TABLE OF CONTENTS

TOPICS PAGE

Introduction ………………………………………………….…………………… 1

Research Works:
1. Islamic Educational Policies in the Philippines:
Its Evolutionand Current Problems ………………………………… 2

2. COVID-19 Vaccine Concerns: Fact or Fiction……………………..10

3. Teaching Performance and Job Satisfaction among

Teachers……………………………………………………………….13

4. Difficulties Encountered and Coping Management

of Student-Leaders……………………………………………………24

5. The Pros and Cons of Social Media Among Students……………30

6. COVID-19 in the Philippines and Governmental Issue……………34

7. Importance of Gender Inequality in the Philippines………………..39

8. Unemployment and its Impact to Philippine Industry………………45

9. Teenage Pregnancy in the Philippines

and its Effect on Education……………………………………………50

10. Poverty and its Impact to Students’ Education……………………...54

11. Factors Associated with Absenteeism in High School…………… .61

12. Tardiness in relation to the Academic Performance

of the Students………………………………………………………….68

13. Population Growth in the Philippines: Problem or Potential……….73

14. Improving the Nutritional Status of Filipino Children……………….78

15. Responsible Parenthood………………………………………………84

Answers to Weekly Questions:

A. July 4, 2021…………………………………………….……………….87
B. July 10, 2021……………………………………………………………88
C. July 17, 2021……………………………………………………………93
D. July 24, 2021……………………………………………………………95
 TITLE OF RESEARCH
FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH ABSENTEEISM IN HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS

INTRODUCTION
 Educational attainment is an important determinant of one’s success. Yet, absenteeism
among adolescents jeopardizes chances of achieving their educational goals (Siziya, 2007).
Too much student absenteeism can lead to an increasing disinterest in school. Schoenegerger
(2011) states in his study that excessive absenteeism increases the chance of the students to
drop out from school. The incidence of dropouts can lead to long term consequences such as
lower average incomes, unemployment and higher rate of incarceration. It is also asserted that
the students who drop out from school face a higher risk of poverty due to their inability to
secure quality paying employment due to their lack of education and resources (Obrador,
2014). Recent statistics from the Department of Education publicized that the overall student
absence rate in the Philippines is 4.5%. This means that one in ten school children are
classified as "persistently absent".

Accordingly, middle schools had a higher rate of persistent absence compared to

primary schools. Moreover, unauthorized absence or absenteeism, whether persistent or not,
also increased. Hence, surveyors asked children why they skip classes. The respondents
enumerated anxiety, depression, bullying and having diminutive interest in the subjects taught
in school among others led them to be absent from their classes.

Definition of the Concept of Absenteeism

There are various definitions of absenteeism in the literature. Clark (2008) defined
absenteeism as "not attending school without a legitimate reason." Sinha (2007) argues that
absenteeism should be defined as "being absent without excuse" and considered to be a
problem. Since there is a variety of basic regulations and the definition of “excuse” varies
across countries concerned, it is difficult to fully define what is considered absent without
excuse.

Clark (2008) explained it as follows: "without a valid excuse communicated by the

student's family, not to be at school during the school day or during a part of the school day".
As indicated, it is not only an excuse that is needed but an excuse that is considered to be
valid. One student may miss class due to health problems, while another student may be
absent due to a family vacation.

In the literature, there are many definitions within the scope of absenteeism. For
example, Lannegrand-Willems et al. (2012) defined absenteeism as, "a student being absent in
school with or without an excuse". Robinson (2009) considered absenteeism by describing
behavior and defined it as "not attending the school with or without an excuse, miss some
classes or being late for class". Regardless of the reason for absence, the fact is that the
student is missing a portion of the academic process. Additionally, students who were absent
with excuse, such as students staying away from school for a long time due to health
problems, have difficulty in adapting when they return to school and may develop a habit of
absenteeism without excuse.

In other words, when "absenteeism without a legitimate reason" is removed from the
scope of the problem, the disruption in children's learning process and other problems that
may be experienced in the future should not be ignored. Focusing on absenteeism as a
problem, the duration is as important as the type of absenteeism. As Lannegrand-Willems et
al. (2012) indicated, when absenteeism is rare, it is not considered to indicate a problematic
situation. However, increased absenteeism is considered to be an indicator of various risk
factors.

Generally, 10- 40% absenteeism during an educational calendar year is considered to

indicate a problem. Examining the absenteeism within a school day is also important. Some
students may miss an entire day of school while others may only miss one or two courses. The
duration of and classification of absenteeism (with or without excuse) varies from country to
country. However, the common point of view is that as the student's absenteeism increases,
exposure to risk factors also rises

Absenteeism is the tendency, chronic absence, practice or habit of being absent or to be

away from school without a good reason. Thus, it has been viewed as an indicator of poor
individual performance, as well as an indirect gap-building between students and teachers
(Malcolm, 2003). Absenteeism has become a major and continuous problem among high
school students in many countries (Teasly, 2004). Indeed, several studies were conducted to
answer why high school students miss classes. He also noted numerous risk factors that
contribute to student absenteeism such as family, health, low income, poor school climate,
drug and alcohol use, transportation problems, and community attitudes towards education.

Causes for Absenteeism

The causes of student absenteeism are complex and multi-faceted. The factors
associated with absenteeism are classified in the literature into three fundamental areas:
individual, family and schools (McCluskey, Bynum & Patch, 2004; Eastman et al., 2007; Clark,
2008, Robinson, 2009): Individual Factors. Students' individual factors may negatively affect
school attendance. Research indicates that absenteeism increases by seniority in high school
(Rood, 1989) and most frequently happens at age 15. Absentee students usually do not feel
safe at school. They feel academically or socially inadequate. They find classes boring and
their positive experiences related to school are less than those who attend school regularly
(Clarke, 2008; Corville-Smith, Ryan Adams, & Dalicandro, 1998; Williams, 2001). Thus, self-
esteem, confidence, concentration, self-management and social skills of these students are
low. They feel powerless in the school and think other students do not respect them (Eastwold,
1989; Wall, 2003; Eastman et al., 2007).

According to Reid (2000) and Gentle-Genitty (2008), other results include not wanting to
get up in the morning, receiving strict punishment, sleeping late, not completing homework,
being in a grade that is one above or one below the regular grade level, switching to another
school in the middle or the beginning of the school year, feeling extreme test pressure, feeling
constantly ill, and having siblings who are regularly absent. Participating in fun activities and
socializing with their peers outside of school are also among the reasons (Williams, 2001).
Interestingly, as Clark (2008) indicated, some students are absent since they find courses
difficult and some others are absent because they find the courses monotonous and boring.
Family factors.

Another major reason for absenteeism is "family factors". A student's parent has a
significant impact on his attendance in school (Clark, 2008). Research indicates the following
reasons for student absenteeism arising from the family: family's socio-economic level;
family's need for student to work; parenting skills; psychological problems; support or neglect;
alcohol or drug problems; criminal behavior (McCluskey et al., 2004; Clark, 2008; Reed, 2000);
the lack of consistency; divorce; inter-parent conflicts; family structure, such as a single parent;
interest or control level for the student's behavior; parents have low education level; negative
past school experiences; lack of participation in school or not understanding procedures; and
not providing environment for the student to do homework (Corville-Smith, Ryan Adams, &
Dalicandro, 1998 ; Rood, 1989; Corley, 2012; GentleGenitty, 2008, Eastman et al., 2007, 2007;
Reed, 2000). The level of respect the family has for education is seen as a role model for
students. The primary responsibility of parents is to ensure their children regularly attend
school. Conditions at home have a significant impact on children’s attendance and on their
promptness. Poor family control and lack of persistence is perhaps one of the most important
factors behind school absenteeism (Pehlivan, 2006). Family control can be defined as parents'
knowledge about their child's activities, friends and the information regarding his whereabouts
(Cetin & Cok, 2011). Disinterested families are often seldom concerned with their children’s
success or failure. They do not help in solving the problems at school and they rarely attend
parent-school meetings. These families are unlikely to create a disciplined environment for
children at home (Hallam & Rogers, 2008).

According to Williams (2001), today's high school students are controlled less than their
parents were in the past. As well as lack of control and lack of monitoring, some parents
ignore the excuses with less than a valid reason. In so doing, they are supporting and justifying
the absenteeism. School factors. School-related factors influence students' decisions toward
school attendance. A school’s attitude and rules against absenteeism are factors that are
contribute to the absenteeism problem (Eastman et al., 2007).

According to Robinson (2009), schools’ procedures are inconsistent and do not produce
meaningful results in reducing absenteeism. Students are not receiving clear messages from
the school about the importance of attendance. Tolerant policies or lack of firm
implementation for existing policies gives the wrong message to students and parents about
the importance of attendance (Clarke, 2008). Wall (2000) also indicated that inconsistency of
policies, lack of meaningful results and poor school record keeping have a negative effect on
students. Although there are various reasons for absenteeism, one of the most important of
these reasons is "not liking the school" (Pehlivan, 2006). If the school is cold, not secure, or if
there is a climate of tolerance for bullying, students will prefer not to be in school (Clark, 2008;
Corley, 2012). In particular, conflicts with peers and teachers, exposure to bullying, and dislike
of teachers are important causes of absenteeism (Eastman et al., 2007; Reid, 2000; Gentle-
Genitty, 2008).

In a school environment where students do not feel a commitment to school, they

would not want to attend, resulting in increased feelings of alienation. As Hamm and Faircloth
(2005) stated, commitment to the school is formed by the student’s perceptions about respect,
love and values they receive in the school. In the school environment where there is a
perceived value and an emotional commitment, there will be a sense of security. Therefore, in
such a school environment, students' attendance and participation increases.

Various studies aiming to identify the causes of absenteeism have been conducted in
Turkey. These include reasons for elementary school level absenteeism (Kadi 2000; Ozbas,
2010; Yildiz ve Sanli Kula, 2012). Several studies examining the reasons for secondary school
absenteeism (Pehlivan, 2006; Altinkurt, 2008; Gokyer, 2012) are also available. These studies
are limited, given the importance and magnitude of the problem. These studies describe and
explain the reasons of absenteeism in elementary and secondary level education through the
evaluation of the participants’ responses in different locations. In the literature, as highlighted
by researchers, reasons for absenteeism are various and versatile (Eastman et al., 2007).

They include many factors, such as student’s perception of the school environment,
student’s commitment to school, student's family structure and student-family
communication. Therefore, absenteeism and its causes should be examined against individual
characteristics, such as gender of the student, and the level of maturity in interaction with the
school and family system in order to solve the problems. In a study conducted by the
Education Reform Initiative (Egitim Reformu Girisimi - ERG) during the 2010-2011 academic
year, the absenteeism rates in Burdur were found to be 36% in public high schools and 42% in
the vocational-technical high schools. This rate is above the national average which is 28% in
public schools and 35.7% in vocational technical schools. Rates for the high school students
of Burdur seem to be quite high compared to the overall rate of the Turkish Mediterranean
Region (25.4% in public schools and 34.5% for vocational technical schools). This study aims
to determine the effect of individuals, family and school variables on the reasons leading to
absenteeism in high schools.

Another study also stated that Absenteeism is caused by many factors as such as:

1. Phobic Adolescence: During this stage in the growth of a teen, there is a lot of fear
developed as a result of physical changes of the body for example growth of pimples,
turbulent emotions e.t.c. This scares teens away from school.
2. Lack of Interest: Students could be lacking interest in the study, which could be as a
result of content that is difficult for them to grasp hence pushing them away from
school.
3. Teacher approach: The approach used by teachers may not be understood by the
student and this could lead them to lose interest in school. Punitive attendance policy
plays a big role in absenteeism too.
4. Pamperness from the family: Students who get excessive pocket money from their
families are most likely to absent themselves from school since they need time to
spend the money.
5. Private Couching: Flexible private couching encouraged by some parents could drive
a number of students away from the conventional school timetable.
6. Diseases: Some diseases like asthma which requires attention and care as well as an
environment that is warm and not dusty could make students remain home.
7. School Infrastructural Facilities: Lack of libraries, sports facilities is a hindrance to
attendance of school among students.
8. Entertainment: Accessibility of entertainment facilities like cinemas could divert
attention of some students from school.

Furthermore, (Pehlivan , 2006) found that the major reason given by students for
their non-attendance at school is that they were bored; they dislike the school and the
lessons; they lacked encouragement from friends; and, they lack expectations about
education. Since absenteeism is one of the biggest problems faced in almost all of the
public schools and that absenteeism could lead to students’ drop-out, the Department
of Education adheres to lessen the truancy among students by identifying the possible
factors that contributes to absenteeism.

Through DepEd Order, they have deepened the analysis of the students’ excessive
absenteeism from school. This enabled the department to point out some factors which
include: teaching strategies, anxiety when at school, lack of interest, economic status,
classroom environment, and lastly, the reason considered to be a critical factor is parents who
do not value education or lack of parental involvement (Miguel, 2017). Parental involvement is
a combination of a parent’s commitment and active participation to the school and to the
student (LaBahn, 1995). Parents have the direct contact and provision to the learners. Hence,
parental involvement plays an important role in learning.

However, not all parents are active partners and supporters in the education of their
children. This is probably due to the fact that schools do not always know what parental
involvement really means or simply parents do not know the importance of their role in their
children’s learning progress. Thus, several possible reasons can be drawn to deduce the
parents’ lack of involvement in any school activity.

The following reasons are proffered: diverse school experiences among parents, diverse
economic and time constraints–parents often do not feel welcome in school, some parents do
not believe that they have any knowledge that the school is interested to know especially that
they don’t have enough and high educational attainment; and diverse linguistic and cultural
practices–they do not have great deal of interest in school or in education, and/or they feel
embarrassed as they themselves may be illiterate or unable to speak English that could
possibly make communication difficult (Finders & Lewis 1994). Green, et. al. (2007) stated that
children education differs significantly when their parents actively participate or involve
themselves in school activities compared to those children whose parents do not take part in
school activities.

In addition, Mcneal (1999) revealed that there is a differential effect of parental

involvement across learners’ cognitive and behavioral outcomes. These include learners’
achievement in school as well as truancy or absenteeism and tendency of dropping out. Thus,
it can be considered that parental involvement is a salient factor in explaining both cognitive
and behavioral aspects in students learning processes. With this, the study aimed to show a
correlation between absenteeism of middle school students and parental involvement.

Freud (1939) states that any scientific process started with description, based on
observation, of an event/s, from which theories may later be developed to explain the
observations. Co-relational in other hand is designed to discover relationships among
variables and to allow the prediction of future events from present knowledge. Shuttleworth
(2008) supported the statement of Freud and he stated that the above-mentioned method will
be used to obtain a general view of the research. In this particular study, the current situation
of the respondents defined and disclosed their parents’ involvement in school.

REFLECTION
School absenteeism is an alarming problem for administrators, teachers, parents, and
the society, in general, as well as for the students, in particular. It may indicate low
performance of teachers, students’ dissatisfaction of the school’s services, or lack of or poor
academic and non-academic structures or policies that address the problems or factors
influencing or reinforcing this behavior. Parents are financially burdened for having their
children to stay longer in the school, having to re-enroll them in subjects where they fail due to
excessive absences.

Absenteeism in school is the habit of staying away from school without providing a
genuine or any reason for not attending classes. Absenteeism is a truant behavior that
negatively affects the performance among students.Absenteeism can lead to depression and
also result in poor quality of education as a result of time lost while being away from school. It
could also lead to moral degradation that leads to drug abuse, early pregnancies and unruly
behavior.

In this regard, it is recommended that high schools focus on increasing students’

commitment to school in order to reduce student absenteeism. Efforts must be in a direction
to convey the message that students at the school are considered important as students as
well as individuals. Thus, their attendance level will increase, unwanted behaviors will be
decrease and academic success will improve. School administrators’ and teachers’
empathetic approaches to the students and their positive attitudes will facilitate students to
feel connected to the school. Students’ establishment of positive relationships with teachers
will increase commitment to the school and will play a role in the reduction of absenteeism.

Absenteeism can be remedied by providing adequate co-curricular activities to

students. It could be curbed by creating of clubs and societies to keep students busy when
they are out of class. Schools should strive to have up to date learning facilities like libraries as
well as sporting facilities to make students enhance student retention.

One effective way of reducing absenteeism is to encourage students to participate in

school activities. Thus, both the responsibilities they assume in school activities and positive
friendship relationships experience through school activities will increase the commitment to
school and will ensure continued attendance. School management should attempt to ensure
participation of parents in all the activities of the school.

Parental involvement in both school and home was correlated to absenteeism of the
Middle school students of public school. Parental involvement at home enabled the parents to
take good care of their children, follow up their studies, monitor their status and show them
support within their capacity. This would also enable the students to be more motivated and
inspired in going to school upon knowing their parents’ care for them and their studies.
Parental involvement in school also gave a big impact to the students.

The presence of the parents in school, whether to attend meeting, voluntarily visits
them, follow up them boost self-esteem and self-worth among their children. The knowledge
students would sense and feel that their parents gave their time for their studies would
motivate and inspire them to do and exert more effort in their studies and make their parents
proud.

REFERENCES

Balkis, M. et.al. (2016). The School Absenteeism among High School Students: Contributing
Factors. Research Article. Retrieved. October 12, 2018 from
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/307088341_The_School_Absenteeism_among_
High_School_Students_Contributing_Factors

Student absenteeism: Who misses school and how missing school matters for performance |
Economic Policy Institute (epi.org)

https://enezaeducation.com/absenteeism-in-school/#:~:text=Absenteeism%20in%20School.
%20Absenteeism%20in%20school%20is%20the,behavior%20that%20n

Philippine EJournals| A Qualitative Research Study on School Absenteeism Among College

Students

https://enezaeducation.com/absenteeism-in-school/#:~:text=Absenteeism%20in%20School.%20Absenteeism
%20in%20school%20is%20the,behavior%20that%20n
Philippine EJournals| A Qualitative Research Study on School Absenteeism Among College Students

ED611726.pdf

TITLE OF RESEARCH
TEACHING PERFORMANCE AND JOB SATISFACTION AMONG TEACHERS

INTRODUCTION

Teacher is the most important factor of the teaching-learning process. Teacher sets the
tone and light of the classroom. He is the authority figure providing the direction for behaviour.
He is a model and is consciously imitated. Thus, good teachers are essential for the effective
functioning of education system and for improving the quality of learning.

Job satisfaction enables teachers to put their best to do the assigned work. The
maintenance of high satisfaction and morale has long been an important objective for
educators.

According to Panda and Mohanty, (2003) teachers’ instructional performance plays a

key role in students’ learning and academic achievement. Moreover, there are many factors
that influence the teachers’ teaching performance such as aptitude, attitude, subject mastery,
teaching methodology and techniques, personal characteristics, the classroom environment,
general mental ability, personality, preparation and planning, effectiveness in presenting
subject matters, relations with other staff, relations with parents and community, overlapping
of extra-curricular activities of the school and teachers’ relations with students and co-
teachers.

Furthermore, job satisfaction is one of these important factors. Disgruntled teachers

who are not satisfied with their job will not be committed and productive. They will not be
performing at the best of their capabilities if they are not satisfied.

Consequently, not only the teaching profession is in serious risk but the attainment of
national agenda will be affected. The poor quality of basic education is reflected in the low
achievement scores of Filipino students in the National Achievement Test surfaced as a
problem. Thus, teaching performance and job satisfaction are considered as one of the huge
factors.

With many years of experience under your belt, it can be easy to feel as though you have
nothing left to learn within your professional career. In an ever-shifting and increasingly
competitive society, the significance of continued professional development and learning is
not something that can be overemphasized. At a time when perspective, technological
advancements, and concepts are rapidly progressing, continuing to develop and enhance your
skill set is a crucial component for success within any industry.

Competency-Based Performance Appraisal System for Teachers (CB-PAST)

The Competency-Based Performance Appraisal System for Teachers (CB-PAST)

framework is divided in seven (7) domains such as diversity of learners, curriculum content
and pedagogy, planning, assessing and reporting, learning environment, community linkages,
social regard for learning and personal growth and professional development.

Diversity of Learners

The diversity of learners is the domain that emphasizes the ideal, that teachers can
facilitate the learning process even with diverse learners. The teachers expected to recognized
and respect individual differences by using knowledge about their differences in designing
diverse sets of learning activities to ensure that all learners can attain the desired learning
goals (Cebrian, 2009).
 Diversity of learners includes familiarization of learners’ background knowledge,
experiences, and holistic development of learners. Teachers must be aware of and be sensitive
of if they want to cater learner’s needs and interests. As teachers, it is important to consider
how diverse learners are especially in planning for effective instruction.

Curriculum Content and Pedagogy

Curriculum is all the planned learning that is offered and enacted by a school. The
function or work of teachers is the art of teaching and the various instructional methods used
in the learning and teaching process. Curriculum content and pedagogy are all elements of the
teaching-learning process that work in convergence to help students understand the curricular
goals and objectives, and to attain high standards of learning defined in the curriculum. These
elements include the teacher’s knowledge of subject matter and the learning process,
teaching-learning approaches and activities, instructional materials and learning resources
(Cebrian, 2009).

