A COMPARATIVE STUDY ON THE EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM IN CANADA AND THE PHILIPPINES JANUARY 2021 1[Page1. INTRODUCTION Education is the development of facilitating learning, or the gaining of knowledge, skills, values, beliefs, and habits. Educational methods include storytelling discussion, teaching, training, and directed research. Education frequently takes place under the guidance of educators, but learners may also educate themselves. Education can take place in formal or informal settings and any experience that has a formative effect on the way one thinks, feels, or acts may be considered educational. Education is commonly divided formally into such stages as preschool or kindergarten, primary school, secondary school, and then college, university, or apprenticeship (Johnson, 1916). Education in Canada is a very high priority of the government. The country boasts a state-run system of public education, one that is provided, funded, and administered by federal, provincial and local governments. Jurisdiction of the public education system, as well as its curriculum, is overseen by each province. The Council of Ministers of Education is a forum for education ministers to discuss matters related to education, coordinate education activities, and share information (Scholey, 2015). Education in the Philippines isa 13-year required education thatis divided into Kindergarten, Primary Education, Junior High School, and Senior High School. K-12 is a program that covers kindergarten and 12 years of basic education to provide sufficient time for mastery of concepts and skills, develop lifelong learners, and prepare graduates for tertiary education, middle-level skills development, employment, and entrepreneurship (Amoroso, 2005). Il, OBJECTIVES ‘The objective of this comparative study is to explore the Educational systems of Canada and the Philippines and to compare the two systems. Specifically, this study aims to compare the 1. Transition of K-12 2, Curriculum includes the Length of School Year, Medium of Instruction, Grading System, Levels of Education system Organizational Structure Ill. CHARACTERISTICS OF THE EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM IN CANADA Canada is occupying the northernmost region of the North American continent. The country, which consists of 10 distinct provinces (Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Prince Edward Island, Quebec, Saskatchewan) and 3 territories (Northwest Territories, Yukon, Nunavut). Next, let take a closer look on the education system, and describe the various levels or stages that comprise it Canada is the only country in the world with no federal education department (OECD 2011). Instead, the 13 jurisdictions are responsible for the delivery, organization, and evaluation of education. Each Canadian province is responsible for producing a “centralized, high-quality curriculum that outlines what students are expected to learn and be able to do, in all subjects and grades”. Yet, from an outside perspective, others suggest that “education in Canada operates in a largely decentralized framework. Within individual provinces, a complex interplay of centralized and decentralized responsibilities for education exists” (Majhanovich, 2009, p. 137). 2|Page‘This decentralization of decision-making to individual jurisdictions was determined in 1867 and is explicitly declared in Canada's Constitution Act. One reason for this decentralization was to protect the interests of the different populations who inhabited the particular parts of the country, as strong ethnic and religious differences existed by region. The structure of education is, however, very similar across the country, although there are notable differences between jurisdictions, which are due to the unique historical, cultural, geographical, and political circumstances upon which they were developed. Each jurisdiction is guided by its own Education Act, which isa detailed legal document that outlines how education will be organized and delivered, along with student eligibility criteria, duties of employees, accountability measures, and different types of programs available. a. COMPULSORY EDUCATION Compulsory education starts at the age of five in most provinces when children enter kindergarten. Parents can choose to send their kids to pre-school and nursery but this is not covered under the public school system and is private institutions. This is highly recommended for students whose parents don't speak English or French as their mother tongue. Education is compulsory up to the age of 16 to 18 depending on provincial regulations. Individuals between ages of 19 and 21 can continue to attend school if they have not fulfilled their diploma requirements and wish to continue. There are special classes within public schools and teachers to cater to the needs to special needs students. In the province of Quebec, students attend high school for grades 7 to 11 and then transfer to a general and vocational college for a further two or three years (Routledge, 2012). Public education is provided free to all Canadian citizens and permanent residents up to the end of secondary school. b. GRADING SYSTEM Academie grading in Canada varies by province, level of education, institution, and faculty. The following are commonly used conversions from percentage grades to letter grades; however, this is. not necessarily meaningful, since there is not a uniform scheme for assigning percentage grades either. A grade A would be 80-10% a B would be 70-79% ¢. SCHOOL HOURS The school year in Canada is pretty similar to the one that's followed in the United States. Classes run from early September until late June, for about 10 months total. The school year is usually divided into two semesters, though in some regions it’s based on quarters or trimesters (Todd, 2013). Though it’s less common, there are schools that run year round, as well as ones that follow an adjusted term schedule that starts in August and ends in May. Regardless of which type of school is in your area, the administration notifies parents well ahead of time about term dates, vacations and holidays (Tamminga, 2013). 