International Journal of Educational Research Open 2 (2021) 100093

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International Journal of Educational Research Open

journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/ijedro

Statutory policy analysis on access to Philippine quality basic education

Joy Molina Mirasol a, Joanne Vivien Belderol Necosia a, Beverly Badajos Bicar a,
Helen Pelandas Garcia b,∗
a
Office of Research, Extension and Innnovation, Bukidnon State University, Philippines
b
College of Business, Bukidnon State University, Philippines

a r t i c l e i n f o a b s t r a c t

Keywords: The Philippine government continues to invest significant resources to improve quality and access to basic ed-
Policy analysis ucation. However, there are gaps in the educational system revealed by trends in the academic performance of
Basic education Filipino school children as measured by the National Achievement Test (NAT) and the Programme for Inter-
Access to quality education
national Student Assessment (PISA) in the last few years. In this study, quality and access to basic education
are explored vis-à-vis three Philippine statutory policies. The Weimer and Vining framework on policy analysis
and the input-process-output (IPO) model were utilized through virtual focus group discussions with key stake-
holders of basic education such as the Department of Education (DepEd), school officials, teachers, and partner
agencies. The findings indicate gaps and problem statements in the formulation, implementation, monitoring,
and evaluation of these policies.

Introduction
Quality education is a pillar of development. When people have ac-
cess to quality education, they can break from the cycle of poverty. The
global poverty rate could be more than halved if all adults completed
secondary school and at least 171 million people could be lifted out of
extreme poverty if all children left school with basic reading skills . Ed-
ucation enables socioeconomic mobility as it provides skills that boost
employment opportunities and individual earnings. It helps reduce in-
equalities, strengthen gender equality, promote healthy activities, and
fosters tolerance between people, thereby contributing to more peaceful
societies (Global Education Monitoring Report Team, 2016)
Education is a human right for all throughout life. However, access
to education must be matched by quality. This is the vision set out by
the United Nations in 2015 when it promulgated the 17 Sustainable
Development Goals (SDGs) as the blueprint to achieve a better and more
sustainable future for all. With SDG 4, “ensure inclusive and equitable
quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all,”
countries expressed commitment with a sense of urgency to a single,
renewed education agenda that is “holistic, ambitious, aspirational, and
leaving no one behind (The Incheon Declaration, 2015).”
In the Philippines, quality education is a pillar of national develop-
ment. The 1987 Philippine Constitution guarantees the right to qual-
ity basic education. Aside from high budget allocation, the government
continuously upscales the educational system to meet global standards.
Despite substantial improvement in terms of access to basic education,
the Philippines faced challenges in several areas of the educational sys-
tem. Access to quality education is an issue with poverty being the
strongest determinant (Maligalig et al, 2010). Children of families in
the lower-income deciles and with less educated household heads are
vulnerable and less likely to attend school. To address this concern, the
Philippine government promulgated several laws such as Republic Act
10533 or the Enhanced Basic Education Law(Republic, 2012), RA 10157
or the Kindergarten Act of 2012 (Republic Act 10157, 2011) and RA
11310 or the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) Act of 2018
(Republic, 2018). The first two laws paved the way for the shift to the
K to 12 Curriculum and promised to “give every student an opportunity
to receive quality education that is globally competitive based on a ped-
agogically sound curriculum that is at par with international standards
(RA 10933).” The third law provided a mechanism for cash grants to
the poorest of the poor provided that children of poor households are
kept healthy and in school.
With these reforms in place, the Philippine government expected im-
provement in the academic performance of basic education learners.
However, results of the National Achievement Test (NAT) say otherwise.
The NAT is taken by Filipino learners in Grade 6, 10, and 12. For the past
three years, the performance of students in the NAT has been steadily
declining, placing them at the “low mastery” or “low proficiency” de-
scriptive level ((DepEd Region, 2019). At the national level, the mean
percentage score (mps) of Grade 6 NAT results in 2016 to 2017 and
2017 to 2018 are 39.95 and 37.44, respectively. The poor NAT results
are seemingly confirmed by the recent ranking of the Philippines in the

∗
Corresponding author at: College of Business, Bukidnon State University, Fortich Street, 8700 Malaybalay, Bukidnon, Philippines
E-mail address: helengarcia@buksu.edu.ph (H.P. Garcia).