Planning, Assessing and Reporting

This domain refers to the alignment of assessment and planning activities. In particular,
the planning, assessing and reporting focus on the (1) use of assessment data to plan and
revise teaching-learning plans; (2) integration of assessment procedures in the plan and
implementation of teaching-learning activities, and (3) reporting of the learners’ actual
achievement and behavior (Cebrian, 2009). Furthermore, planning must develop and utilize
creative and appropriate instructional plan. Thus, teacher shows proof of instructional
planning, implements instruction as planned, and demonstrates ability to cope with varied
teaching millieu.

Meanwhile, in assessment teachers must develop and use a variety of appropriate

assessment strategies to monitor and evaluate learning and identifies teaching learning
difficulties and possible causes and take appropriate action to address them. While, in
reporting teacher monitors regularly and provides feedback on learners’ understanding of
content, keeps accurate records of grade/performance levels of learners and communicate
promptly and clearly to learners, parents, and superiors the learner’s progress.

Learning Environment

This domain focuses on importance of providing a social, psychological and physical

environment within which all students, regardless of their individual differences in learning, can
engage in the different learning activities and work towards attaining high standards of
learning. Further, teachers must maintain and create an environment that promotes fairness
that maintain a learning environment of courtesy and respect for different learners and
recognized that every learner has strength.

They make the physical environment safe and conducive to learning that develop a
classroom free from distractions. They must communicate higher learning expectations to
each learner. They must establish and maintain consistent standards of learners’ behavior.
They also create a healthy psychological climate for learning that encourages free expression
of ideas from students and creates stress-free environment.

Community Linkages

The community linkages domain refers to the ideal that classroom activities are
meaningfully linked to the experiences and aspirations of the learners in their homes and
communities. Thus, this domain focuses on teachers’ efforts directed at strengthening the
links between schools and communities to help in the attainment of the curricular goals.
Further, involving a community in school activities is one way to improve learning performance
and achievement of the learners.

From the point of expansion of education, it was a very good time to achieve reasonable
level of progress with the direct involvement of the community (Khaniya, 2007). Most of the
educationist all over the world seems to be argued that the community participation plays vital
role in promoting education in terms of quality and quantity; and it is assumed that community
participation and empowerment has the potential to make major contribution in educating
people and enriching their quality of life (Govinda and Diwan, 1998).

According to Sharma (2007) quality education system is one that succeeds in meeting
its own goals, one that is relevant to the needs of children, communities and society; and that
fosters the ability of children to acquire knowledge and critical learning skills. Heneveld and
Craig (1996) cited by Mishra (2009), recognized parent and community support as one of the
key factors to determine school effective in sub-Saharan Africa. They identify five categories of
parent and community support that are relevant to the region:

(1) children come to school prepared to learn;

(2) community provides financial and material support to the school;
(3) communication between the school, parents, and community is frequent;
(4) the community has a meaningful role in school governance; and
(5) community members and parents assists with instruction.

Social Regard for Learning

The Social Regard for Learning focuses on the ideal that teachers serve as positive and
powerful role models of the value in the pursuit of different efforts to learn. The teacher’s
action, statements, and different types of social interactions with students exemplify this ideal.
Furthermore, teachers are the model of the learners. It mandatory for them to implements
school policies and procedures of the school. They should demonstrate punctuality at all
times, maintains appropriate appearance, and becareful about the effect of their behavior on
students. They also make use of various learning experiences and resources in learning
process to make teaching learning efficient and effective to the learners.

Personal Growth and Professional Development

Personal growth and professional development emphasize the ideal that teachers value
having a high personal regard for the teaching profession, concern for professional
development, and continuous improvement as teachers (Cebrain, 2009). Moreover, as
professional teachers, they must maintain stature and behavior that uphold the dignity of
teaching. They also allocate time for professional growth and professional development
through participating in educational seminars and workshops, reading educational materials
regularly and engaging in educational research. It also important to build professional links
with colleagues to enrich teaching practice.

Job Satisfaction
 Job satisfaction is a complex and multifaceted concept, which can mean different
things to different people. Job satisfaction is usually linked with motivation, but the nature of
this relationship is not clear. Satisfaction is not the same as motivation. "Job satisfaction is
more an attitude, an internal state. It could, for example, be associated with a personal feeling
of achievement, either quantitative or qualitative." In recent years attention to job satisfaction
has become more closely associated with broader approaches to improved job design and
work organization, and the quality of working life movement (Buchanan, 2006).

Job satisfaction has been defined as, the attitude of an employee toward a job,
sometimes expressed as a hedonic response of liking or disliking the work itself, the rewards
pay, promotions, recognition, or the context such as working conditions, benefits (Corsini, 1999
cited by Tillman, 2008).

Job Satisfaction and its Facet

The process of teaching learning transaction depends on the efficiency of a teacher,

who is in turn able to manifest potentialities of a child. Teaching learning process cannot be
undertaken in vacuum but it is a positively directed action, for which teachers are to be
endowed with teaching competency.

Job satisfaction has a vital role to make teachers’ competent on their job and the
following must be satisfied:

Policies

An organization's policies can be a great source of frustration for employees if the

policies are unclear or unnecessary or if not, everyone is required to follow them. Although
employees will never feel a great sense of motivation or satisfaction due to the policies, thus,
policies can decrease dissatisfaction in this area by making sure that policies are fair and
apply equally to all. Also, make printed copies of your policies-and-procedures manual easily
accessible to all members of the organization.

Supervision

Supervision is the ability of the supervisor to provide technical assistance and

behavioural support. Yap (1999) underscores the importance of the administration in
maintaining high teacher satisfaction. This includes the administrative understanding and
appreciation of the teacher as an individual, their professional competence, support regarding
problems and participation in policies.

Norton and Kelly (1997) and Shann (1998) identified the following factors that
contribute to increased teacher dissatisfaction and to teachers leaving the profession:

1) problem/ frustration with the variety of administrative routines and accompanying

paper works:
2) concerns about the evaluation of student performance and school grading practices:
3) problems relating to student behavior and handling of student discipline:
4) problems related to teacher load and expectations for assuming extra-curricular
assignments:
5) concerns about relationships with peers and administrative personnel, including
supervisory relationships and communication channels:
6) low pay:
7) few possibilities for career promotion or growth:
 TheImportanceofContinuedProfessionalDevelopmentandLearning

Why You Should Continue To Learn And Develop Professionally

Continued professional development (CPD) and learning are important not only to you
as a professional, but also to your organization. The ability to gather more information and
different perspectives, and then apply these to your overall business strategy can help you stay
up to date on any change or new development within your industry. For this reason, it is crucial
to have the readiness to learn new skills and adapt to new changes at all times. Whether it be a
new technological advancement or adjusting to new leadership, the ability to adapt to new
conditions is imperative.

While the basic concepts and theories within a given industry have a tendency to remain
the same, the modalities in which the ideas are delivered change each day. In order to meet the
challenges of your professional role, CPD is a must.
According to Forbes, 94% of employers feel training and upskilling are critical, and 71% of
employees feel they must continue to learn new skills to meet the demands of their role. If
both employees and employers are able to see the value in continued professional
development, then you should capitalize on L&D opportunities.

Why Continued Professional Development Is Useful

Let’s take marketing as an example. As defined by the Merriam-Webster dictionary,
marketing is the process or technique of promoting, selling, and distributing a product or
service.[ii] Marketing is in no way a new profession, but the techniques and means of
information sharing have changed immensely.  So, marketers must keep upskilling to stay
current with new digital media.
Continued Professional Development can actually increase job performance and
productivity. When an employee sees that their employer is investing in them, they will be more
likely to go the extra mile in their efforts at work. Making sure that your employees feel that the
company values their professional development and growth is beneficial to the company. An
employee who is satisfied at work is much more likely to produce higher quality results than an
employee who is miserable at work.
According to Forbes, an analysis of hundreds of studies showed that happy employees
lead to 31% higher rate of productivity, 37% increase in sales and three times the level of
creativity within the workplace.  Continuing professional development truly is a win-win
situation. It provides an enormous benefit to employees and also allows them to polish their
own professional skills. This, in turn, typically leads to higher workplace productivity and
essentially increases an employer’s return on investment.

Engaged/Inspired Employees = Increased Productivity

Finally, the most important reason to support the continuous development and learning
professionally is the idea of “future-proofing” yourself. One of the biggest challenges of
working in any professional field is that change is inevitable, and it is impossible to plan for
every change that will come your way.
A company that invests in continued professional development and learning is a
company that invests in its future. In order to prepare for and protect yourself and your
 business from various types of risks, predict changes in the business environment, and help
create innovative thinkers within the workplace, CPD is a must.

5 Tips for Professional Growth & Development Opportunities

Idea #1: Set Professional Growth and Development

Goals
Professional growth requires direction and guidance from leadership, and goals are an
effective way to provide these guidelines. That’s why we encourage companies to make
setting professional growth and development goals a formalized process - it gives your
employees something tangible to work toward, as well as a reason to celebrate once they
hit those milestones. Here are tips to get started:

 Get managers involved. The relationship employees have with their managers is incredibly
impactful, which is why managers account for at least 70% of the variance in employee
engagement levels. Encouraging managers to be involved in and positively contribute to their
employees’ professional growth goals can make a huge difference in how supported they feel.
Plus, when employees feel seen and valued by their managers, they’re more likely to retain and
contribute in a more meaningful way.

 Set employees up for success. Create mutually-agreed upon professional growth and

development goals that are achievable, measurable, and relevant. For instance, if an employee’s
professional growth goal is to build leadership skills, don’t suddenly ask them to manage three
people - especially if they’re a first-time manager. Instead, give them the time and space to learn
by taking courses, attending seminars, or receiving coaching feedback either from their manager,
other mentors, or outside coaches (check out ThinkHuman or SoundingBoard).

 Track progress. Encourage your employees to track their professional growth progress in a

way that’s meaningful to them. Whether that’s using a performance management platform
like Culture Amp or in a shared spreadsheet, make sure the progress is documented somewhere
so they can always look back and see how far they’ve come. This is also a great way for the
 employee to own their journey and have a shared space where managers can stay updated.
‍

Idea #2: Introduce New Projects

Another way to promote professional growth and development for employees is to allow
them to work on projects outside of their usual role. So if your product manager has
shown interest in learning more about data science, give her the flexibility to explore and
try on new hats!  A few things to keep in mind:  

 Don’t make assumptions. Before assigning your employee a new task or project, make sure
it’s something they want to work on. It’s easy to assume you know what’s best for your
employees, but your intuition may not actually be correct. So have a conversation with them
before making any executive decisions - otherwise, your well-intentioned actions may backfire.

 Consider a rotation program. If your employee doesn’t have a strong preference or if you
want to build a culture around learning new things, consider starting a rotation program. People
can sign up to participate and spend a few months learning on different teams. This would require
them to have a decreased workload in their existing role so they have time to accommodate the
program. What does this look like? Teams can surface 20% projects (taking best practices from
the team at Google), or full-time rotations. Keep in mind this requires a lot of flexibility and
coverage from the employee’s current team, so 20% is a great starting point with less day-to-day
disruption.

 Get creative. If a rotation program isn’t viable, keep in mind that allowing your employees to
explore other projects doesn’t have to be a laborious transition. There are other small, but
meaningful, solutions. If an employee wants to learn more about event management, they don’t
have to transfer to the marketing team to make it happen - have them be on the holiday party
planning committee! You can use creativity to help your employees achieve their professional
growth and development goals without totally disrupting the flow of work. As an HR leader,
partner with HRBPs to surface areas for 10 or 20% support from department leads, and begin
including these in your ATS as open opportunities for application.
‍

Idea #3: Have a Learning Budget

At Blueboard, one of our company values is to “Set Ourselves Up for Success.” This
means putting the right resources, training, and tools in place for our employees to be
successful. That’s why we offer a use-it-or-lose-it learning and development budget of
$1,000 per employee to promote professional development. It’s a new program, but we’re
seeing really positive results in the form of utilization - such as how many employees are
participating and the depth of the selections they’re making to support individual goals.
Here are some best practices we’ve picked up along the way:

 Be flexible. Expand the use cases for the budget. Blueboarders have used their budget for
everything from conferences to leadership coaching to Toastmasters courses. We’re not limiting
them to a short list of options, but we do request that the tools reimbursed are tied to professional
growth.

 Prioritize utilization. It’s a huge waste to set aside a budget for an initiative and have it go
unused - that’s why we track utilization with our own learning budget. Similar to what we
recommend when it comes to building a successful employee referral program, make your
employees aware of these funds by building internal buzz, including the program during
onboarding via a Total Rewards sheet, getting leadership involved, and capturing stories from
these experiences to be shared during team meetings and other public events.  

 Encourage sharing. As we mentioned in the last bullet, capturing stories from employees’
learning experiences is a great way to build excitement for the program. That’s why we have our
team share what they’ve been using the budget for and how it’s helping them to tackle their
current career goals. Our leadership team participates in the sharing too and will give shout outs
to cool learning requests during team meetings.
‍

Idea #4: Encourage Professional Growth and

Development Experiences
It’s a flawed mindset to assume that professional growth and development only happens
inside the office. Diversity in experiences - from starting a side hustle to traveling the world
- can help foster an environment for learning & developing employees skill sets that will
help them in their jobs too. Here are a few of our favorite ways to encourage more
experiences:

 Host fun team activities. Team activities aren’t just good for bonding, but they’re also a fun
way to practice collaboration, communication, and networking skills. At Blueboard, we let each
employee take turns planning our monthly team events, and it has led to us sharing cool
experiences together, such as fencing, aerial yoga, wine blending, and volunteering at a local
farm.

 Use experiential rewards to recognize good work. Another way to weave in experiences is

to use experiential rewards for your employee recognition efforts. Not only is this a meaningful
way to reward high-quality work, but it also encourages your employees to get out of the office
and do something they love or have always wanted to try.
 Allow flex time. Of course, your employees can’t make time for fresh experiences if they’re
working all day, everyday. So let your team have some flexible working days or days off for
learning opportunities, such as attending events or going to workshops.
‍

Idea #5: Provide Mentorship

Mentorship is a great way to encourage professional growth and development. Why?
Studies have shown that positive mentorship propels career growth (especially for
women), exposes both the mentor and mentee to fresh perspectives, and levels the
playing field when it comes to professional opportunities. There are so many ways to
execute on this strategy:

 Establish an internal program. A common way companies provide mentorship is by

establishing an internal program where a more junior person is paired up with a more senior
person at the organization to be their mentor. Just be sure to take personality, communication
preferences, and goals into consideration when matching people together.

 Sponsor external coaches. An alternative to an internal mentorship program is to support

coaching for your employees. If you have the budget, let your employees pick a vetted career
coach to have regular sessions with so they have an objective party to discuss work-related
problems, goals, and aspirations with.

 Consider other channels. Keep in mind that mentors don’t have to come from the workplace.
There are so many groups out there that offer industry-specific or role-specific mentorship
opportunities or connect like-minded people to each other. For example, check out Parlay House,
which is a women’s group in San Francisco, NYC, and coming soon to Los Angeles. So share
recommendations with your employees and encourage them to get out there and meet potential
mentors.

Providing opportunities for professional growth and development is a clear-cut way to be a

competitive company. Thankfully, there are many actions you can take today to create
those opportunities for your employees.

REFLECTION

The teachers of DepEd displays a high level of performance related skills, abilities,
initiatives and productivity, exceeding requirements in many of the area of work performance.
The teachers were contented with their job satisfaction facets such as school policies,
supervision, pay, interpersonal relations, opportunities for promotion and growth, working
conditions, work itself, achievement, recognition, and responsibility. Teacher’s performance
and job satisfaction have moderate correlation.

There should be a balance between the task and people oriented, close supervision and
mentoring to the teachers to develop and maintain work performance and job satisfaction to
bring about efficiency and affectivity in work.

The Department of Education should strengthen the pay for the teachers in order for the
teachers to gain higher satisfaction on job. They should allocate more budgets on teacher’s
salaries.

The Department of Education should make policy, programs and projects for basic
education schools to enhance the work performance and job satisfaction of teachers towards
quality education.

To make teaching performance and job satisfaction be directed toward enhancement of

academic administration, the school organization should be opened for sharing of ideas to
promote academic excellence, teachers should provide opportunities for knowledge and
network and teachers should have opportunities to listen to by the school administrators for
support.
 REFERENCES

Fullan, M. (2009). Educational Leadership. San Francisco, California: Jossey-bass, Inc.

Publishing Company

Panda,B.N. and R.C., Mohanty (2003). How to Become a Competent Teacher. New Delhi,
India. Pp.1-25,11 Sharma, R D, Jyoti, Jeevan (2010). Jon Satisfaction of University
Teachers: An Empirical Study. http://findarticles.com
[i] https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbescoachescouncil/2017/09/13/open-the-door-to-career-change-with-professional-
development/#462031db2029
[ii] https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/marketing?src=search-dict-hed
[iii] https://www.forbes.com/sites/martinzwilling/2014/12/02/how-to-squeeze-productivity-from-employee-happiness/#16d21db61efa
[iv] http://www.alephhospitality.com/opinion-the-importance-of-continuing-professional-development-cpd-5-ways-you-can-benefit-today/
 Idea #1: Set Professional Growth and Development Goals

Professional growth requires direction and guidance from leadership, and goals are an

effective way to provide these guidelines. That’s why we encourage companies to make

setting professional growth and development goals a formalized process - it gives your

employees something tangible to work toward, as well as a reason to celebrate once they hit

those milestones. Here are tips to get started:

Get managers involved. The relationship employees have with their managers is incredibly

impactful, which is why managers account for at least 70% of the variance in employee

engagement levels. Encouraging managers to be involved in and positively contribute to their

employees’ professional growth goals can make a huge difference in how supported they feel.

Plus, when employees feel seen and valued by their managers, they’re more likely to retain and

contribute in a more meaningful way.

 Set employees up for success. Create mutually-agreed upon professional growth and

development goals that are achievable, measurable, and relevant. For instance, if an
employee’s professional growth goal is to build leadership skills, don’t suddenly ask them to
manage three people - especially if they’re a first-time manager. Instead, give them the time
and space to learn by taking courses, attending seminars, or receiving coaching feedback
either from their manager, other mentors, or outside coaches

 Track progress. Encourage your employees to track their professional growth progress in a

way that’s meaningful to them. Whether that’s using a performance management platform
like Culture Amp or in a shared spreadsheet, make sure the progress is documented
somewhere so they can always look back and see how far they’ve come. This is also a great
way for the employee to own their journey and have a shared space where managers can stay
updated.
‍

Idea #2: Introduce New Projects

Another way to promote professional growth and development for employees is to

allow them to work on projects outside of their usual role. So if your product manager has

shown interest in learning more about data science, give her the flexibility to explore and try on

new hats!  A few things to keep in mind:  

 Don’t make assumptions. Before assigning your employee a new task or project, make sure it’s
something they want to work on. It’s easy to assume you know what’s best for your employees,
but your intuition may not actually be correct. So have a conversation with them before making
any executive decisions - otherwise, your well-intentioned actions may backfire.

 Consider a rotation program. If your employee doesn’t have a strong preference or if you want
to build a culture around learning new things, consider starting a rotation program. People can
sign up to participate and spend a few months learning on different teams. This would require
them to have a decreased workload in their existing role so they have time to accommodate
the program.

 Get creative. If a rotation program isn’t viable, keep in mind that allowing your employees to
explore other projects doesn’t have to be a laborious transition. There are other small, but
meaningful, solutions. If an employee wants to learn more about event management, they
don’t have to transfer to the marketing team to make it happen - have them be on the holiday
party planning committee! You can use creativity to help your employees achieve their
professional growth and development goals without totally disrupting the flow of work. ‍

Idea #3: Have a Learning Budget

This means putting the right resources, training, and tools in place for our employees to

be successful. Here are some best practices we’ve picked up along the way:

 Be flexible. Expand the use cases for the budget. Blueboarders have used their budget for
everything from conferences to leadership coaching to Toastmasters courses. We’re not
limiting them to a short list of options, but we do request that the tools reimbursed are tied to
professional growth.

 Prioritize utilization. It’s a huge waste to set aside a budget for an initiative and have it go
unused - that’s why we track utilization with our own learning budget.

 Encourage sharing. As we mentioned in the last bullet, capturing stories from employees’
learning experiences is a great way to build excitement for the program. That’s why we have
our team share what they’ve been using the budget for and how it’s helping them to tackle their
current career goals. Our leadership team participates in the sharing too and will give shout
outs to cool learning requests during team meetings.

Idea #4: Encourage Professional Growth and Development Experiences

It’s a flawed mindset to assume that professional growth and development only

happens inside the office. Diversity in experiences - from starting a side hustle to traveling the

world - can help foster an environment for learning & developing employees skill sets that will
 help them in their jobs too. Here are a few of our favorite ways to encourage more

experiences:

 Host fun team activities. Team activities aren’t just good for bonding, but they’re also a fun
way to practice collaboration, communication, and networking skills.

 Use experiential rewards to recognize good work. Another way to weave in experiences is to

use experiential rewards for your employee recognition efforts. Not only is this a meaningful
way to reward high-quality work, but it also encourages your employees to get out of the office
and do something they love or have always wanted to try.

 Allow flex time. Of course, your employees can’t make time for fresh experiences if they’re
working all day, everyday. So let your team have some flexible working days or days off for
learning opportunities, such as attending events or going to workshops.

Idea #5: Provide Mentorship

Mentorship is a great way to encourage professional growth and development. Why?

