2, 3
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Unit II
Module 3 25
Module 3
Historical Overview from the

Pre-Colonial Period to
Post-Edsa I Years
e have seen the significance of education

or learning on community and national
development, and how education is viewed by
the different sectors, which by and large, also
reflect the socio-cultural context within which
education or learning takes place. In what ways
have these different concepts developed? This
module will look at our education system from a
historical perspective for a better understanding
of the continuing malaise in the system, and
hopefully, take part in improving the system as
education students.
Objectives
1. Trace the history of the
Philippine Education
System; and
2. Identify, describe and
critique the significant
changes implemented
during each period.
At the beginning of each schoolyear, the

problems that have beset the education system
for years recur. These are problems such as shortage of classrooms, bloated
classes, lack of teachers, lack of books, lack of chairs, and even ghost school
staff. Some observers say that there are more serious problems: corruption, incompetent teachers and administrators, an irrelevant curriculum,
and an indifferent community.
And to make matters worse, there has been an exodus of competent
teachers to other foreign countries where their monthly salary is higher and
the benefits more and better.
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Newspaper reports say that due to the high cost of education, another
kind of exodus has happened, that of students moving from private schools
to public schools where cost is very minimal. This movement has unnecessarily bloated the public school population such that class size ranges
from 60 to 100 students per class. This happens in densely populated
areas. Imagine the problem a teacher has to face compounded by the lack
of chairs or desks and books.
Were these problems faced by our ancestors prior to the colonization
period? What was the education system like during the pre-Hispanic
times?
Pre-Colonial Period
Philippine historians Teodoro Agoncillo and Renato Constantino have
refuted reports that the country was not civilized and primitive
before the arrival of the Spaniards. The existence of the alibata is one of
the evidences of civilization. We had our own system of writing. To date,
the Tagbanuas of Palawan and the Mangyans of Mindoro still use their
own system of writing too.
During those early times, writing implements included barks of trees and
sharpened pieces of iron, palm leaves and bamboo nodes. Schools existed
where children were taught reading, writing, religion and incantation,
and self-defense. Most schools offered learning the Sanskrit and
arithmetic. However, instruction was also done at home where parents
and other elders in the household taught children obedience to elders,
and loyalty to tribal laws and traditions (Agoncillo, 1990; Alzona, 1932).
Spanish Colonial Period

With the arrival of the Spanish colonizers, there was a shift in the focus
of education. Thru administrative orders, the alibata was replaced by the
Romanized script and the Castilian language was mandated as the
medium of instruction. More importantly, education was put under the
control of the religious orders, specifically, the friars. However, the friars
brutalized the masses that led to the establishment of the Frailocracy,
one of the basic issues illustrated by Jose Rizal in his two novels.
Schools were opened separately for boys and men, and for girls and women.
The objectives of the opening of schools were to popularize education and to
train religious, obedient, and instructed teachers. As such, courses included
Christian doctrine, morality and history, reading and writing in Spanish,
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Unit II
Module 3 27
arithmetic and practical agriculture, rules of courtesy, and Spanish history.

Girls in the elementary level had special courses on sewing, mending and
cutting while those in high school had instrumental music (piano), painting
and sketching, sewing and embroidery, and domestic science (Tiongson, 1990).
The University of Sto. Tomas, then, was the only institution of higher
learning offering courses such as medicine, pharmacy, midwifery, and
jurisprudence and canons (law).
It is interesting to note the problems that persisted at that time. One of
these was the lack of equipment: desks, chairs, writing materials.
Students were also often absent such that there were times when the classrooms were empty especially during the planting and harvesting seasons,
during feastdays of secular officials and religious personalities, and
during storms, and floodings. Corporal punishments were also given:
pinching, beating with the use of the ruler, and paddling.
During the brief period after the success of the Philippine revolutionaries
against Spain, the leaders of the Republic tried to infuse nationalism in
the education system. Tiongson reported that while the Malolos Constitution stipulated Tagalog as the national language, Spanish still dominated
the curriculum.
American Colonial Period

We are all familiar with the events that preceded the arrival of the
Americans as the new colonizers, as well as that of the Thomasites,
heralding the institution of English as the new medium of instruction. If
the Spanish leadership used religion to take control of the colony, the
American leadership used education. As part of its benevolent assimilation approach, the public school system was instituted making it obligatory for all children to go to school. This was welcomed by the parents as
education was given free. English and Mathematics dominated the
curriculum, and the teaching of religion was prohibited. In the high school,
the study of Latin and Spanish classics were replaced by the study of
English language and Anglo-American literature. Required courses
included general science, algebra, geometry, physics and U.S. history and
government. In 1908, the University of the Philippines (U.P.) was established through a charter. The U.P. curriculum was patterned after some
American universities. The U.P. Charter states that the University was
created to realize the Filipinos dream of a state institution of higher
learning entirely free from clerical control.
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Japanese Occupation
Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Spherethis was the basic policy of the
Japanese. Fully aware of the great impact of the two colonial periods on
the Filipino psyche, the Japanese officials set out to remold the Filipino.
According to Ricardo Jose (1998), the military administration outlined
the basic principles of education in the Philippines. Some of these included
the following: cut dependence on Western nations and instead, foster a
New Filipino culture, spread the Japanese language and eventually end
the use of English, focus on basic education and promote vocational education and inspire the people with love of labor. As a result, social sciences and literature were de-emphasized while vocational education and
service to the country were given much focus. To win the sentiments of
the Filipinos, the use of Tagalog was encouraged, specially in literature.
This move was further bolstered with the installation of Jose P. Laurel as
President of the Second Philippine Republic. He created the National Education Board to look into curriculum changes and develop a more relevant education program. His administration advocated the use of the
national language and the teaching of Asian history and culture. He also
mandated that only Filipinos should teach Filipino history. Jose considered such moves as President Laurels form of resistance against the Japanese.
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Unit II
Module 3 29
Activity 3-1
Which of the subjects you took up in the elementary and high
school were influenced by the colonial system of education? Which
of these subjects do you consider significant in preparing you for
college work? for everyday life?
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Activity 3-2
Compare and contrast the text you have just read with the history
of the Philippine education system found in the following website:
http://www.deped.gov.ph/historydecs.html
What changes were implemented?
What laws legislated these changes?
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Unit II
Module 3 31
Activity 3-3
Maraming Pilipino ay nananatiling walang pakialam, walang
interes, at walang komitment. May pagkamanhid na
nagaganap kaugnay ng mga usapin sa moralidad kaya madalas
inuunawa na lamang yaong mga bagay na di dapat palagpasin;
ang kasamaan ay hindi nasusugpo dahil lubhang abala ang mga
tao sa pagkayod ng ikabubuhay. Kung gusto nating tayoy
umunlad, hindi ito dapat magpatuloy.
Sinipi mula sa Pinoy Times, Lunes, Marso 5, 2001, p. 4.
Express your agreement or disagreement to the statement above.
Give concrete examples. In what ways have colonial education
developed this apathy or lack of interest? In what ways can the
present system of education help solve this problem?
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SAQ 3-1
Answer the following questions briefly:
1. What system of writing was replaced by the Romanized script?
2. What basic tenets were children taught during the precolonial period?
3. What was the basic method of teaching during the Spanish

and American colonial periods?
4. Why did Pres. Laurels administration advocate the use of the

national language?
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Unit II
Module 3 33
ASAQ 3-1
1.
2.
3.
4.
alibata
respect for elders and loyalty to tribal laws and practices
memorization
to resist Japanese colonization
Activity 3-4
Interview members of your community who were schooled
during the American and Japanese occupations. Ask them about
the songs they were required to sing. Tape these songs and if
possible, transcribe them. Find out in what ways the songs
impinged on the consciousness of the Filipinos.
Additional Reading
The Continuing Miseducation of the Filipino (An Excerpt) by Renato
Constantino.
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Unit II
Module 4
35
Module 4
Governance and Management

(Administrative and Organizational
Structure, Financing, Planning and
Policy Formulation, Issues
and Problems)
Objectives
he previous module provided us with a brief

overview of the history of the Philippine
education system. This module will be on the
governance and management of the system as
reflected in its structure. Try to find out if the
problems and issues emanate from the structure
and how the system itself has evolved to provide
solutions to recurring problems.
With more than 600,000 teachers in its employ,
the Department of Education is considered the
biggest bureaucracy in the country. But this is just
a small portion of the whole education system.
Excluded in the statistics are the pre-school and
the tertiary levels of education.
Prior to 1990 when the Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM) was organized, the
Philippine education system was highly centralized. All the programs, personnel and financing
from the elementary to the tertiary level were
under the supervision of the Department of
Education. In 1972, the Department was renamed

1. Enumerate and explain
the features in the
present educational
system which could be
traced to a historical
period;
2. Differentiate the roles,
responsibilities, and
accountabilities of each
section of the education
structure; and
3. Identify the issues and
problems of the governance and management of the Philippine
Education System;
4. Propose workable ways
to minimize or solve
these problems.
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Department of Education and Culture through Proclamation 1081.

