Alleba Politics

Here’s a brief documentary on why some Davao City students walked out of their classes last February 1, 2008:

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The Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT) has raised the red flag on the questionable Commission on Higher Education (CHEd) Call Center Lab deal.

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I recently had the misfortune of stumbling upon a Filipino Textbook for College Freshmen which endlessly bothered me. Its title alone, is enough to make you wonder what is happening to the state of our education system and, more importantly, our national language. The book is entitled “FILIPINO 1 AKADEMIKONG FILIPINO TUNGO SA EFEKTIV NA KOMUNIKASYON.” On the cover there’s a sign that proudly boasts that it’s “CHED Compliant.” The authors of the book are Rolando A. Bernales, Glecy A. Atienza, Vivencio M. Talegon, Jr., Amelita P. Achas, Luvismin D. Danao, Elizabeth A. Joson, Petra s. Ornos, Stanley G. Rovira, and Tessie s. Suguran.

The book seems to be an English book, only Filipinized. It uses words such as “varayti,” “varyasyon,” “perspektiv,” “definisyon,” and “morfoloji,” among others. In fact, section 1.5.3 on page 67 is entitled as “2001 Revisyon ng Alfabeto at Patnubay sa Ispeling ng Wikang Filipino: Mga Tuntunin.” What really bothered me about the book is how it seems to perpetuate an English-based Filipino language. Yes, times are changing and language is supposed to be dynamic. But it does not have to be lazy, or lousy.

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Here’s an outline of Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s agenda, plans, projects and priority bills for education, health, social welfare and the environment:

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Just when I though the Filipino citizenry doesn’t care much about the children of this nation, I hear about Rock Ed Philippines. Rock Ed has a ten-year program of alternative education activities. The movement is called Rock Ed because the organization has decided to utilize rock music as an avenue towards educating the youth.

In Rock Ed’s activities, poets, musicians, actors, entrepreneurs and other professionals are the teachers. Classes are held not just inside classrooms, but also in bars, sports fields, restaurants, etc.

Rock Ed is composed of private citizens and NGOs. Thus, any concerned Filipino can volunteer to join and help out. Students, educators, professionals, corporations, private schools, institutions, photographers, writers… everybody is encouraged to contribute towards ending poverty by rocking the Philippine educational system.

Rock Ed Website: http://www.rockedphilippines.org
Rock Ed Email Address: rockedphilippines@yahoo.com

The Philippine Star reported last Sunday that the Department of Education needs about PhP133 billion to “improve” the quality of education in the country. Reportedly, more progressive countries, notably Thailand, Malaysia, USA, New Zealand and Japan are spending as much as PhP47,700 (Thailand) to PhP293,440 (Japan) per student. Meanwhile, the Philippines spends only about PhP6,000 per student. Although I agree that education should be a top priority in all aspects, I do not think that we should think that money is the best or only solution to the dismal state of the Philippine Education System.

Yes, there is a lack of classrooms, a lack of quality educators and a lack of books, and other resources. But these are not the real reasons for our education woes. In my opinion, the problem lies in the attitudes of the educators, the students and even the government. We keep in wailing and whining “if only.” Because we dwell on what is not and what cannot be, we fail to use our imagination and be creative. There are a thousand different ways to revolutionize our education system, if only we stop pointing our fingers on our lack of funds.

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Our national hero, Dr. Jose Rizal, once said that for a nation to be able to move forward to its future, it is necessary to study its past.

The reported defective Asian and Philippine History textbooks are syptomatic of the countless maladies afflicting our public education system. And although we might see it as a petty concern, it can, undeniably, significantly affect our nation’s development (or lack of it). Unless the present understands fully its past, it can never move towards a better future.

There are two kinds of lies, one is the denial of the truth and the other is the omission of the truth. Althought he two are distinct from one another, the two yields the same perversion of the truth. Either way, both leads to misinformation. Misinformation which lead to the belief in false truths and the education of false values and the indoctrination of flase virtues. Thus, the lack of sufficient inormation in the said History textbooks may lead to the catastrophic miseducation and formation of the youth. The youth, who are te key stakeholders of our nation’s future. If the youth are taught lies and untruths, there is not much we can hope for or expect from our nation’s future.

The objective of teaching History is not only to make the students learn and memorize facts and figures, but more importantly, it is to imparrt essential lessons from the past to attain a sufficient national identity and pride, and to avoid making the same mistakes committed in the past in order to make the future better than the present.

