Several researchers have delved into the different components affecting the educational system, more specifically, whether it can solve the multifarious problems in society especially here in the Philippines. Education has been looked as the means of alleviating poverty, decreasing criminalities, increasing economic benefits and ultimately uplifting the standard of living of the Filipino masses. With these in mind, the government on its part has been continuously investing so much resource into the education sector.
Allied from this is the preparation of students from the basic education up to tertiary level. The questions of how well are the schools equipped and able to train the pupils under their care are crucial. It is a sad reality that only seven out of ten pupils who enroll in Grade I finish the elementary curriculum, and from the seven who continue to secondary, only 3 are able to complete the curriculum. From these three only one can complete the tertiary education. Based on this scenario, how can we expect our students to help in nation building when they do not have the necessary skills and trainings?
Reality is that, formal education has not achieved what it was supposed to achieve. This is the reason why the state continuously looked for possible solutions. One way of reducing this is by launching a program called 4 P’s or Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program.
The Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4 P’s) is a human development measure of the national government that provides conditional cash grants to the poorest of the poor, to improve the health, nutrition, and the education of children aged 0-18. The 4Ps also helps the Philippine government fulfill its commitment to the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs)—specifically in eradicating extreme poverty and hunger, in achieving universal primary education, in promoting gender equality, in reducing child mortality, and in improving maternal health care.
Another move that the government made was the implementation of K-12 wherein kindergarten became a prerequisite to basic education. It lengthen basic schooling to include two-year senior high school and offered technical and vocational courses to students not planning to go college, thus giving them more chances of getting employed in blue-collar work.
These government efforts to improve the quality of education will truly help in developing individuals that will build our nation. Being well-educated is an instrument for national development. But it can be possible if we, Filipino citizens will support and cooperate with this changes and reforms.
By: Essel E. Reyes Alasasin E/S, Alasasin, Mariveles, Bataan