Saint Paul University Surigao

Surigao City

CURRENT TRENDS IN
EDUCATION
REACTION PAPER ON THE
FOLLOWING:
 MODULE 1 – THE ROOTS OF
PHILIPPINE EDUCATION

 MODULE II – PHILOSOPHIES IN
PHILIPPINE EDUCATION

 MODULE III – LEGAL BASIS ON THE

PHILIPPINE EDUCATION

 MODULE IV – THE FILIPINO

LEARNERS

Prepared by:

ABIGAIL G. MALATA
Master of Arts Major in
Educational Management
 MODULE I – THE ROOTS OF PHILIPPINE EDUCATION

Education in the Philippines has undergone several stages of development from

the pre-Spanish times to the present. In meeting the needs of the society, education
serves as focus of emphases/priorities of the leadership at certain periods/epochs in our
national struggle as a race. According to the history, the Philippine education had
manifested in the culture of the people. There were Written and Oral literatures but all of
the records that were written were accordingly destroyed by the Spanish colonizers; this
was because they believed that those written records in literature were works of devils.
During the Spanish period, an educational decree was passed in an attempt to reform
the educational system in the Philippines. Included in the decree are the establishments
of complete secondary as well as collegiate levels, as well as the establishment of
teacher-training institutions. During the American period, a system of public education
was established. The system was patterned after the American educational system. The
Colleges and Universities that were organized during the time of the Spanish were
continued. The programs of studies were revised; adapting the changes of time. During
the Commonwealth period and Japanese occupation, the curricula in the elementary as
well as in the secondary schools were revised. Among of developments in education
during the Commonwealth period were the re-orientation of educational plans and
policies to carry out the educational mandate of the constitution, the revision of the
elementary and secondary school curricula to carry out the objectives of education
embodied in the constitution and many more.

The Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM) report provided the

impetus for Congress to pass RA 7722 and RA 7796 in 1994 creating the Commission
on Higher Education (CHED) and the Technical Education and Skills Development
Authority (TESDA), respectively. The trifocal education system refocused DECS’
mandate to basic education which covers elementary, secondary and nonformal
education, including culture and sports. TESDA now administers the post-secondary,
middle-level manpower training and development while CHED is responsible for higher
education. In August 2001, Republic Act 9155, otherwise called the Governance of
Basic Education Act, was passed transforming the name of the Department of
Education, Culture and Sports (DECS) to the Department of Education (DepEd) and
redefining the role of field offices (regional offices, division offices, district offices and
schools). RA 9155 provides the overall framework for (i) school head empowerment by
strengthening their leadership roles and (ii) school-based management within the
context of transparency and local accountability. The goal of basic education is to
provide the school age population and young adults with skills, knowledge, and values
to become caring, self-reliant, productive and patriotic citizens.

Today, the Philippine education is patterned from the state school system of the
United States. According to the history, the Philippine education evolves from its simple
beginning and was shaped by foreign influences. The education establishments
comprised of the private schools that are owned and manage by private individuals or
corporations and the public schools that are owned and manage by the state. The world
is changing as the curriculum is. It is a must that curriculum jives on the call of the
demand of modernization and globalization for a meaningful outcome that each one
may serve his/her purpose not just merely focusing on the demand but most likely to
his/her interest. Curriculum shapes the future of the K to 12 learners. However, after
years of transition, there are pros and cons of implementation. Nevertheless, as Mother
Teresa of Calcutta India said that it is how you see darkness through the light or light
through the shadow, it’s a matter of perspective – have a good one!
 MODULE II – PHILOSOPIES IN PHILIPPINE EDUCATION

Education has ever been indispensable to all mankind. It was then treated and
the most essential part of their lives because this would give them the great opportunity
to rule their countrymen. Education for them before was power and prestige. There was
even discrimination in attaining education before. Only the elite people were then being
prioritized or being provided with the highest receiving the most education the students
who were intellectually gifted had flair for science can only get education. Highly
educated people were then considered as the most influential being in the society.