Studies have shown that positive mentorship propels career growth (especially for women),

exposes both the mentor and mentee to fresh perspectives, and levels the playing field when it

comes to professional opportunities. There are so many ways to execute on this strategy:

 Establish an internal program. A common way companies provide mentorship is by

establishing an internal program where a more junior person is paired up with a more senior
person at the organization to be their mentor. Just be sure to take personality, communication
preferences, and goals into consideration when matching people together.

 Sponsor external coaches. An alternative to an internal mentorship program is to support

coaching for your employees. If you have the budget, let your employees pick a vetted career
coach to have regular sessions with so they have an objective party to discuss work-related
problems, goals, and aspirations with.

 Consider other channels. Keep in mind that mentors don’t have to come from the workplace.
There are so many groups out there that offer industry-specific or role-specific mentorship

opportunities or connect like-minded people to each other.

 REFELECTION

The experts agree that professionalism is one of the biggest factors in your level of
career success. It might sound dramatic, but it’s true! This trait affects every aspect of how
you do your job. A lack of professionalism can cost you a job or promotion, and it can even put
you first in line for a layoff.

“Your level of professionalism can make or break your career,” Walker says. “Without it,
you will never be taken so seriously, you may even be looked over when it comes time to be
considered for a promotion.”

One reason professionalism is so important is because it’s an outward display of your

attitude toward your job and your company. “It’s a sign of loyalty, dependability and
responsibility. “A lack of professionalism suggests a lack of respect towards an employer,
which can impact your ability to land a job.”

Even if you don’t have much experience with professionalism yet, there are many steps
you can take to improve as you prepare to enter the workforce. “Recent grads can brush up
their professionalism by finding a mentor who will lead by example.

Events and conferences are another great place to practice professionalism. You can
use networking events to gain valuable experience putting your best foot forward. They’re also
an opportunity to observe how others behave in a professional setting.

Attend hiring events for practice displaying your professionalism one-on-one. If you’re
feeling bold, you can even ask the connections you make whether they thought you acted in a
professional manner or whether there’s something you could do to improve.

Providing opportunities for professional growth and development is a clear-cut way to

be a competitive company. Thankfully, there are many actions you can take today to create
those opportunities for your employees
 REFERENCES

1. M Fullan

Educational Leadership
The Authors, volume 122
Posted: 2009
2. D Labadia

Organizational Commitment, Work Performance and Job Satisfaction Among the Faculty
of the Religious of Virgin Mary(RVM) Schools in Southern Mindanao
Posted: 2010
3. B N Panda, R C Mohanty

How to Become a Competent Teacher

Posted: 2003
4. R D Sharma, Jeevan Jyoti

Jon Satisfaction of University Teachers: An Empirical Study

Posted: 2010

5. https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1130748.pdf (ed.gov)
 TITLE OF RESEARCH
POVERTY AND ITS IMPACT TO STUDENTS’ EDUCATION

INTRODUCTION

“Poverty is the worst form of violence”. – Mahatma Gandhi.

We can define poverty as the condition where the basic needs of a family, like food,
shelter, clothing, and education are not fulfilled. It can lead to other problems like poor
literacy, unemployment, malnutrition, etc. A poor person is not able to get education due to lack
of money and therefore remains unemployed. An unemployed person is not able to buy enough &
nutritious food for his family and their health decline. A weak person lacks the energy required for
the job. A  jobless person remains poor only. Thus we can say that poverty is the root cause of
other problems.

Education is a process through which individual acquires skills, competencies, and

attitude. It is the right of every child to be educated, be it traditional or western. Thus,
education is been regarded as culture to man, people and the nation of the world at large. This
explains why man has to educate himself and his offspring in the society. Poverty is one of the
factors militating against man from carrying out his educational activities perfectly. Because
of the various perception and complexities of the term poverty, a universally agreed definition
cannot be arrived at. But then poverty according to the oxford advanced learners dictionary
(2000) defined poverty as the state of being poor.         

Oguw Mike (2005) sees poverty as a way of life characterized by low calorie intake,
inaccessibility of adequate health facilities low quality education system, low life expectancy,
unemployment and under-employment. Leroy and Symes (2001) consider poverty as a major
anti-risk factors relating the concept poverty to Nigeria, it will therefore be considered in a
broader way which implies that it has be viewed in various perspectives which include one
national state and home background.

At the national level, a nation can be considered poor when her economic standard is
very low and this automatically makes the nation underdeveloped. The economy of a country
that does not reached certain stage of development in terms of infrastructure and other
development indices. As regard poverty in the family level, we are referring to the home
background.  Even before the indigenous education or western type of education, the home
has always been the agency through which man learns various aspect of life to enable him live
a meaningful life in his environment.

The role of the home cannot be over emphasized because the general assumptions that
states of poverty in the family or home goes to a long way to determine the extent of youth or
students’ educational development. Education is seen by many as the route to alleviate
poverty. There is no doubt that meaningful; education is the most potent instrument for
alleviating and eventually abolishing poverty. In considering the effect of poverty on academic
performance of students to be precise, the home background is the most important
phenomenon that needs to be seriously considered in order to enhance the effective study of
the relationship between poverty and students’ academic performance.

In view of this, some factors that needed to be considered in the home or family
background are parents’ academic qualification, socio-economic class and facilities available
in home or home environment as well as parent status.

Each day countless students come to school, each with their own set of unique gifts,
abilities, and challenges. Recent data has found that students living in poverty often face far
more challenges than their peers. According to the National Center of Education Statistics, 19
percent of individuals under 18 lived in poverty during the 2015–16 school year. Furthermore,
24.4 percent of students attended high-poverty schools during that same year. The data also
show that higher percentages of Hispanic, African-American, American Indian/Alaska Native,
and Pacific Islander students attended high-poverty schools than white students, underscoring
that poverty is also an issue of equity that must be addressed.

These data show the reality of what our public education system is facing today. Nearly
one-fifth of students nationwide are either living in poverty, attending a high-poverty school, or
both. Poverty negatively impacts students in a variety of ways within K–12 education and
beyond. This can be through a variety of different factors that are often symptoms of poverty,
like health issues stemming from a nonnutritional diet, homelessness, lack of food, or the
inability to receive medical treatment for illnesses. These factors often place more stress on a
student, which can negatively impact the student’s ability to succeed in a school.

Students living in poverty often have fewer resources at home to complete homework,
study, or engage in activities that helps equip them for success during the school day. Many
impoverished families lack access to computers, high-speed internet (three-fourths of
households currently have access to high-speed broadband), and other materials that can aid
a student outside of school. Parents of these families often work longer hours or multiple jobs,
meaning they may not be available to assist their children with their schoolwork.

Furthermore, in many high-poverty school districts, resources are sorely lacking in

schools. Nearly every state has its own division of funding for school districts and education
based on property taxes. Unfortunately, this system unfairly affects individuals living in poverty
and the students attending school in those areas. Because property taxes are often much
lower in high-poverty areas, schools in those areas receive much less than their more affluently
located counterparts.

Recent data from the U.S. Department of Education state that 40 percent of high-
poverty schools are not getting a fair share of state and local funds. This often leaves schools
with limited budgets to address a multitude of issues, including hiring educators, updating
resources for students, preparing students for postsecondary education or the workforce,
dealing with unsafe infrastructure, and much more. There are often instructional gaps for
those attending high-poverty schools as well.

Data from the 2015–16 National Teacher and Principal Survey show that students from
low-income families “are consistently, albeit modestly, more likely to be taught by lower-
 credentialed and novice teachers” (Garcia and Weiss). Research has also shown that many
teachers in high-poverty schools are inexperienced and often less effective than their more
experienced peers who are often targeted for hire by higher-income schools and districts. The
lack of high-quality instruction serves to only further separate academic achievement levels for
students in high-poverty schools from peers in high-income schools or districts.

 All students, regardless of income level or background, are capable of and should receive the
support and resources necessary for success.
 Students from low-income families often face additional barriers that can impede academic
success compared to their peers from higher-income households.
 Principals provide leadership for instilling a culture of success and support within their school
and should strive to provide each student with the supports necessary to achieve this success.
Principals should strive to achieve this through all available avenues, including through
strategic partnerships.
 The 2015 Professional Standards for Educational Leaders state that effective educational
leaders strive for equity of educational opportunity and culturally responsive practices to
promote each student’s academic success and well-being.

How poverty affects education in the Philippines

Education is a basic factor in economic development and how poverty affects the
education in the philippines. At the microeconomic level, education has an important role in
social mobility, equity, public health, better opportunities for employment, etc. In the case of
the Philippines, Filipinos have a high rate of illiteracy. 
According to figures from the Department of Education and the National Statistical
Coordination Board in the Philippines, 1 in 6 Filipino kids will not attend school, and only 7 out
of 10 kids will complete elementary school.

Only 4 out of 7

Of those seven children, only four will complete high school education, and of those 4,
just one will proceed onto the university. Which is the main reason for poverty?
As of 2018, a quarter of the 105 million Philippine population lived in poverty, that is,
over 26 million people. Through various anti-poverty programs, such as the Comprehensive
Agrarian Reform, and the Social Reform Agenda, the Philippines has been through a long battle
to improve those statistics.
Despite these governmental efforts, the race on how poverty affects education in the
Philippines and reduce illiteracy in the Philippines has been a slow process. 
The poor in the Philippines are most likely self-employed farmers, fishermen, or other
agricultural workers who, instead of sending their children to school for proper
education, prefer to see them at the farm.
As of 2015, about 58% of poor households had more than six members. This fact has
proven to be a major contributing factor to the lack of education in the Philippines.
For most of these poor households, only about 60% of the family members have
education up to elementary school. As a result of this, over 18.4 million Philippines are living
in extreme poverty, surviving on an average budget of $1.25 per day. 
 An average Filipino family consists of six children, of which two of the children are likely
to be stunted due to malnutrition. According to medical experts, children who remain
malnourished in the first 1000 days of their lives do not fully develop the neural connections in
their brains.
This can be a major stumbling block, as it inhibits their ability to reach their full
potential, thereby damaging their chances of proper education. Damages caused by poverty
due to lack of education in the Philippines

Increased child prostitution is how poverty affects education in the Philippines

Due to inadequate care and proper education, many Filipino children take to the
streets to fend for themselves and their families. They are searching for a means of survival.
These children see prostitution and other forms of harmful activities as an easy route out of
their current predicament.
Foreign tourists and locals alike use these children as child prostitutes to either satisfy
their needs or that of their clients.

Increase Child Trafficking

Another concern about how poverty affects education in the Philippines is

child trafficking in the Philippines. This is a major concern for the government to protect the
children. Traffickers are constantly on the lookout for young children of very tender age to
service clients. Various security agencies have raided brothels and found young children as
young as 13 years old servicing about 15 individuals every night.

Increased drug Abuse

Children from low-income families often spend most of their time on the streets or the
farm. Instead of getting proper classroom education, they engage with harmful activities on
the streets. A recent study by experts shows that up to 40% of street children had used drugs
in the past. Other reports suggest that 66- 85% of children had used inhalants, and 3% had
used marijuana.

CAUSES OF POVERTY

 Lack of Infrastructure

This is one of the biggest problems that both prevents the economy from growing and makes
poverty in the Philippines even worse. There’s been a dire lack of investment in infrastructure
for both new and existing projects.

 Corruption is how poverty affects education in the Philippines

Corruption is one of the major contributing factors to poverty in the Philippines. Most times,
shady deals are made between government officials and private organizations to rob the
nation of some form of resources.
This lack of transparency in government scares away foreign investors and contributes to their
reluctance to invest in the Philippines. 

 Income inequality

A report in 2014 by Forbes reported that the wealthiest families in the Philippines were worth
around US$72.4 billion. When compared to the rest of the population, that is a vast disparity.
A 2009 report further showed that the poorest 20% of the population had only 4.45% of the
national income. 
 REFLECTION
The lack of affordable, high-quality child care is a significant barrier to helping children
attain adequate brain development that will foster further learning. On average, federal child
care assistance reaches only one in six eligible children. It is also well known that the earlier a
child receives an education, the more developed they are in necessary skills like reading and
writing.
Basa Pilipinas is another reading program in the Philippines funded by USAID. The
program focuses on providing sufficient learning materials, books, and facilities as well as
instructing teachers on more effective ways to educate their students. As of 2013, the project
had trained about 19,000 teachers and distributed nearly 8.1 million reading materials, helping
to teach 1.6 million new readers, according to USAID.
Perhaps one of the worst problems that prevent children from going to school in the
Philippines is the cost. Many low-income families cannot afford to pay for their children’s
education and usually have the child work as a hand in the field, family business, or around the
house.
The following are some of the many recommendations for student leaders to do to
alleviate poverty :

 Instill a culture of growth and success in your school that effectively educates all students
about the opportunities available to them following secondary education.
 Provide benefits and resources within schools to all students so those living in poverty have
the necessary supports to succeed, with the assistance of outside partners such as internet
providers, food suppliers, or healthcare organizations. Examples include: free breakfast,
extended library or lab hours after school, allowing students to take home wifi hotspots, etc.
 Provide professional development for teachers and staff to assist them in working effectively
with students in poverty and address the impact of associated trauma and chronic stress.
 Provide students with access to college admissions, scholarships, financial aid information,
and personnel to help students with these discussions so students are properly educated on
postsecondary education opportunities.
 Ensure that budget discussions and requests are conducted in a transparent process that
allows for input from a variets of groups and stakeholders in the school community.

REFERENCES

 Amerikaner, A., & Morgan, I. (2018, February 27). Funding gaps 2018: An analysis of school
funding equity across the U.S. and within each state. Retrieved
from https://edtrust.org/resource/funding-gaps-2018/.

 Carey, K., & Harris, E. (2016). It turns out spending more probably does improve education.
Retrieved from https://www.nytimes.com/2016/12/12/nyregion/it-turns-out-spending-more-
probably-does-improve-education.html?_r=0.

 Carr, S. (2013, February 26). The real reasons many low-income students don’t go to college.
Retrieved from https://hechingerreport.org/the-real-reasons-many-low-income-students-dont-
go-to-college/.
 TITLE OF RESEARCH
TEENAGE PREGNANCY IN THE PHILIPPINES AND ITS EFFECT ON EDUCATION

INTRODUCTION

The issue of teen pregnancy in the Philippines has led to forced marriage of many
Philippine teens, and according to the 2015 Census data, the Philippines now ranks 13th
among countries with the largest population in the world.
 Today, we are faced with the painful reality that at a very young age, most Philippine
teens already have children of their own. A recent study shows that over 200,000 Filipinos
between the ages of 15 and 19 years old get pregnant each year, and over 500 teenage girls
give birth in the country every day.

According to experts, teenage mothers are more likely to experience adverse pregnancy
outcomes and to be constrained in their ability to pursue educational opportunities.
The issue of adolescent fertility is essential for both health and social reasons because
children born to very young mothers are at increased risk of sickness and death. Teenage
pregnancy is also one of the reasons for the high rate of school dropout for adolescent girls, as
well as family matters.

While it is possible for a pregnant teenager in the Philippines to experience a healthy

pregnancy and also become an excellent parent, many pregnant and parenting teenagers
struggle with health risks, multiple stressors, and other complex issues. If pregnancy is
unplanned, the mother may not receive the prenatal care she and her baby needs, or she may
not even be healthy enough to carry a child.

In the Philippines, children born to teenage mothers are more likely to die compared to
children of older mothers, and this is because Filipino teen mothers aged 15-19 average 17
months between previous pregnancies compared to the recommended 35 months for mothers
of all ages. 

Teenage mothers have a high percentage of dropping out of school because of their low
ambitions and dedication to their children. It is no wonder that only 38% of female teens who
give birth before the age of 18 complete their high school education by the age of 22.
This means that a very high percentage of teenage mothers will not even go on to graduate
from high school, let alone get a college education. This lack of education most times leads to
low paying jobs or, even worse, unemployment.

These young women often end up living on welfare and do not have adequate resources
for their children. Overall, these young girls are forced to delay and postpone any plans for their
future to raise a child. Teenage mothers are often reliant on their families for financial
resources as well as other forms of support to help get them through raising a child on their
own. In most cases, these young mothers are overlooked and do not receive any form of
financial aid or education on how to cater for a child.

Having a child during the teenage age often clashes with the developmental tasks that
should be occurring during adolescence. These young mothers are unable to fully develop a
sense of self-identity due to their new role as teenage mothers. 

Furthermore, adolescent age that is essential for developing relationships with others
and discovering oneself are strained or even terminated. Many of these teenage mothers are
not healthy enough; thus, they have a higher risk for obstructed labor, thereby contributing to
the number of unsafe abortions in the Philippines, which most times lead to the death of many
young females and their unborn child.

CAUSES OF TEEN PREGNANCY IN THE PHILIPPINES

Drugs and Alcohol

 During adolescence, teenagers may drink and experiment with drugs frequently with
their friends at social gatherings and parties. Teens, however, do not realize the impacts
alcohol and drugs have on the functioning of their brain, especially the effects of consuming
large amounts of alcohol in one sitting.

Drinking excessively as well as experimenting with drugs may significantly affect the
ability of a teenager to think logically and carry out general thinking processes. Thereby
increasing the chances that they will engage in unprotected and unsafe sex.

·        Low Socio-economic Status

Most pregnant teens come from families of low socio-economic status. Growing up,
these children are associated with low-income families who do not have all the necessary
resources to raise a child properly. Children that grow up in these homes do not have strong
role models or individuals to look up to or learn from. Due to a lack of proper education about
sex and reproduction, these teens engage in unprotected and unsafe sexual activities. 

·        Peer Pressure and Sexual Abuse

Peer pressure is another major cause of sexual abuse. Often, females may be pressured
by friends into having sexual affairs with the opposite sex against their will.

Sexual abuse is also another cause of teenage pregnancies.  

Older male counterparts have been found to force their selves on teenage girls, without
their approval. These teenagers are sometimes unable to inform a trusted adult about the
situation due to fear of being harmed by their predator. Situations like these further affect the
child as they enter into adolescence and increases the chances of teen pregnancy.

POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS TO TEEN PREGNANCY IN THE PHILIPPINES

·        Abstinence
Although there are many different ways to prevent teenage girls from becoming
pregnant, the most effective remains sexual abstinence. This method guarantees no risk of
getting pregnant and protects teenagers from STD’s. It is, therefore, important that teenagers
are educated on the health benefits of abstinence.

      Use of Contraceptive
Another form of teenage pregnancy prevention that is effective is the use of
contraceptives. Although abstinence remains the best way to prevent pregnancy among teens,
it is a fact that there are still a large number of teenagers who involve in sexual activities. For
this reason, it is important to educate teenagers with relevant information on how to use
various contraceptive techniques. 
The problem that arises from this method is that teenagers are not properly educated
on the various forms of birth control, condoms, and other means of prevention that are
available. 
Parents can strongly influence the decisions of their children by taking the time to be involved
when the issue of sex arises. Schools are also not left behind, as they must provide necessary
information to teenagers on preventing pregnancies and encouraging them to make
responsible choices when engaging in sexual activities. Therefore, the responsibility of adults
is to provide teens with a thorough understanding of abstinence, contraceptive techniques, and
the consequences of unsafe sex.

Bottom Line
It is the job of both government and schools to raise awareness on the sexual and
reproductive health and rights of the girl child in the Philippines. Protecting them from abuse
and connecting them with education and health services that meet their needs.
 As we can assume, when a teen gets pregnant they have a much harder time adding a
school schedule to their life. On in five women between the age of 15-20 are pregnant or have
a child. yes that is 20%!

REFLECTION

Filipino teens get a higher exposure to sex from the Internet, magazines, TV
shows, movies and other media than decades ago, yet without any corresponding
increase in information on how to handle the input. So, kids are pretty much left to other
kids for opinions and value formation when it comes to sex.

Bearing a child during adolescence adds up the stress and triggers changes in

various aspects-physical, emotional, personal, and social. Among the well documented
includes school dropouts, developmental and health problems, depression, poverty, etc.
It’s found that literature on teenage pregnancy mostly focuses on the negative
consequences of being a teen parent though there are teen parents who said that they
enjoy being so and the child has brought more joy to the family. The situation of
teenage pregnancy has grown abundantly throughout the country. Sex education taught
in the school system can help teens realize the consequences of having pre-marital sex
and prevent pregnancy.

The realities and effects of teen pregnancies are sometimes difficult and harsh to
face for the mother, father, and child. Social, economy, and environmental as well as
individual factors determines for the increase in teenage pregnancy rate and thus
makes it difficult to disentangle the exact cause for teen pregnancies. Speaking about
expectations for the future, one needs to remember that teenage mothers typically do
not plan long-term and attempt to concentrate on their baby.

With early pregnancy the girls usually have to abandon their education to give
birth or raise their child. Girls who become pregnant are expelled from school because it
goes against the moral teachings of the school thus delaying the chance of earning a
degree that will help them in providing for their child.

Education becomes a lesser priority and is often delayed until they are able to
leave the children at home are financially stable. But there are girls who are studying as
well as taking care of their child and they are who we call Student Mothers. The burdens
for these girls have double as to they have to take care of school as well as their child at
home.