3|PageFor elementary school students, the school day typically starts around 8:30am and runs until 3- 3:30PM. Children get lunch and recess within their school day. Students in junior high school and high school usually have slightly shorter school days, from 8:30 to 3:00, which allows them to participate in after school activities like sports, extracurricular and part time jobs (Axelrod, 1997). d. SCHOOL YEAR The school year varies from start dates in early August through September to end dates from early May through June of the following year. There are some year rounds schools and some start in mid- August and end in mid-May. Students have a five day work week. The exact number of instructional days varies; the current Education Act legislates 195 days. Senior secondary courses can be timetabled as year-long courses or in semesters with double periods in a subject area offered for only a half year. In senior secondary schools, courses are generally offered once a year. Credit toward graduation is based on 25 hours of study per credit. Currently, 100 credits are required for graduation (Di Mascio, 2012). The academic year usually finishes at the end of June, Students are on vacation for the entire months of July and August. Teachers return to work and start preparing for school during the last few days of August. Students traditionally start the new academic year on the day after the Labour Day public holiday. Labour Day is the first Monday in September, and children typically start school on the following day, the Tuesday. Students get a two-week break over Christmas and New Year. Students get a ten-day break in the spring, Depending on the timing of Easter, spring break may or may not coincide with Easter. Schools are closed on professional development days (when teachers attend professional seminars and workshops) and on public holidays (Gidney, 2011). e. MEDIUM OF INSTRUCTION Canada is a bilingual country with both English and French as official languages. The language of instruction in most schoolsis English with the exception of the province ot Quebec where the primary language of instruction is French. Schools have provisions for students who do not speak either English or French (Axelrod,1997). Parents can enquire about English as Second Language (ESL) and French as Second Language (FSL) classes. The ESL/FSL class are taught an easier curriculum and some students may not benefit from this. Parents must do a thorough enquiry to ensure the interest of their children is not harmed. £. ORGANIZATION AND STRUCTURE The Canadian constitution has stipulated that control over education rests with the individual provinces. This has resulted in a situation where 12 autonomous educational systems, one in each of the provinces and 2 territories. Individual systems have developed their own distinctive ways of regulating particular facets of their operation. While there are similarities in many areas of operation, each province has developed its own legislation dealing with a variety of operational areas, among the religious schools and schooling, compulsory attendance, school and school system organization and francophone education (Burke, 2012). alPageThe Minister of Education and the Department of Education In each province, the Department or Ministry of Education, headed by the minister of education, is the central educational authority. In some provinces, postsecondary education and training are assigned to a separate minister and department, while in others both portfolios are included within a single jurisdiction. The minister of education, an elected member of the provincial legislature, is appointed to the education portfolio by the premier; he or she is alsoa member of the Cabinet. In the Canadian parliamentary system, the Cabinet responsible to the legislature and dependent on the support of a majority of its members is the key planning and directing agency of government. It determines what legislation is brought forward by the government, as well as formulates policy and supervises its implementation in education and all other areas of provincial jurisdiction (Council of Ministers of Education in Canada, 1994). The role played by a minister of education at any particular period of time depends on the overall priorities of the premier and the government, and on the ability of the minister to influence these priorities. Ministers make or approve decisions about all sorts of educational issues, from new curricula to be introduced, to rules governing the certification of teachers, to the number of credits required for high-school graduation. The minister must defend before the public the government's policies on education, even if he or she was opposed to the policy. And when parties toa local dispute at the school board or district level cannot come to an agreement, they will often call on the minis to intervene and settle the matter (Burke, 2012). The department's civil service is headed by the deputy minister, who is a civil servant appointed by the Cabinet. At one time, provincial deputy ministers were almost always career educators, many of whom had previously been teachers, principals, and school superintendents. The deputy minister coordinates the work of the department in all its multiple functions. A typical department of education will have units dealing with areas such as planning, school finance, curriculum development and assessment, special education, language programs, and renovation /construction of school buildings. All of these tasks require full-time attention and some technical expertise; thus, departments of education today tend to be large organizations employing hundreds of people, many of whom are professional educators (Harris, 1976). The Department of Education is a mix of political and professional authority, embodying the tension between professional and lay control. Civil servants are generally guided by their professional training and background. Their views of the needs of education are often similar to those of teachers in schools. These tensions are part of the process of government and can contribute toward developing policies that are sensitive to both professional skills and public wants (Levin, 2005). Provincial and Territorial Departments and Ministries For each type of publicly funded school the province is divided into districts. For each district, board members are elected only by its supporters within the district . Normally, all publicly funded schools are under the authority of their local district school board. These school boards would follow a common curriculum set up by the province the board resides in, Only Alberta allows public charter S|Pageschools, which are independent of any district board. Instead, they each have their own board, which reports directly to the province (Harris, 1976). The table below presents the provincial