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijedro.2021.100093
Available online 11 November 2021
2666-3740/© 2021 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license
(http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/)
J.M. Mirasol, J.V. Belderol Necosia, B.B. Bicar et al.
2018 Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA), the most
famous student assessment worldwide. Based on the PISA released on
December 3, 2019, the Philippines scored the lowest among 79 coun-
tries in reading comprehension. In terms of mathematics and science,
the Philippines ranked second-lowest.
Studies have identified several issues with the implementation of
these reforms. Literature shows misalignment of learning outcomes of
the K-12 curriculum and the perception of stakeholders (Rivera, 2017;
Barrot, 2018; (Trance & Trance, 2019); Relucio & Palaoag, 2018). In ad-
dition, Edna, R. et al. (2018) presented challenges in the implementation
of the K to 12 program such as: a) lack of preparation and professional
development; b) excessive academic burden on students; and c) integra-
tion of lessons in the real-life context. Several issues were also identified
in the implementation of the Kindergarten Law such as too many activ-
ities included in the curriculum guide and non-compliance of kinder
schools on standards indicated by the omnibus policy especially on size
of rooms, location of the kinder building, class size and furniture in the
classroom (Aquino et al, 2017). Finally, implementation of the 4Ps pro-
gram has shown to significantly increase school attendance of students
and diminish dropout rates but there are mixed results for its effect on
academic performance.(Flores et al., 2019).
Most studies on these statutory policies focused only on the conse-
quences of policy implementation and derived data only from the per-
spective of stakeholders directly affected by these policies (teachers, stu-
dents and parents). It is therefore the purpose of this paper to complete
the role played by the policies - from formulation to implementation
and finally monitoring and evaluation - in the academic performance of
learners especially in light of NAT results. By analyzing the implemen-
tation of these state-mandated education policies through the lens of all
primary stakeholders including policy formulators and community part-
ners, the research will be able to establish what went well, what needs
to be done, and how we will achieve sustainable development through
quality basic education.
Objectives
This study analyzes statutory policies on quality basic education us-
ing the Input-Process-Output (IPO) Model. Specifically, the study in-
tends to
1 identify the gaps in the formulation, implementation, monitoring,
and evaluation of relevant basic education policies;
2 formulate problem statements that can be derived from the identified
gaps; and
3 determine changes in the policies as recommendations for basic ed-
ucation in the new normal.
Framework of the study
Policy analysis can be broadly defined as the client-oriented advice
to the policymakers in the public sector and informed by social values
(Weimer and Vining, 2011). Policy analysis is anchored on the ratio-
nal choice theory. Man as a rational being calculates the outcomes of
choices that are aligned with one’s objectives. The policymakers need
an independent study on the policies implemented to ensure that desired
objectives are achieved.
The Weimer and Vining framework on policy analysis consists of
the problem analysis and solution analysis. Problem analysis seeks to
understand the problem of the policy using empirical evidence. Once
the problem is properly defined, the goals of the policies, together with
their constraints, will be properly justified. Finally, solutions are laid out
and are carefully evaluated using the cost-benefit approach. Meanwhile,
the second part of the analysis involves alternatives and their impacts.
The focus of the study is on the problem analysis part, which could be
used by the DepEd, National Economic Development Authority (NEDA),
and Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) as an input
2
International Journal of Educational Research Open 2 (2021) 100093
for consideration in their decision for enhancement of the policies being
studied.
In this study, three statutory policies were analyzed. First, Repub-
lic Act (RA) 10533 or the Enhanced Basic Education Act of 2013 man-
dated the incorporation of two more years of high school to the basic
ten-year education cycle in the Philippines (Republic, 2012). Before its
promulgation, the Philippines was the last country in Asia and one of
the only three countries in the world with a 10-year pre-university pro-
gram (Yap, 2011). Hence, to align the country’s curriculum and meet
the need of the global market where quality education is indispens-
able, the Philippine Education system adapted to a more modern and
dynamic 12-year program. This program aimed to create more skilled
students with basic skills for lifelong learning and employment. Sec-
ond, RA 10157 or the Kindergarten Act of 2012 made kindergarten the