Regional offices were created and major organizational changes were
implemented. Subsequently, the Education Act of 1982 created the
Ministry of Education, Culture and Sports (later renamed Department of
Education, Culture and Sports or DECS).
The EDCOM was tasked to investigate the problems of Philippine education and implement the provisions in the 1987 Constitution. One of these
was the restructuring of the system. Hence, the creation of the following:
Commission on Higher Education (CHED), Technical Education and Skills
Development Authority (TESDA), Department of Basic Education (DepEd)
and the Council for the Welfare of Children (CWC).
In October, 2004, the Office of the President of the Philippines issued
Executive Order No. 366, s. 2004 entitled Directing a Strategic Review of
the Operations and Organizations of the Executive Brach and Providing
Options and Incentives for Government Employees who may be Affected
by the Rationalization of the Functions and Agencies of the Executive
Branch. This EO also known as the Rationalization Plan or Rat Plan directs all Department Secretaries to conduct a strategic review of the
operations and organization of all component units . . . for purposes of:
a. focusing government efforts and resources on its vital/core services,
and
b. improving the quality and efficiency of government services delivery
by eliminating/minimizing overlaps and duplication, and improving
agency performance through the rationalization of service delivery
and support systems, and organization structure and staffing.
Source: www.gov.ph/2004/10/04executive-order-no-366-s-2004/
UP Open University
Unit II
Module 4
37
Activity 4-1
Visit the websites below and get acquainted with the four national
bodies overseeing the education system of the nation.
www.cwc.gov.ph
www.tesda.gov.ph
www.deped.gov.ph
www.ched.gov.ph
Find out about the following:
Legal basis for their creation
Mandate
Organizational structure
Policies
Programs
Present your findings in a chart. Post it on the discussion board.
Activity 4-2
Which of the four national bodies do you consider the most
vulnerable to corruption? Explain your answer.
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Activity 4-3
Visit the following sites to find out the changes in the administrative and organizational structure as presented in the Rationalization Plan of these agencies. Show these in not more than ten (10)
slides in Power Point Presentation. Remember each slide should
not have more than five (5) lines and to cite your source/s.
www.cwc.gov.ph
www.deped.gov.ph
www.tesda.gov.ph
www.ched.gov.ph
Activity 4-4
Based on your personal experiences as a student, what are the
issues and problems that have confronted each body? List at least
three for each one and rank them. Suggest a solution for the topranked issue/problem.
UP Open University
Unit II
Module 5 39
Module 5
Policies, Practices,
Developments
Issues and Problems
n the previous module, we studied the gover

nance and management of the system as
reflected in its structure. We also analyzed if the
problems and issues emanate from the structure
and how the system itself has evolved to provide
solutions to recurring problems. In this module,
we will examine the objectives of each level as
embodied in the legal bases, thereby providing
us with the basic framework for the curricular
programs at the different levels namely, preschool, basic education (elementary and high
school), vocational-technical education and
tertiary.
Early Childhood Care and

Development
Objectives
1. Analyze the curricular
programs at the different levels;
2. Identify and discuss the
issues and problems in
the curricular programs
and their implementation; and
these problems.
All educational institutions shall inculcate patriotism and

nationalism, foster love of humanity, respect for human rights,
appreciation of the role of national heroes in the historical development of the country, teach the rights and duties of citizenship, strengthen ethical and spiritual values, develop moral
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character and personal discipline, encourage critical and

creative thinking, broaden scientific and technological knowledge, and promote vocational efficiency.
Section 3 (2), Article XIV, The Constitution
of the Republic of the Philippines 1987
Mathematics, history, astronomy, biology, geography, literature, music,
Latin, psychology, government, citizenship, philosophy, reading,
chemistry, art, reading, calculus, GMRC, algebra, geometry, poetry, microbiology, molecular biology . . .
The list contains subjects which you have heard about but are not totally
familiar with because they were not part of the curriculum when you
were attending school. These were the subjects meant to contribute to the
operationalization of the constitutions mandate to all educational institutions.
Recall the first time you attended classes. You were either three years old
or six. If younger, you were lucky enough to have the opportunity to
attend pre-school, either at a privately run center or at a public or barangayadministered center. What lessons did you have? How long did you stay
in school? What skills did you learn? Did these skills help you adapt and
survive your elementary school years?
Let us now briefly review the restructuring of the Philippine education
system as reflected in their legal bases. Focus on the curriculum as
reflected in the objectives.
After the EDCOM report was released in 1993, most of its recommendations were implemented. One of these was the creation of separate bodies
to take charge of the different levels in the education system. Hence,
Republic Act 8980 promulgated a comprehensive policy and a national
system for Early Childhood Care and Development or the ECCD Act.
The ECCD System includes health, nutrition, early education and social
services programs that should provide for the basic holistic needs of young
children from 0 to 6 years old. To ensure the promotion of their optimum
growth and development, one of the programs to be institutionalized is
UP Open University
Unit II
Module 5 41
the Day Care Service which can be community, church or school based.
The objectives of the National ECCD System are:
To achieve improved infant and child survival rates by ensuring that
adequate health and nutrition programs are accessible to young
children and their mothers from the pre-natal period throughout the
early childhood years;
To enhance the physical, social, emotional, cognitive, psychological,
spiritual and language development of young children;
To enhance the role of parents and other caregivers as the primary
caregivers and educators of their children from birth onwards;
According to the ECCD Act, the ECCD curriculum should focus on the
childrens total development according to their individual needs and
social background. Specifically, the curriculum has the following basic
policies:
It shall promote the delivery of complementary and integrative
services for health care, nutrition, early childhood education, sanitation, and cultural activities;
It shall use the childs first language as the medium of instruction.
Activity 5-1
What are the high and low points in your experiences as a preschool child? In what ways were you able to overcome the
problems?
UP Open University
Activity 5-2
Observe a pre-school class. In what ways does the teacher
operationalize the basic policies in the ECCD curriculum? You may
use the following questions as guides:
1. In what way/s does the teacher begin the class session?
2. What is the sequence of activities?
3. What instructional materials are used?
4. Does the teacher integrate health care, nutrition and sanitation? Cite examples.
5. What medium of instruction is used?
6. In what way/s does the teacher end the class session?
UP Open University
Unit II
Module 5 43
Activity 5-3
Compare and contrast the pre-school class you attended when
you were young, and the pre-school class you observed. You may
focus on the following points: subjects, skills, instructional materials and medium of instruction, number of hours per class session.
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Basic Education (Elementary and

Secondary Levels)
Ang daming
dala ng bata!
The school teaches

English well.
Madaming
pinagaaralan
Di ko makita gamit
nung calculus sa
buhay ko.
The school can

make children
read in a month!
You can take the

PEPT at age 18 or
just be an OSY.
In the previous unit (Module 4), we saw how the education system of the
country has been restructured to make it more efficient. What used to be
the Department of Education, Culture and Sports (DECS) is now the
Department of Education (DepEd). We also saw how the EDCOM
recommendations were implemented basically to decongest the DECS,
which, as a national body, is one of the biggest bureaucracies and therefore, prone to graft and corruption. The sports functions, programs and
activities were transferred to the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) and
the functions related to culture were assumed by the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA). As a result, DepEd has full responsibility over basic education programs and policies. Republic Act 9155 or
the Governance of Basic Education Act of 2001spells out the framework of governance for basic education and renames the institution as
the Department of Education.
This legal document states that quality basic education is the right of all
citizens and therefore, should be accessible to all by providing all Filipino children free and compulsory education in the elementary level and
free education in the high school level. It also underscores the inclusion
of alternative learning systems for out-of-school youth and adult learners
who should be provided with skills, knowledge and values to become
caring, self-reliant, productive and patriotic citizens. Noteworthy is the
statement on localization, and that is The State shall encourage local
initiatives for improving the quality of basic education . . . shall ensure
that the values, needs and aspirations of a school community are reflected
in the program of education for the children, out-or-school youth and
adult learners . . . and schools and learning centers shall be empowered to
make decisions on what is best for the learners they serve.
UP Open University
Unit II
Module 5 45
However, despite these legal provisions, reports on students performance

on the basic subjects as Math, Science and English has not been anything
but dismal. Reports say that the Philippines ranked fifth and fourth from
the last of 46 countries in the international assessment of the mathematics
and science skills of 13- and 14-year old students. And the students
performance in national achievement tests in these two subjects is the
samethe students fared poorly with mean percentage scores falling
below 50 percent. The result in the English achievement tests was even
lower.
Experts point out that one reason for this problem is the overloaded
curriculum and the short education cycle (which is ten years) while many
other Asian countries have either eleven or twelve years. To decongest
the curriculum and give more time to the learning of English, Math and
Science, DepEd implemented the Revised Basic Education Curriculum
(RBEC).
Moreover, cognizant of immediately responding to recurring problems,
DepEd prepared The Education National Development Plan for Children
(ENDP), 2000-2025 which aims to provide the focus for setting local as
well as national priorities in education. The ENDP also considered the
key goals set forth at the Jontien Conference in 1990 where the
Philippines was a signatory to attain the goal of Education For All (EFA).
The Conference defined basic learning needs such as literacy, oral expression, numeracy, problem-solving, as well as basic learning content: knowledge, skills, values and attitudes. These needs and content are essential
for human beings to survive, to develop their full capacities, to live and
work in dignity, to participate fully in development, to improve the
quality of their lives, to make informed decisions, and to continue learning.
On May 15, 2013, the President of the Republic signed into law Republic
Act No. 10533 (An Act Enhancing the Philippine Basic Education System
by Strengthening its Curriculum, and Increasing the Number of Years for
Basic Education, Appropriating Funds Therefor and for other Purposes.
This law is also known as the Enhanced Basic Education Act of 2013.
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Activity 5-4
Find out the following information on the K to 12 Program:
rationale
salient features
schedule of implementation
You may refer to RA 10533 or the Department of Education website.
Activity 5-5
Interview any two of the stakeholders listed below. Find out their
opinions on the implementation of the K to 12 Program, specifically on (1) the advantages and disadvantages, (2) problems met,
and (3) suggested solutions.
Stakeholders: student
parent
school administrator
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teacher
community leader
Unit II
Module 5 47
The Alternative Learning System

Higher Education
Vocational -Technical
Education
Formal Basic Education

System
Alternative Learning
System
The illustration above shows the relationship among the components of

the Philippine Education System. Note that the Alternative Learning
System (ALS) is the component that bridges the gap between Formal
Basic Education and Vocational -Technical Education since it is designed
to be a parallel learning system that provides a viable alternative to the
existing formal education instruction; further, it encompasses both the
nonformal and informal sources of knowledge and skills ( as defined in
the Governance Act of Basic Education RA 9155). To make the system
operative, Executive Order No. 356 was released renaming the Bureau of
Nonformal Education to Bureau of Alternative Learning System. This
system has three major nonformal programs. These are:
Basic Literacy Programs: community based program for non-literates
(out-of-school children, youth, adults)
Accreditation and Equivalency Program: certification of learning for
out-of-school youth and adults, 15 years old and above, who are unable to avail of the formal school system, or who have dropped out of
formal elementary or secondary education, therefore, have not
completed ten years of basic education.
Indigenous Peoples (IP) Education Program: a program that aims to
develop an IP culture-sensitive core curriculum, learning materials and
assessment tools and instruments.
It must be underscored that the ALS curriculum is parallel and comparable to the formal school curriculum and has a set of learning competencies for learners in basic literacy, elementary and secondary levels.
The following chart illustrates the similarities and differences between
ALS and Formal Education System.
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Alternative Learning System
Formal Education System
Setting
Community Learning Centers
School
Teacher
Facilitator/Instructional Manager
- trained in ALS
- college graduate (for A & E program)
- HS graduate or lower (for Literacy
Program)
Classroom Teacher
- licensed
- education graduate (BSE or
BSEE)
Age Requirement None
6 years old and above
Curriculum
Same competencyies as Formal