As generation passes by, the system of attaining education has totally

changed. At this point, education is being offered and provided for all regardless of his
or her economic status in life. Constant research and studies have been conducted to
attest the validity and the effectively of the previous theories of the educational
philosophies. They continually search for the most effective and efficient philosophy in
the parlance of education thus defining education as a continuous process of learning.
A learning that would change the perception and lives of the people, increase
knowledge, or even changes behavior in measurable manner as a determining factor of
an experience.

There is lot of philosophy that emerged in our education system today. Some of
these are idealism, realism, pragmatism and existentialism. Idealism is the belief that
latent truths preexist in one’s mind (Ornstein, Levine, & Gutek, 2011). I fundamentally
disagree with this philosophy based on this definition of it. I just don’t believe it to be
true. In response to learning about this philosophy, I continually question from what
basis these convictions about latent truths are being made. To me, it seems biologically
impossible. Based off of this, I don’t agree with the teacher’s role of helping students
bring these truths to consciousness from their subconscious (Ornstein, Levine, & Gutek,
2011). The teacher should help to impart the knowledge to the students because the
students don’t come into the class knowing the information in my opinion. Additionally, I
disagree with the Socratic Method, which is the idealism teaching method where the
teacher stimulates the learner’s awareness of ideas with questions, which then enables
the learner to realize these ideas latent in their minds (Ornstein, Levine, & Gutek, 2011).
I believe that this method is too uncommon for most students, which would make them
uncomfortable with it and unresponsive to it.

The next educational philosophy I’d like to delve into is Realism, which is the
belief that reality is objective, or outside of our minds, and not internal (Ornstein, Levine,
& Gutek, 2011). I fundamentally agree with this philosophy based on this definition. I
believe that we humans have the ability to know the world surrounding us through the
scientific method. As a result, we formulate accurate theories of the world around us to
base our rational decisions and behaviors off of(Ornstein, Levine, & Gutek, 2011).
Based on this, I believe that students should gain the knowledge they need from their
teachers, who should be experts at the knowledge they teach and who should be
external and objective sources of knowledge for the students.

The next philosophy on education I’d like to share my opinions on is Pragmatism,

which is the theory that stresses the continual testing of the validity of our ―tentative‖
ideas and knowledge through the scientific method (Ornstein, Levine, & Gutek, 2011).
Based on this definition of pragmatism, I mostly agree with this philosophy. This
philosophy actually excites me and others because it allows for individuals to
experiment and grapple with knowledge and ideas through interactive means. Through
these ―experiences‖, I feel that the most effective type of learning occurs. Additionally, I
agree that school is a microcosm of society that it is interdisciplinary, and that it is open
to all (Ornstein, Levine, & Gutek, 2011). Although I mostly agree with pragmatism, one
issue that I disagree with is that all knowledge is tentative. I believe that some
knowledge, due to extensive research, observations, tests, and agreement, is not
tentative and that it does not necessarily need to be continually grappled with.

Another educational philosophy I’d like to shed some light on is Existentialism,

which examines the way in which humans define themselves by making personal
decisions and choices in their daily lives (Ornstein, Levine, & Gutek, 2011). Additionally,
this philosophy incorporates the idea of angst, which expresses that we will eventually
die and that the decisions we make throughout our lifetime will not make any real
difference in the world we live in today (Ornstein, Levine, & Gutek, 2011). Based on
these aspects, I partially agree with this philosophy. I agree that we will eventually die.
This is obviously the case. But I don’t believe that we should use this as a reason to
dismiss and negate the choices we make and the effect our decisions have on the world
around us. We certainly can make a difference in this world through the choices we
make.

Education as a whole can be summarized as influences and information that a

person will receive in life and what he will do with it. Education is not just facts; it is a
way of life which involves responsibility from all points of view—the students, parents,
the school, and the government. Many different people today share different views and
philosophies about what they feel is the best way to conduct education. For the most
part, the views and philosophies we hold today are derived from different philosophies.
These philosophies, in my opinion, are all effective and ineffective in their own ways. In
my view, I feel that a blend or combination of certain aspects of each of these
philosophies is necessary for our education system to be truly effective.
 MODULE III – LEGAL BASIS OF PHILIPPINE EDUCATION

Education is very important in everyone, but not all has the opportunity to finish
and earn their diplomas. 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,
building a strong foundation when it comes to education the government always there to
set a law to make it effective for everyone.