first stage of compulsory and mandatory formal education (Republic Act
10157, 2011). This is a key move in implementing the K to 12 program,
which extended basic education to 12 years. The implementing rules
and regulations of RA 10157 provided that the mother tongue of the
learners shall be the primary medium of instruction for teaching and
learning at the kindergarten level in public schools. Third, RA 11310 or
the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) Act of 2018 institution-
alized a government program that provided conditional cash grants to
the poorest of the poor in the Philippines. The program aims to break the
cycle of poverty by keeping children aged 0 18 healthy and in school.
Households receive cash grants if children stay in school and get regu-
lar health check-ups, have their growth monitored, and receive vaccines
(Republic, 2018). Nine (9) million children are currently benefiting from
the program, 1.9 million of which are in high school. The program has
also achieved almost universal enrollment for elementary-age children
of 4Ps households (World Bank Group 2016).
The Input-Process-Output (IPO) Model is the framework of the
present study. The IPO Model is a functional graph that identifies the
inputs, outputs, and required processing tasks required to transform in-
puts into outputs. The inputs represent the flow of data and materials
into the process from the outside. It reflects the resources, in this case,
the statutory policies, needed from the environment to run the system.
Fig. 1 demonstrates the IPO framework of the study.
Processes are the mediating mechanisms that convert inputs to out-
puts. In this study, these processes include the implementation, moni-
toring, and evaluation of statutory policies vis-à-vis regulatory policies
(DepEd Orders), the tools used in these processes, and the experiences
of key stakeholders. The output is the status of quality basic education
and a policy recommendation as input of NEDA to DepEd.’
Methodology
The paper used the qualitative method of research. The researchers
considered the case of a DepEd division in the province of Bukidnon,
Philippines. Schools were sampled in this division. The roll of schools in
the 2017 to2018 NAT was the sampling frame. This was used as database
because in this NAT Exam, the DepEd Central Office already sampled
the schools which took the exam. The secondary schools in the division
were selected as research sites. Elementary schools adjacent to these
secondary schools were then selected as additional research sites.
The data gathering utilized focused group discussions (FGDs) related
to the policy formulation, implementation, as well as monitoring, and
evaluation. The participants were grouped according to their participa-
tion in the crafting and implementation of the policy. There were three
groups of participants purposively chosen by the researchers. Group 1
was composed of participants who can provide and or interpret the in-
formation about the policies. DepEd division chiefs and an education
supervisor were participants in this group as they are privy to the craft-
ing and implementation of the state policies included in the study. A
representative from the regional office of the NEDA was also invited to
participate in the discussion as this is the primary government agency
tasked with economic development and planning – a process affected by
J.M. Mirasol, J.V. Belderol Necosia, B.B. Bicar et al.
Fig. 1. The Input-Process-Output framework of the study
the quality of education. To complete this group, community partners
were also invited as participants. This included a representative of the
local government unit (LGU) considering that the LGU sits as a member
of the local school board, and a representative from the social welfare
and development office as the primary implementer of the 4Ps law. All
in all, there were six (6) participants from Group 1.
Group 2 consisted of the people affected by the policy. This is rep-
resented by the DepEd’s school administrators and teachers. The contri-
bution of this group provided context knowledge (i.e. potential social,
educational and cultural perspectives) on the identified policies. Partic-
ipants of Group 2 were divided into two sub groups. The first subgroup
was composed of secondary school administrators and teachers whereas
the second subgroup was composed of elementary level administrators
and teachers from the research sites. A total of 35 participants were in
this group. This is composed of nine (9) secondary school heads, five
(5) secondary school teachers, seven (7) elementary school heads and
seven (7) elementary school teachers.
Finally, group 3 comprised of the participants who administer re-
sources related to the policy. The last group was participated by repre-
sentatives of the finance and planning sections of the DepEd division.
The two participants in this group helped the researchers understand the
potential economic and/or budgetary impacts and the legal landscape
of the considered policies. All in all, there were 43 participants in the
FGDs across the three groups.