Education System
5 Learning Strands
- Communication Skills
- Critical Thinking and Problem
Solving
- Sustainable Use of Resources/
Productivity
- Self-development and Sense of
Community
- Expanding World Vision
Same competencies as ALS

5 Major Subjects
- English
- Filipino
- Math
- Science
- Makabayan
Learning
Materials
Modules
- self-paced
- self-instructional
- indigenous
- integrated
Textbooks
- teacher-facilitated
Methodology
Andragogy
Pedagogy
Assessment
Basic Literacy
Accreditation and Aquivalency (A&E)
Achievement Tests
UP Open University
Unit II
Module 5 49
Activity 5-6
Do you believe that the K to 12 Program will improve the quality
of basic education in the country? State your reasons.
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Vocational-Technical Education
Vocational Technical (Voc-Tech) Education is under the supervision of
the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority. TESDA was
created through Republic Act 7796, enacted in 1994. What is now considered as the Polytechnic Education System includes the Polytechnic
Schools and Colleges and Post-Secondary Voc-Tech Education.
Considered as post secondary and lower tertiary levels, vocational-technical courses were envisioned to offer non-degree programs that will
prepare middle-level personnel and para-professionals for national
industries. Hence TESDA is also mandated to develop trade skills
standards and trade tests for local, international and foreign organizations. For instance, Filipinos desiring to work as cultural performers in
Japan and elsewhere have to take a competency test in TESDA. Moreover, this body must develop and strengthen linkages between educational/training institutions and industry. An example of this linkage is
one with the MERALCO Foundation which regularly offers short-term
training courses. Exceptional trainees/graduates are absorbed into the
workforce of the company, but since the programs are duly recognized
and accredited by TESDA the trainees are eventually considered qualified by the local industry boards.
Two important components of TESDA-recognized programs are the
following:
Apprenticeship: training within employment with compulsory instruction.
Dual System Training: delivery system of quality technical and vocational education which requires training carried out alternately in two
venues - in school and in the production plant. That is, the school
provides the theoretical foundation and basic training, while the plant
develops skills and proficiency in actual working conditions.
As such, TESDA works closely with the Department of Labor and
Employment (DOLE) which offers apprenticeship programs. In fact, the
Secretary of DOLE sits in the TESDA Board.
UP Open University
Unit II
Module 5 51
Activity 5-7
Visit the TESDA website (http://www.tesda.gov.ph) and note the
different programs offered. Which of these are the most popular
in terms of demand?
UP Open University
Activity 5-8
Do you agree/disagree to the mandate given to TESDA by the
Executive Department to develop training programs for call
centers? Explain your reasons.
Tertiary and Graduate Education

The State shall protect, foster and promote the right of all
citizens to affordable quality education at all levels and shall
take appropriate steps to ensure that education shall be accessible to all. The State shall likewise ensure and protect academic
freedom and shall promote its exercise and observance for the
continuing intellectual growth, the advancement of learning and
research, the development of responsible and effective leader-
UP Open University
Unit II
Module 5 53
ship, the education of high-level and middle-level professional,

and the enrichment of our historical and cultural heritage.
Section 2. Declaration of the Policy, Republic Act 7722
(An Act Creating The Commission on Higher Education,
Appropriating Funds Therefor and for other Purposes)
The policy clearly states that it is the States responsibility to protect,
foster and promote the right to affordable quality education at all
levels ... to ensure that education shall be accessible to all. The policy
is also clear that education is the right of every Filipino citizen.
Even if parents are not fully aware of this declaration and its contents,
every Filipino parent dreams of a college degree for their children. In fact,
a degree is seen as one of the ways by which households can escape from
dire poverty. Tanging edukasyon lamang ang maipapamana namin at iyan
ang isang bagay na di mananakaw ng sinuman.
Tertiary or Higher Education includes all post secondary courses ranging
from one-or two-year course to the four-year degree and professional
programs, including graduate education offered in colleges and universities. The objectives of this main component of the Philippine Education
System can be gleaned from the mission statement of The Commission on
Higher Education (CHED).
Higher Education shall be geared towards the pursuit of a better quality
of life for all Filipinos by emphasizing the formation of those skills and
knowledge necessary to make the individual a productive member of
society and accelerate the development of high-level professionals who
will search after new knowledge, instruct the young and provide leadership in the various fields required by a dynamic and self-sustaining
economy. Higher Education shall likewise be used to harness the
productive capacity of the countrys human resource base towards
international competitiveness.
Similar to the ECCD schools and Basic Education institutions, CHED
institutions are of two general categories: public and private. Public Higher
Education Institutions (HEIs) are further classified by CHED as follows:
State Universities ad Colleges (SUCs): chartered public higher education institutions established by law, administered and financially subsidized by the government; a few have fiscal autonomy while others
dont.
Examples: UP, PNU, MSU with fiscal autonomy
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Local Universities and Colleges (LUCs): established by the local

government through resolutions or ordinance; financially supported
by the local government concerned
Example : Bataan State College
CHED Supervised Higher Education Institutions (CSIs): non-chartered
public post-secondary education institutions established by law,
administered, supervised and financially supported by the government
Example: Batangas State University
The number of SUCs has grown to 111 (as of 2003 data) and this is attributed to two reasons: phasing out of CSIs and combining them with LUCs;
and local politicians penchant for immortalizing their families.
On the other hand, private higher education institutions are established
under the Corporation Code and are governed by the special laws and
general provisions of this Code. Non-sectarian institutions are duly incorporated, owned and operated by private entities that are not affiliated
with any religious organization. Sectarian institutions are usually nonstock, non-profit but duly incorporated, owned and operated by a
religious organization. Whether sectarian or non-sectarian, these private
HEIs are expected to implement the policies and standards formulated by
CHED.
CHED requires the offering of subjects that cover the General Education
Program. These are Language (English and Filipino), Mathematics, Natural Sciences (Physical and Biological), Social Sciences (Philosophy, Psychology, etc.), Arts and Humanities. Non-credit but required subjects are
Physical Education (PE) and National Service Training Program (NSTP).
Centers of Excellence (COEs) and Centers of Development (CODs) are HEIs (both public and private) which
have demonstrated the highest degree or level of standards
along the areas of instruction, research and extension. They
provide institutional leadership in all aspects of development in specific areas of discipline in the various regions by
providing networking arrangements to help ensure the
accelerated development of HEIs in their respective service
areas.
http://www.ched.gov.ph
UP Open University
Unit II
Module 5 55
Activity 5-9
In what ways have your general education program subjects
prepared or not prepared you for the major subjects you have
taken? Give specific examples. What suggestions can you give to
further improve and standardize the implementation of these GE
programs?
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1. Commission on Education
2. Commission on Higher Education
3. Technical Education and Skills Development authority
4. Early Childhood Care and Development
5. Alternative Learning System
6. State Universities and Colleges
7. Revised Basic Education Curriculum
8. Education for All
9. Center of Excellence
10. National Service Training Program
ASAQ 5-1
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
EDCOM
CHED
TESDA
ECCD
ALS
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
SUCs
RBEC
EFA
COE
NSTP
Acronyms are important in the study of the Philippine education

system. What does each of the following acronyms mean?
SAQ 5-1
Module 6
Teacher Education in the Philippines
History, Policies, Practices, Developments
Issues and Problems
he previous module gave us an overview of

the objectives of each level in the education
system as embodied in the legal bases in their
creation, thereby providing us with the basic
framework for their curricular programs. Since
teaching and the teacher are important factors
at all levels, this module will discuss teacher
education in the countryits brief history, some
policies, practices, developments as well as some
issues and problems.
Brief History
Objectives
1. Discuss the history of
teacher education in
the Philippines;
2. Identify and discuss
current issues and
problems in teacher
education; and
these problems.
Although teaching was done during the precolonial period and schools were established as
formal institutions during the early years of the
Spanish colonial period, there were no formal
programs for teachers. It is possible that the
Spanish colonizers trained teachers to teach the
Christian doctrine only. However, in 1860 the Governor ordered the
establishment of a normal school in Manila as a seminary for teachers.
Three years later, laws for the establishment of normal schools for teacher
training were passed. According to Lolita Garcia-Rutland, the requirements were: training for the teaching of industry and the arts, trainees
should be open only to men, and they must learn to speak and write
Castilian fluently (1955). Eventually, the Normal School for Teachers of