REFERENCES:

Teenage Pregnancy In The Philippines and Its Effect On Education - Next Step

Philippines

Teenage Pregnancy Study in the Philippines (nursinganswers.net)

 TITLE OF RESEARCH
DIFFICULTIES ENCOUNTERED AND
COPING MANAGEMENT OF STUDENT-LEADERS

INTRODUCTION

Leadership may play a key role in improving educational processes and

potentially, enhancing students’ academic achievement. However, this apparently

simple claim conceals a complex reality, as there are many leadership models and a

wide range of school characteristics that may bear an impact on their effectiveness. In

fact, the very definition of leader is contentious ( Hancook, D.,2012).

Leadership is open to many interpretations and different definitions. One of the

first theories of leadership was the ‘Great Man Theory’, which suggested that leaders

were born and not made. (Marcketti etal., 2013).

This, however, contrasts sharply with more recent approaches to leadership

development, which regard leadership as a relational process and not as the exercise of

hierarchical power. Modern approach posit that leadership is not something innate, but

rather a skill that can (and must) be learned, and therefore something that can (and

must) be taught and nurtured over time (Archard, 2013; Middleton, 2013; Peterson &

Peterson, 2012).

Many scholars have pointed to the potential benefits accruing to students when

and if they are involved in leadership activities, regardless of the approach to leadership

undertaken. According to Trowler (2012), student engagement in leadership has

behavioral, cognitive and affective dimensions. She claimed that students who are

involved in leadership activities improve outcomes in a range of areas, not least in the
 positive effect of leadership activities on academic performance (Patterson, 2012). By

engaging in these activities, students learn to be confident, articulate and responsible

(Thomas, 2012), so to expose students to leadership and provide them with

opportunities to develop their leadership skills is a good preparation for future

leadership roles (Archard, 2013).

What we mean by ‘Leadership’

Several leadership models have emerged that are consistent with the view of leadership

as an emergent skill and which useful from the point of view of leadership preparation for

students. The social change model of leadership from the higher education Research Institute

(at UCLA), it is claimed promotes social responsibility and enhances student self-awareness

(Dugan, 2006). Social responsibility is achieved through the development of core

values targeted at enhancing student’s ability to work with others.

These values include consciousness of self’ (Being aware of the beliefs, attitudes and

emotions that motivate action), ‘Congruence’ ( understanding and being consistent with one’s

own values strengths and weaknesses),commitment (the energy that motivates one to served

and which drives the collective effort), common purpose(working with shared aims and

beliefs), collaboration ( leadership as a relational group process ), and ‘controversy with civility’

(the ability to deal with conflicting of opinions and people). These values function at the

individual, group and societal levels and Rosch and Caza (2012) explain, the model

emphasizes the importance of relationships, ethics, and sustainable engagement within

society. It is based on the beliefs

effectively leaders possess has strong and well-developed sense of personal values and

linked to action, set of interpersonal and networking skills that incorporate systems and
thinking conflict into the development of trusting teams, and a desire to engage ethically

positively and sustainably with society (see also Astin and Asting (1996).

The benefits of student involvement in leadership

Many scholars have pointed to the potential benefits accruing to students when and if

they are involved a leadership activities, regardless of the approach to leadership undertaken.

According to Trowler (2012), student engagement in leadership has behavioral,

cognitive and affective dimensions. She suggests that research has shown thatstudents who

are involved in leadership activities improve outcomes in a range of areas, not list in a positive

effect of leadership activities of academic performance (Patterson, 2012). By engaging in

these activities, students learn to be confident, articulate and responsible (Thomson, 2012), so

to expose students to leadership and provide them with opportunities to develop their

leadership skills is a good preparation for future leadership roles (Archard, 2013). Research

also suggests that the positive effects are not limited to students, but also accrue to schools

in helping to constrtuct good relationships with local communities (Ingleton, 2013; Middleton,

2013: Thomson 2012)

Leadership, extracurricular activities and role models

According to Veronesi and Gunderman (2012), extracurricular activities in schools and

colleges can foster and development of leadership abilities and can move students from

passive to active roles. Evidence also suggests that extracurricular student organizations

serve a catalyst for the development of student leadership skills by helping students more

closely and more effectively with one another, though such activities are now mandatory and

by definition students participate from their own desire to contribute. Hancock et al. (2012), for

example, explored adolescents’ participation in sports, and school and community

extracurricular activities to assess the effect on leadership skills of different involvement rules

and adult support. They found out that adolescent perception of their own leadership skills are
influence leading by their involvement in activities by the support received from adults.

Similarly, Shehane et al. (2012)

Explored first year college students perceptions of leadership, finding that external role

models – family members, family friends, and teachers are major influences; and Moreno and

Sanchez (2013) analyzed the benefits of involvement in sorority and fraternity for Latino

students in American colleges, finding that participants relied heavily on parents and family for

support, and as a result become more impowered through their participation in these societies

were encouraged to become active as a leaders on campus and in the community assuming

significant leadership roles within their organization and across the university.

REFLECTION

Being a student-leader is certainly not an easy job to do because it requires you to be a

good example in the eyes of the public all the time. Apart from the activities that should be

accomplished annually, it can be very challenging for student-leaders when responsibilities as

students and as leaders meet. However, if hard work, determination and dedication are

present, every difficulty encountered will become chances for further improvements.

Leading the student body when done simultaneously with maintaining good grades in

academic performances is their major concern as student-leaders. Apart from that, as role

models to the student body, they are also expected to be front liners in following the rules and
regulations of the school and they should protect that good image at all cost. Because that is

what they are expected and obliged to do, they have to accept the challenge and do everything

as much as they can. The respondents are expected to respond accordingly and apply every

coping method they can think of so that neither of their responsibilities as student and leaders

will be neglected.

The following recommendations are hereby presented to solve the problem; more

efforts are recommended to the student-leaders in balancing their responsibilities as students

and leaders, teachers are suggested to extend their understanding towards the student-leaders

to avoid pressure and stress thus creating a healthy environment for everyone in the school.

Future studies may also take into account the effects of joining school organizations as well

as to how these could benefit the students in the long run. These would encourage other

students to go out of their comfort zone and be a medium of change in the near future.

REFERENCES

Archard, N. (2013) Developing Future Women Leaders: The

Importance of Mentoring and Role Modeling in the Girls’ School Context,
Mentoring and Tutoring: Partnership in Learning,20(4),451-72

Bright, D., Turesky, E., Putzel R. and Stang, T. (2012)

Professor as Facilitator: Shaping an Emerging Living System of Shared
Leadership in the Classroom, Journal of Educational Leadership, 11 (1), 157-77.
Dugan, J.P (2013) College Student Leadership Development:
Transformational Leadership as a Thoeritical Foundation, International Journal of
Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences, 3(7), 219-229.

Hancook, D., Dyk, P.H., & Jones, K. (2012) Adolescents

Involvement in Extracurricular Activities: Influences own Leadership Skiolls,
Journal of Leadership Education, 11(1), 84-101.

Ingleton, T. (2013) College Students Leadership Development:

Transformational Leadership as a Theoretical Foundation, International Journal
of Academy Research in Business and Social Sciences, 3(7), 219-29.

Leithwood, K. & Jantzi, D. (2000) The effects of transformational leadership on

organizational conditions and student engagement with school, Journal of
Educational Administration, 38(2), 111-129.

Logue, C. T., Hutchens, T.A. & Hector, M.A. (2005) Student

Leadership: A phenomenological exploration of postsecondary experiences,
Journal of College Student Development, 46(4), 393-408.

Marcketti, S., Arendt, S.W. & Shelley, M.C. (2011) Leadership

in Action: Student leadership development in an event management course,
Leadership & Organization Development, 32(2), 170-189.

Middleton, R. (2013) Active learning and leadership in an

undergraduate curriculum: How effective is it for student learning and transition
to practice? Nurse Education in Practice, 13(2), 83-88.

TITLE OF RESEARCH
UNEMPLOYMENT AND ITS IMPACT TO PHILIPPINE INDUSTRY

INTRODUCTION
 Our country faces problems like any country in the world. Poverty, crimes,
environmental issues, etc. Some problems are rather easier to solve than others but
one problem that is rather massive in the Philippines is unemployment.

But what is unemployment? Unemployment according to the International Labour

Organization occurs when people are without jobs and they actively looked for work.
Job generation is one of the recurring themes the politicians never fail to mention
during their election campaigns. But up to this point, the country is still on the losing
side in the global jobs-generation field.

According to the Central Intelligence website, the Philippines is the 80th country
in the whole world with the lowest rate of unemployment. Filipinos today are having
difficulty in finding a suitable job for themselves, with problems in the economy and
absence of jobs, a lot of Filipinos today are struggling to find a career.

As of January 2012, 7.2% of the 40.3 million Filipinos in the labor force are currently
unemployed. The Philippines topped Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, China
and South Korea in terms of the unemployment rate, the BLES (Bureau of Labor and
Employment Statistics) said.

In the Philippines, more individuals join the long list of jobless persons every
year. It is such a waste that colleges and universities are producing graduates but due
to present economic crisis, where unemployment is dominant, the increase in the
number of graduates has aggregated the unpleasant situation.

One of the main causes of unemployment in the Philippines is the unavailability

of jobs provided. Due to the fast growing rate of the population in the Philippines,
millions need jobs but only a few will be able to have one due to the absence of jobs
present in the country.
 What is Unemployment?

Unemployment is a term referring to individuals who are employable and actively

seeking a job but are unable to find a job. Included in this group are those people in the
workforce who are working but do not have an appropriate job. Usually measured by the
unemployment rate, which is dividing the number of unemployed people by the total number of
people in the workforce, unemployment serves as one of the indicators of a country’s
economic status.

Understanding Unemployment

The term “unemployment” is often misunderstood, it as it includes people who are

waiting to return to a job after being discharged, yet it does not include individuals who have
stopped looking for work in the past four weeks due to various reasons such as leaving work
to pursue higher education, retirement, disability, and personal issues. Also people who are not
actively seeking a job but do want to work are not classified as unemployed.

Interestingly, people who have not looked for a job in the past four weeks but have been
actively seeking one in the last 12 months are put into a category called the “marginally
attached to the labor force.” Within this category is another category called “discouraged
workers,” which refers to people who have given up looking for a job.

The categories mentioned above sometimes causes confusion and debate as to

whether the unemployment rate fully represents the actual number of people who are
unemployed. For a full understanding, one should juxtapose “unemployment” with the term
“employment,” which the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) describes as individuals aged 16 and
above who have recently put hours into work in the past week, paid or otherwise, because of
self-employment.

Types of Unemployment

There are basically four types of unemployment: (1) demand deficient, (2) frictional, (3)
structural, and (4) voluntary unemployment.

  1. Demand deficient unemployment

Demand deficit unemployment is the biggest cause of unemployment that typically

happens during a recession. When companies experience a reduction in the demand for their
products or services, they respond by cutting back on their production, making it necessary to
reduce their workforce within the organization. In effect, workers are laid off.

  2. Frictional unemployment

Frictional unemployment refers to those workers who are in between jobs. An example

is a worker who recently quit or was fired and is looking for a job in an economy that is not
experiencing a recession. It is not an unhealthy thing because it is usually caused by workers
trying to find a job that is most suitable to their skills.

  3. Structural unemployment

Structural unemployment happens when the skills set of a worker does not match the
skills demanded by the jobs available, or alternatively when workers are available but are
 unable to reach the geographical location of the jobs. An example is a teaching job that
requires relocation to China, but the worker cannot secure a work visa due to certain visa
restrictions. It can also happen when there is a technological change in the organization, such
as workflow automation that displaces the need for human labor.

4. Voluntary unemployment

Voluntary unemployment happens when a worker decides to leave a job because it is no

longer financially compelling. An example is a worker whose take-home pay is less than his or
her cost of living.

  Causes of Unemployment

Unemployment is caused by various reasons that come from both the demand side, or
employer, and the supply side, or the worker.

Demand-side reductions may be caused by high interest rates, global recession, and
financial crisis. From the supply side, frictional unemployment and structural employment play
a great role.

  Effects

The impact of unemployment can be felt by both the workers and the national economy
and can cause a ripple effect.

Unemployment causes workers to suffer financial hardship that impacts families,

relationships, and communities. When it happens, consumer spending, which is one of an
economy’s key drivers of growth, goes down, leading to a recession or even a depression when
left unaddressed.

Unemployment results in reduced demand, consumption, and buying power, which in

turn causes lower profits for businesses and leads to budget cuts and workforce reductions. It
creates a cycle that goes on and on that is difficult to reverse without some type of
intervention.

  Long-term Unemployment vs. Short-term Unemployment

Unemployment that lasts longer than 27 weeks even if the individual has sought
employment in the last four weeks is called long-term unemployment. Its effects are far worse
than short-term unemployment for obvious reasons, and the following are noted as some of its
effects.

 Some 56% of the long-term unemployed reported a significant decrease in their net worth.
 Financial problems are not the only effects of long-term unemployment as 46% of those in
such a state reported experiencing strained family relationships. The figure is relatively higher
than the 39% percent who weren’t unemployed for as long.
 Another 43% of the long-term unemployed reported a significant effect on their ability to
achieve their career goals.
 Sadly, long-term unemployment led to 38% of these individuals losing their self-respect and
24% seeking professional help.
 The unemployment rate in the Philippines plunged to 8.7 percent in the June quarter of
2021 from a downwardly revised 17.6 percent in the same quarter a year earlier, as the economy
recovered from the COVID-19 slump. The number of unemployed persons declined by 3.09
thousand to 4.14 million, while the number of employed fell by 4.08 thousand to 41.25 million.
Meanwhile, the labor force participation rate jumped to 63.2 in the second quarter from 55.7 the
prior year. Among employed persons, workers in the services sector made up 50.5 percent of the
total, followed by those in the agriculture sector (30.4 percent) and industry (19.1
percent). source: National Statistics Office of Philippines

REFLECTION

Labour resources are usually occupationally immobile because it takes time for people
to gain the sufficient skills that are necessary for working in a certain industry. Hence, when
there is oversupply of labour in a certain industry or when there is a recession, people who
become unemployed cannot find work immediately or easily since they cannot be employed in
the industry that requires their skills and also cannot work in other industries since they may
not have sufficient skills.

Hence, the government can provide retraining programs for the unemployed, so that
they can improve their skills or gain new skills necessary to ensure their employment.

Employment subsidies can be provided by the government for firms who hire workers
that are unemployed. With a subsidy, costs of production for firms go down since the price of
each unit of labor resource decreases. Hence, employers will be more willing and able to hire
more workers and increase the number of workers that they are willing to hire.

This increases the size of the workforce and the number of job vacancies, hence helping
to reduce unemployment. However, it is difficult for governments to determine how much
subsidy to provide and it is difficult to ensure that firms are willing to retain the increased size
of their workforce when there are changes in the economy (e.g. Recession)

Having sustained economic growth is another way for the government to address the
problem of unemployment. When there is economic growth, employers will be more willing and
able to employ more workers. This helps to address the issue of unemployment. However, this
is a long-term strategy that takes a lot of time to see results.

Having seen some of the common solutions to unemployment, let's see how these
solutions and more can be applied to the Philippines.

Reducing occupational immobility is one possible solution that can be applied to the
Philippines. There is an oversupply of workers and a good amount of graduates every year who
fall into unemployment. By enlisting them in retraining courses, they can gain new skills that
are necessary to garner them a place in the workforce.

Subsidizing employers that employ unemployed workers can help address the problem
of unemployment in the Philippines. However, this method can place a strain on the
government budget, depending on how much subsidies the government provides.
REFERENCES

Unemployment in the Philippines Essay - 780 Words (studymode.com)

Solutions - Unemployment in the philippines (weebly.com)

SOLUTIONS TO AVOID UNEMPLOYMENT IN THE PHILIPPINES - Bing

 TITLE OF RESEARCH
IMPORTANCE OF GENDER EQUALITY IN THE PHILIPPINES

INTRODUCTION

Gender equality is the state of equal access to resources and opportunities regardless of
gender. Moreover, it entails the concept that all human beings, both men and women, are free to
develop their personal abilities and make choices without the limitations set by stereotypes, rigid
gender roles and prejudices.

Thus, gender equality is still relevant today, as on a global scale, achieving gender equality
also requires eliminating harmful practices against women and girls, including sex trafficking,
femicide, wartime sexual violence, and other oppression tactics.

As of 2017, gender equality is the fifth of seventeen sustainable development goals of the
United Nations. However, gender equality in the Philippines is not as substandard compared to
other developing countries. In fact, the Philippines kept its spot as the world’s seventh most
gender-equal society among 144 economies and remained the highest-ranked country in the
Asia-Pacific region.

Thus, the Philippine President - Rodrigo Duterte made headlines when he recalled a 1989
prison riot in which an Australian missionary was killed and made a joke that the said victim was
“beautiful” and as the then mayor of Davao city where the riot took place, he should have been
first in line. He later apologized and said he did not intend to disrespect women or rape victims.
This is very unusual for a country which values gender equality and who in the year 1986, elected
its first woman president.

The Philippines has made significant progress in promoting gender equality. It ranks 9th
among 134 countries in the 2010 World Economic Forum gender gaps index in providing equal
opportunities and resources for women.

GENDER ISSUES

Gender issues include:

(i) the unequal participation of women in the formal labor market;
(ii) the high percentage of female migrant workers employed mostly in low-
skilled, low-paid, and unprotected jobs;
(iii) the declining enrollment and completion rates in elementary and secondary
education; and (iv) high maternal mortality ratio and insufficient access of
women and men to reproductive and basic health services.

Public decision making and politics.

 The government has sought to increase women’s representation in governance
institutions. Around 18% of elected posts in 2010 were won by female candidates. Of 268
members of Congress, 58 are women (an increase from 42 women in the previous congress);
a 2004 study indicated that 70% of women in Congress were members of political clans. The
judiciary is also male dominated—only 20% of incumbent judges are women, and to date, 3 of
the 15 Supreme Court judges are female.

In the civil service, women comprise 57.6% of the employees, but they are mainly in the
rank and file; positions filled predominantly by women are often classified lower than
comparable positions filled predominantly by men, resulting in lower pay in the public service.
Opportunities for women's participation in top decision-making positions in the public sector
as well as in the judiciary, police, and military are limited.

Quality of employment

Women’s share of total employment stood at nearly 40% during 2006–2009. Based on
the 2009 labor force survey, the number of employed persons was about 35 million, of whom
61% were males and 39% were females. Among the employed women, 36% are laborers and
unskilled workers; 18.5% are officials of government, special interest organizations, corporate
executives, and managers; 13.6% are service workers, shop and market sales workers; 11.6%
are professionals and technicians; and 8% are clerks. The remainder (11.8%) work as farmers,
machine operators, and in other special occupations and trades.

It is noteworthy that women account for 68% of professionals, and men for 32%. The
vulnerable employment rate (proportion of self-employed and unpaid family workers to total
employment) remains high at 45.6% for women compared with 40.7% for men, although it has
declined since 1991, when it was 52.3% for women and 50.4% for men. The government
estimates that nearly 50% of overseas Filipino workers are women, but they contributed only
about 30% of total remittances, indicating that they are mostly in unskilled, low-paying jobs.

Access to education

The enrollment rate for girls is higher than for boys at all levels. The government targets
a gender parity index of 1 in basic education. Among girls aged 7–12, the main reasons for
being out of school are the high cost of education and a lack of interest. As with boys, girls are
affected by declining enrollment and completion rates in education.

Maternal mortality and access to reproductive and basic health services

The Philippines continues to have one of the highest maternal mortality rates in Asia
with 95–163 5 maternal deaths per 100,000 live births in 2010; it is currently not on track to
meet Millennium Development Goal 5 (reducing maternal mortality and access to reproductive
health). Key causes include the high fertility rate, low average age of first delivery, narrow
pregnancy spacing, poor nutritional status of mothers, and poor access to reproductive and
basic health services.

Access to quality health care is hampered by high cost, inefficiencies in health care
management, and sociocultural barriers. The government is aiming at universal access to all
approved (medically, ethically, and legally) family planning methods and services to help
partners plan their families, consistent with their plans and decisions.

A reproductive health bill is currently being discussed in the Senate. The bill aims to
guarantee universal access to methods and information on birth control and maternal care.
The bill is national in scope, comprehensive, and rights-based and provides adequate funding
to the population program. It is a departure from the present situation, in which the provision
for reproductive health services is devolved to local government units and is inadequately
funded.

Gender-specific vulnerability to risks

About 45% of Filipinos are vulnerable to falling into poverty if confronted by external
shocks such as family health problems and deaths, loss of employment, natural disasters, civil
unrest, and increasing food prices. Vulnerability to risk varies significantly by gender, and men
and women can be affected by the same risk in different ways.

Key areas related to gender that need strengthening within the government’s social
protection initiatives include
(i) a better understanding and identification of women’s special needs and the
likely gender impacts of social protection programs, and
(ii) better integration of gender equality monitoring indicators in the program
results frameworks.

Gender legal and policy framework

The country has a strong legal and policy framework for the protection and promotion
of women's rights. In August 2009, the government passed groundbreaking legislation—the
Magna Carta of Women. The Magna Carta, based on the Convention on the Elimination of All
Forms of Discrimination Against Women framework, defines gender discrimination, the state’s
obligations, substantive equality, and temporary special measures within the legislation, and
outlines provisions for implementing these principles.