Each FGD session was conducted via an online conferencing plat-
form since the COVID-19 pandemic limited face-to-face interactions.
There was one session per group but with differing number of break-
out rooms: two for Group 1, four for Group 2 and one for Group 3.
The breakout rooms were used to cluster participants in terms of their
affiliation and role in the policy process. With the use of a validated
researcher-made instrument, the FGD ran for 40 min to an hour. In ad-
dition to the FGDs, the researchers also employed document analysis.
These documents were the RA 10533 or the Enhanced Basic Education
Act of 2013, RA 10157 or the Kindergarten Act of 2012, and RA 11310
or the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) Act of 2018.
The analysis of the data followed the five phases introduced by
(Yin, 2014). These were compiling, disassembling, reassembling, in-
terpreting, and concluding. After the FGDs and document reviews, re-
searchers sort data from source documents according to some order. The
ordered data were broken down into smaller fragments or pieces and as-
signed new labels, which are known as coding. Researchers employed
deductive coding. The initial codes utilized in the analysis were the char-
acteristics of good policy by Greene (2014), which are “endorsed, rele-
vant, realistic, attainable, adaptable, enforceable and inclusive”. The codes
were reassembled and grouped to find relevant meanings through pat-
terns and themes. Matrices were used for the presentation of findings.
Two (2) validations on the identified gaps, problem statements, and pol-
icy recommendations to key stakeholders were conducted. The first val-
idation was conducted with the FGD participants. The second validation
was made through a regional research forum attended by DepEd officials
and administrators, NEDA, LGUs and other stakeholders.
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International Journal of Educational Research Open 2 (2021) 100093
Results and discussions
First and foremost, this study aimed at identifying the gaps in the for-
mulation, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation of relevant basic
education policies. Based on the analysis done, the following gaps were
observed:
Gaps in the formulation of relevant basic education policies
There has been a continuous effort to improve the quality of edu-
cation in the country. The government enacted the RA 10533 or the
Enhanced Basic Education Act of 2013, RA 10157 or the Kindergarten
Act of 2012, RA 11310 or the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program
(4Ps) Act of 2018 to help achieve this purpose. These policies manifest
a pro-active measure for national development to enhance basic educa-
tion. The formulation of these policies was evidence-based following a
top bottom approach. The curriculum and instruction as well as teacher
and learner development were built-in in the statutory policies, espe-
cially on the RA10157 and RA11310. Furthermore, the policies encour-
age partnership and adhere to international standards. However, the
above-mentioned policies show certain weaknesses during the policy
formulation stage, as presented in Table 1.
The information in table 1 presents a gap in policy inclusivity. NEDA,
being the coordinating agency and the oversight in planning, acts as a
secretariat ensuring that the laws are properly communicated and im-
plemented. It created a special committee, the Social Development Com-
mittee (SDC) at the Regional Level, to discuss the issues and concerns
on policy planning, formulation, and implementation. In the case of the
mentioned policies being studied, the DepEd furnished data to the na-
tional agencies as baseline information. However, other stakeholders
like teachers, principals, and parents were not consulted during the pol-
icy formulation.
The participants highlighted the gap in the stakeholders’ consulta-
tion. In the policy formulation, the participatory approach, which was
supposedly used to engage more stakeholders, especially in the design
and formulation of the policy to increase the quality of knowledge in
the policy development process (Bijlsma et al., 2011), was not inclusive
to all stakeholders. The participatory process among the different kinds
of stakeholders and in the different locales could have eliminated the
biases of the policy during the implementation process. In the districts
under study, the participants observed that the Higher Education Insti-
tutions (HEIs’) academic programs were not responsive to Senior High
School tracks and students’ track preferences. These consequences could
have been avoided if the consultation was optimized.
Gaps in the implementation of relevant basic education policies
During the policy implementation, it was evident that there were
series of policy information dissemination to stakeholders through fo-
rums, training, meetings, and issuance of memorandum orders. The ob-
jectives were clearly communicated at levels, and roles and responsi-
J.M. Mirasol, J.V. Belderol Necosia, B.B. Bicar et al. International Journal of Educational Research Open 2 (2021) 100093