Primary Instruction for the Natives of the Filipinas Islands was opened on
May 17, 1864 under the administration of the Jesuits. It was named
Manila Normal School. Since the trainees could not teach in schools for
girls, normal schools for women were established. A certificate to teach
was given to the graduate based on performance at an examination:
sobresaliente (first), ascenso (second), and bueno (third). The graduates were
required to render ten years of service to the government.
You are all very familiar with the arrival of the Thomasites most of whom
were military personnel assigned to teach as part of the program of
benevolent assimilation, but instead they organized and supervised schools
and had little time to do classroom teaching. The establishment of the
public school system created the need for more teachers. In each town
where there were many students, young men and women were
organized into a teachers class where they were taught English, arithmetic, geography and history. After a few months, they were given
assignments as teachers who used instructional materials prepared by
the American colonizers (Rutland, 1955). Your grandparents might be
able to tell you some stories of how teachers were during this period.
With the growing number of schools and teachers, the Bureau of Education held in-service trainings for teachers. This was done to raise the
educational qualifications of teachers. Soon, institutes and home study
programs as well as night schools were organized. By the end of 1925, a
four-year normal curriculum had evolved. In the period between 1901 to
1935, the Philippine Normal School (formerly the Manila Normal School)
and the College of Education of the University of the Philippines were
considered the leaders in high quality teacher education (Rutland, 1955).
The UP College of Education required a two-year preparatory course at
the College of Liberal Arts.
Rutland adds that the 1950s saw the proliferation of the so-called diploma
mills in teacher education institutions resulting to an over-supply of
teachers. The present situation in the country is almost the same except
for the fact that there is now an exodus of quality and qualified teachers
out of the country.
UP Open University
Unit III
Module 6 59
Activity 6-1
Which universities or colleges in your community offer teaching
or education degrees? Outline the brief history of its college of
education by taking note of the following: date of establishment,
Vision, Mission and Goals, enrolment figures, degrees/courses
offered.
If you were the newly appointed Dean of a College of Education,
what changes in the Teacher Education curriculum will you
prioritize? Give the rationale.
After EDCOM
Cognizant of the significant role of teaching in improving the quality of
education in the country, EDCOM recommended important reforms in
the teaching profession, some of which are as follows:
Enactment of RA 7836, or an Act strengthening the regulation and
supervision of the practice of teaching in the Philippines
Prescribing Licensure Examination for Teachers (LET)
Increasing salaries of pubic school teachers with additional remuneration from the local government
Enactment of RA 7784, or an Act Strengthening Teacher Education in
the Philippines by establishing COEs and creating a Teacher Education Council (TEC) for the purpose
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It is likewise universally recognized that the teacher is the key to the

effectiveness of the teaching-learning process by drawing out and
nurturing the best in the learner as a human being and a worthy
member of society. Thus, this Act aims to provide and ensure quality
education by strengthening the education and training of teachers
nationwide through a national system of excellence for teacher education.
Our vision is a teacher education system whose mission is to educate
and train teachers of unquestionable integrity and competence, and who
are committed to their continuing professional growth and obligation to
help their students grow as responsible individuals and citizens of the
Philippines and of the world.
Section 1 RA 7784
Activity 6-2
Recall the teachers you hadfrom pre-school to the most recent
pastwho exemplified the teachers described in the last paragraph
of Section 1. Write a short personal letter to these teachers. Do cite
specific situations to avoid generalization. You can use English or
Filipino.
UP Open University
Unit III
Module 6 61
Initiatives on Teacher Education Reforms

To directly address the critical problems and issues relevant to teacher
education, CHED issued Memorandum Order #11 on April 13, 1999. This
memo outlined the Revised Policies and Standards for Teacher Education
covering the basic principles and policies in operating a teacher education institution, and more importantly, the new teacher education
curriculum. This was assessed by national and international organizations which launched Project CITE (Curriculum Initiative for Teacher Education). The proposed curriculum is composed of general education (40%
or 68 units, professional education (30% or 51 units), and major/field of
specialization (30% or 51 units). An additional feature is the provision for
community exposure through field-based experiences and the inclusion
of emerging technologies in the courses. The curriculum was pilot tested
in selected COEs and CODs.
Private corporations have extended help in the implementation of the
program through computer donations and the training of teachers in
computer skills. Teachers have been placed under the supervision of the
National Educators Academy of the Philippines (NEAP) together with
DepEd.
CHED Memo No. 11 also includes retention and admission requirements
which, hopefully, would improve the quality of teachers. It states that all
teacher education institutions must have a system of selective admission and retention of students to ensure that those who enter the teaching
profession possess a reasonably high level of scholastic achievement
and the appropriate aptitudes, interests, and personality traits. . .. candidates shall have obtained in senior high school an average of at least
85% or its equivalent . . . Applicants with a lower average should pass
a teaching aptitude test.
The Presidential Commission for Education Reform (PCER) meanwhile,
submitted several proposed reforms. Noteworthy among these are : 1) to
provide college scholarships to graduating high school students excelling
in Math, Science, and English, 2) to limit the number of TEIs only to those
qualified based on criteria set, and 3) to restructure the teacher education
curriculum.
To address the issue on standardization and to rationalize the undergraduate teacher education in the country to keep pace with the demands of global competitiveness, CHED issued Memorandum No. 30 in
2004 which spelled out the revised policies and standards for undergraduate Teacher Education Curriculum and Memorandum No. 52 in 2007
which articulates the policies and standards for the administration of the
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Teacher Education curriculum. As a result, the National CompetencyBased Teachers Standard (NCBTS) was developed. This defined effective teaching using a single framework. Meanwhile, Memorandum No.
52 spelled out the minimum qualifications of a dean of a college of education, as well as of its faculty. It also set the requirements for the facilities
and equipment including internet access.
Source: www.ched.gov.ph
Activity 6-3
Interview a public school teacher to find out the following: soundness of pre-service preparation, and of in-service training,
opinion/s regarding CHED recommendation on admission requirements to TEIs. Include a short paragraph expressing your own
opinions and recommendations.
UP Open University
Unit III
Module 6 63
SAQ 6-1
Read each statement. Write T if it is True or F if it is False.
_____ 1. The pre-colonization teachers were trained by each
barangay.
_____ 2. The home was the first classroom.
_____ 3. The Spanish colonizers taught the teachers how to teach
Christian doctrines and the Castilian language.
_____ 4. Segregation by gender was strictly observed.
_____ 5. The Thomasites trained and supervised newly
appointed Filipino teachers
_____ 6. Pre-service training is under the supervision of DepEd.
ASAQ 6-1
1. F
2. T
3. F
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4. T
5. F
6. F
Unit IV Module 7 65
Module 7
Education for Special Learners/

Indigenous Peoples Education/
Madrasah Education
n this module, we will examine closely a range

of topics considered special. We will talk about
the needs of special learners, indigenization/localization of the curriculum and the Madrasah Education. We will look into issues which greatly
impinge on the future of the education system as
we, as a nation, continually struggle to make education truly Filipino without necessarily being
myopic. These issues are constantly discussed but
have not been fully understood nor given
support to develop. This module will just give a
general but comprehensive view of the topics and
therefore will not discuss lengthily and in depth
all the related features and issues.
On Special Education
Mylene, a 13-year-old first year high school
student, cannot finish any seatwork despite
the extra time given by the teacher.
Objectives
1. Explain the important
features of education
for special learners;
2. Explain the significance
of indigenization and
localization of curriculum and of the IPED
and the Madrasah
Education to community and national
development
3. Identify the main
features of Madrasah
Education.
Six-year-old Harry cannot keep still and prefers to be alone.

Gloria is 20 years old but has features unlike her siblingsflat
face, upward slanting eye creases, small ears.
Gino is three but can read and write short sentences and is quite
adept at painting and drawing.
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Darius is a junior student at the university; he goes to school

using a pair of crutches; he had poliomyelitis when he was five
years old.
These are but a few examples of individuals with special needs and who,
if they lived many years ago, would have been kept inside the house by
parents who feared that they would cause embarrassment and shame to
the family. These individuals would have been considered abnormal since
they do not exhibit behavior that society considered normal. In fact, in the
17th century, these abnormal individuals were classified only into two:
the idiots and the insane.
However, in the 18th century, sensory-impaired individuals, like the blind
and deaf, were recognized as members of society and therefore should
also be taught skills. With epidemics, wars, as well as the occurrence of
disastrous natural calamities, serious ailments and injuries produced
individuals with disabilities, prompting scientists to do in-depth studies
and tests on how they could be taught and therefore contribute still to
society. Thus teaching procedures and instructional materials were
developed especially for this group of people.
There were many pioneers who studied and developed this field. Some
names that have made significant contributions are the following:
Maria Montessori who started the use of task analysis and manipulative materials
Samuel Holm who founded the school for the blind
Francis Dalton who proved through an experiment that a genius is
solely the result of hereditary influences
Alexander Graham Bell who invented the hearing aid
Thomas Gallaudet who proposed a formal system for Special Education
Let us now look at more recent developments in this field.
According to a report (2002), Special Education in the Philippines began
in 1907 when interest in exceptional and special cases of individuals
started. After some years, institutions were established to assist persons
with disabilities. Some of these institutions were The Jose Fabella Memorial School (1920), The National Orthopedic Hospital of the Crippled (1945)
and the Elsie Gaches Village (1953). Not long after, the Department of
Education recognized the need to include Special Education as a special
concern. In 1965, the College of Education of the University of the
Philippines began offering Special Education subjects and in 1978 as a
major area of specialization in the undergraduate program. Other teacher
education institutions (TEIs) soon followed because of the increasing
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Unit IV Module 7 67
demand for special education teachers. As a separate area of specialization, special education has developed extensively over the years.
Changes in the field of education parallel larger changes in society. Most
important is the realization that individuals with special needs are equally
important in society and need intervention programs. Legislative
measures have been crafted and enacted that have made communities
more aware of the needs of these individuals. Moreover, more disabilities
and/or impairments have been scientifically described as well as treated
or alleviated, due to improvement of medical knowledge.
The vocabulary of special education has gone through some major changes
too, because words used to label or identify persons with special needs
should not convey messages and values which may have a stigmatizing
effect on them. Hence, the term handicap has been replaced by disability,
or impairment.
Lets now look at the definitions of some key terms in the field of special
education. What follows is just a broad outline and is not a complete
listing. The definitions are instructive but not definitive.
Special Education: a specially designed instruction to meet the unique
needs of a child
Learning Disability: a disorder in one or more of the basic psychological processes involved in understanding or using spoken or written
language that results to inability to listen, think, speak, read, write or
do mathematical calculations
Hearing Impairments: inability to process linguistic information through
hearing
Giftedness: cognitive superiority, creativity and motivation that set the
individual apart from the majority of other individuals of the same
age
Mental Retardation (MR): refers to sub-normal intellectual functioning;
it is not a disease
Autism Spectrum Disorder: a complex developmental disability and
neurological disorder affecting the normal development and functioning of the brain in the areas of social interaction and communication
skills
Attention Deficit-Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD): a neurologically-based
developmental disability manifested by inattentiveness, impulsiveness
and hyperactivity
Cerebral Palsy: a neurological disorder that causes permanent disorders of movement and position
Down syndrome: a developmental disorder manifested in the physical
appearance of the individual as well as delayed development in the
social, emotional and intellectual areas;
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Activity 7-1
What is your opinion regarding the mainstreaming of students
with special needs, that is, including those with visual or hearing
impairment in regular classes?
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Unit IV Module 7 69
Activity 7-2
Observe a special education class and note the features that make
the class different from the typical classes youre familiar with.
On Education in Cultural Communities