Other important legislation for gender equality that has been passed in the Philippines
includes Women in Development and Nation Building,1992; Migrant Workers and Overseas
Filipino Act, 1995; Anti Sexual Harassment Act, 1995; Anti Rape Law, 1997; AntiTrafficking in
Persons Act, 2003; and Anti Violence Against Women and Children Act, 2004. In 1992, the
government passed the landmark Gender and Development Budget Policy, which provides for
the allocation of at least 5% of the budget of national and local agencies for use in gender and
development programs.

Organizational responsibilities and gender action plan

The Philippine Commission on Women serves as the oversight agency in coordinating,

implementing, and reviewing gender mainstreaming efforts in government. The Philippine
National Plan for Gender Responsive Development (1995–2025) consolidates the action
commitments made by the Philippines at the 4 Sector Assessment: Education, National
Statistical Coordination Board Resolution No.11, Series of 2010 – Adopting the Interim
Estimation Methodology Used in Generating National-Level Estimates of Maternal Mortality
Ratios for 1990 and 2000-2010.

The harmonized gender and development guidelines for project development,

implementation, monitoring, and evaluation were developed by the National Economic and
Development Authority (NEDA) and the Philippine Commission on Women (formerly National
Commission on the Role of the Filipino Women) in collaboration with the official development
assistance (ODA) gender and development (GAD) network, with funding assistance from the
United Nations Development Programme and the Asian Development Bank (ADB). It serves as
a tool for all development stakeholders to ensure integration of gender in the various stages of
the project cycle. NEDA collects information from development partner agencies to determine
the contribution of ODA gender-responsive programs and projects.

The Commission on Audit is also required to audit the implementation of GAD programs
on an annual basis.

Gender in the Philippine Development Plan, 2011–2016

In the PDP, gender interests (e.g., health needs, the raising of children, and the
prevention of domestic violence) are seen as issues arising from the unequal division of power
between men and women. These needs and deprivations cannot be addressed without
redressing gender inequality. The PDP states that the government will mainstream GAD
concerns in planning, policy formulation, program and project development and
implementation, and monitoring and evaluation. It will address the different needs of women
and men so they can equally participate in and benefit from the development process.

ADB gender experience

ADB's strategic framework for GAD is consistent with and supports the government’s
objectives and initiatives for gender equality and inclusive growth.9 ADB has supported gender
equality in a range of areas, each of which has specific gender challenges, and some of which
contribute to women’s empowerment in decision-making roles and leadership positions in
community-based organizations, and capacity development of the local government. The
Integrated Coastal Resources Management (ICRM) Project, implemented in 68 municipalities
in seven provinces, addressed women’s decision-making roles in sustainable management of
marine and coastal resources through targets for women’s participation in the organization of
ICRM, self-reliant livelihood groups, capacity development initiatives, and incremental staff
recruitment for the project.

The Agrarian Reform Communities Project II, implemented in 19 of the poorest

provinces in the southern Philippines, targeted women for microfinance, microenterprise
development, and technical training. In the Microfinance Development Program, gender
training is combined with the national financial literacy program to support women in business
development and management. In the Mindanao Urban Basic Services Project, women have
benefited from improved living conditions and livelihood opportunities as a result of improved
access to basic infrastructure and services such as market construction and bus shelters.
Gender considerations are built into the subproject designs to ensure that women benefit
equally from microfinance and employment creation, and that women are represented in
community-based organizations.

REFLECTION

The LGBTQ Community and Their Fight for Freedom Ms. Arisa Junio (Philippines)
On October 11, 2014, a transgender woman was found lifeless while her body was
slumped on the floor, her neck covered with injuries, and her head leaning against a
toilet bowl in the bathroom of a hotel in Olongapo City, the Philippines. The prime
suspect of her murder was a 19-year old US Marine Pfc. who was in the Philippines for a
joint military exercise under the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) between the United
States of America (USA) and the Philippines.

This horrendous case was a wake-up call sent not only to the Philippines, but
also to the whole world about the threats and dangers the lesbian, gay, bisexual,
transgender and queer (LGBTQ) communities are facing. Fight for LGBTQ Rights in the
Philippines Through the Global Gender Gap Report 2014, the World Economic Forum
assesses and evaluates the gender disparities and tracks the gender progress of 142
countries over time. As a means of achieving this, “The Global Gender Gap Index seeks
 to measure one important aspect of gender equality through relative gaps between
women and men across four key areas: health, education, economy, and politics.”
Among the top 10 countries with high gender equality, the Philippines is ranked 9th,
followed by Belgium in 10th place. This was a great achievement made by the country
towards gender equality.

But the question is: what does this case imply and what is happening to the
people of LGBTQ community? In 1994, the first organized gay pride parade in the
Philippines was held. The Metro Manila Pride March gathered LGBTQ rights advocates
and supporters in Manila to express solidarity with one another, despite a lot of
pressure from the Roman Catholic Church. It must be taken into consideration that the
Philippines is predominantly a Catholic nation and it prohibits same-sex relationships
and sexual activities.

Despite their fight for acceptance, the LGBTQ community believes that a lot of
work should be done to fight discrimination. One avenue to be considered is the legal
system and its gender fairness not only for women and men, but also for the LGBTQ
community.

LGBTQ rights are gender rights. Let us all remember that it is not only women
and men who should be considered when gender equality is discussed. True gender
equality deals with the empowerment of the marginalized sectors of society; women
who are deprived of their basic rights, men who are abused and laughed at due to social
anomalies, and the LGBTQ community that continues to face discrimination and hatred,
which hinder their full potential as persons and human beings.

REFERENCES

http://www.adb.org/Documents/Reports/Country-Gender-Assessments/cga-phi-
2008.pdf 2 World Economic Forum. 2010. The Global Gender Gap Report. Geneva,
Switzerland. 3 Government of the Philippines, Bureau of Labor and Employment
Statistics. 2009 Labor Force Survey. http://www.bles.dole.gov.ph/; Government of the
Philippines, National Statistics Office. 2009 Survey on Overseas Filipinos.
http://www.census.gov.ph/data/sectordata/sr11582tx.html

TITLE OF RESEARCH
TARDINESS IN RELATION TO THE ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE
OF THE STUDENTS

INTRODUCTION
 Tardiness has already become a habit of some students nowadays, being tardy means
coming late on school even their house is just beside their school and it can lead to more
serious problems affecting their academic learning as well as in their performances, if a
student is not on time every day the student cannot perform well in class discussions, when
passing their output after deadline is also an example of being tardy.

But up to now students are still unaware of what will be the consequences to their
academic performances.

When students are tardy or absent, or when they drop out of school, sequential learning
cannot occur, subject matter and skills cannot be developed, and much student talent is
wasted .at –risk students identify in the school setting include goes exhibiting signs of alcohol
consumption, drug abuse, or anti-social behavior this student need assistant to overcome their
problems and to achieve in school. When counselling in the school setting is not sufficient, this
student needs to be referred to appropriate services in the community.

For some high school students, the immediate earnings from employment seems more
significant than staying in school. This student need courses in vocational education and
assistance to help them developed positive attitudes toward education, perceive alternative to
dropping out, and realize the worth of long-term goals.

Family situations, such as cultural differences between values taught, at home and
school, separation, divorce, or out. School personal need to be determine causes of tardiness,
absenteeism and dropping out and to provide necessary remediation ( Ediger ,Marlow 1987)

In evaluating the deleterious effects of missing in school time, research has almost
exclusively focused on absences, and almost no attention has been paid to tardiness. Hence,
this study contributes a new dimension to the field by examining the effect of student
tardiness on academic achievement. Employing an empirical model on a large-scale,
longitudinal, multilevel data set of urban elementary school children over 6 years of
observation there are 2 significant findings.

First, students with greater tardiness perform worse on both standardized reading and
math test. Second, holding constant an individual’s own record of tardiness, students whose
classmates are tardy more frequently also have lower test score. Hence, the achievement gap
widens even further for students who also have greater individual level of tardiness. Policy
implications are discussed. (Michael Gottfried 2012)

Tardiness and Lateness as School Problems

Tardiness Defined

Lateness is a form of disorderly behavior. Many students are tardy since they had
turned tardiness to be a habit. The habit of being late to school is an unwritten behavior that
may be passed on with each student. Tardiness suggests being slow to respond or sluggish to
act thus not meeting up with assigned or standard timing (n/a. 2013).

Lauby (2009) defined tardiness as when “people not showing up on time.” Weade
(2004) contributed by citing tardiness as being late for an amount time past the stated or
scheduled start time for work or school. Sto. Nino Academy of Bamban Incorporated
considers one tardy if the student arrives after the flag ceremony (Sto Nino Academy of
Bamban Incorporated Student Handbook 2017-2018).

Problems of Tardiness

Tardiness is the one of the most “frustrating” and repetitive problem that schools are
having with their students nowadays (Sprick & Daniels, 2007). According to Cowan Crier, the
Newsletter for the Cowan Avenue Elementary School Community (2007), Tardiness is a
chronic problem for some students that cause problems for students and teachers. It also
added that “An occasional tardy is not really a big problem, and sometimes cannot be
avoided.” As quoted by Ligon & Jackson (n/d), “Excessive absence or tardiness was the third
most common reason for failure in grades 9 through 12, with failure to make up work and lack
of effort a second tier of reported causes for failure”.

According to R.Eldred (2016), “Children’s absenteeism and tardiness affect the school’s
ability to provide effective educational services, the achievements of consistently absent or
late students and disrupt the learning experiences of other children in the school”. As cited by
Zeiger (n/d), the most vital learning time of the day for the students lies in the morning,
explicitly between 8:00 to 9:30 AM. It is because the students are most alert and perceptive at
this time of the day. It is also the reason why the most essential lessons and subject matters
are deliberated during this time.

Hence, when students are late or are absent during this time of the day, they, in effect,
miss out most of the essential lessons to be remembered, understood and it is a lot significant
to value time and practice being on time while being a student. ETC (2009) reported that the
attendance and punctuality policy clearly states that “regular and punctual attendance is of
paramount importance in ensuring that all students have full access to the curriculum.
Valuable learning time is lost when students are absent or late”.

Causes of Tardiness
 Some of the factors that Nakpodia & Dafiaghor (2011) stated are: (1) going late to bed
and waking up late next morning (2) inherent anxiety level (3) watching movies late at night (4)
distance between the student’s home and school (5) inevitable circumstances along the
student’s way to school that includes parent’s badly timed errands and commands are also
some of the possible reasons why students come late to school.

In addition to, tardiness can also be cultured from other members of the family. Lack of
consequences or policy also boosts students to come late at school. In Oghuvbu’s (2008)
study it reported that, female students have higher chances to be late than male students
because of “their involvement in domestic activities by their parents” As reported by Santillano
(2010), “personality traits, including low self-esteem and anxiety” are features involved in
generating tardiness. It is also stated that while some theorists measured tardiness as an
“inborn quality” since our being early or late is “partially biologically determined”, which she
also agreed, other experts also believed that some people are “chronically tardy” for the reason
that they consciously and unconsciously get good things from it.

Delonzor (2002) led a study of 225 people and identified seven different kinds of late
people. She found three characters that are common people who are often late. One of the
most common she categorized as the deadliners. These people have a habit to be
subconsciously drawn to the adrenaline rush of finishing at the last minute. They are the
procrastinators that need targets to keep encouraged. Unluckily, as they waited too long to
begin, they often have trouble meeting the mandatory time frame.

Next, is called the producers. These are the people who attempt to do too much in too
little time. They overload themselves and become unproductive. These types of people set up
a meeting in their office, call a colleague, send a few texts, and photocopy something for the
next class in the break between classes.

The third group is the absent-minded professors, which are those people that simply get
preoccupied. They have a hard time getting from one place to another without stopping at a
few places in between.

However, a study by Pimentel & Quijada (2011) asked 60 participants if late-night use of
Facebook affects tardiness showed that: three out of 60 respondents are always late, eight
said they are sometimes late, 12 said they are seldom late and 37 said that they never get late
due to late-night use of Facebook.

Outcomes of Tardiness

Nakpodia & Dafiaghor (2011) highlighted that lateness or tardiness is not just the
problem of the late student but it affects the surrounding people. A student coming late in
 class distracts the rest of the students and disturbs the flow of the teacher’s discussion. It is
even a burden to the student/s whom the late students ask for what to catch up with. Knowing
the possible effects of lateness or tardiness, it is necessary for solutions to be executed.

Weade (2004) collected information from the schools of contributing students. The
attendance and punctuality records of the students based on the number of unexcused
absences and tardiness were collected and deliberated. The study indicated that among high
school students, the grade point average is connected with absences and tardiness. This
means that students with better attendance and punctuality have higher grade point average.
Her study was also able to show that attendance and punctuality of students are not
consistent throughout the year. There were more absences and tardiness at the latter part of
the year. Lastly, Gender has also revealed to be a non-factor in the attendance and punctuality
of high school students.

REFLECTION

Detention is not a solution for tardiness. Forcing students to give up some of their time
because they cost you a portion of yours is neither reasonable nor purposeful. In this case, the
punishment too closely matches the crime—if the lesson that you are trying to teach is that a
student shouldn't waste your time, why would you waste theirs?

The best solution to tardiness is the use of logical consequences. These are
consequences of behavior that make sense because they solve the problem as directly as
possible. They do not mirror a student's actions, they correct them. For example, if a student
demonstrates poor behavior on the carpet during morning meeting, a logical consequence
would be to take away the privilege of attending morning meeting until that student is ready to
behave.

Tardy students will only get the message that tardiness is a problem if you are
consistent with your discipline. If you are lenient one day and strict the next, regularly tardy
students are likely to continue taking their chances with being late. The same goes for taking
different action with different students—repeat offenders all need to experience the
same consequences in order for your policy to work.

Your district might already have a few tardiness policies in place and it's your job to
make sure that your own policy adheres to these guidelines. Work to consistently enforce the
rules that are the same for the whole school when it comes to lateness so that students don't
have to learn an entire set of new rules each year.

Additionally, when an entire school enforces the same policies for on-time arrival,
teachers can help each other out by reminding students that are not their own about rules and
students can help each other in the same way. Schoolwide tardy policies can be extremely
effective, so use any in place at your school to your advantage.

REFERENCES
Methods for Dealing With Chronic Tardiness at School (thoughtco.com)

Tardiness and Lateness as School Problems: [Essay Example], 1041 words GradesFixer

CAUSES OF TARDINESS IN SCHOOL - Bing

TITLE OF RESEARCH
COVID-19 PANDEMIC IN THE PHILIPPINES AND GOVERNMENTAL RESPONSE

INTRODUCTION

The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the world. Due to the nature of the virus,
particularly how it is transmitted, it has altered human behaviours, relations and lifestyles, and
had profound impacts on the economic, political and cultural landscapes of societies across
the world.

It has likewise exacerbated poverty, discrimination and inequalities in many parts of the
world, not only through how COVID-19 appears to be affecting poorer communities more than
the rich, but also as a consequence of the measures taken by states to control the spread of
the virus, primarily by curtailing freedom of movement through the imposition of community
quarantine, lockdowns and curfews in many parts of the world.

As of 7 May 2020, the total number of COVID-19 cases reported in the Philippines by the
Department of Health (DOH) was 10,343 with 685 deaths and 1,680 recovered. With these
figures, the Philippines ranks third, after Singapore and Indonesia, in the number of COVID-19
cases in Southeast Asia.

After the DOH reported the first COVID-19 case in the country, acquired through local
transmission, the Philippine President Rodrigo R. Duterte signed Proclamation No. 922 on 8
March 2020, declaring the country under a state of public health emergency. This was to
prevent the further spread of the disease and mitigate its effects on communities. On 16
March, the President declared a state of calamity throughout the Philippines for a period of six
months, and imposed an Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ) throughout the island of
Luzon, including Metro Manila. While originally set to last till 12 April 2020, the ECQ was later
extended to 15 May 2020.

The ECQ instructed all residents to stay at home, and the closure of all non-essential
business establishments, schools and universities, public transportation facilities, malls and
shopping centres, churches and other faith-based institutions. Checkpoints were set up in
various parts of Metro Manila and throughout Luzon as means to control movement of people
throughout the island. In essence, the ECQ meant the suspension of the freedom of
movement.

With people confined to their homes for almost two months, the most vulnerable
residents, particularly the daily wage earners covered by the “no work, no pay” policy, and those
employed in the informal economy, have borne the brunt of these measures. The loss of their
income has forced these employees to rely on whatever assistance and social amelioration
programmes that the national government, local government units and the private sector
extend to them.

The ECQ instructed all residents to stay at home, and the closure of all non-essential
business establishments, schools and universities, public transportation facilities, malls and
shopping centres, churches and other faith-based institutions. Checkpoints were set up in
various parts of Metro Manila and throughout Luzon as means to control movement of people
throughout the island. In essence, the ECQ meant the suspension of the freedom of
movement.

With people confined to their homes for almost two months, the most vulnerable
residents, particularly the daily wage earners covered by the “no work, no pay” policy, and those
employed in the informal economy, have borne the brunt of these measures. The loss of their
income has forced these employees to rely on whatever assistance and social amelioration
programmes that the national government, local government units and the private sector
extend to them.

The Impact of the Lockdown on Higher Education

Higher education institutions (HEIs), both public and private, have also had to adjust to
the new situation where face-to-face interaction and mass gatherings are prohibited.
Committed to their mandate, the leading universities and colleges in the Philippines,
particularly those affiliated with the ASEAN University Network – such as the University of the
Philippines, Ateneo de Manila University and De la Salle University, found innovative ways to
fulfil their three-pronged tasks of education, research and service. Everyone, from the
operations and support service units, to administrators and teachers, adjusted to work-from-
home arrangements.
 From the confines of their homes, teachers and administrators were put to the task of
revising and adapting course syllabi and requirements as they shifted to alternative or remote
teaching modalities, both synchronous and asynchronous. Where students and teachers had
access to electronic devices and reliable Internet connections, learning managements systems
such as Canvas, Moodle, Blackboard, and applications like Google Hangouts, Zoom and Skype,
were used. But where students had limited access to computers or unreliable access to the
Internet, teachers and students used smartphones to exchange messages, notes and
materials, through text messaging, e-mail, Facebook Messenger, and Twitter.

In some instances, these arrangements became unsustainable and some universities

had to suspend remote or online classes because the uneven socioeconomic status of
students affected their access to these modalities of learning. Also, concerns regarding the
mental health of both students and teachers affected by the uncertainty, became another
reason to suspend online classes.

Despite all of these challenges, the ingenuity and resilience of the Filipinos were
demonstrated in the midst of the pandemic. Societal demands to mobilise the contributions of
various sectors to address the pandemic triggered HEIs to face these challenges head on.
Researchers, scientists, and practitioners in the health, social and behavioural sciences,
engineering, arts and humanities, intensified their collaboration and partnership to generate
knowledge needed to produce timely and relevant policies and programmes, projections,
strategies, products and inventions.

Laboratories, clinics, offices, workplaces, and even homes were transformed into
spaces of discovery and innovation, creativity and resourcefulness, giving credence to the
saying “necessity is the mother of change and innovation.”

State and private universities and colleges, including those owned and operated by
religious groups, actively designed, produced and distributed 3D-printed face shields, face
masks, and personal protective equipment for healthcare and other frontline workers. Local
versions of ethyl alcohol and sanitizers, sensor-enabled hand spray, mobile full-body
disinfection chambers at entrances, and even an “Anti-COVID” drink named Excite which
stands for “Extinguishing Communicable Infection Through Edible Plant Source,” a drink made
from carrot extract, moringa and calamansi (lime) juice, were among the inventions and
products produced and distributed during the pandemic.

Furthermore, HEIs were involved in enhancing the capabilities and competencies of

members of the academe, professional groups, and the general public by sharing their
knowledge, skills and expertise on relevant topics. Training activities, mentoring sessions, and
webinars were organized by various colleges and universities using Zoom and Skype. Topics
covered in these activities include online teaching, biosafety, COVID-19 and emerging
infectious diseases, and psychosocial first aid and support for students and faculty. Students,
teachers, staff and alumni initiated various projects and activities to solicit and extend support
and resources to ensure the safety of healthcare workers, food producers and distributors,
grocery and supermarket workers, and law enforcement agents manning checkpoints.

Cognizant of their education, research and service functions, HEIs in the Philippines
certainly had their hands full in responding to the challenges of the time. The bayanihan spirit
or collective community mobilization very typical of Filipino culture in times of crisis and
emergency, was strongly demonstrated by the different sectors in HEIs during the pandemic.

The  bayanihan  spirit or collective community mobilisation very typical of Filipino

culture in times of crisis and emergency, was strongly demonstrated by the different sectors in
HEIs during the pandemic.

Anticipated Challenges Under the “New Normal”

With the anticipated lifting or relaxing of the ECQ in many parts of the country after 15
May, sustaining the delivery of quality education continues to be a major challenge. With the
restrictions on the movement of people, the need to practice physical distancing, and
prohibitions on mass gatherings, face-to-face classes, community engagements, internships,
practicum activities, and other forms of experiential learning methods can no longer be
employed for as long as the pandemic persists. This presents an opportunity for the academic
community to innovate and develop alternative teaching strategies that will allow for a more
conducive learning environment, given these limitations.

The pandemic has clearly demonstrated the social, economic, political and
environmental realities and phenomena from varying perspectives, and the unsustainble
conditions that many of us have been living with; it has also produced new problems and
challenges and changed the way we live our lives. HEIs also need to review and valuate their
research agenda and priorities to respond to these realisations and changes.

Here are some positive and negative impact for this type of modalities.