and territorial departments and ministries. Provincial and Territorial Departments and Ministries Provincial Education Provincial Department Or Ministry Education in Alberta Alberta Education Education in British Columbia Ministry of Education Education in Manitoba Ministry of Education Education in New Brunswick Ministry of Education, Ministére de !Education Education in Newfoundland and Labrador Ministry of Education Education in Northwest Territories Deparment of Education, Culture and Employment Education in Nova Scotia Department of Education Education in Nunavut Education in Ontario Education in Prince Edward Island Education in Quebec Education in Saskatchewan Education in Yukon Department of Education Ministry of Education Department of Education Ministére de Education, du Loisir et du Sport Ministry of Education Department of Education, Culture and Employment f. LEVELS OF THE EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM IN CANADA Education across Canada is generally divided into four stages: pre-school or early childhood education; primary or elementary education; secondary education and post-secondary or tertiary education, which includes college and university programs and vocational /technical schooling. The provincial and local governments are mainly responsible for funding and providing universal free education up until grade 12. Educational practices and policies vary depending on the province. Control of public school system to a large extent is decentralized and overseen by local school authorities. Pre-Elementary Education in Canada Pre-elementary programs in Canada—educational programs offered to young children (4-5 years) prior to that student beginning elementary school at age six—are offered by public, private, and federal schools within the country, as well as schools for the visually and hearing impaired. Most jurisdictions offer one year of public pre-elementary education, with Quebec, Ontario, Manitoba, 61 PageSaskatchewan, and Alberta offering additional years of free preschool. Parents living in jurisdictions that have offered but one free year of preprimary education have the option of enrolling their children in a private program until those children reach the eligible age. In most jurisdictions, kindergarten is offered to children who turn 5 years of age by a certain date in the school year, as specified by jurisdictional or provincial legislation. Attendance in these programs is optional in most jurisdictions, although it is mandatory in Nova Scotia and New Brunswick. The intensity of these programs varies; some jurisdictions offer full-day programs, some have half-day programs, and some offer both. In the province of Quebec, one additional year of publicly-funded pre-elementary schooling is available to some 4-year old children who have disabilities or who are from low-income families. In Ontario, the provision of an additional year of pre-elementary for 4-year old is dependent on the choice of the local school board, and funding is provided by the Ministry of Education. The curriculum offered in kindergarten and other pre-elementary programs is far from rigid. Students are introduced to the alphabet, pre-reading and mathematics skills, music, art, and play. All kindergarten and early childhood education programs in the country are designed to prepare students for success at the next level of education by teaching them how to participate and act appropriately within the group setting and cooperate with both the instructor and the other children in the class. Primary Education in Canada Primary education in Canada is compulsory for all children, usually beginning at age 6 or 7 with Grade One. Students receive six years of primary education—Grade 1 through Grade 6—typically broken down in the following manner: Grade 1 (ages 6-7), Grade 2 (ages 7-8), Grade 3 (ages 8-9), Grade 4 (ages 9-10), Grade 5 (ages 10-11), and Grade 6 (ages 11-12). Students in the primary grades of education typically study under only one instructor for the entire school year and receive that instruction in a single classroom. Special education programs may also have one to four instructional aides present, depending on the type and severity of the students’ disabilities, to assist the teacher throughout the day. The curriculum at the primary stage of education encompasses a number of subject areas, including mathematics, reading, language arts, social studies, history, geography, science, music, art, and physical education. Naturally, the difficulty of said curriculum increases somewhat with every passing grade, as students learn to master new skills. 7|PageSecondary Education in Canada Secondary education in Canada consists of two levels: intermediate and high school. Intermediate Education Once students have successfully completed the final year of elementary or primary education, or Grade 6, they are promoted to intermediate or junior high school. Intermediate school is a two-year educational stage, broken down into the following two grades: Grade 7 (ages 12-13) and Grade 8 (ages 13-14). In Grade 7, at the age of 12 or 13, students are introduced to the process of attending different classrooms throughout the day and having different teachers for every class. These teachers are considered experts in the subject they teach and must obtain a single-subject teaching certificate indicating that expertise. The basic goal of intermediate education is to prepare students to enter the next phase of secondary education, or high school, They are taught many of the same subjects in which they received instruction in primary school, although the difficulty increases substantially. Other subjects are also added to the curriculum in intermediate school, most notably foreign language instruction—French, Spanish, English, etc. High School Education The curriculum in all of Canada’s high schools is designed to prepare students for a college or university education and or provide them with the skills to succeed vocationally once they graduate. Depending on the jurisdiction, a variety of programs —vocational as well as academic—is offered at the high school level. Some jurisdictions even offer dual credit courses that simultaneously give students both high school and postsecondary credits. Once students successfully complete the 8 Grade, they are promoted once again, this time to high school—a four year program that breaks down in the following way: Grade 9 (ages 14-15), Grade 10 (ages 15-16), Grade 11 (ages 16-17), Grade 12 (ages 17-18). Approximately 