and Indigenization of the Curriculum
We are all familiar with the terms Westernization of education and
Filipinization of education, the first one referring to the adaptation if not
the straight lifting of curricular programs, teaching approaches, instructional materials, among others, from the West to the Philippines. The
latter, on the other hand, refers to the adaptation of the same to
Philippine culture and sensibilities. However, they are often done in terms
of names of places, persons and objects. As a result, students or learners
often get more confused and alienated from their own environment.
Recognizing the need to make education more relevant, individuals, groups
and organizations have done researches to improve the curriculum in
response to the vast and fast changes taking place everywhere but more
so because of the differing cultural landscapes among and within nations
despite the impetus of globalization. The Philippines is one such nation
whose cultural landscape is as varied and interesting as its people. Though
we have a common cultural and linguistic history, the languages and
dialects, beliefs and practices are very diverse. We, as educators, must
not be disturbed by such differences. In fact, we must not just tolerate
but celebrate such diversity. This celebration is meant to develop an
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appreciation for a legacy, the definitive role of each community and its
members (no matter the age and the educational attainment) in sustaining growth and development.
Aware of such diversity and of the necessity to realign its curricular
programs in education, the Department of Education has embarked on making basic education relevant and still responsive to global changes through
the alternative learning system (which we discussed in an earlier module).
Coupled with this is the component called Indigenous Peoples Education
Program (IPED). Its major aim is to develop an IP culture-sensitive curriculum, learning materials and assessment tools and instruments. To strengthen
this program, DepEd ORDER 62 s. 2011 was released in August Adopting
the National Indigeneous Peoples (IP) Education Policy Framework. The
Administrative Order states that the Policy Framework is intended to be an
instrument for promoting shared accountability, continuous dialogue,
engagement and partnership among government, IP communities, civil
society, and other education stakeholders.
This approach is supported by various studies. John Deweys research
posits that learners are more motivated and interested in the learning task
than on the output or result. This means that learners are just as focused
on the process itself as on the result. Therefore, the learning process must
build on the learners environment and experiences.
Another basis is Paolo Freires concept of the literacy process as a
cultural action for freedom which supports the idea of empowering
learners to understand the real conditions of their existence and to work
towards their transformation. Some educationists and philosophers refer
to this concept as the liberating function of education. Ma. Luisa C.
Doronila expounds on the same theory saying that since knowledge
remains open-ended, it is always in the process of being constructed by
learners to make sense of their own life situations (1996).
Some recent studies on education in the Philippines also show that effective and relevant education is tied to development. The Philippine
Human Development Report of 2000 underscored that basic education is
most effectively delivered not in isolation but in conjunction with development efforts. Also, it concluded that the one-size-fits-all approach
is too rigid, unresponsive and hierarchical to adapt itself to different local
circumstances. Despite early efforts to implement one standardsame
competencies, methodologies, evaluation system, instructional materials,
etc. national test results showed at the time that students in metro
areas generally perform better than those in the CAR and ARMM areas.
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Unit IV Module 7 71
The studies of Alan Bernardo (1998), Ma. Luisa C. Doronila (1996) and of
the UP-ERP-CIDS-DECS-CAR (2001) showed the importance of integrating community practices in the teaching-learning process.
Cognizant of the marginalization of the indigenous peoples in the whole
education process, the Department of Education issued DepEd Order No.
62 s. 2011 entitled Adopting the National Indigenous Peoples (IP) Education Policy Framework.
Following is a sample of a part of a teaching module that incorporates
indigenous knowledge in the DECS curriculum.
Subject: Araling Panlipunan
Year Level: 2nd to 4th Year
TITLE: Ang Kahalagahan ng Tubig sa Pag-unlad ng Cordillera
Pangkalahatang Layunin: Naipamamalas ang bahaging
ginagampanan ng tubig sa pag-unlad ng kabuhayan sa Cordillera
Introduksyon:
Ang mga pangunahing kabihasnan ng sinaunang panahon, tulad
ng Tsina at India ay naitayo at napatingkad ng tao dahil sa
kalapitan ng mga ito sa ilog. Ang pinanggaligan ng tubig ay
mahalaga sa agrikultura na pangunahing pinagkukunan ng
kabuhayan ng tao at sa paglipas ng panahon ay kanyang nalinang
at napaunlad upang maging matatag na paraan ng ikinabubuhay.
Aralin 1. Ang sistema ng tubig sa ating mga payo
Layunin:
1. Mahinuha ang kahalagahan ng tubig sa pag-unlad ng mga
tirahan o pamayanan.
2. Makapaglarawan ng sariling kinaroroonang lugar at ang daloy
ng tubig dito.
Balik-aral: Ang mga kabihasnan sa mga ilog sa Asya tulad sa
India at Tsina.
Gawain: Field Trip
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Instruksyon: Magpunta sa pinakamalapit na rice terrace. Tingnan

ang mga sumusunod:
1. Pinanggagalingan ng tubig
2. Sistema ng patubig para sa mga palay na nasa payo
3. Gaano kalayo sa pinaggalingan ng tubig ang mga tirahan ng
mga tao
Pagproseso ng Gawain:
Talakayin
1. Sa payong ating pinuntahan, saan nanggagaling ang tubig na
dumadaloy sa payo? Gaano kalayo ang tirahan ng mga tao sa
pinanggalingan ng tubig?
2. Para sa mga nanggaling sa ibang lugar na may rice terraces,
saan nanggagaling ang inyong tubig? Gaano kalayo ang tirahan
ng mga tao sa pinagmumulan ng tubig?
3. Gaano kahalaga ang tubig sa agrikultura?
4. May pagkakaiba ba ang sitwasyon ng mga tao sa matandang
Tsina at India?
Activity 7-3
1. What are the legal bases of DO 62?
2. What are its sic (6) policy statements?
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Unit IV Module 7 73
On Madrasah Education
Madrasah is the Arabic term for school, the plural of which is Madaris. It
was introduced in the Philippines in the 13th century by Makhdum Karim,
the Arab missionary who built the first mosque in the country in Tubig
Indangan, Simunul, Tawi-Tawi. It was in this mosque that the people in
the area were taught Islam (Damansong-Rodriguez, 1992).
In most communities in Mindanao (and even in Luzon and the Visayas),
the Madaris are also the mosques where Quaranic reading and the
Arabic language are taught. Emphasis is on the life and teaching of the
Prophet Mohammed, the Arabic system of reading and writing, harmony
among people, values and peace according to the ways of Islam. As such,
the Madrasah is revered both as an institution of learning and as a symbol
of Islam.
According to Damansong-Rodriguez (1992), the Madrasah system has
twelve years of schooling with four years for each of the following levels:
primary (Ibtidai), intermediate (ldade) and high school (Thanawi). A
madrasah offering a complete twelve-year program is maahad (plural is
maahid). If it only offers the primary or intermediate or both, it is called
madrasah.
The primary and intermediate curriculum includes eight subjects namely,
Islamic Studies, Character Building, Arabic Language, Social Studies
(Islamic history and geography), Mathematics, Science, English Language
and Military and Physical Education. Similarly, the high school curriculum has the same subjects; however, Livelihood Education is taught in
lieu of Character Building.
To master the use of the Arabic language which is the language of the
Quran, Arabic is used during exchanges between the teacher and the
students, as well as among the students themselves. However, in the
primary level, the medium of instruction is the local dialect, which is
gradually used less in the high school level where the use of Arabic is
encouraged.
Similar to the problem that plagues some public schools, not all madaris
can provide the complete program. A madrasah may offer only one or two
years of primary, intermediate and/or secondary education. This is due
to the lack of financial support, of qualified and trained teachers, of
instructional materials, facilities and equipment.
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The madaris are privately owned but community-based. They are not
financially supported by the government. A madrasah is managed by its
owner/s and supported by a head teacher or principal, usually a senior
ustadz or teacher. Financial support comes from the tuition of students
and from donations from the community. Sometimes, though, some madaris
are lucky enough to get support from countries in the Middle East in the
form of infrastructure and instructional materials like books. According
to Prof. Taha Basman (2002), exchange professors from Saudi Arabia and
Egypt sometimes come to teach in some maahid in Mindanao, and
missionaries to teach in the madrasah.
Students attend classes at the madrasah either on regular days (Monday
to Thursday) or on weekends (Friday to Sunday). Although Muslims
pray five times a day, Friday is the special day for worship.
In an effort to help upgrade the madaris, legislators as well as Muslim
leaders have initiated moves to integrate the Madrasah System into the
Philippine Education System. Hopefully, such moves will help address
some problems in education in Mindanao and completely remove the
label and the misconception that the madrasah is a breeding ground for
terrorists. After all, the Madrasah as an institution of learning has legal
bases RA No. 6734 or the Organic Act of the Autonomous Region in
Muslim Mindanao, and the Muslim Mindanao Autonomy Act No. 14 or
the Education Act of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao
(Tamano, 1996).
Activity 7-4
If you were a student in the Cordillera, in what ways would the
above lesson be interesting and relevant to you?
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Unit IV Module 7 75
Activity 7-5
In what other ways can the Madrasah System be integrated in the
Philippine Educational System?
SAQ 7-1
Which of the following statements directly refer to the indigenization of the curriculum?
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
The Arabic language is taught as regular subject.