Positive impact:

1. Absolutely teachers and students are far from getting the virus (COVID-19) which
is the priority to think about.
2. Teachers and students are far from getting late in class, less expense in traveling
from and to school. Students are closely monitored with parents in going in and out of
the house – means less worries for the parents.

3. Save time in traveling going to school. No traffic.

4. The teacher or the head for higher students they can invite expert to join the class
anytime for higher knowledge on the subject.

In this scenario, it has a lot of beneficial effects to both teachers and students as well
as the families not only for COVID-19 but also to protect students from bad influences outside
the house.

Negative impact:
 1. Socialization is deprived. Previously, one of the reasons why we sent our children
to school is to have socialization to other children. Talk to each other, laughing,
playing and making friends face to face – to prepare our children in the said
future. But? Is this the future we’re preparing our children years ago?
Unfortunately no! right? But this is just for now, please be guided this isn’t forever
locking our children at home. This is only to prevent our children in getting such
horrible virus COVID-19.
2. The tuition fee is not waved or at least lessen or give discounts. To think that the
students will not use of their facilities; library, school grounds, computer lab, etc.

REFLECTION

The COVID-19 pandemic has produced a new world full of challenges, dilemmas, as well
as opportunities. It is up to us to adapt and transform the challenges and dilemmas to
opportunities for growth and development for our nation and the global community.

The Department of Education Secretary Leonor Briones has positively overview the
victory of the New Normal Educational Setting which are the approved Learning Modalities
which has been applied last School Year 2020-2021 and to be applied this coming school year.

The disadvantages mentioned above can be fixed depending on the arrangement or

maybe getting a heads up from the Department of Education. We will now embrace this new
setting despite of disadvantages which means we have to take a deep breath for this change.
Everything will take in place very soon.

While home school and online learning are among the proposed solutions, access to
technology and the internet, especially in remote areas, remains a challenge. In the public
education system, it is not uncommon for students to lack internet connection at home or be
unable to afford to “load” their phones regularly. Some do not even have computers or phones at
all. As this is a reality that many schools, students, and communities will face, the DepEd
proposes a combination of different learning modalities and will be using the Blended Learning
approach.

In-classroom study and individual study/online classroom work, or Blended Learning, will
allow students to learn at their own pace under guided modules. The DepEd has launched an
online study platform called DepEd Commons, accessible to both private and public schools, to
help students continue their lessons. It has also developed an ALS platform in partnership with
Unicef called ICT4ALS, a portal of learning resources, activity sheets, and online tutorials for ALS
teachers and learners.

REFERENCES:

The Philippines – COVID-19 and Its Impact on Higher Education in the Philippines - The
HEAD Foundation

impact of new normal education - Bing

 TITLE OF RESEARCH
ISLAMIC EDUCATIONAL POLICIES IN THE PHILIPPINES:
ITS EVOLUTION AND CURRENT PROBLEMS

INTRODUCTION

As viewed in any perspective, education is designed to totally develop the human

potentials. This is congruent with the balanced nature of education in the Islamic faith
which seeks to perfect the secular as well as the spiritual potentialities of man. In Islam,
education is so wide and comprehensive as "it encompasses all sciences, either secular
and religious."

In elaborating this point, Kazeem and Balogun (2013) passionately whispered

that in Islam "education aims at the balanced growth of the total personality of man
through the training of man's spirit, intellect, rational self, feelings and bodily senses.

The training imparted to a Muslim must be such that faith is infused into the
whole of his personality and creates in him an emotional attachment to Islam and
enables him to follow the Qur'an and the Sunna and be governed by Islamic system of
values..."

This supposition made Afzalur (2000) conclude that “if education is divorced
from religion and moral values, it will lead to the disintegration and destruction of the
social fabric of society.”

In short, from the Islamic perspective, education has dual purpose: to develop
both what is secular and what is religious in man. This standpoint seems collaborative
with the notion that Islam views knowledge as both divine and juristic.

This was lauded in the writings of Hassan (1989) where he opined that the
source of knowledge in Islam falls into two (2) categories. First is Divine Revelation and
the second one is the human intellect. The former is believed to be obligatory for every
Muslim while the latter is compulsory only for some members of the community who
are either Muslims or not.

As can be recalled, the glory of Islamic civilization in the past was achieved when
both categories of knowledge were integrated and pursued through a highly creative
and inquisitive fashion Thus, separating education from its religious component shall
result to various social ills.

As confirmed by Afzalur (2000), “the secularist nature of our educational

curriculum has succeeded in producing various corrupt practices such as inflation of
contracts, fraud, falsification of accounts, examination malpractice, bribery,
embezzlement of public funds, perversion of justice, collusion with multi-national
companies to dupe the state, collusion of law enforcement agents with criminals,
election rigging, etc.”

This is the reason why Islam warns that “education without religion is a clever
devil.”
Concept of Education in Islam

One of the most classical exposition on the concept of education in Islam was done by
Professor Naquib al-Attas in his keynote address delivered at the "First World Conference on
Muslim Education" held in Mecca, Saudi Arabia in March 1977. Before he finally arrived at his
complete definition of the concept, he first put a tentative guiding definition of education as
"something progressively instilled into man.”

In this definition, the three fundamental elements of education are unveiled, viz: (1) the
content (i.e., something), (2) the process (i.e., progressively installed) and (3) the recipient (i.e.,
man). With reference to the content, the author equated it into the wisdom of the knowledge
we acquired in studying. In clarifying this point, he made a very astonishing remark by saying
“the teaching and learning of skills alone, however scientific, and no matter if what is taught
and learned is encompassed in the general concept ‘knowledge’, does not necessarily
constitute education.

There is a ‘something' in knowledge which if it is not inculcated will not make its
teaching and learning and assimilation an education." Thus, the author stressed that
knowledge as referring to meaning consists of "recognition of the proper places of things in
the order of creation, such that it leads to the recognition of the proper place of God in the
order of being and existence."

From this definition, knowledge as a content of education consists of two domains of

application: the ontological and the theological aspects. The first refers to the man and the
world of empirical things, while the second includes the religious and ethical aspects of human
existence. In like manner, the above definition also disclosed the process of education in
Islam. But the author warned that for knowledge to be a proper object of education, it must
encompass not only its recognition but also of its acknowledgment.

Says the author, "Recognition alone without acknowledgment is mere arrogance; for it is
the Haq of recognition to be acknowledged. Acknowledgment alone without recognition is
mere ignorance; for it is the Haq of acknowledgment to actualize recognition. Either one by
itself is bātil, for in Islam there is no worthwhile knowledge without action accompanying it, nor
worthwhile action without knowledge guiding it.”

This synthesis provides the overarching purpose of education to reconcile the theory
with the practice. After which, the prescribed a complete definition of the content of education
in Islam as: “recognition and acknowledgment of the proper places ofthings in the order of
creation, such that it leads to the recognition and acknowledgment of the proper place of God
in the order of being and existence.”

The above definition of knowledge captures the two levels of educational philosophy in
Islam consisting of the epistemological and ontological references. The former deals with faith
issues while the latter life issues. This twin goal of Islamic education was elucidated more by
Dr. Sobhi Rayan (2012) who postulated the theoretical skeleton of education from the
perspective of the Muslim faith by providing a wide-ranging dimension of knowledge in Islam.

Says he: “The Islamic Education is seeking to achieve the distinct role of the human
being which is reform and construction of human life. This Islamic concept of life is based on
the fundamental concepts as individual, society and the world, and education works to find a
balanced relationship and equitable between the parties to this equation which are based on a
relationship characterized by a mutual integration, so one party cannot survive without the
other parties.

This relationship is based on ethical authority, which is the religion or the Holy Quran
which represents the source of Islamic education that derives their universal values from it, so
the task of education to link every human activity or behavior with ideal moral value. Therefore,
Islamic education is interested in all activities of the individual at the physical, mental,
psychological, spiritual, and try to find a balance between these forces that comprise the
human being." This narrative, which highlights the balanced nature of Islamic knowledge, was
a response to the criticism of the western writers that Islamic education is only for the
development of the soul.

The forerunner of them is Halstead (2004) who was quoted saying that “Independence
of thought and personal autonomy do not enter into the Muslim thinking about education,
which is more concerned with the progressive initiation of pupils into the received truths of the
faith.” In the Islamic faith, the guiding thinking principle in the search for knowledge is Ijtihad
which is "an extreme struggle in the research of truth about some matter, human or otherwise.

This term used to signify struggle which involves extreme hard labor." This connotes
that Ijtihad “is about freedom of thought, rational thinking and the quest for truth through an
epistemology covering science, rationalism, human experience, critical thinking and so on.” As
a form of inquiry, Ijtihad can be equated as a spirit of inquiry and desire for all forms of
knowledge, not just religious and juristic.

Because education in Islam sought to cultivate the total development of man, “it aspires
to construct the human being toward achievement of the human values,” and the role of
education is the “reconciliation between theory and practice, saying or word and doing.”
Written in a more precise term, the perfect aim of education in Islam was couched by Rayan
after synthesizing the different perspectives of some authors.

In highlighting the balanced nature of Islamic education, he retorted: Islamic Education

aims to make Balance between three levels: sense, mind and ethics, and promoting them by
various Educational methods. The ego's progress is a continuous dynamic movement which
assimilates the different aspects and stages, without negating any, the perceptive and the
intellectual, thought and emotions, ideas and deeds are all integrated into the final aim of the
ego.

Also, we find the same approach in . . . balanced that it is a preoccupation with things
divine and mystical experience leave room also for rational thinking, logical deduction and
empirical observation. It is a duty of all educators to find ways and means by which these high
values are practically achieved within the learning period of their students from their earliest
age to the years of maturity. Islamic education believes in harmony between Body and soul
and did not invest in one side and neglect the other.

Body and soul are not separate things, while they continued, so Islam is, not treated
them as dialectic and dualism. Keeping soul and body is an Islamic Value; it means that every
Muslim ought to keep them healthy, and to bring instruments and aims that achieve preserving
value . . . intellectual, physical and moral education aiming at producing good human beings
from the social point of view and achieving eternal happiness and self-realization . . . that
physical education must precede the spiritual and intellectual education.

True education must therefore, minister to the needs of the body no less than the
aspirations of the soul. Strongly grounded on the solid foundation of education in Islam is its
aims and objectives written by various authors, both Muslim and non-Muslims. However, for
the purpose of this paper, only two views are tackled hereunder.

Aims and Objectives of Islamic Education

With respect to the aim of education in Islam, two important passages are so instructive
in this field. The first was the position commonly adhered to by the scholars who attended in
the First World Conference on Muslim education organized by King Abdullah Abdulaziz
University, Saudi Arabia in 1977.

In that occasion, the aim of education is "the creation of the good and righteous man
who worships Allah in the true sense of the term, builds up the structure of his earthly life
according to the Sharia and employs it to serve his faith."

The second narration on the aim of education was couched in a more detailed
presentation by Ashraf and Husain amplifying, "Education should aim at the balanced growth
of total personality of Man through the training of Man's spirit, intellect, the rational self,
feelings and bodily senses. Education should therefore cater for the growth of man in all
aspects: spiritual, intellectual, imaginative, physical, scientific, linguistic, both individually and
collectively and motivate all these aspects towards goodness and the attainment of
perfection.

The ultimate aim of Muslim education lies in the realization of complete submission to
Allah on the level of the individual, the community and humanity at large." This elaboration
suggeststhe total submission of all aspects of our life to Islam, be it spiritual, intellectual,
rational or physical “in order to develop into a complete personality resulting in becoming a
slave to the Almighty.”

In considering education as a process that continuously nurtures the person, al-Attas

propounds: "Education should aim at the balanced growth of the total personality of Man
through the training of Man's spirit, intellect, rational self, feelings and bodily senses…such that
faith is infused into the whole of his personality."

Evolution of Islamic Educational Policies and Programs in the Philippines

Islamic Education and its Types

Accordingly, the first form of education in the Moro territories in the Pre-Spanish time
was a small household group known as maktab (literally means – ‘library’ or ‘book center’)
where the teacher (guru), who was the religious leader in the village, taught a small group of
children about the basics of Islam, like the reading and writing of the Arabic language. Later on,
the task of the guru was taken over by the pandita (spiritual leader in the community). When
this local teacher had the opportunity to earn a formal education in the Arab countries, the
madrasah-type schooling was introduced.

The term madrasah is the Arabic word for “school.”This concept is used when referring
to "Muslim private schools with a core emphasis on Islamic studies and Arabic literacy. It is a
privately-operated school which relies on the support of the local community or foreign donors,
particularly from Islamic or Muslim countries. The madaaris are the oldest educational
institution in Mindanao and are recognized to be the single most important factor in the
preservation of the Islamic faith and culture in the Philippines.”

As practiced in the Philippines, Madrasah has three general descriptive types. First is
the traditional madrasah whose instruction is basically religious and informal. It is
characterized by the following features: (a) classes are held on Saturdays and Sundays only or
days agreed upon by the teacher and the students/pupils; (b) it does not have a formal
curriculum; (c) it is non-graded and may have multiage grouping; and (d) it only requires its
teachers to be graduates of a madrasah or to be an imam (Muslim religious leader).

Developmental or formal madrasah is the second type. This type exhibits a

hierarchically structured educational system that functions like that of the formal education
system. It operates in ladder form where its students go through pre-school (edadi) to high
school (sanawi). Its curriculum integrates Islamic religious and cultural subjects with some
secular subjects such as mathematics and sciences, but still uses Arabic as the medium of
instruction.

This system of education does not implement the standard curriculum of the
Department of Education because is not recognized and accredited by said office. Thus, its
students lack competitive skills required for employment and are not eligible for transfer to
regular government schools

The third type is the Standard private madrasah. This type is the one recognized and
accredited by the DepEd. Its curriculum has been harmonized, upgraded and modified to
become a component of the Philippine education system through the issuance of DepED Order
No. 51, s. 2004, prescribing the Standard Curriculum for Elementary Public Schools and Private
Madaaris.

By virtue of this law and as a requirement for their recognition and accreditation, all
madrasah institutions in the country are required to adopt and implement said standard
curriculum. In the public schools, the enriched curriculum is likewise prescribed mandating the
offering of Arabic language and Islamic values for Muslim students throughout the country in
areas where there is a Muslim population.

Current Issues/Problems Confronting Islamic Education in the Philippines

Available literature shows that there are already voluminous studies conducted in the
Philippines showing various issues and concerns on the state of Muslim education in the
country.

The most comprehensive one was conducted by the team of Moro educators based at
the University of Southern Mindanao, Kabacan, Cotabato entitled "Mapping of Conflict-Affected
Communities and Schools in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM)". Done last
February to April 2010, said research indicated the following as the commonly experienced
problems relative to Muslim education in the area under study, to wit: (1) challenge of
Madrasah integration, (2) economic problem, (3) curricular differences, (4) insufficiency and
uncontextualized learning materials, (5) limited physical facilities and human resources, (6)
employment potentials, (7) qualification of teachers, (8) admission of students, (9) teaching-
learning process, and (10) students' assessment performance.

In their attempt to rescue the alarming educational predicament of the Muslims, the
authors recommended the following immediate needs and concerns: (1) development and
introduction of Indigenized Basic Education Curriculum (IBEC), (2) development and
introduction of Synchronized Islamic-based Development Education System (SIDES), (3)
alternative learning system and vocational training, resource capacity, (4) expanding the local
economy, (5) promotion of human rights and protection of vulnerable groups (children, women,
aged, disabled), (6) peacebuilding programs in schools, (7) reparative care, (1) adequate
infrastructure and facility support to schools, and (8) formulation of affirmative action for
vulnerable groups.

The above findings of Dr. Sencil and his team were found analogous to the problems
and concerns prevailing in the Islamic schools in the Philippines as revealed in the
presentation of Ms. Janice Jansol. Among other things, she found out that Madrasah schools
in different parts of the country are commonly experiencing the following, viz: (1) Limited
financial support from the community and charitable institutions, (2) Insufficient textbooks and
other reading materials,Lack of school facilities, (4) Unqualified teachers, and (5) Unequal
opportunity of being employed as their counterparts who graduated in sectarian and not-
sectarian schools.

Consequently, she recommended to: (1) Increase DepEd subsidy to support the
implementation of the national curriculum, teacher training and improvement of school
infrastructure; (2) Hire qualified Muslim Filipinos who have strong knowledge in Islamic
education as faculty to teach in schools and universities where there are considerable number
of Muslim students; and, (3) Develop and enhance Madrasah Curriculum that aims to integrate
Muslim students into mainstream society and prepare them for an equal opportunity of being
employed in our country.

Commenting on the opposing interests between the government and the Moro people
relative to the agenda of reforming Islamic education in the Philippines, Mr. Alizaman Gamon
(2016) made the following observation: “The agenda of reform of Islamic education became a
terrain of contention between the Philippine government and the Muslim intellectuals in
particular.

As part of the Philippine educational policy of integration, the government grants no two
systems under a unitary state. It is the sovereign rights of the government to regulate
educational system affecting the majority as well as the cultural minority.

On the part of the Muslims, the formation of Islamic education must be dictated by set
principles that are deeply grounded in the cultural values of Islam. And thus, the preservation,
promotion and control of Islamic education should be regarded as the responsibility of the

Muslim intellectuals who can bring comprehensive transformation to the field of

education. It is the fear of the Muslim communities that if the reform of Islamic education is
patterned from the socio-political and ideological foundations of secularism, they might
experience loss of identity as Muslims, and their aspiration and version of progress and
development will remain unrealized."

In like manner, to further strengthen its sinister design to assimilate and integrate the
Muslims, the national policy-makers “had advocated a reform in education which is in
accordance with the framework of secularism, i.e. the dichotomy of sacred and secular
education common to every civil society in the West. The secular approach to education has
been mobilized by the government as an instrument to integrate the Muslims into the
mainstream socio-political and educational system of the Philippines,” emphasized by said
author.

In order to arrest the impending effects of this perceived assimilationist policy of the
government brought under the guise of educational reform, the author commented that
instead of leaving everything to the mercy and dictate of the national authorities, it must first
be recognized that “Muslims in the Philippines can be in better position to restore spiritual and
moral dimensions of modern life while continuing to be faithful and co-existing harmoniously
with the non-Muslims provided they are granted with a favorable environment that can
substantiate the universality of Islam.

Transforming Islamic education can be right instrument for the realization of this noble
goal.” In the study of Dilangalen (2007) on the “Sustainability of the Madrasah Educational
System in the Provinces of Cotabato and Maguindanao", he demographic and economic
characteristics of the asaatidz, as well as the level of adequacy of existing resource
capabilities of the schools, have significant contribution to the level of sustainability of
Madrasah educational system in terms of economic viability, ecological friendliness, social
justice, and technological soundness.

In the same study, he recommended that to make the Islamic education more imbibed
to the life of the Muslims resource capabilities still need to be updated, financial preparation
be enhanced, manpower capability of the asaatidz should be improved, and its curriculum be
revised to make it holistic.

REFLECTION

As true to all other countries in the world having a minority Muslim population, the
development and dynamics of Islamic education in the Philippines is beset by multifarious
challenges. The most fundamental of which is the opposite views of the Islamic and the
Western cultures on education as the former calls for the total development of a person both
in his physical as well as spiritual life, while the latter concentrates only on the secular side.

On this note, the Moro people is not an exception to this impediment. In fact, their
greatest challenge with respect to their Islamic education is how could their Islamic system of
life be finally accommodated and made part of the broader Filipino culture which is largely
patterned from the West. It is through this multiculturalist view of social coexistence where
Islamic education in the country can be finally made an integral part of the national educational
system.

Consequently, this is the realization of the time-honored principle of unity in diversity,

instead of unity inhomogeneity, where we Filipinos can truly experience the real dividends of
peaceful and harmonious coexistence. After all, education is man's liberation from the
shackles of ignorance, suspicion, and discrimination to the benedictions of enlightenment,
accommodation and respect.

REFERENCES
Afzalur, A. R., “Islamic Education of Muslim Children in the West and the Problem of
Curriculum and Syllabus,” as cited in S. A. Kazeem and K. Y. Balogun,
“Problems Facing Islamic Education: Evidence from Nigeria,” Journal of
Educational and Social Research, Vol. 3, No. 9, November 2013. MCSER
Publishing, Rome-Italy. al-Attas,
Syed Mohammad Naquib, “The Concept of Islamic Education,”

http://www.mefca.org/files/attas-text-final.pdf. Accessed on July 2, 2016. Dilangalen,

Ali K., “Sustainability of the Madrasah Educational System in the Provinces of Cotabato
and Maguindanao.” Doctoral Dissertation. University of Southern Mindanao, Kabacan,
Cotabato.

Gamon, Alizaman D.,” Islamization of Education in the Philippines,” http://i-

epistemology. net/ v1/education/98-islamization-of-education-inthe-philippines.html,
Accessed July 30, 2016. Gonsang, Abdul L., “Social Orientation and Job Performance of
the Asatids in the Madaris.”
 TITLE OF RESEARCH
POPULATION GROWTH IN THE PHILIPPINES:
PROBLEM OR POTENTIAL?

INTRODUCTION

At present, the population of the Philippines is estimated to be over 92 million

making it the world’s twelfth most populous country. Fertile women in the Philippines
have on average, 3.1 babies each — a stark contrast to neighboring Singapore, which
had an all-time low average of 1.16 in 2010.