90 percent of students in Canada successfully complete high school and are awarded a diploma for their efforts. Secondary education in Quebec continues to Grade 11 (Secondary V), and is typically followed by college, a two-year university or a three-year vocational program taken after high school. TERTIARY EDUCATION IN CANADA The tertiary education system in Canada is divided into: Certificate level, generally, for a year; Diploma level, for one or two years; Advanced Diploma, generally two or three-year programs; Bachelor degrees, awarded after four years of full-time study; Post-graduate Diplomas/Certificates, for one or two years of study; Master's degrees, available after a bachelor degree to excel in a certain subject, for one to two years; and Doctorate or PhD, generally four to seven years. Vocational Schools and Apprenticeships 8| PageApprenticeships in Canada allow students to learn the skills they need for a given trade by working hands-on in that environment under a qualified supervisor. Apprenticeship training involves a contract between an apprentice and an employer—registered with the province or jurisdiction—in which the employer provides the apprentice with training and experience for a trade. Programs such as these vary in length depending on the type of trade or program, ranging anywhere from two to five years. Registered apprenticeship programs combine real-world experience with classroom education. In most provinces, the classroom portion of the course is conducted during the apprenticeship training, although in Quebec, classroom instruction must be taken prior to beginning an apprenticeship program. Apprenticeship training and certification is compulsory to enter into and to practice the trade. Bachelor’s Degree The bachelor degrees in Canada take three to four years to complete. There are over two hundred bachelor degree programs offered in various universitiesin Canada and students can make the ch based on what interests them most. Canadian universities offer high standards of education in their academic programs and a bachelor degree from Canada is therefore globally recognized for its quality. Bachelor's level students can enter after having successfully completed secondary school or the two-year cégep program in Quebec. Bachelor's degrees require three or four years of full-time study, but this depends on the province and whether the program is general or specialized. Disciplines of Bachelor's Degrees © Humanities Studies * Architecture Studies © Journalism and Mass Communication © Art Studies © Law Studies + Aviation * Life Sciences * Business Studies * Management Studies * Cosmetology © Marketing Studies © Design Studies © Natural Sciences * Economic Studies © Performing Arts © Education © Professional Studies ‘Engineering Studies + Social Sciences * Environmental Studies © Sport * Fashion * Sustainability Studies * Food and Beverage Studies + Technology Studies + General Studies © Tourism and Hospitality Master's Degree A master’s degree is a postgraduate degree that students can earn once they have completed the required coursework in their chosen discipline. MA degrees are available in many different specialties, which allow students to tailor their education to their future career and life goals. Masters programs in Canada are offered in many different fields with two main types of course - academic and professional (Sapienza, 2002). 9|PageAcademic programs usually involve a final paper and or comprehensive examinations at the end. ‘These requirements can also apply to a professional master's program; however, the emphasis here lies on professional practice at an advanced level. A professional master’s program usually takes longer and the type of program is included in its name: Master of Business Administration, Master of Social Work, Master of Public Health, Master of Applied Engineering, and so forth. Programs with an academic focus usually award either a Master of Arts (MA) or Master of Science (MS).Masters degrees in Education explore advanced topics in pedagogy (the theory and practice of education) as well as individual teacher training for schools, higher education, and specialist roles. Many courses are designed for students wishing to become qualified teachers, but some also provide continuing professional development (CPD) for existing practitioners Professional Master's Program * MA in Industrial-organizational (1/0) Psychology © MAin Mathematics + MAin Military Psychology © MAin Physics © MSin Biology © MSin Chemistry MS in Economics MS in Environmental Science © MSin Mathematics © MSin Microbiology * Min Physics * Min Psychology * Master in Information Technology + Master of Applied Engineering * Master of Business Administration * Master of Public Health © Master of Social Work Academic Master's Program * MAin Classical Archaeology © MAin Criminology © MAin Education © MAin English * MAinHistory Doctoral Degrees Doctoral degrees in Canada are the highest level and require students to produce an original piece of research. Unlike other countries such as the UK, doctoral students in Canada are still expected to complete coursework and written examinations rather than just focusing on their research. Types of Schools Most Canadians attend public schools, which are government funded. However, independent or private (fee-paying) schools are also available. Religious schools exist but it depends on the province as to whether these are publicly funded or private. International schools can be found in large urban areas but these are predominantly private. International Schools English language lessons are usually provided to newcomers who are not English speakers. French is also offered to newcomers in some provinces (for example Ontario) for those who 10| Pagedon'talready speak French. These services are provided in association with local settlement agencies (such as the library Settlement Partnership) and Citizenship and Immigration Canada. Home Schooling Home schooling is allowed in Canada but requirements and regulations vary from province to province, in accordance to the relevant Education Act and Regulations, Some provinces only require notification regarding a child's home schooling, while others require regular reporting. There are many resource sites that provide support to parents who choose to home school. Special Needs Education Itis law in Canada that all public schools have some form of special needs program. However, individual schools may not be able to cater to particular disabilities