Local practices are used to explain concepts.
Local teachers are encouraged to teach in their own localities.
Classes are held outside of the formal school system.
The learning process is built on and around the learners environment and experiences.
ASAQ 7-1
1
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Unit IV Module 8 77
Module 8
Language of Instruction and

Language of Learning/
Globalization and Education/
Information and Communication
Technology and Education
Objectives
he fast-paced developments in science and

technology have impinged on the developments in education. Borderless society, information highway, technology-driven economythese
are but a few of the terms widely used today. In
what ways have these changes affected the
countrys effort at making education relevant and
meaningful to the greater number as well as maintain the integrity of a nations history and culture? This module will take a look at three interrelated issues affecting educationmedium of instruction, globalization and information technology.
Following is a transcription of an actual observation of a Grade 1 class at a laboratory elementary
school in Quezon City.

1. Discuss the significance
of the language of
instruction or language
of learning in the
teaching-learning
process;
2. Compare the different
perspectives on globalization and their implications to education;
3. Explain the implications of information
and communication
technology to education; and
issues and problems
related to the topics
and their implications
to the education system.
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Teacher
Class
Teacher
Class
Teacher
Class
:
:
:
:
:
Magandang umaga, mga bata.

Magandang umaga po, Teacher Belen.
Anong hugis o shape ang pantay o equal?
Square! Circle!
Magaling! Anong pagkain ang bilog?
: Pizza Pie!
(Teacher draws a big circle on the board)
Teacher
: Ilan kayo sa isang mesa? (Class is grouped with 5 students
per table)
Class
: Lima po.
Teacher
: Halimbawa bawat isang mesa ay bibigyan ng isang pizza pie.
Anong dapat gawin para lahat ay makakain ng pizza?
Class
: Hatiin po. (Teacher draws a vertical line in the middle of the
circle)
Ay! Dalawa lang!
A student : Teacher, dapat paglimahin po.
(Teacher draws lines from the center cutting the circle into
five equal parts; she points at one part or slice)
Teacher
: Ito ay isa (writes 1) ng (draws a short line below it) lima
(writes 5). Ito ay... (teacher points at another slice and the
class recites in unison)
Class
: ...isa ng lima. (Teacher points at two slices.)
Class
: dalawa ng lima; . . . tatlo ng lima . . . apat ng lima . . . lima ng
lima.
Titser, isa na ulit (referring to the whole pizza pie)
This lesson on fractions took barely ten minutes. If it were conducted in
English it may have taken longer as the students grapple with the English
language as well as with a new mathematical concept.
The lesson illustrates that the teaching-learning process is basically a communication process where language plays a significant role (Cortes,1993).
As such, Dina Ocampo (2006), in her report on a nationwide consultation regarding the issue, strongly suggests the use of the term language of
learning as it is seen from the learners viewpoint and who, after all,
should be active participants in the whole process.
What are some of the most important arguments on the use of Filipino or
of the home language as the language of learning? Let us look at the issue
from a historical perspective and the concept of education and its role in
development as discussed in Unit I.
Though there were not enough written documents, history has assumed
that the early periods of learning relied heavily on oral literature, and it is
safe to assume too that the home language or the community language
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Unit IV Module 8 79
was used. With the development of the writing system, the language of
learning remained the same. In the Philippines, we have the alibata as
well as the writing forms that are still being used by the Hanunoos of
Mindoro.
The periods of colonization changed the landscape of learning as the
language of the colonizers was forced on the people. The Spanish colonizers burned materials written in the traditional script which they
referred to as the work of the devil.
In the years 1894-1896, the Philippine Assembly passed a bill requiring
the use of the native language as language of instruction in all public
schools. In 1900 the Military Governor approved the same upon the
recommendation of the Superintendent of Schools. Textbooks in the
primary grades were in Ilocano, Tagalog, Visayan, Bicol, and English (de
Villa, 2001).
In 1906, Dr. David B. Burrow, the Head of the Department of Education,
approved the offering of Tagalog as a required course in all vocational
classes. Subsequently, a bill on the use of the language widely used in the
country as language of instruction was submitted to the National
Assembly. However, it was rejected by the Philippine Commission. Dr.
Burrow was replaced by Mr. Frank White who immediately mandated
the use of English as language of instruction.
In 1925, the Monroe Commission did a survey on Philippine education.
One of the recommendations was the use of the native tongue as the
language of instruction. The recommendation was strongly supported by
academic leaders notably by Dean Jorge C. Bocobo and Mr. Maximo Kalaw
of the University of the Philippines. In the early 1930s the Commission on
Public Instruction presented to the Legislature a bill on the use of Tagalog,
Visayan, Ilocano, Pangasinense and Kapampangan in teaching together
with English. Obviously, the use of the different Philippine languages was
encouraged not only by Filipino leaders but by the Americans as well.
A not-too-well known initiative was one done by Supt. Pedro Guia of
Ilocos Norte. Since many instructional materials were burned or badly
damaged during the war, Supt. Guia immediately exhorted his teachers
to resume classes using Ilocano as language of instruction. After a few
weeks, the school administrators and the teachers noted that the students
learned faster. Observers from Manila came. The result of the experiment
was read by Mr. Jose V. Aguilar, the Superintendent of Iloilo. He implemented the same experiment but on a wider scale (Grades 1 to 4 in 7
schools, one in the city, three in farming communities, three in fishing
communities) using the scientific method. He had an experimental group
and a control group. The result was similar to that in Ilocos Norte. The
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children learned more and faster in their native or home language.

Similar studies have been done in recent years including one by the
EDCOM. No less than the Presidential Commission on Education Reforms
(PCER) proposed expanding the options for the Medium of Instruction
(MOI) for Grade 1 by including the use of the regional lingua franca or
the vernacular. Justifications presented were as follows:
Chronic dropout problem in many regions will be significantly reduced;
traumatic effect of transition from the home to formal schooling will
be significantly minimized;
Children learn better and more quickly with the use of the lingua
franca;
The best way to learn a second and third language is to use the structures of the mother tongue.
Meanwhile, Josefina Cortes (1993) had the following arguments:
English is the universal language of diplomacy, commerce and
science;
Filipino can adequately meet requirements of formal schooling and
intellectual discourse;
After almost nine decades of using English as MOI, what advantages
do we Filipinos have over our ASEAN neighbors todayeconomically, politically, culturally and socially?;
The experience of European countries shows that English need not be
the MOI in order for students to learn and speak it with some degree
of proficiency;
The use of English as MOI has stifled creative, analytic and abstract
thinking, and encouraged rote memory learning among Filipinos.
For the advocates on the use of Filipino as MOI or language of learning,
they consider the Constitutional provision as the best argument
Article XIV. Section 6 ...subject to provisions of law and

as the Congress may deem appropriate, the Government shall take steps to initiate and sustain the use of
Filipino as a medium of official communication and as
language of instruction in the educational system.
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Unit IV Module 8 81
Breaking Development
On July 14, 2009, the Department of Education issued an
Order Institutionalizing Mother Tongue-Based Multilingual
Education (MLE). The directive replaces the bilingual policy
which mandates the use of English and Filipino as medium
of instruction. This fundamental educational policy and
program, which have validated the superiority of the use
of the learners mother tongue or fish language in improving learning outcomes and promoting Education for All
(EFA). Said policy will be implemented in the whole stretch
of formal education including pre-school and in the Alternative Learning System (ALS). Enclosed with the Order is
the MLE Bridging Plan.
Activity 8-1
In what language did you express yourself best (oral and written)
in school? Cite a specific and memorable experience.
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Activity 8-2
Express your agreement or disagreement to one of the following
observations:
English as a MOI is neither beneficial nor practical... due to retirement,
emigration and explosive population growth, there are too few teachers
qualified to teach everything in English today.
Manuel L. Quezon III, The Long View,
PDI, Nov. 13, 2006
English should be looked at as a language of empowerment that will
facilitate an awakening among our students when they use it to look
critically at their place in the greater political, economic and social
order. But before we decide what language of instruction will work best
in the Philippines, we should ask the question: What is the language of
the Filipino students dream?
Pau M. Fontanos, Whats the language of our students
dreams? In Youngblood, PDI, January 28, 2006.
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Unit IV Module 8 83
Globalization and Information and

Communication Technology
Lately, as one goes over the newspapers classified ads, the pages are dominated by announcements from business process outsource (BPO) groups
more widely known as call center companies. Streamers and billboards
along densely populated areas scream the same. Even job fairs are no
exceptions. Highly preferred are applicants fluent both in oral and
written English, computer-literate, willing to work long hours, familiar
with online technology, etc. Certainly, these were no different from the
qualifications required of applicants 20 years ago but with a difference.
Newly-hired employees (as agents, trainers) get to travel and cross oceans
via the communication highway made possible by different technology
forms.
That the world has shrunk in terms of travel, communication, and trade,
is not a recent development. The dominant nations thirst for more land,
more power is, to use a clich, as old as history. With the improvement of
trade and commerce, expansionism included the establishment of multinational companies in colonized countries whose human and material
resources were harnessed. The 1970s to the 1990s saw the rapid transformation and consolidation of the nations of the worldthe World Trade
Organization (WTO) from GATT, ASEAN, APEC, and the EU. A new
word was coined to describe these events globalization. It is a term that
can be viewed from many different contexts and therefore, should be
approached with caution and the recognition of many varied and emerging perspectives.
To many, globalization is the process of integration of the world community into a common system, economically and socially. It encompasses
international trade, migration and diplomacy (Taylor, 1997). A must be
in state visits is the signing of trade agreements especially among states or
nations where labor and material resources are needed. These documents
are variously referred to as bilateral, multilateral, interdependence, or
mutual agreements, etc. The recent agreement between the Philippines
and Japan calls for the sending of caregivers and nurses to Japan whose
elderly population has increased. The influx of temporary migrants to
Japan, likewise, will increase and add to the number of Filipinos working
in that country. On the other hand, there are more limited options for
entry among those who are classified as cultural workersmusicians,
dancers, entertainers.
Another perspective looks at globalization as the rapid economic restructuring and integration of various countries through the combination of
technological advancement, the opening and dominance of markets, the
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campaign for worldwide implementation of the neo-liberal development