Table 1
Gaps in the Policy Formulation of RA 10533, RA 10157, and RA 11310

Theme Description

Policy Inclusivity Limited participation of key stakeholders in policy formulation.

Consultations were done through the Social Development
Committee (SDC) only at the Regional Level.
Participation at the division level was limited to the provision of needed data.
HEIs’ academic programs are not responsive to Senior High School tracks and
students’ track preferences.

Table 2
Gaps in the Policy Implementation of RA 10533, RA 10157, and RA 11310

Theme Description

Adaptability to Exclusion of peculiarities for particular regions/divisions from the policies (i.e., contextualized learning environment and learning materials for IP
accommodate changes schools)
New Normal caused by the pandemic was not anticipated; learning materials are limited.
Policy Inclusivity Cascading of salient features of the policies to some stakeholders (parents, teachers, and learners) is insufficient.
Inadequate support mechanisms to strengthen the partnership between parents and school officials.
Mismatched NCAE results with the Senior High School strands of students.
Realistic Policy Challenges on the communication channels, particularly to remote areas where access to technology is limited.
Meetings initiated by the schools are not a priority to working parents
Attainability for K-12 Curriculum was not responsive to the learners’ needs.
successful Pupils/teachers’ difficulty due to the implementation of the Mother Tongue Instruction on curriculum.
implementation Inadequate mastery on the part of the students for Spiral Curriculum.
Numerous learning competencies are expected to be developed among learners and not focused on the most essential competencies for learners.
The use of task-based rubrics in the grading system allows learners to advance in higher level even when competencies are not fully developed.
Misgivings on the understanding of the “No Filipino Child Left Behind Act of 2010” among stakeholders.
Unintended Effects on Lack of facilities, especially in the Technical-Vocational strand
Resources (Human, Lacking infrastructure, ICT equipment, and internet connectivity resulted in the shifting of classes.
Physical and Finanal) Lack of instructional materials like textbooks
Shortage of teachers for all levels during the first year of implementation. For Kindergarten, there is a dearth of teachers major in Early Childhood.
Autonomy of financial decisions (rests at the national level)
Entailed additional fees that induced dropouts
Out-of-field and mismatched teachers are hired, not addressing the need of the schools.

bilities were articulated. During the pre-implementation phases of the
RA10157 and RA11310, there were series of capability-building activ-
ities or mass training conducted to ensure that teachers, in terms of
curriculum and instruction, were ready. There was also evidence that
the tracks offered in senior high schools were need-based. Furthermore,
there was a strong presence of the support factors like the Local Gov-
ernment Units (LGUs).
Alongside the strong points during the implementation, the partici-
pants also expressed their observations on the weaknesses of the policies
mentioned. Table 2 summarizes the observed gaps of the policies dur-
ing the implementation stage, and these are categorized according to
themes.
Looking at the responses of the participants, the themes which
emerged based on the identified gaps were as follows: adaptability to
accommodate changes, policy inclusivity, realistic policy, attainability
for successful implementation, as well as other unintended effects on
resources.
On adaptability to accommodate change
The implementation of the policies was limited in terms of adaptabil-
ity to accommodate changes. This is crucial considering that the research
sites are inhabited by a great number of indigenous people, and the ma-
jority of learners in both elementary and high schools come from var-
ious cultural backgrounds. The geographical locations of learners are
also relatively challenging since most of these areas are mountainous
and isolated. Thus, the participants expressed their observation on the
generic content of the policy, discounting the unique cultural and geo-
graphic profiles of the region or school division. With the presence of
the pandemic, the DepEd resorted to the use of the modular learning
approach.
On policy inclusivity
There were also apprehensions relating to policy inclusivity. Success-
ful implementation of any policy demands a wide range of dissemina-
tion, especially with those who will implement and are affected by these
policies. Participants revealed that although cascading of policy was
done, the scope was limited since not all stakeholders were reached.
Parental support to the policies was subsequently found to be insuf-
ficient even though these policies were generally accepted by other
stakeholders. Furthermore, some dissonance in implementation was ob-
served, especially in the case of the K to 12 curricula. Completers were
eventually allowed to enroll in higher education programs regardless of
the strands taken in high school.
On realistic policy
In contrast to the construct of ‘realistic policy”, implementation had
bottlenecks when analyzed in the context of the prevailing realities in
the research sites. Accessibility of some areas was found to be a major
hurdle. Options for communication channels to use were particularly
challenging in the remote areas where access to technology is limited or
none. Transparency of feedback was a problem for the decision-makers.
Participation of parents in the learning process also proved to be diffi-
cult, especially among working parents.
On policy attainability
Attainability for successful implementation also emerged as another
theme in the identified gaps. Early on, there were already doubts about
the successful implementation of the policies being studied. Participants
expressed that the k-12 curriculum was not responsive to the learner’s
needs. The emphasis of the observed gaps was on the implementation
of the Mother Tongue-Based Multilingual Education (MTB-MLE) at the