or severe learning difficulties. In this case, children are able to attend specialist schools which cater for children with higher needs. These may be fee-paying but there is often funding available from private organizations, as well as provincial government funds. Some of the top universities in the world are available in Canada, and students from all over the world have come to join the biggest names in their field. Experts in Journalism, Politics, Medicine, and Technology got their start at universities like the University of Toronto and McGill University; and you'll have the chance to work alongside some of the sharpest minds in the world, Canada offers an interesting variety of college models: colleges, polytechnics, and cégeps (vocational schools). Depending on what your goals are, or what you're looking for, you may want to select the institutional model that fits your needs. l1|PageIV. CHARACTERISTICS OF THE EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM IN THE PHILIPPINES The Philippine education system can be described as a dynamic one. The implementation of the K- 12 Program of DepEd and subsequent ratification of Kindergarten Education Act of 2012 and Enhanced Basic Education Act of 2013, the basic education today takes thirteen years to complete— one year of kindergarten, six years of elementary education, four years of junior high school and two years of senior high school for children aged five up to seventeen. Meanwhile, higher education requires even as little as two years (e.g. associate degree) or much longer (e.g. bachelor's degree, master's degree, doctorate) to complete in universities and colleges, and much shorter in technical and vocational schools. a. Age Requirement ‘Age qualification for Kindergarten learners should be five years old by June 1 of every school year. The Kindergarten curriculum is intended to help children who are at least five years old to acquire the values, attitudes and competencies which are known to enable successful and beneficial participation in school learning experiences. K to 12 basic education reform program consists of kindergarten (5 years old), six years of elementary (6-12 years old), four years of junior high (13- L6years old) and two years of senior high school (17-18 years old). b. Grading system The curriculum on the K-12 Basic Education uses a standards-and-competency-based grading system. DepEd Order No. 8, s. 2015 mandated teachers in public and private schools to follow the latest K to 12 grading system. All grades will be based on the weighted raw score of the learners’ summative assessments which can be classified into three components ~ Written Work, Performance Tasks, and Quarterly Assessment. These three are given specific percentage weights that vary according to the nature of the learning area. The minimum grade needed to pass a specific learning area is 60, which is transmuted to 75 in the report card, The lowest mark that can appear on the report card is 70 for Quarterly Grades and Final Grades. Ina grading period, there is one Quarterly Assessment but there should be instances for students to produce Written Work and to demonstrate what they know and can do through Performance Tasks. There is no required number of Written Work and Performance Tasks, but these must be spread out over the quarter and used to assess learners’ skills after each unit has been taught. Learners from Grades 1 to 12 are graded on Written Work, Performance Tasks, and Quarterly Assessment every quarter. These three are given specific percentage weights that vary according to the nature of the learning area. Table below shows the components of grades in each learning area for Grades 1 to 10. ¢. School Hours ‘The school year for both public and private schools in the Philippines normally runs from June to March or April. But some schools runs from Augustto May. A typical school week is Monday to Friday, from 7:30am to 4pm or 5pm. Students usually have an hour lunch break; as school cafeterias are rare, and many students either go home for lunch or bring their own lunch to school. 12| Paged.School Year The school year runs from June to March, although it may also end in April, depending on when the Holy Week is. Republic Act 7797 states that a school year may not exceed two hundred and twenty school days and it may only starts classes between the first Monday of June and last day of August. While K-12 private schools are free to assign the date of opening of classes anytime they wantas long as it is within the prescribed period, K-12 public schools have to follow a stringent school calendar crafted by DepEd regardless of circumstances. e. Medium of Instruction According to the 1987 Philippine Constitution, Filipino and English are the official languages. Filipino is a standardized version of Tagalog, spoken mainly in Metro Manila and other urban regions. Both Filipino and English are used in government, education, print, broadcast media, and business. The DepEd designates regional languages in the original mother tongue languages that have been introduced for the 2012-2013 school year. These are Bicolano, Cebuano, Chavacano, Hiligaynon, Hocano, Kapampangan, Maguindanaoan, Maranao, Pangasinense, Tagalog, Tausug and Waray-Waray. Seven more mother tongue languages have been introduced for the 2013-2014 school year. These are Aklanon, Ibanag, Ivatan, Kinaray-a, Sambal, Surigaonon and Yakan. From Kindergarten to Grade 3, students will be taught using their mother tongue, meaning the regional languages of the Philippines will be used in some subjects except Filipino and English as medium of instruction. Aside from being incorporated as a language of instruction, it is also a separate subject for Grades 1-3. But from Grade 4, Filipino and English as a medium of instruction will then used. ippines is managed and regulated by the Department of Education (DepEd), Commission on Higher Education (CHED) and Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA). DepEd is responsible for the K-12 basic education; it exercises full and exclusive control over public schools and nominal regulation over private schools, and it also enforces the national curriculum that has been put in place since 2013. CHED and TESDA, on the other hand, are responsible for higher education; CHED regulates the academically-oriented universities and colleges while TESDA oversees the development of technical and vocational education institutions and programs in the country (Desiderio, 2013). g. Governance of Basic Education ‘The Department of Education, Culture and Sports shall henceforth be called the Department of Education, It shall be vested with authority, accountability and responsibility for ensuring access to, promoting equity in, and improving the quality of basic education. Arts, culture and sports shall be as provided for in Sections 8 and 9 hereof. 