The Philippine Education System aims to provide a broad general education to

every individual that will assist them to attain their potential as a human being
and enhance the range and quality of the individuals. The education system also aims
for each of every individual to receive a quality education that would help to enhance
their knowledge and skills to have a meaningful and productive life. The Philippine
Education System has three legal bases. These are;

DEPED: “Everyone deserves to be educated.” This is one of the main points of

the DEPED. In this K+12, the learners are subject to have their Kindergarten and the 12
years of Elementary and Secondary Education. Learners will begin their
Kindergarten until Grade 11 and 12. I would say that there are many problems that will
arise in this transition of the curriculum. Yes there will be a good effect on the students
after these transitions but there will also be a major effect on the system. Especially
there are parents that are arguing about on their funds to give their daily needs of the
children. In my opinion, I would say that the officials should have their main focus on
how they would help those uneducated children. But I would say that in the system of
our education, it effective to the learners, we can say that our country has a quality
education. What I am trying to point out is that, the funds allotted to the transition of the
curriculum should be used in, for example, addition of new buildings to public schools,
help those in need one of education.

CHED:

“Education is the key.” Tertiary level is the start or the preparation for the future
job. Many students in our country are not sent in their tertiary level. This is caused by
the widespread of the poverty. One of the problems is the affordability of the education
in tertiary level. Some students failed to have their work because they are not able to be
sent in their tertiary level. I would say that the CHED should at least lessen or manage
not to increase tuition fee yearly since there are those people whose not fortunate
enough to pay for the high tuition fee. The effect of this is the people will not be sent in
tertiary level and they will fail to have their job. This is also one of the causes of poverty,
failing to have their job. Going to the quality of education, I asked few people from
different universities, they said that their school has a quality education. They have a
good learning outcome or effective learning. I would say that in our country, there is
really a great quality of education but there are also things that needs no be improved
for the quality of education to be more effective.

TESDA:

Technical Education and Skills Development Authority or TESDA is a

government school that offers vocational courses. In TESDA, they offer a free training
program to every individual especially to those who are not able to send in college. I
was very happy after knowing this kind of education, aside from it’s free to anyone,
people who do not have enough money to be sent in college are given an opportunity to
learn new skills and knowledge through training. With this kind of system, I would say
that I’m happy because TESDA is helping each of the students or individuals to
progress. This will help every student in TESDA to have a better future after continuing
their studies through this kind of educational system.
 MODULE IV – THE FILIPINO LEARNERS

How does learning take place? What does it look like? How do we think deeply
about learning so that it is powerful, continuous and enduring? These are the questions
that commonly ask in identifying the needs of our learners. These characteristics are
essential to creating a dynamic learning community for adults and children. Their
importance to academic and lifelong success in the 21st century cannot be overstated.

Education is believed to be the processed that youth has to undergo to acquire

the knowledge and skills for his or her transformation. Worldwide different schools with
different curriculum offers continuously develop and thrive because of this belief. In our
country the government had tried some innovation with the educational systems it has.
From the Basic Education Curriculum to the latest one which is the K-12 curriculum.
This aims to provide sufficient for the mastery of every skill and concept and in
developing lifelong learning.

I can say that our government strives hard to provide the needs of our learners.
They created different programs like Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino just to ensure that
every child in our country will be educated. The DEPED also ensure that learners must
acquire and develop skills that must be given focused on in every class activity. Every
learning situation must see that its vision, mission and strategies are geared towards
the realization of the curriculum. As the learner grow older, their thinking skills become
refined and sophisticated and along with these developments, emotional and social
tasks mature. Moreover, their concepts, definitions and abstractions are within the
context of their social realities.

Overall, education is vital necessity for personal and social development. It is

then just but proper to continuously innovates, create new curriculums which must be
monitored and evaluated regularly to ensure benefits for the Filipino youth.