paradigm of deregulation and liberalization, and intensifying economic
crisis and business competition (IBON, 1996). This perspective also views
globalization as a phenomenon which may lead to greater inequality by
favoring certain income groups over others, for example, skilled labor and
owners of capital. This cautious view regards the organization of the WTO
and the accompanying agreements as another form of colonialism. The
agreements as well as the common rules cover not only trade in goods but
also services (which include education) and intellectual property. The
operationalization of such rules and agreements are reflected in the
privatization of public service components as water, electricity, health
and education.
Meanwhile, the social scientists view refers to globalization as the transformation of time and space or action at a distance which happens via
instantaneous global communication and mass transportation. Action at
a distance refers to the interconnectedness of economic, political and
cultural activities across the globe (Giddens, 1994). This is manifested
everyday, especially in the urban and urbanized areas, where everyone
is involved in social processes which are transnational in character: in
offices, schools (through reading and/or sending e-mails), in libraries
and homes (reading CD-ROM materials, watching movies shot on location in the Middle East or elsewhere via DVD, surfing the net in Internet
cafes, eating hamburgers cloned in Beijing, Brussels, Bangkok, etc). The
list is endless. These complex processes are considered uneven, or even
chaotic. Taylor (1997) calls this a set of processes that make supranational connections economically, culturally and politically.
Another view considers globalization as a social process in which the
constraints of geography on social and cultural arrangements recede and
in which people become increasingly aware that they are receding
(Waters). As such, boundaries or territories remain significant but not
the most basic organizing principles for social and cultural life. Deterritorialization has been strengthened by cyberspace.
Economic globalization and new technologies have impinged on education as part of the cultural environment. The compression of time and
space has certainly affected pedagogy and curriculum, administration
and governance and all other related fields. Global technology forms such
as the Internet, and World Wide Web, CD-ROMs, DVDs, satellite TV, etc.
have created a wider and faster information superhighway which has
also developed alternative systems in education. Likewise, a new breed of
teachers has emerged. Moreover, overseas students no longer apply for
cultural exchange reasons but for human resource development for the
global labor market.
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Unit IV Module 8 85
Universities and colleges internationalize their campuses. Note the emergence of UK schools in the country, both in the basic education and
tertiary levels: Thames Business School, Reedley International School to
name a few. Internationalization of the teaching staff and of the
curriculum has been done too. It is no wonder then that the best teachers
of the country have emigrated not only to the US but to neighboring Asian
countries like China. On the other hand, Asian countries, particularly
South Korea, have established schools in the country. What ostensibly
began as a program to train Koreans in English in the country has created
an influx of Koreans nationwide.
With the strong push for globalization, Information and Communication
Technologies (ICTs) have had a significant impact on education, more
specifically in developing models for schools of the future. It must be
remembered though that ICTs are tools. They are not the content of the
curriculum. Distance and online learning are modes too, not the content.
And with such great strides in these tools and modes of teaching and
learning, the curriculum has to become more integrated and
multidisciplinary. As such, teachers will have to have a basic understanding of many subjects. Specialization may take a backseat for a while.
At this juncture, important questions arise:
How do governments defend the traditional nation-building purposes
of education when the very notion of nation is being reconstituted?
To what extent should education policies be analyzed and crafted by
departments other than the Department of Education?
Will globalization commodify education?
And more questions will arise.
UP Open University
Activity 8-3
In what ways can the transition from the traditional to the ICTdriven approach to the teaching-learning process be made easier,
and more effective?
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Unit IV Module 9 87
Module 9
Gender in Education
Media and Education
Special SubjectsNSTP/
Scouting, Art, Music
t this juncture in our course, we will continue to look at how changes in the local,
national and international landscapes impact on
the education system.
Various organizations have called on stakeholders
in education to participate actively in underscoring the importance of pushing for gender sensitivity through education and mass media. The latter has been the subject of researches, particularly
the effects of media on the young. Meanwhile, the
curriculum has similarly been reviewed, revised,
rewritten, re-energized, re-engineered to include
topics on areas considered important, relevant and
enriching. These subjects are often considered as
incidentals and are not grouped with the core
subjects yet continue to be offered as requirements.
What is the role of these areas of studies in education?
Objectives
1. Discuss the significance
of gender issues in
promoting equity in the
teaching-process and in
the education system;
2. Identify and explain the
role of mass media in
education;
3. Explain the ways by
which special subjects
can be given equal
importance in the
curriculum; and
issues and problems
related to the topics
and their implications
to the education system.
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88 Philippine Education System
Ama, ang haligi ng tahanan.

Pink is for girls, blue for boys
Girls, please sweep the floor.
Boys, husk the floor.
Man belongs to the whole universe.

He should take care of it well.
Boys are good in math and should be engineers or doctors.

Women do the household chores.
Consider the statements above. They are but a few of the concepts that
are found in most textbooks despite efforts at promoting gender sensitivity, and the predominance of women in Philippine education. Moreover, teachers, whether consciously or unconsciously, practice sex-stereotyping in the classroom and outside of it. One of these practices is the
segregation of the sexes in the seating arrangement and in the class list.
Class competitions are also between boys and girls. Colors are similarly
assigned based on gender pink, red, and similar hues are used for girls,
and blue for boys. Considered neutral are yellow and green.
The textbooks are no different. A study done by Corazon Lamug in 1995
showed that very distinct stereotypes or males and females are portrayed
in stories and pictures in elementary school Reading and Language textbooks. Females in the home setting do a variety of domestic related work
such as cooking, washing clothes, sewing, cleaning the house, going to
market, etc. Males, meanwhile, are shown as farmers and fishers,
astronauts, geologists, carpenters, drivers, mechanics, dentists, etc. Men/
Males are stereotyped as rough, aggressive, strong, coarse and crude while
women/females are cast as dependent, nurturing, weak, generous and
emotional.
Many concepts and objects are given a female image or terminology.
A few of these are: virtues as justice and liberty, art and poetry, mechanized contraptions as boats and ships. However, powerful forces like
time and death are male. Even advertisements of products meant for males
use females as appendages who are treated as objects. Take a close
look at ads for cigarettes, alcoholic drinks and cars.
How often do we hear boys being reprimanded for crying: Hindi umiiyak
ang lalaki! Ano ka? Bakla?. Such an attitude reflects lack of respect for an
individuals sexual preference, and it also shows that gays have been
similarly stereotyped. The bakla or badaf are portrayed as beauticians,
UP Open University
Unit IV Module 9 89
fashion designers, entertainment writers who engage in gossip, while the

lesbian or tibo is seen as a security aide.
Gender stereotyping in school reinforces views of female subordination
(Miller and Swift, 1980). Fortunately, extensive researches and studies as
well as efforts exerted to promote gender equity in education have
produced very positive results. Publishers explicitly indicate gender
equity as one of the basic principles writers must observe. Single-gender
colleges and universities have become co-educational. Media have popularized the use of nonsexist terms as actors (not actor/actress), fisherfolks
(not fishermen), persons (not men), chair/chairperson (not chairman),
human resource (not manpower). Books and pamphlets on nonsexist
writing have been produced. These have helped make the marked changes
not only in language use but also in attitude.
Below are some terms considered important to clarify issues related to the
topic at hand. It must be remembered though that the terms and definitions are by no means exact and final. We expect to see changes and
modifications as a result of more researches and studies done on the topic.
Sex: biological characteristics and aspects of being man and woman;

specifically refers to the hormones, the reproductive system and the
capacity to conceive (for the woman) and to aid (for the man) in the
reproductive process.
Gender: culturally specific set of characteristics that identifies the
social behavior of women and men and the relationship between them;
refers to the socially differentiated roles, characteristics and expectations attributed by culture to women and men.
Gender Identity: awareness of being male or female; this grows over
time.
Gender Roles: behavior expected of an individual based on sex and
gender.
Gender Bias: different views of males and female, favoring one over
the other.
Gender-fair Instruction: use of educational strategies, curriculum materials and instructor-learner interactions that counteract sex-role
stereotypes.
Gender Equity: set of behaviors and knowledge permitting educators
to recognize equality in educational opportunities
UP Open University
If you find yourself in a situation where the administration tends to be

more male dominated, or you see situations of gender typing, what will
you do? Following are a few suggestions from different organizations
promoting gender equity:
Be more sensitive to perceive the often subtle but powerful cumulative