13| PageCOMMISSION ON HIGHER EDUCATION ‘The Commission on Higher Education (Filipino: Komisyon sa Lalong Mataas na Edukasyon) of the Philippines, abbreviated as CHED, is attached to the Office of the President for administrative purposes. It covers both public and private higher education institutions as well as degree-granting programs in all post-secondary educational institutions in the country. Composition of the Commission. Republic Act No. 7722 , Section 4 states that the Commission shall be composed of five (5) full-time members. During the transition period which begins upon approval of this Act, President may appoint the Secretary of Education, Culture and Sports as ex-officio chairman of the Commission for a maximum period of one (1) year. Thereafter, the President shall appoint a Chairman of the Commission and four (4) commissioners, who shall be holders of earned doctorate(s), who have been actively engaged in higher education for at least ten (10) years, and must not have been candidates for elective positions in the elections immediately preceding their appointment. They shall be academicians known for their high degree of professionalism and integrity who have distinguished themselves as authorities in their chosen fields of learning, The members of the Commission shall belong to different academic specializations. TESDA is mandated to provide Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) in the Philippines. TVET provides education and training opportunities for students and clients in preparation for employment. It is also offered to those part of the labor market looking to improve or develop new competencies to enhance employability in their chosen fields (Lovin, 2014). TESDA Board rhe following are mandated by Kepublic Act No. //¥6 to serve as the members of the TESDA Board: ‘The Secretary of Labor and Employment as Chairperson ‘The Secretary of Education, Culture and Sports (now the Secretary of Education) and the Secretary of Trade and Industry as Co-Chairpersons The Secretary of Agriculture, the Secretary of Interior and Local Government, and the Director-General of the TESDA Secretariat as members. R.A. 7796 also provides additional guidelines pertaining to the TESDA Board’s membership. In addition, the President of the Philippines shall appoint the following members from the private sector: two (2) representatives, from the employer/industry organization, one of whom shall be a woman; three (3) representatives, from the labor sector, one of whom shall be a woman; and two (2) representatives of the national associations of private technicalvocational education and training institutions, one of whom shall be a woman. As soon as all the members of the private sector are appointed, they shall so organize themselves that the term of office of one-third (1/3) of their number shall expire every year. The member W4|Pagefrom the private sector appointed thereafter to fill vacancies caused by expiration of terms shall hold office for three (3) years. h. LEVELS OF EDUCATION IN THE PHILIPPINES The 1987 Philippine Constitution explicitly provides in Art. XIV, Sec. 1, stating that the “State shall protect and promote the right of all citizens to quality education at all levels and shall take appropriate steps to make such education accessible to all’. Republic Act 10157, or "The Kindergarten Education Law" made Kindergarten the compulsory and mandatory entry stage to basic education. Section 2 of this Act provides that all five (5)-year old children shall be given equal opportunities for Kindergarten Education to effectively promote their physical, social, emotional and intellectual development, including values formation so they will be ready for school. This was so since the Department of Education (DepEd) believes that Kindergarten is the transition period from informal to formal literacy (Grades 1-12) considering that age five (5) is within the critical years where positive experiences must be nurtured to ascertain school readiness. In kindergarten, the pupils are mandated to learn the alphabet, numbers, shapes and colours through games, songs, pictures and dances, but in their native language; thus after Grade 1, every student can read on his/her native tongue. Francia (2010) kindergarten is a crucial time for children to learn because this is when they develop the foundation of their brain for learning during the rest of their lives. A common poem read in Filipino Kindergartens is Ang Aking Alaga (My Pet); a common song, Ako ay May Lobo (I Have a Balloon). Elementary In Grade 1, the subject areas of English and Filipino are taught, with a focus on “oral fluency”. In Grade 4, the subject areas of English and Filipino are gradually introduced, but now, as “languages of instruction”. The Science and Mathematics subjects are now modified to use the spiral progression approach starting as early as Grade 1 which means that every lesson will be taught in every grade level starting with the basic concepts to the more complex concepts of that same lesson until Grade 10. In public schools, the core or major subjects that were introduced starting Grade 1 include Mathematics, Filipino, and Social Studies. English is only introduced after the second semester of Grade 1. Science is only introduced starting Grade 3. Other major subjects then include Music, Arts, Physical Education (MAPEH), and Health, Technology and Home Economics (TLE) for Grade 6, Edukasyong Pantahanan at Pangkabuhayan (EPP) for Grades 4 and 5, Mother Tongue for Grades 1-3 and Character Education (Tangco, 2003). In private schools, subjects in public schools are also included with nal subjects including computer education as a separate subject and Religious schools. 