GOLDEN GATE COLLEGES

BATANGAS CITY
SOCIAL DIMENSION OF EDUCATION

DUMAGUIT, JACKYLEN O.

BEED III

“DON’T LIMIT YOURSELF. MANY PEOPLE LIMIT

THEMSELVES TO WHAT THEY THINK THEY CAN DO. YOU
CAN GO AS FAR AS YOUR MIND LETS YOU. WHAT YOU
BELIEVE, YOU CAN ACHIEVE.”

MARY KAY ASH

Factors Affecting the Deterioration of Educational

System in the Philippines
Introduction
Philippines is the midst of struggle in combating various issues such as the economic
problems, political and even in the educational system. This research tackles on factors
affecting the deterioration of education system in our country. To the Filipino, knowledge
is acquired through education. Although they generally agree that education can be
obtained inside and outside school, they believe that the primary sources of knowledge
are the schools. Thus, the higher a person goes up the formal educational ladder, the
more knowledge he or she acquires and expectedly, the more wealth he or she
generates or produced. Being wealthy means having power, influence and social
prestige. Thus, earning a college diploma means acquiring the key to the economic and
social opportunities. The supreme ambition of every Filipino family, therefore, is to send
every child to college regardless of the sacrifices it might entail on the part of at least
one of the children, preferably the oldest child, should get college degree so that he or
she can take care of a younger siblings education. The study of Filipino perceptions of
schooling revealed that Filipino’s have a clear idea of the purpose of formal education.
They even viewed education as a process of human capital formation. This just shows
how Filipinos value the importance of education.

In my research I found out that the Philippines has been considered as the leader in
education in South Asia region. By 1870, the country had achieved universal primary
enrollment. These successes, however, must a long term deterioration in quality, and
the national figures obscured wide regional differences. In manila close to 100 percent
of students finished primary school, whereas Mindanao and Eastern Visayas less than
30 percent of students finished primary.

Experts suggested several factor in this deterioration. The cited that Philippine
education is one of the shortest in the world in terms of the performance in education
some of those major factors are to be mentioned as this piece goes on…

There is confusion in English and Filipino as languages for instruction. Communication

of many students became a mixture of Tagalog and English words called “Taglish”. For
the purists this is a tragedy! Aside from this, another reason is economic in nature aided
by corruption in a government. To save money , the agency once came up to solution:
the mass promotion of pupils in elementary when teachers were made to make
interesting lesson plans and perfect reports to satisfy school heads who in turn submit
this to the higher authorities in the divisions, regional and central offices. This reports
were able to whitewash and hide the problem. What can these teachers do? Kill them in
producing these lesson plans and nice reports and teach the students at the same
time? It takes many hours in producing one very nice and detailed lesson as well as
makes the necessary visual aides. Most of the time, the poor elementary teachers
would set and write while letting the pupils copy the lessons on board. They have no
more time in explaining the lessons to the pupils. And the problem is like an avalanche
or a landslides on the mountains which starts with smallest problem at the top rushing
down to the bottom. The top being the elementary level.

Another big factor is poverty. Many Filipinos and poor areas can hardly send their
children to school because they have no money to buy school requirements’ such as
uniforms, notebooks, papers, and writing materials as well as the many projects in all
subjects areas. Instead of going to school, As they should , this children are force to
work to help in the family finances.

One factor that helps the pull down the quality of our education is too much politics.
Every time there is a new government, plum positions like heads of agencies to cronies
or loyal friends even if they are not qualified to hold such positions. The department of
education is not an exception to this. How many secretaries or formerly ministers,
undersecretaries and regional heads create projects, programs or reforms just to get
percentages in the deals? Sometimes they invent “ghost project” filled up with
recommenders of politicians. Even the ordinary school teacher positions are given to
the friend and family of the local politicians. Even if these are not take those positions.
The ultimate victims are the students.

We have the power!!!!!!! It is in our hands to aid this factor leading the deterioration of
educational system. It is a great challenge not only for the people who are entitled in a
position to give response to the issues but also for in ever individual. Let us work hand
in hand for the betterment of the educational system in our country.