Given its size and increasing growth, the needs of the Philippines are vast —
education, health care, and better sanitation to name a few. But is population growth
really the root cause of these problems and needs? History seems to indicate
otherwise.

During the 20th century many Asian countries tried to implement population-
control measures in an effort to eradicate poverty and better control limited resources.
Countries such as China, Thailand, Taiwan, Singapore, and South Korea — all thriving
economic powerhouses — are now reporting sub–population replacement rates and are
unsure of how they are going to be able to replace themselves.

In contrast, Hong Kong — one of the world’s densest populations — has become
one of the hallmarks of Asian economic success. In the middle of the 20th century, the
future for Hong Kong seemed dismal.

Food and clean water were in short supply, jobless rates were high, and its
growing population seemed unstoppable. However, rather than imposing population
control measures on its citizens, the Hong Kong government realized that population
equals potential.

By providing the right conditions — access to education, health care, food and
water, and a realization that the best investment to be made was in its people — Hong
Kong created one of the most robust and thriving economies in the world today.

The mid-1950’s demographic situation of Hong Kong is comparable to the

Philippines today. Section three of their proposed bill states that “the limited resources
of the country cannot be suffered to be spread so thinly to service a burgeoning
multitude that makes the allocations grossly inadequate and effectively meaningless.”

Not only does this “guiding principle” fail to recognize that the greatest natural
resource of the Philippines is human potential and ingenuity, it neglects the real needs
of the country.

Population and the Role of Government Population Concerns and Population Policy

The concerns related to population are quite broad. It includes concerns regarding the
impact of population growth, structure and distribution on sustainable economic growth and
on family and individual welfare. As the 1974 World Population Plan of Action aptly described
it: "Where trends of population growth, distribution and structure are out of balance with social,
economic and environmental factors, they can at certain stages of development, create
additional difficulties for the achievement of sustained development." (United Nations, 1974,
para. 2). The key demographic processes that determine population growth, structure and
distribution are fertility, mortality, and migration (See Figure below.) With the purpose of
helping achieve overall development goals and objectives, population policies are "purposeful
measures aimed at affecting demographic processes, notably fertility, mortality and
migration." (Demeny, 1975:147).

Viewed from a macro perspective, the effect of demographic processes on

development work through their impacts on population growth, age-sex structure, and spatial
distribution. With the increasing emphasis on defining development in terms of “capacities”
and “functioning” and the expansion in the range of choice, one can consider having a greater
ability to achieve one’s fertility preferences, a long life, and freedom of movement in search of
economic and social opportunities to have direct effects on the well-being of the individuals
concerned, in addition to indirect effects through the macro route. (Hence, in the above
framework, we draw an arrow that goes from fertility, mortality and migration to individual
welfare to reflect this relationship.) Because a long life is valued in itself, high mortality is a
major population as well as a health policy concern.

The reduction of mortality and mortality differentials among various subgroups of the
population is universally accepted as an important area of public policy intervention. At the
macro level, changes in fertility and mortality, but mainly fertility at the national level, and
changes in fertility, mortality and migration, but mainly migration at the sub-national level,
result in shifts in the age and sex distribution of the population. Such shifts have also been
viewed with concern in different contexts. A large proportion of young population leads to
concerns regarding the ability of the economy to provide for basic health, nutrition and
education to this group of the population.

In contrast, an aging population, i.e., a large proportion of the population in the older
ages leads to concerns regarding how to provide for the health and other specific needs of the
elderly, how to sustain economic productivity and innovations, and how to ensure the viability
of current social security and pension systems. The concern for internal migration includes the
concern about its impact on the rapid growth of cities that tend to worsen problems of
congestion and pollution. Because of the age-sex selectivity of migration, there is also the
concern that rapid aging in rural areas as a result of the out-migration of younger population,
and the "brain drain" from rural to urban areas would have adverse social and economic
impact on rural areas relative to urban areas.

There are also concerns regarding the effects on family life and child rearing of the
temporary absence of one of the spouses or parents, respectively, due to population
movements motivated by the search for better wage employment. At the international level,
concerns relate to the proper treatment of migrants in countries of destination as well as
"brain drain" from developing to industrialized countries. While all these population concerns
have attracted the attention of national policymakers and of the international community, none
has perhaps generated more controversy than the concern for rapid population growth in
developing countries even as slow growth and declining population in some industrialized
countries have also generated concern in these countries.

The concern, of course, is not with population growth as such, but rather with its
adverse implications for the attainment of a wide range of commonly accepted social and
economic goals. Moreover, what contributes to the policy controversy is that, among the
demographic processes that affect population growth, fertility is the only variable that can
feasibly be directly modified to affect national population growth rates.1 And there are
conflicting views regarding the proper role of government with respect to the most intimate of
all decisions - the fertility decisions of couples.

The Role of Government

 Government action in fertility decisions of couples can be justified in the following
contexts: first in the context of imperfect information but in the absence of externalities, and
then in the context of externalities in fertility decision making (Demeny 1971). One should also
distinguish the case for government action in the context of modifying fertility behavior to
affect population growth rate (demographic objective), and in the context of simply helping
couples achieve their fertility preferences or to improve maternal and child health. Helping
couples to achieve their fertility preference (which is part of upholding the couple’s
reproductive rights) or to improve maternal and child health through family planning would
have a fertility impact, but such fertility impact is not the main object of policy.

Perfect Information and Absence of Externalities

In the case where couples have perfect information and where the fertility decisions of
couples do not affect the welfare of other families (i.e., there are no external effects or
externalities in their decisions), the role of government is simple, namely, "Families should be
left to judge what they consider best for themselves, and society should accept the decision of
individual families with strict neutrality." (Demeny, 1971: 199). However, as Demeny argues,
even in the absence of externalities, individual families may not have correct and adequate
information to decide intelligently regarding their fertility.

For reasons enumerated below, the information available to individual families may be
erroneous or lacking. 1. Families may falsely assume that society expects them to follow
certain norms of behavior. Thus the psychic cost attached to defying these imagined norms is
removed if families are informed that no particular demands on their fertility behavior are
imposed from the outside. 2. Families may be unaware of pertinent information concerning
types, costs, availabilities, and technical and aesthetic properties, etc. of means for preventing
conception, or may have incorrect information on these matters. In either case the resulting
decision will necessarily be suboptimal. 3. Choices with respect to parenthood are taken under
conditions of uncertainty that can be lessened if parents are provided with pertinent
information. Individual foresight in regard to the families’ future economic prospects,
opportunities, and interests and their appreciation of the dependence of these prospects on
their fertility may be more limited than is warranted by the true uncertainty on these matters. 4.
Intrinsic imperfections of the "demand" for children also decrease the chances of obtaining
results that will be considered optimal ex post: purchases of children are lumpy and only
moderately repetitive, the learning process is slow and largely retrospective. Many of the
consequences of having a child are felt only in the long run, and purchases are irreversible.

Demeny further argues that while prospective parents would try to obtain the above
information on their own, there are "some elements of an optimum informational package”
such as messages through the mass media that could not be provided, or would be
inadequately provided, by the for-profit private sector. Thus, in this situation, there arises a
strong case for government action in providing information to improve efficiency. Furthermore,
even if couples have adequate information, they may not have the financial means to afford
certain types of contraception.

Although contraceptive supplies and services are private goods, from an equity or
poverty alleviation standpoint, a case can be made for public subsidies for contraception
similar to the case for subsidizing health care and other social services. In the light of the
above efficiency and equity considertions, a double policy conclusion would follow from the
no-externalities model, namely, that "First, societies should leave families free to determine
what level of fertility they choose, and second, society should provide the best available
information and means to make that freedom meaningful." (Demeny, 1971:213)
Population Policy and Family Planning Perspectives

To assist in identifying the population policy adopted by different administrations of

government to be described below, it is useful to layout the different policy perspectives with
respect to fertility and population growth. These perspectives (in terms of the nature of the
problem and the policy options) are as follows:

1. Population growth is a problem. a. Accommodate population growth as best as possible

and hope that welfare gains from other policies more than compensate for the welfare losses
generated by rapid population growth. b. Reduce fertility only indirectly through socio-
economic development. c. Reduce fertility both indirectly through socio-economic
development and directly through family planning that only provides information and, to a
certain extent, subsidizes contraceptives for those who cannot afford them. d. Reduce fertility
both indirectly through socio-economic development and directly through family planning that
provides information, subsidizes contraceptives for those who cannot afford them, and
promotes a small family size norm (through “beyond family planning” measures that might
include “persuasion”, incentives and disincentives or birth quotas).

2. Population growth is not a problem but high fertility is a problem at both the individual and
family levels in terms of inability to achieve fertility preferences and adverse health impacts on
mothers and children. a. Adopt family planning to help couples achieve their fertility
preferences. b. Adopt family planning to promote maternal and child health. With respect to
family planning as a policy measure, it is important to distinguish among these three sets of
policy objectives: 1. Reduction of fertility and population growth (when rapid population growth
is a problem ); 2. Assisting couples to achieve their fertility preferences (when population
growth is not a problem, but couples are unable to achieve their desired family size); and

3. Promoting maternal and child health (when population growth is not a problem, couples are
able to achieve their family size, but additional desired births pose certain health hazards).

REFLECTION

Family planning can help achieve multiple goals, it is necessary in assessing population
policy to see how clearly and explicitly the objectives of family planning are stated. If fertility
reduction is an explicit objective of family planning, the family planning program could adopt
alternative strategies.

It could reduce fertility by simply helping couples achieve their fertility preferences if the
gap between actual and desired fertility is large. It could reduce fertility by reducing high risk
births as a mean to promote maternal and child health if the proportion of high risk births to
total births are high. In addition to both these strategies, it could also adopt “persuasion” to
encourage couples to adopt a small family size norm.

REFERENCES

Bautista, Luz A., Luis E. Abenir, and Gerardo A. Sandoval, 1993, "Filipino Attitudes
toward Family Planning Interest Groups," Social Weather Bulletin 93-2, Social Weather
Stations, Inc., (January).
Bengzon, Alfredo R. A., 1992, “Health Policy Reforms: Seeing and Doing, and Moving
Onto Center Stage”, The Philippine Economic Journal, Number Seventy Two, XXXI(1 &
2):62-68.

Boulier, Brian L. and N. Gregory Mankiw, 1986, “An Econometric Investigation of

Easterlin's Synthesis Framework: The Philippines and the United States,” Population
Studies, 40:473-486.

Cariño, Ledivina V., 1995, "Population Policy in the Philippines," Philippine Journal of
Public Administration, XXXIX(1):88-112.

Concepcion, Mercedes B., 1973, “Philippine Population Policy and Program”, in Vitaliano
R. Gorospe and Richard L. Deats, eds., 1973, The Filipino in the Seventies:

An Ecumenical Perspective, Quezon City: New Day Publishers. Commission on

Population (POPCOM), 1987, “1987 POPCOM Population Policy Statement”.

Population Policy in the Philippines: A Review (pids.gov.ph)

TITLE OF RESEARCH
IMPROVING THE NUTRTIONAL STATUS
OF FILIPINO CHILDREN

INTRODUCTION

Children need to be given all the opportunities to learn in order to acquire skills
and abilities to fully develop their potentials. Good health and proper nutrition give
children greater ability to learn and do more, thereby enhancing their physical,
intellectual, social, emotional and moral development. Nutritionally at risk children are
already handicapped in terms of learning abilities and even opportunities.

Children need a diet sufficient in macro and micronutrients. Macronutrients refer

to the three essential nutrients – carbohydrates, fats and protein – needed by the body
in large amounts to provide the vital energy and body building elements for survival and
development. Micronutrients on the other hand, are essential vitamins and minerals
needed by the body in minute amounts to regulate physical and mental development.

With micronutrient malnutrition on hidden hunger, people become brain-

damaged, blind or anemic for want of small amounts of iodine, vitamin A or iron in their
daily diet. Inadequate nutrition impairs cognitive development and is associated with
educational failure among impoverished children. Recent research findings show that
malnutrition can affect brain development over a longer period of a child’s development.
Malnutrition also affects emotional development and the capacity to cope with stress.
 The latest national nutrition survey reveals that the total prevalence of
underweight Filipino pre-schoolers is 33%. About 8% of school children are moderately
and severely underweight while 20% are mildly underweight. Even mild undernutrition
affects learning. The survey also revealed that iron deficiency anemia (IDA) is the most
widespread nutritional deficiency in the Philippines affecting 20 million Filipinos
including 30.8% of school children and 26.7% of pre-schoolers.

A recent study of the Nutrition Center of the Philippines (NCP) shows that aside
from malnutrition, the leading ailments of school children are decayed teeth and
infections of the skin, throat and ears. While they may look trivial, decayed teeth and
infections of the skin, throat and ears may have devastating effects on the heart and
kidney. These ailments have a disabling effect on the physical and mental capacity of
school children.

What Parents Can Do

Acquire knowledge and skills in health and nutrition

Children learn healthy lifestyle and sound nutritional habits through their parents
or caregivers. Parents should read, learn, update and discover helpful information about
health and nutrition. More information can be obtained by attending parents classes,
participating in community fora, visiting the health sector, listening to the radio and
watching TV and taking opportunity in enrolling in non-formal education of DEPED.

The Department of Education (DEPED) project on strengthening the health and

nutrition in the school through the teacher-child-parent (TCP) approach has designed,
developed and implemented a workbook intended for the child and parents. The child
and the parents, through a well-designed guidebook, can work scientifically towards
attaining better knowledge and practices on health and nutrition. Invest on the
workbook whenever it is available. Work and study with your child in the home and in
the school.

Apply quality child care and feeding.

Discover, learn about and monitor the health and nutrition status of your child.
Seek and visit health centers and clinics to establish the baseline health and nutrition
status of your child or for early case finding. The early case finding of health and
nutrition disorders will prevent serious consequences and at the same time enhance the
learning opportunity of the child, devoid of physical and mental stress.

Prevent the undernutrition of children by providing them adequate food,

emotional security, clean and peaceful home environment, health care and protection.
An adequate nutritious breakfast as well as lunch during school days provide the child
endurance and better cognitive performance in school.

Support your child’s health and nutrition education.

Assist in your child’s homework as well as in health and nutrition projects such
as home gardening and food processing and preservation. Take active part in the health
and nutrition activities of the parents-teachers association.
 Save and invest on acquiring children’s workbook or parents’ health and nutrition
homeguide manual available at the DEPED for ready and long-term references at home.

Strengthen the home and the family.

Make your home an enabling environment that provides children sustenance for
sufficient nourishment. Provide health protection against drugs and accidents. Offer
opportunities for age-appropriate psycho-social and cognitive stimulation to build their
confidence and capability in achieving their full potentials.

Understand fully the health and nutrition needs in the life of a child.

Of all the age groups, infants and pre-schoolers are the most nutritionally at risk.
The lack of adequate complementary foods after six months and the high infection rate
in this age group contribute to high prevalence of undernutrition. Most undernourished
children are below two years of age when growth is accelerating and the brain is on the
last stretch of cell development.

The first six years of life is a period of rapid physical and intellectual growth,
hence the high nutritional demand. Children at this age are unable to fend for
themselves and are almost entirely dependent upon caregivers for their nutrition. They
are also prone to infections because of their still underdeveloped immune system, a
condition which is in turn aggravated by malnutrition and unsanitary environment.

School children, especially the adolescents among them, are also vulnerable to
malnutrition because of the pubertal growth spurt which increases the demand for
calories and other nutrients. When children are protected against micronutrient
deficiencies, their capacity to learn is ever more enhanced.

What Educators Can Do

Learn, review, update health and nutrition knowledge and skills.

Seek and read references. Visit the libraries and health centers. Attend health
and nutrition seminars. Interact with nutrition and health educators. Try the distance
learning approach to get updated information on health and nutrition.

Update your knowledge and hone your skills in teaching health and nutrition with
the use of the Teachers’ Guide which is developed, tested and implemented by DepEd
for the TCP approach in strengthening the health and nutrition curriculum in the School.

Make the school a social laboratory for health and nutrition

Create a scientific environment in the school conducive for children to

experiment on food production, processing and preservation. Let activities like
establishing plant nurseries, gardening and in-land fish culture provide learning
experiences on conservation, biodiversity, waste recycling, sanitation and water
management.

Make the school kitchen an experimental station for operationalizing

the Philiprpine Plan for Action for Nutrition (PPAN), 2011-2016. As the country’s master
plan for achieving nutritional adequacy for Filipinos by the year 2016, the PPAN’s five
impact programs namely hunger, child undernutrition, maternal undernutrition,
deficiencies in iron, iodine and vitamin A, obesity and overweight. Make the school
kitchen a laboratory for boys and girls to experiment and learn how to prepare
complementary foods for infants, micro-nutrient rich meals, as well as low-cost but
nutritious and easy to prepare dishes.

Ensure the periodic health and nutrition assessment of children.

Establish or strengthen parents-teachers coordinated effort to assess children’s

health and nutritional status at the beginning and periodically throughout the school
year. The health workers, the school nurse, and the teachers themselves can do rapid
assessment of the health and nutrition status of children at the very start of the school
year. This screening method ensure early case finding of children suffering from
deficiencies and disorders and thus facilitates intervention of referral, thereby
preventing disabilities which handicap children’s learning ability.

Innovate to strengthen health and nutrition education.

Teachers training curriculum should be updated, reviewed and enriched with new
discoveries in the area of health and nutrition. Teachers guide in integrating new
knowledge and skills in health and nutrition into appropriate subjects should be widely
encouraged and supported. Develop health and nutrition teaching tools.

With the electrification of even the most remote barangay, public schools can
use modern electronic technology, audio-visual, and computers in disseminating key
nutrition concepts and practices. Utilize the Internet for quick access to information on
recent scientific knowledge and methods.

Link school and home

Extend heath and nutrition knowledge and skills beyond the child to the parents.
Strengthen the relay of health and nutrition messages to the home and from the home
to the school. Strengthen also the home-room approach of the parents-teachers
association.

Provide non-formal or continuing education. There is a need to educate not only

the child but also the parents. Health and nutrition education should not be addressed
to the mother alone but to both parents. Parents should get health and nutrition
education even before the child goes to school. The effectivity of parents as health and
nutrition caregivers to their children depends upon the knowledge and education they
obtained.

Emphasize in teaching value formation the importance of providing a nurturing home

environment for children.

Emphasize that both boys and girls, the parents of the future, are to share more
fully in the most difficult and important of all tasks – ensuring the total development of
children, thereby also enhancing their intellectual capacities.
 Teach parents and adolescent boys and girls the importance of ensuring the
adequacy of macro and micronutrients during pregnancy and lactation for the mental
and physical development of children. The concept of mental feeding or psychosocial
stimulation in early child development also needs to be imparted upon parents and
would be parents.

Ensure that the educational system gives emphasis not only to literacy but also
to a health mind and body as well as to becoming a socially well adjusted person.

Take the challenging task of making nutrition education the most cost-effective
health intervention. As early as kindergarten, teach health lifestyle and sound nutritional
practices to children to prepare them ahead for quality basic education. The quality of
the parents’ health and nutrition knowledge also depends upon what they get from
basic education at school.

What Other Sectors Can Do

The health sector at the local level can be proactive in linking and coordinating with
the local DEPED.

School children, constituting a large part of the total population, manifest the
public health problems of a population. When a rural health unit provides health
services to school children, it becomes a very important link for assessment and
intervention for health and nutrition protection in the home and in the community.

Increase and improve program support for women.

This will eventually boost intellectual development of children. There should be

programs not just for mothers but also for adolescent girls to build up their nutritional
reserves and stock of knowledge for their future adult roles in economic production and
family reproduction.

Nutrition for child development is not only a food-based concern but of

emotional support and intellectual stimulation as well. Healthy children are generally
cheerful, alert, enthusiastic, energetic and intelligent. Let us all work together to
promote the physical, emotional and intellectual capacity of school children. This is a
direct way of ensuring a productive and peaceful nation.
REFLECTION

The overall prevalence rates of stunting, underweight and thinness were 34.9%,
36.9% and 11.2%, respectively. Nineteen children (4.8%) suffered from all the three
forms of undernutrition. Older schoolchildren had a significantly greater likelihood of
being stunted, underweight and thin.

The greater number of members a household had, the higher likelihood of being
stunted and thin its schoolchild had. Children having lower Household Dietary Diversity
Score were more likely to be underweight. Yet, ‘Had lunch at school yesterday’ was
associated neither with being stunted nor with being underweight and thin. This implies
room for improvement of the current school feeding program.

Prevalence rates of stunting and underweight among 393 children examined

were as high as the national averages among children under 5 years of age. Adequate
food availability and dietary diversity over a sufficient period (incl. 5–14 years of age)
are necessary for increasing likelihood of catch-up in height-for-age and weight-for-age,
which are expectable during adolescence.

To supplement inadequate household dietary diversity practices, school-feeding

program may need to use more animal-protein ingredients.

REFERENCES:

Florentino S. Solon. Nutrition Center of the Philippines.