15|Page‘TIME ALLOTMENT Nomenclature/ | eases dana > INO. ote Learning Area Graien Z sad 2 (No. of Minutes 1*Q [2@Q] 3%9 [489 Mother Tongue 50 | 50 | 50 | 50 Filipino - | 30 | 30 | 30 English = |= 30_| 30 Mathematics 50 | 50 | 50 | 50 Araling Panlipunan 40 | 40 | 40 | 40 Music, Arts, Physical Education | 40 | 40 | 40 | 40 and Health (MAPEH) ‘Edukasyon sa Pagpapakatao 30 | 30 | 30 [30 (SP) TOTAL Junior High School Junior high school is attended by children from age 12 to age 16. Students attend junior high school from grade seven until grade 10. They are required to take core curriculum learning areas include languages, literature, communication, mathematics, philosophy, natural sciences and social sciences. Table below shows core subjects of junior high school Senior High School Senior High School is two years of specialized upper secondary education; students may choose a specialization based on aptitude, interests, and school capacity. The choice of career track will define the content of the subjects a student will take in Grades 11 and 12. SHS subjects fall under either the Core Curriculum or specific Tracks. CORE CURRICULUM ‘There are seven Learning Areas under the Core Curriculum. These are Languages, Literature, Communication, Mathematics, Philosophy, Natural Sciences, and Social Sciences. Current content from some General Education subjects are embedded in the SHS curriculum. ‘TRACKS Each student in Senior High School can choose among three tracks: Academic; Technical- Vocational-Livelihood; and Sports and Arts. The Academic track includes three strands: Business, Accountancy, Management (BAM); Humanities, Education, Social Sciences (HESS); and Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics (STEM). Students undergo immersion, which may include earn-while-you-learn opportunities, to provide them relevant exposure and actual experience in their chosen track. 16|Page‘Types of Schools Adhering to Compulsory Education and Senior High School There are other types of schools, aside from the general public school, such as private schools, preparatory schools, international schools, laboratory high schools, and science high schools. Several foreign ethnic groups, including Chinese, British, Singaporeans, Americans, Koreans, and Japanese operate their own schools. Science High Schools Science high schools are special schools for the more intellectually promising students, with the objective of fostering the problem-solving approach of critical thinking. They are separate high schools and not merely special classes in regular secondary schools. As such, they have certain characteristics not found in regular high schools, although any private or public high school can aspire to meet these special minimum standards and be considered as science high schools. ‘The Philippine Science High School System is a specialized public system that operates as an attached agency of the Philippine Department of Science and Technology. There are a total of nine regional campuses, with the main campus located in Quezon City. Students are admitted on a selective basis, based on the results of the PSHS System National Competitive Examination. As well as following the general secondary curriculum, there are advanced classes in science and mathematics. The PSHSS system offers an integrated junior high and senior high six-year curriculum. Chinese Schools Chinese schools add two additional subjects to the core curriculum, Chinese communication arts and literature, Some also add Chinese history, philosophy and culture, and Chinese mathematics. Still, ather Chinese schools called cultural schools, affer Canfucian classics and Chinese art as part of their curriculum. Religion also plays an important part in the curriculum. American evangelists founded some Chinese schools. Some Chinese schools have Catholic roots Islamic Schools In 2004, the Department of Education adopted DO 51, putting in place the teaching of Arabic Language and Islamic Values for (mainly) Muslim children in the public schools. The same order authorized the implementation of the Standard Madrasa Curriculum (SMC) in the private madaris (Arabic for schools, the singular form is Madrasa). While there has been recognized Islamic schools—ie,, Ibn Siena Integrated Schoo] (Marawi), Sarang Bangun LC (Zamboanga), and Southwestern Mindanao Islamic Institute (Jolo)—their Islamic studies curriculum varies. With the Department of Education-authorized SMC, the subject offering is uniform across these private madaris. The SMC is a combination of the RBEC subjects (English, Filipino, Science, Math, and Makabayan) and the teaching of Arabic and Islamic studies subjects. W|Page‘TERTIARY EDUCATION Most institutions of higher learning are regulated by the commission for higher education. Colleges typically offer 1 or more specialized programs while universities must offer at least 8 different undergraduate degree programs in a wide array of subjects and at least 2 graduate programs. Public universities are all non-sectarian and offer a wide-range of programs, with English as a medium of instruction. Public universities are government funded, with the largest, the University of the Philippines, receiving the substantial portion of the annual budget. There are also a number of private tertiary institutions, sectarian or non-sectarian as well as for-profit or not-for-profit. Most private institutions are Catholic non-profit organizations, Most universities offer 4 year degree programs with 2 semesters per year. V. SUMMARY: COMPARISON OF EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM BETWEEN CANADA AND THE PHILIPPINES 1. TRANSITION OF K-12 Canada + Transitioned from a 13-to a 12-year system between 1999 and 2003. The push towards universal full-day kindergarten is being completed in 2015. + Expanded choices emphasizing destinations in a continuously evolving secondary education curriculum; a few innovations are as follows: © Grades 9 and 10 students can choose academic courses (focused more on theory) or applied courses (emphasizing applications). Locally developed courses called essentials courses are also provided in some schools for students who were struggling to achieve graduation requirements. © Grades 11 and 12 students choose from “destination” courses that are intended to lead them to university, college, or work. © Aspecialist high-skills major allows students to complete a minimum bundle of courses in specific high-skills areas such as arts, business, information technology, and construction and manufacturing, © Dual-credit programs allow students to earn several credits toward a diploma through apprenticeship and university courses. © Upgraded graduation requirements. To earn the Ontario Secondary School Diploma students must complete 30 credits of 110 hours each (including 18 required courses), render 40 hours of community involvement, and pass a literacy test (or equivalent course). © Keptteens in school. A Multiyear Student Success Strategy was undertaken to improve student graduation rates due to concern over approximately 30% of students leaving secondary school before completing the program. Seven years later the figure was 17%. 