impact of instructional materials on the students understanding of
the world by checking to see if textbooks and other materials present
honest views on gender
Watch for unintended biases in classroom practices
Provide role models and be the role model
Use gender-fair language
Be more conscious of biased behaviors shown through verbal interactions, eye contact and body language
Be an advocate of gender equity by initiating seminar-workshops on
easy ways to reverse messages and behavior of inequity; this will more
than make up for the lack of courses on the subject in teacher education institutions
Seek the assistance of organizations that promote gender equity
Activity 9-1
Recall your years in elementary or high school. In what ways was
gender inequity practiced?
In what ways can gender equity be shown at home?
UP Open University
Unit IV Module 9 91
Article XVI. Sec. 10. The State shall provide the policy
environment for the full development of the Filipino capability and the emergence of communication structures suitable to the needs and aspirations of the nation and the
balanced flow of information into, out of, and across the
country, in accordance with a policy that respects the freedom of speech and of the press.
This is the only provision in the Philippine Constitution that pertains to
mass media, a communication tool that has evolved with technology and
has become a potent force in national development. In fact, mass media
has educated a greater number of people than formal institutions have.
People learn from and are influenced more by radio, television, movies,
newspapers, magazines, comic books, and more recently by non-print
forms (via the computer) such as the CD, VCD, DVD and the Internet.
Some sectors also claim that media are also largely responsible for the
moral and social pollution of both young and old.
In a symposium in 1991, it was the consensus of educators and civic
leaders that media exert greater influence on the young than schools. Even
today students have expressed preference for films, songs and power point
presentations to a teachers lecture and question-answer approach to
discussions. Thus teachers have included these media forms as part of
their instructional materials. However, since there is a glut of these forms
available, the teacher has to be extra judicious in selecting the materials in
terms of relevance and appropriateness.
It is an understatement to say that media mold public opinion and
impinge on the consciousness not only of the individual but also of the
nation as a whole. Rolando S. Tinio (1990) underscored this in a newspaper article, The mass media . . . occupy more space in the life of the
citizen than either government programs or school courses . . . they intrude, like it or not, into the home, the office and the classroom. On the
other hand, schools can take this as an opportunity to further broaden
the education of the masses by encouraging teachers to include these
forms as resources.
School and media become partners in their social responsibilityeducating the masses and popularizing issues and concerns. This has long been
recognized by private organizations which teamed up with the Department of Education, the Department of Agriculture and media groups. In
the early 1960s educational radio and TV programs were developed. Television-assisted instruction was implemented specially in science, mathematics and English. The school-on-the-air for farmers and fisherfolks was
popularized in rural areas where the radio was used optimally.
UP Open University
Media companies have long ago realized the importance of pushing forward their social responsibility through educational programs. Uncle Bobs
Show, Sesame Street, Batibot, Sineskwela are just a few of the pioneering
programs. With the advent of cable TV, some channels are now fully dedicated to childrens shows, an improvement from the block of one to two
hour shows for children that was the dominant programming style of the
past. Such moves were motivated by the results of the functional Literacy
and Mass Media Survey that among the mass media forms, radio has the
highest proportion of exposure followed by the television.
Though print media forms are still widely disseminated, they are
threatened by nonprint media forms on the Internet. Some magazines
have gone online, but of course, this can only be done in highly urbanized
areas.
One of the significant contributions of new media in education is distance
learning which has been adapted by big universities in the country like
the University of the Philippines.
Activity 9-2
Do print and electronic media represent reality? Explain your
answer.
UP Open University
Unit IV Module 9 93
Activity 9-3
Express your agreement or disagreement to the following statement:
Mass media mirror the aspirations of a people because they are
the mass which patronize the media.
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Abolishing the ROTC is

shortsighted, unpatriotic; it endangers the
countrys security.
Time and resources

spent for military programs for students have
become superfluous.
The call for the abolition of the ROTC (Reserve Officers Training Course)
became louder and more insistent with the death of a student of a big
private university in Metro Manila in 2001. The investigation allegedly
uncovered the corruption which, some claim, has been as old as the
institution itself. The Congressional hearing was not without the usual
arguments. Nevertheless, the National Service Training Program (NSTP)
Act of 2001 (RA 9163) was enacted and its Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) crafted and approved on April 2002 duly signed by the
concerned government offices, through their heads of offices. These are
the Department of National Defense, CHED and TESDA.
The program seeks to enhance civic consciousness and defense preparedness in the youth, by developing the ethics of service and patriotism while
undergoing training in any of the three program components, namely:
Reserve Officers Training Corps (ROTC). Designed to provide military
training to tertiary level students in order to motivate, train, organize and
mobilize them for national defense preparedness.
Civic Welfare Training Service (CWTS). Programs or activities contributing to the general welfare and the betterment of life for the members of
the community or the enhancement of its facilities, especially those
devoted to improving health, education, environment, entrepreneurship,
safety, recreation and morals of the citizenry.
Literacy Training Service (LTS). Designed to train students to become
teachers of literacy and numeracy skills to schoolchildren, out of school
youth, and other segments of society in need of their services.
Implementation began in SY 2002-2003 as a requirement for all male and
female students enrolled in any baccalaureate or of at least two-year technical/vocational courses. Students should complete one NSTP component of their choice as a graduation requirement. The component shall be
undertaken for an academic period of two semesters and given credit of
three units per semester, for 54 to 90 training hours per semester. However, a summer program may be designed in lieu of the two-semester
program. The IRR further states that no fees shall be collected for any of
the NSTP components except basic tuition fees which should not be more
50% of the charges of the school per academic unit.
UP Open University
Unit IV Module 9 95
Meanwhile, the scouting program is alive in many elementary and high

schools (both public and private) nationwide. At the elementary level, the
scouting program has two main groups: Boy or Senior Scouts and Girl
Scouts. Each group has component programs based on the age of the
children.
Activity 9-4
Given a choice, which component would you encourage your
child/younger sibling to enroll in? State your reasons.
UP Open University
In the secondary level, military training is offered to both boys and girls. It
is called CAT (Citizens Army Training); however, the students may not
enroll if they have undergone training and are members of the scouting
movement.
Although the scouting movement was started by an Englishman (Lord
Robert Baden Powell), the scouting movement in the Philippines was
brought to our shores by American service personnel and missionaries.
According to records, the Boy Scouts of the Philippines (BSP) was established in 1910 by 2nd Lt. Sherman Kiser under the sponsorship of an
American widow doing charity work in Sulu. In 1910, Kiser organized 28
Muslim boys into the Loirllard Spencer Troop. Eventually, the Philippine
Council of the Boy Scouts of America was established in 1923, and was
declared a public corporation on October 31, 1936 through Commonwealth Act No. 111.
The Girl Scouts of the Philippines (GSP), meanwhile, began in 1918 with
the organization of troops in Davao. Other troops were organized in places
where American missionaries were. These troops were registered with
the Girl Scouts of the United States of America. With the assistance of the
BSP, and the leadership of Pilar Hidalgo-Lim and Josefa Llanes-Escoda,
GSP was charted as a national organization under Commonwealth Act
No. 542 on May 26, 1940.
Following are the programs and Mission and Vision of the BSP and GSP:
KID Scouting
KAB Scouting
Boy Scouting
Senior Scouting
45 years old
69 years old
1012 years old
1624 years old
Twinkler
Star
Junior GS
Senior GS
Cadet
46 years old
69 years old
9-12 years old
1216 years old
1621 years old
Mission
To promote through organization and cooperation with other
agencies, ability of boys to do
things for themselves and others,
to train in Scout craft, to teach
them patriotism, courage, selfreliance, and kindred virtues using
methods common to Boy Scouts
UP Open University
To help girls and young women

realize the ideals of womanhood
and prepare themselves for the
responsibilities in the home, the
nation and the world
community
Unit IV Module 9 97
Vision
To be the leading provider of
progressive out-door-based nonformal education committed to
develop morally straight,
disciplined, concerned, selfreliant citizens in the best
tradition of World Scouting
The Filipino girl and young

womanprogressive,
dynamic, pro-active, patriotic
and God-loving.
For more information about the BSP and the GSP you may visit their
websites.
Activity 9-5
Is the scouting program a better alternative to military training for
young adults? Explain your answer.
UP Open University
Towards a Relevant Social Transformation

Through Education
The end of a text or of a book usually ends with a conclusion, an end; however, we cannot do the same for this text. The Philippine education
system continues to evolve as does the community of which it is a vital
part. That community may be local, regional, national, or global. Such
dynamism has been reflected in the changes that have transformed the
system. One of these is the gradual, albeit continuing decentralization of
the system. Local government units, government organizations, peoples
organizations and even the business and private sectors have partnered
and coordinated in improving the system. The people have been
empowered to participate actively in the planning, implementation,
monitoring and evaluation of programs, and being accountable for all
these and to all stakeholders. Indeed, society will transform for as long as
the education system continues to evolve; and for as long as the people
see the need for change and continue to participate in this change. To
quote Prof. Ma. Luisa C. Doronila, a respected educationist:
. . . in education, a similar transformation has been taking
place, because the people themselves, through the growth
of civil society, have taken initiatives to make education an
arena of struggle and change in order that it will work for
themselves and for societal development. . . the people have
shown that this can be done by transforming education
into an inclusive and comprehensive social process where
everybody participates in its realization.
Let us continue to be part of this transformation . . . of this realization.
UP Open University

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Philippine Education System

Ma. Theresa L. de Villa

University of the Philippines

Philippine Education System: Workbook

Copyright 2006 Ma. Theresa L. de Villa

Published in the Philippines by the UP Open University

First printing, 2006

Layout by Cecilia Geronimo-Santiago

Printed in the Philippines

Unit I Education, Society and Development

Curricular Programs from Pre-school to Graduate

Module 5 Policies, Practices and Developments, Issues and Problems

Module 6 Teacher Education in the Philippines History, Policies, Practices,

Education, Society and

2 EDUC 101: Philippine Educational System

Concepts on Education and

n the recent past, the importance of education

As a people, we have always taken pride in our

4 EDUC 101: Philippine Educational System

Is an educated individual the same as a schooled individual? Is schooling

the community, which is to use learning to leave a better world

The expensive schools people go to do not always improve their

2. According to the same article, what is learning?

3. In what ways can an individual get educated without going to

6 EDUC 101: Philippine Educational System

8 EDUC 101: Philippine Educational System

Education and schooling are the same.

The years of research on education have resulted in new and improved

10 EDUC 101: Philippine Educational System

Education and Development;

aving seen education from the viewpoints

12 Philippine Educational System

cation has considerably quadrupled due to the constant and increasing

In the teachers personal lives, a lot happened in a year.

In her book, Explorations in the Theory and Practice of Philippine Education,

14 Philippine Educational System

2. Share your list with other students in this class. As a team,

16 Philippine Educational System

18 Philippine Educational System

20 Philippine Educational System

Activity 2-7 continuation

b. Did he violate any provisions in the Magna Carta for Public

22 Philippine Educational System

Activity 2-7 continuation

b. Can he invoke provisions in The Magna Carta for Public

2. Which of these provisions have you benefited from?

3. What suggestions can you give regarding the implementation

24 Philippine Educational System

Historical Overview from the

e have seen the significance of education

At the beginning of each schoolyear, the

26 Philippine Educational System

Spanish Colonial Period

arithmetic and practical agriculture, rules of courtesy, and Spanish history.

American Colonial Period

28 Philippine Educational System

30 Philippine Educational System

32 Philippine Educational System

3. What was the basic method of teaching during the Spanish

4. Why did Pres. Laurels administration advocate the use of the

Governance and Management

he previous module provided us with a brief

After going through this

36 Philippine Educational System