The Medium-Term Philippine Plan of Action for Nutrition 2011-2016. Retrieved from:

http://www.nnc.gov.ph/plans-and-programs/ppan

Janryll Fernandez. (2010/07/24). Malnutrition among Filipino kids up. Philippine Daily

Inquirer. Retrieved from:
http://opinion.inquirer.net/inquireropinion/talkofthetown/view/20100724-
282969/Malnutrition-among-Filipino-kids-up

Statistics | At a glance: Philippines | UNICEF. Retrieved from:

http://www.unicef.org/infobycountry/philippines_statistics.html

Luistro orders strengthening of health and nutrition programs in schools. Retrieved

from: http://www.gov.ph/2011/07/06/luistro-orders-strengthening-of-health-and-
nutrition-programs-in-schools/

Claire Delfin. (2013/02/27). More than half million Pinoy kids suffer from severe
malnutrition. Retrieved from:
http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/story/296884/news/specialreports/more-than-
half-million-pinoy-kids-suffer-from-severe-malnutrition

Improving the Nutritional Status of Filipino Children - TeacherPH

 TITLE OF RESEARCH
THE PROS AND CONS OF SOCIAL MEDIA
AMONG STUDENTS

INTRODUCTION

Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube are the typical examples of social
media sites. These social media sites are important part of students’ lives and are often
accessed multiple times daily (Junco et al., 2010). Over the past years, social media
have been transforming how individuals, communities, and association create, share
and seek information from each other.

Most of the students also have become so familiar to social media that the types
of communications, self-expression, community building, and other forms of online
engagement are now parts of the only reality they know. Therefore it is important to
take a step back to reflect on how we have arrived at the present and what our most
recent social media “advances” might mean for us in the future. This is because the
modern social media differ from the traditional media (e.g., newspaper and television)
in the terms of their accessibility, interactivity, usability and ubiquity.

In 2017, internet users spent more than 2 hours on average for every day on
social networks and messaging services (half an hour each day longer than five years
earlier), which measured to around one third of their whole day of daily computer time
(Mander, 2017). With the existence of the social media, individuals can communicate
and interact with each other around the world which is known as one of the best
inventions today, and they lead a life in a global village.

Although social media access does not necessarily require mobile devices, its
effectiveness is enhanced with the mobile technologies because it increase the
frequency of utilization. Over 95% of students have access to some sort of mobile
device that connects to the internet, meaning that using mobile technology for
educational purpose will possibly exclude less than 5% of students. However, computer
labs are available on campus at most institutions. Some of it also offer students the
alternative to briefly borrow a laptop or tablet device, which can encourage the
information seeking and to study the accessibility issue.

Providing students with the opportunities need is one of the main goals for them
to learn how to socialize with others, and build social networks that will give them
support throughout their school career and beyond (Falvey, 18995).

Benefits of Social Media to Students

The various forms of social media have shown to benefits the students by
intensify communication, social connection and even technical skills. Most of students
use social media to socialize and communicate with each other which allow them to
connect with friends and family, making new friends, sharing pictures and exchanging
ideas. Through this also, students can foster their identity and unique social skills.

Some of the students nowadays are introvert and have low self-confidence.
However, by using social media as their communication tools, they can improve their
social skills and interact well with their visual friends. Not only that, this, communication
is also an important step for students, and it can afford the opportunity for respect,
tolerance, and increased discourse about personal and global issues. Social media also
can connect them to people in the other country. Students can learn how to interact
with foreign by using different languages. Communicating through different language
might be tough for them but the exciting in making a new friend can motivate them to
learn new language and use some application to communicate with each other.

The friendship can make them to dig in deeper in certain country for their culture,
environment and beliefs. Students also tend to disclose themselves to their friends who
share the same interest with them. Other than that, social media enhanced learning
opportunities for middle and high school students by connecting them with one another
on homework and group projects.

Facebook and other similar social media programs enable students to gather
outside the class time and exchange ideas about their assignments. Not to mention,
some of the schools have successfully used blogs as their teaching tools to help
students with their learning outside the school time. The implementation of social
media, specifically social networking, is what students are using daily and this social
networking courage them to use technologies for their learning.

According to Simonson et al. (2000), he described online learning tools as more

effective than traditional classroom learning (using textbook for learning) because the
availability of the online materials and 24 hours access to learning. Students are more
likely to use this social media such as YouTube for their informal leaning. YouTube
provides video for information and knowledge that extends beyond the limit of the
classroom and textbook. It also provides tutorial and show the students clearly how
some certain things are done through the video uploaded. The ease of accessing out of
textbook information and the ease of sharing information and the availability of this
online materials at one own time is the other reasons why students preferred to use this
social media as the tools for their informal learning.

Disadvantages of Social Media to Students

Despite giving many benefits of using social media, there is still some ‘dark side’
of social media that we need to be aware. Using social media becomes a risk to
students more often than most adults realize. One of the disadvantages of using social
media that adult fear the most are cyberbullying and online harassment. Using digital
media to communicate false, embarrassing or hostile information about another person
is called cyberbully.
 Online harassment and cyberbullying are usually used interchangeably, and they
are actually two different entity. Online harassment is not as common as offline
harassment, and the participation in social networking sites does not put most students
at risk of online harassment. However, cyberbullying is common that most of the
students face and can cause several psychosocial outcomes including depression,
anxiety, severe isolation, and tragically suicide.

Sexting also are one of the disadvantages of social media. Sexting can be
defined as “sending, receiving, or forwarding sexually explicit messages, photos, or
pictures by means of phone, PC, or other computerized gadgets." There are over 20% of
teenager have sent or posted nude or semi-nude pictures or video of themselves. Young
people who have occupied with sexting have been debilitated or accused with felony
child pornography charges, although a few states have begun describing such practices
as adolescent law misdemeanors. When using social media, the privacy and the digital
footprint are the main concerns. When Internet users visit various websites, they can
leave behind evidence of the sites that they visited. This visited records are called
“digital footprint”. Students who are unaware of privacy issues usually post
inappropriate messages, photos and videos without clearly understand that what goes
online stays online.

Social media such as Facebook also require their personal information to active
the account. Their personal information somehow can be leak towards the public and
they can be the victims to the criminal cases such as kidnapping. In hopes of
minimizing privacy concerns, some teachers ask students to create a new profile for the
use in the classes (Kassens, 2014, Kader, 2012). This way requires students to have
more than one accounts which will increase the cost of using social media and may
consequently reduce its efficacy.

REFLECTION

Social media has fastened the pace at which people communicate, socialize,
learn, and conduct business. People have started to share on social media and in the
virtual environments with technology everywhere in daily life as of all the social
networks. The most part in this review hoping to reveal some insight into whether online
life is upgrading or obstructing our relational relationship, however generally how it is
affecting our young age today.

As web-based social networking advances and keeps on developing, there is a

region encompassing so much inspiration, where society endures, and we are
neglecting to address that. By the existence of social media in the 21st century, student
life become more convenient. However, to be reasonable and legit we have to say that
online life has its positive results and has it disadvantages too. The long-term effects of
the social media revolution are not known yet neither on the society as a whole nor on
the individuals. In this manner, an intensive reflection is vital. Since the effect of social
media is subtle and develops over time, Wilcox (2012) suggests "Eventually, the way you
check this is by raising your mindfulness. It's not about don't invest energy in Facebook,
but rather just know about what it may do to you”. As it have been remembered in this
 article toward the end it is your decision to either utilize online networking decidedly and
advantage from it in your social and scholarly life, or fall as casualty of internet based
life's negative effects.

REFERENCES

Baccarella, Christian V., et al. “Social Media? Its Serious! Understanding the Dark Side
of Social Media.” European Management Journal, vol. 36, no. 4, 2018, pp. 431–438.,
doi:10.1016/j.emj.2018.07.002.
Chiou, Wan-Jiun Paul, et al. “Paying Attention to Social Media Stocks.” International
Review of Economics & Finance, 2018, doi:10.1016/j.iref.2018.08.009.
Çakır, Recep, and S. Serkan Tan. “Development of Educational Applications on the
Social Network of Facebook and Its Effects on Students’ Academic Achievement.”
Educational Sciences: Theory & Practice, vol. 17, no. 5, Oct. 2017,
doi:10.12738/estp.2017.5.0273.
Al-Bahrani, Abdullah, et al. “Engaging Students Using Social Media: The Students’
Perspective.” International Review of Economics Education, vol. 19, 2015, pp. 36–50.,
doi:10.1016/j.iree.2015.06.001.
Carolan, Brian V. “Estimating the Effects of Students’ Social Networks: Does Attending
a NormEnforcing School Pay Off?” The Urban Review, vol. 42, no. 5, Sept. 2009, pp.
422–440., doi:10.1007/s11256-009-0141-2.
AREVIEWONSOCIALMEDIAUSAGEAMONGSTUDENTS-Copy.pdf

TITLE OF RESEARCH
RESPONSIBLE PARENTHOOD

INTRODUCTION

Parenthood is an experience unlike any other. Anyone who is dreaming of building

his/her own family someday should know that maintaining the physical, emotional, and mental
well-being of the child will be one of his/her biggest responsibilities.

Unfortunately, not all children can experience the privilege of growing up in an ideal family
environment. Intimacy is vital for a couple, but unexpected pregnancies can severely affect
relationships, bring about difficulties in a child’s upbringing, and cause various complications
in the future.

To steer clear of these consequences, family planning is crucial. Practice responsible

parenthood to ensure the well-being of children. To help couples have a long, happy, and
healthy family life, the guide below will discuss the different types of family planning methods.

It has been years since former President Benigno S. Aquino III signed the Reproductive Health
(RH) Law. As of 2019, contraceptive use in the Philippines stands at 40%, which is still a long
way to go from the government’s goal of 65% by 2020. To reach this milestone, health and
medical professionals must educate the public about family planning and responsible
parenthood.

Thanks to advancements in medical technology, people now have access to different

types of family planning methods. However, most people are unaware of these innovations
and unconsciously limit themselves to condoms, medication such as birth control pills, and
risky measures like withdrawal. At the same time, they are unaware of how to properly perform
these methods and end up getting an unplanned pregnancy.

Responsible Parenthood: 18 Family Planning Methods You Should Know About

For the road to parenthood to go smoothly, family planning is a must. The guide below
will discuss 18 family planning methods available today.

1. Abstinence – Pregnancy cannot happen without intercourse. Complete

disengagement from all forms of sexual activity is the most straightforward measure of
avoiding it. 

2. Birth Control Implant – The birth control implant is administered by a health

professional. The doctor will inject hormones called progestin into the arm of the
woman to prevent pregnancy for a few years.

3. Birth Control Pills – These are packs of hormone medication ingested by females
daily. Available in pharmacies, these hormone-filled pills are designed to stop fertility.

4. Birth Control Patch – It is a wearable contraceptive that contains estrogen and
progestin. Once worn and absorbed by the body, the hormones thicken the mucus of the
cervix to hinder ovulation.

5. Birth Control Shot – A series of hormonal injections that prevent ovulation and
thicken cervical mucus; these shots will only be effective if they are administered every
three months.

6. Birth Control Sponge – A soft plastic inserted inside the vagina before intercourse;
the sponge covers the cervix and prevents the sperm from reaching the egg.

7. Birth Control Vaginal Ring – It is a small flexible ring inserted inside the vagina that
stops sperm cells from merging with an egg.

8. Breastfeeding – Due to the secretion of specific hormones, women who are

breastfeeding generally do not ovulate. Engaging in intercourse during this period under
certain conditions will prevent unplanned pregnancies.

9. Cervical Cap – It is a small and soft device made out of silicone inserted inside the
vagina.

10. Diaphragm – Similar to the cervical cap, the diaphragm is a cup-shaped device
designed to cover the cervix.

11. Internal/Female Condom – It is a soft and elastic pouch inserted inside the vagina
that creates a barrier against sperm. The outer ring covers the vaginal opening.

12. Intrauterine Device (IUD) – It is a tiny, T-shaped plastic device inserted in the uterus
and is one of the most effective contraceptive methods. This device impairs the
movement of sperm cells within the vaginal canal and prevents them from reaching the
ovary.

13. Male Condom – This thin, elastic, and stretchable cover is one of the most common
and widely available contraceptives. This is worn on the penis during intercourse to
 prevent the sperm from meeting the egg.

14. Rhythm Method – Also known as the calendar method, this requires couples to
abstain from sexual activity during fertile periods of the female.

15. Spermicide – It comes in the form of a gel or cream that is applied to the vagina
before intercourse. Usually paired with other devices such as a cervical cap, this
product contains properties that eliminate sperm.

16. Sterilization – It is a surgical procedure performed on females that can temporarily
or permanently close the fallopian tubes to prevent ovulation.

17. Vasectomy – A surgical operation performed on males that cuts tubes inside the
scrotum; this permanent contraception for men prevents sperm from leaving the body.

18. Withdrawal – It is the process of pulling out the penis from the vagina before
ejaculation, preventing sperm from reaching the egg during intercourse.

 
Benefits of Family Planning

The main benefit of family planning is that it helps governments regulate the population
of the country. By adding sexual education (sex ed) to the curriculum, teens can be taught early
on about sexual responsibility and the consequences of unwanted pregnancy. While sex ed is
taught in developed nations, developing countries have a lot of catching up to do.

Given that the Philippines is home to over 100 million people, family planning is the best
way to mitigate the consequences brought upon by overpopulation. Since sex ed in the country
is limited, it is estimated that 200,000 out of 2 million births in the Philippines are from teenage
pregnancies. To prevent this statistic from rising, spreading awareness is the key.

In a household setting, family planning can bring about many benefits. Bearing a child is
a huge responsibility, and being financially unprepared can compromise the short- and long-
term security and stability of the family. In terms of health, planning a partner’s pregnancy with
the help of medical professionals will also help prevent health complications.

From an emotional standpoint, family planning can strengthen the bond of a couple.
The journey of pregnancy to giving birth in a delivery room is no easy feat, and the process of
raising a child may be one of the biggest tests in a couple’s relationship. Practicing responsible
parenthood by planning together will undoubtedly fortify the union in the years to come.
 

  REFLECTION

Raising a family is one of the best things life has to offer. It is from responsible parents
that we most often learn social values such as kindness, honesty, altruism, etc. Responsible
parents also teach practical things about how to exist in society. Parents’ values and parenting
style can shape children fundamentally as people.

A responsible parenthood is simply defined as the “will” and ability of parents to respect
and do the needs and aspirations of the family and children. It is the ability of a parent to
detect the need, happiness and desire of the children and helping them to become responsible
and reasonable children.

REFERENCES

Why is responsible parenthood important? – Mvorganizing.org

Responsible Parenthood: 18 Family Planning Methods You Should Know About | News |
Makati Medical Center

TITLE OF RESEARCH
COVID-19 VACCINE CONCERNS: FACT OR FICTION?
INTRODUCTION

One year has elapsed since a team of Chinese scientists reported the first case of
COVID-19 in Wuhan, China on January 8, 2020, after sequencing the first viral genetic material.
Since then, many vaccines were rushed into testing, bypassing animal experimentations, with
more than 200 pharma companies in different countries declaring the development of different
vaccines, each with their own strategy for generating immunity, despite the arguments of many
infectious disease experts that 18 months for a first vaccine is an incredibly aggressive
schedule because it takes an average of 10 years to develop a vaccine. Ten vaccine
candidates have already entered phase 3 clinical trials in humans.

These vaccines rely on different types of technology, the most innovative of which use
the genetic material messenger RNA. Many provocative questions and genuine concerns have
been raised, such as short durations of efficacy and safety follow-ups, lack of identified
correlates of protection, morbidity and mortality cases reported shortly after vaccination,
uncertainties regarding the risk of enhanced disease on exposure to the virus in the long-term,
the possibility of viral transmission after vaccination, the reported reduced efficacies of these
vaccines against new variants, the efficacy and safety of these vaccines in the previously
excluded subgroups (such as children, pregnant women, the frail elderly high-risk population,
and immunocompromised individuals), the unknown risk of immunogenicity-induced
autoimmune diseases, cancer and chronic inflammation, the risk of genome transformation
(mainly in the presence of reverse transcriptase), and finally the potential coercion that may be
imposed by either public or private sectors on citizens to receive the vaccine. Many plausible
questions are apparent, with no clear and convincing answers.

PFIZER AND MODERNA

Numerous case reports of Guillain-Barre syndrome paralysis after Covid-19 vaccine

have prompted scientists to warn that "all physicians" should be "vigilant in recognizing
Guillain-Barré syndrome in patients who have received the AstraZeneca vaccine... our
observations suggest that this clinically distinct [Guillain-Barré syndrome] variant is more
severe than usual and may require mechanical ventilation."

In the U.K., scientists flagged "bifacial weakness and normal facial sensation in four
men between 11 and 22 days after their first doses of the Astra-Zeneca vaccine." A case has
also been reported in a patient who got the Pfizer vaccine. In India, there are reports of seven
severe cases of Guillain-Barré syndrome 10 to 14 days after the first dose of AstraZeneca's
vaccine. Six were women, all had facial paralysis, "all progressed to quadriplegia, and six
required respiratory support. Patients' ages ranged from 43 to 70. Four developed other cranial
neuropathies, including abducens palsy and trigeminal sensory nerve involvement."

Guillain-Barre syndrome has been reported after other vaccinations. The cause is
believed to be damage to the immune system. The disorder can be extremely serious and can
lead to total paralysis with dependence on artificial respiration. Even those who recover may
have serious muscle wasting and may have to slowly teach the body to relearn most every
normal task, such as walking. One in 20 cases is fatal.

In late June, the first case of a blood clot disorder called "thrombosis with
thrombocytopenia" after an RNA double-dose vaccine was been reported in the Annals of
Internal Medicine. The case was that of a 65-year-old man who developed symptoms ten days
after his second dose of the Moderna vaccine. Because the blood clot disorder was not
previously warned about in the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines, doctors treated the patient with
heparin, the very drug that's not supposed to be used in post-vaccine patients suffering from
the disorder because it could actually worsen the condition.

The Food and Drug Administration has added a new warning to Pfizer and Moderna
Covid-19 Vaccine.

JOHNSON AND JOHNSON

The Johnson and Johnson Covid-19 vaccine was temporarily removed from the market
in the U.S. on April 16, 2021 while health officials studied reports of blood clot injuries. 
Updated Aug. 4: A  new, independent study  of medical records found the incidences of
myocarditis and pericarditis are more than five times more common than CDC reported.

The Johnson and Johnson vaccine was allowed back on the market April 27, 2021
with new warnings about the disorder.
Swedish health officials determined that people under age 65 should not get the Johnson and
Johnson vaccine due to reports of blood clots.

An editorial in the Journal of the American Medical Association recommended women

under age 50 avoid the Johnson and Johnson Covid-19 vaccine due to concerns about blood
clots: a blood disorder known as cerebral venous sinus thrombosis (CVST) with
thrombocytopenia following the Johnson and Johnson vaccine.

On June 11, the European Union’s drug regulator announced it will not use batches of
the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine that were made at a Baltimore, Maryland-based
plant around the time that cross-contamination manufacturing problems were reported at the
facility.

Anonymous sources claimed that up to 60 million doses of the Johnson and Johnson
vaccine had to be thrown out. But the FDA issued a news release saying that two batches from
the Baltimore plant were safe to use. The FDA said “several other batches are not suitable for
use, but additional batches are still under review.”

Denmark  banned the Johnson and Johnson vaccine altogether saying "the benefits of
using the COVID-19 vaccine from Johnson & Johnson do not outweigh the risk of causing the
possible adverse effect in those who receive the vaccine”.

The AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine

It has been linked to a dangerous disorder involving blood clots with low blood

platelets. On April 7, 2021, the European Medicines Agency says it made the association after
it analyzed 62 cases of cerebral venous sinus thrombosis and 24 cases of splanchnic vein
thrombosis reported in the EU drug safety database (EudraVigilance) as of March 22, 2021, 18
of which were fatal.

In Spain, the AstraZeneca shot has been restricted in people under age 60 due to
reports of blood clots in younger people.

Bulgaria, Iceland and Norway have halted AstraZeneca shots. 

Austria, Italy and Romania banned certain "lots" or batches of the AstraZeneca shots.
 Denmark stopped using the AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine altogether after
investigations into blood clots.

The Italian government recently restricted AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine to adults over

age 60 after a teenager who got the shot died from a rare form of blood clotting. Eighteen-year-
old Camilla Canepa died after getting vaccinated May 25, 2021. 

Several other European countries have also stopped giving the AstraZeneca COVID-19

vaccine to people below a certain age, usually ranging from 50 to 65. 

REFLECTION

The world is in the midst of a COVID-19 pandemic. As WHO and partners work together
on the response -- tracking the pandemic, advising on critical interventions, distributing vital
medical supplies to those in need--- they are racing to develop and deploy safe and effective
vaccines. 

Vaccines save millions of lives each year. Vaccines work by training and preparing the
body’s natural defences – the immune system – to recognize and fight off the viruses and
bacteria they target. After vaccination, if the body is later exposed to those disease-causing
germs, the body is immediately ready to destroy them, preventing illness.

But above all of these, we must trust God everything. All of these are just but a
temporary relief of the pandemic. The permanent cure to this illness belongs to God and
nothing else.

REFERENCE
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33877041
(UPDATED) Exclusive Summary: Covid-19 Vaccine Concerns | Sharyl Attkisson
 SOUTHERN MINDANAO COLLEGES
GRADUATE SCHOOL
Pagadian City
School – Year 2020-2021 – Mid Year

Compilation

of

Research Work
Education 233 – Educational Leadership
Submitted by:

Rosevie T. Birin
Student

Submitted to:

Emma Abenes-Sia, Ed.D