18|PagePHILIPPINES © Added two grades (11 and 12) to secondary education. The program includes core curriculum and specialized studies in four tracks: academic, TVET, sports, and arts and design. * Due to the extension of secondary school by 2 years, colleges and universities will be missing two cohorts from 2016 to 2020, leaving excess capacity in those institutions, which are permitted to offer USS programs. Implemented public- private partnerships in education provision. © About 1 million students received subsidies in 2015 to enroll in private LSSs. Department of Education policy is to enroll, through a voucher program, about 40% of all USS students in private schools or public and private universities that offer the USS program. © Bridged input deficits. Simultaneously with K-12 reform, an intensive program was launched to remedy input deficits in infrastructure and teachers that had accumulated due to decades of underfunding 2. National Curriculum + Canada does not have a national curriculum; rather, the provincial governments are responsible for establishing the curricula for their schools, and each province has its own, ministry-established common curriculum. While the Philippines has a national curriculum developed by the department of education. 3. School Year + Canada generally has 190 (180 in Quebec) school days in the year. Officially starting from September (after labour day) to the end of June (usually the last Friday of the month, except in Quebec when itis just before june 24 - saint-jean-baptiste day/féte nationale du québec). While the Philippines’ length of the School Year is not more than two hundred twenty (220) class days. The school year shall start on the first monday of June but not later than the last day of August before 4. School Hours + InCanada, the school hours has an average of 4.4 hours for primary education, slightly less (4.1 hours) for lower secondary and upper secondary education. While the Philippines has six (6) hours of actual classroom teaching of public elementary and secondary teachers. The specific guidelines to be formulated in the school level for the remaining two (2) hours to complete the eight (8) hour's of work. 19|Page5, distinctions of the educational system of both countries Canada and Philippines Levels CANADA, PH ES Kindergarten | (year) (year) Age: $ years old Age: 5 years old Primary (Grades 1-6) ‘Age: 6-12 years old Tanior High Secondary | (Grades 9-12) (Grades 7-10) Age: 15-18 years old | Age: 13-16 vears old Senior High (Grades 11-12) 17-1 old Certificate Level “Technical - Vocational Tertiary (year) wom eteation TVE) mons) Forma (6 months-3 years) Diploma Level > (hor? years) ‘Advanced Diploma : 3 Bachelor's Degree Bachelor's Degree 4 years (4-8 years Fost Graduate Diploma c 1-2 years Master's Degree Master's Degree ((-2 year’) 2 year) Doctorate Doctorate (4-7 years) 3-5 years) 6. Head of Office by Level Head of Office by Level Level Philippines Elementary Department of Education (DepEd) Secondary Head: Secretary Technical Vocational Technical Education and Skills | Board of Governors Education Development Authority (TESDA) Head: Governor Head: Secretary Higher Education ‘Commission on Higher Education (CHED) Head: Commissioner 7. Head of Office by Jurisdiction on the Basic Education 20| PageHead of Office by Jurisdiction on the Basic Education Jurisdiction Canada National Regional Giy/Provines Division Superintendent Deputy Minister District Municipality [Public Schools Distict | Supervisor School ‘School Head Principal FINDINGS L 2 3. Interms of the transition of K-12, Canada reduced the number Ifyears of basiceducation from 13 years to Canal2 years. In terms of the national curriculum, Canada has a decentralized system while in the Philippines is a centralized education system. ‘The school year of both counties is almost the same which consists of ten months, But the school days in da are less than in the Philippines. CONCLUSION Therefore conclude that the education system of Canada and the Philippines transform their curriculum into K-12. Both of these countries invest in education and maintain a high academic standard. They transitioned into K-12 education, to be able to prepare the students to involve in real-life situations, to prepare different kinds of workers to foster economic growth, and provide students with the skills necessary for entrepreneurship. RECOMMENDATION The researcher would like to recommend adapting the dual credit program of Canada for the Philippines. The dual credit system allows eligible high school students to take college courses. Also, to be able to increase their awareness of the various college and apprenticeship pathways available, 21|PageREFERENCES Canada, NCEE. (2022, January 3). Retrieved January 20, 2022, from hittps://ncee.org/country/canada/#:~:text=Canada%20does%20not%20have%20a,%2C%20 ministry%2Destablished%20common®%20curriculum. Government of Ontario. (n.4.). Curriculum. Untitled Document. Retrieved January 20, 2022, from http:/Avww.edu. gov.on.ca/eng/teachers/curriculum html (Author), D. L. S. (0.4). A comparative study on educational system in Canada and the Philippines. GRIN. Retrieved January 20, 2022, from https:/Avww.grin.com/document/540471 Canada, NCEE. (2022, January 3). Retrieved January 20, 2022, from hittps://ncee.org/country/canada/#:~:text=Canada%20does%20not%20have%20a,%2C%20 ministry%2Destablished%20common®%20curriculum. Education in Canada: Understanding the system. University of the People. (2022, January 5). Retrieved January 20, 2022, from https://www_uopeople.edwblog/understanding-the- canadian-education-systenv Government of Ontario. (n.4.). Curriculum. Untitled Document. Retrieved January 20, 2022, from http:/Avww.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/teachers/curriculum html The K to 12 basic education program: GOVPH. Official Gazette of the Republic of the Philippines. (n.d.). Retrieved January 20, 2022, from https://www officialgazette.gov-ph/k- 1 Philippine curriculum. Department of Education and Knowledge. (n.d.). Retrieved January 20, 2022, from https://www.adek. gov.ae/Education-SystemPrivate- Schools/Curriculum/Philippine-Cumriculum Wikimedia Foundation. (2022, January 17). Education in the Philippines. Wikipedia. Retrieved January 20, 2022, from hitps://en. wikipedia.org/wiki/Education_in_the_Philippines 22|Page