If there is one valuable lesson that we can learn from his mistake, it is that there is much to be wary about in our faulty education system. There are only two probable reasons why these faulty history textbooks reached the unsuspecting students. Either the people in the government are student or they are corrupt. If the goal of the Department of Education officials is to educate the students, there could have been no way that the eported faulty textbooks could have reached the students’ hands.

Something has to be done to correct the horrendous mistake or (as I see it) crime that has been committed in betrayal to our nation and its youth, lest we want to nurture a miseducated generation on whose naive hands our nation’s future is held.

For about a month now, I have been tutoring third year high school students from a private high school here in Davao City. Although I cannot claim to be an expert in teaching there were just some things that caught my attention that really bother me.

If there is one problem with high school students today, it’s that they’re too lazy. Too lazy to do things and too lazy to think. I have been teaching Chemistry and Advanced Algebra and it really frustrates me when the questions or exercises I give them are answered with blank stares. And after just a millisecond of reading and “analyzing” the question, they would easily give up and declare me as a “sadist.” Something as simple as substituting values on a given equation or converting measurements or quantities into another unit seem so hard for my students. And what really frustrates me is their constant whining and pleading that I be easy on them. Instead of trying to figure out ways of answering or solving problems, they would resort to laughing, chatting or shooting looks of resentment my way. In other words, walang ka-effort-effort.

Truth be told, I was a lazy student, but if somebody would tell me that I was as lazy as my current students, I would not hesitate to do bodily harm to that person. I did procrastinate my way through high school and college but I could also say that I never did give up on using my head. I cannot fathom how these students who supposedly passed grade school and two years of high school could be so unwilling or unused to using their brains. It’s not that they are bobo or lacking in intelligence, it’s just that they are not willing to use what they know. And sometimes, they are even unwilling to learn more.

Maybe they do lack the proper training in school. Or maybe they just weren’t guided well enough. Whatever the reason or cause, something has to be done. If these students continue to keep their brains focused on nothing but Ragnarok, chismis, makeup and superficial stuff, what will happen to them when they go out into the real cutthraot rat race? If they think I am tough and sadistic, what would they think of college professors who give out low grades just because, or who don’t come to class just because? What would they think and how would they handle the pressures of bancing finances, starting up businesses and hurdle the all too important task of finding a suitable job?

It’s exam season in two weeks and I fear for them. How would they fare? Have they defrosted their long frozen brain cells and are ready to use it again? Will they try to tackle and answer the tough questions rather than whine and bitch in frustration? How would they be able the just passing grades they are content with if they are not even willing to exert the minimum that is required of them?

What’s more frightening is the thought that adulthood is just around the corner and life is waiting to eat them up whole. Unless they themselves are willing to flex their brain muscles, there is little that can be done to prepare them for their exams in the next two weeks or for that more important exam that is life.

The fact that more than 50% of all public grade school graduates nationwide failed miserably in the high school readiness test points to a very big problem in the pulic grade school system. To note, the passing score was lowered to accomodate the overwhelming number of studetns who failed. Another year level in the grade school or high school system is not the solution to this problem. The problem is far bigger that just a lack of a school year spent in high school or grade school.

The failure of the graduates in the readiness test is symptomatic of the avalanche of problems ailing the system. First of all is the lack of resources: effective educators, good books, conducive classrooms, etc, etc, etc… Then, there the alleged politicization of the hiring process of teachers and the corruption witin the system. I can point out a lot of problems in our public eduation system and not one of it would be solved by forcing the stuents to study for one more year.

It would be unfair to penalize the students who are actually the victims of a faulty and inadequate public grade school system. Forcing them ans their families to cough up money for an extar yuear in school is not the right solution, it only compounds the problem. Delaying their graduation consequently leads to the delay of their ability to earn money. Wrong it may be, most Filipinos think of education as nothing but a means to escape poverty and desolution. It is not uncommon for graduates from the lower socio-political classes to work not for themselves but for their families and to pay for the education of their younger siblings.

The solutions to glaring reality of inadequacies in the public grade school system should start with the evaluation of the system and the proper management of the system. If indeed Jose Rizal’s words are true that “The youth is the future of the motherland,” then based on the results of the high school readiness test, we should either lower our hopes or get ready for 50% chance of failure.