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J.M. Mirasol, J.V. Belderol Necosia, B.B. Bicar et al. International Journal of Educational Research Open 2 (2021) 100093

Table 3
Gaps in Policy Monitoring and Evaluation

Themes Description

Curriculum Updating of curriculum needs to be done regularly.

Quality Sending learners to school cannot be equated to achieving quality education (4Ps).
of Monitoring is done, but the feedbacking system needs to be improved to keep the school heads, and teachers informed about the results.
Ba-
School Supplies and Other Materials Monitoring of the purchased materials and supplies needs to be strengthened.
Teaching
sic Inconsistency of the teaching approaches and delivery of instruction via MTB-MLE affected the NAT results (NAT is in English)
Approaches
Education Limited monitoring tools to assess teachers’ and students’ performance.

primary levels (Grades 1 3) in the context of globalization, the compe-
tencies to be mastered, and the grading system which, accordingly, led
to mass promotion among learners. Meanwhile, the implementation of
the 4Ps increased the number of learners in the classroom, but mere
attendance does not guarantee quality learners.
The RA 10533, RA10157, and RA 11310 intend to improve the qual-
ity of basic education of the country, and during their implementa-
tion, there were unintended effects on resources, particularly the human,
physical and financial. During the early phase of implementing the K-
12 and Kindergarten Acts, the needed facilities like ICT infrastructure
and equipment, instructional materials, and buildings were lacking. The
technical-vocational strand needs laboratories that were not yet materi-
alized in the first five years of implementation. One of the most impor-
tant resources which needs immediate attention is the teachers whose
qualifications matched with the different fields, especially in the kinder-
garten and the different strands in the senior high school.
Policy implementation is a complex phenomenon that can trigger
unintended consequences which have an impact on policy processes and
outcomes (Teddy, 2019). The implementation of the basic education
policies and the 4Ps to increase the number of learners in school does not
guarantee successful quality education. The gaps enumerated in themes
are considered as multiple factors for possible policy failures.
The implementation gaps revealed in the study concur with
Ednave et al. (2018) on the challenges of the K to 12 implementa-
tions, such as the excessive academic burden on students and the lack
of lessons in the real-life context. Earlier, Word bank already recognized
that the Philippine implementation of the k-12 has significant improve-
ments in the learning environment in schools; however, the institution
emphasized to fill in the sufficiency and quality of facilities and teachers
(World Bank Group 2016). Nonetheless, Dizon et al. (2019) expressed
the positive effect of the K-12 implementation of the country to include
the graduates having the ability to become competitive in their field of
specialization with necessary skills and competencies.
Gaps in policy monitoring and evaluation
Monitoring and evaluation of public policies play an integral part
in ensuring that the policies are well-implemented and objectives are
achieved. The gaps in the monitoring and evaluation of the policies be-
ing studies are presented in the following themes: curriculum, quality
of basic education, school supplies, and other materials, and teaching
approaches which are presented in Table 3.
On curriculum
The curriculum as an integral part of education speaks of what and
how to teach. Monitoring and evaluation of the different areas are cru-
cial for quality education. Participants expressed that the competencies
of the students and capabilities of teachers are assessed using standard-
ized tools on a periodic basis, but the competencies for the learners,
especially in grades 1 to 3 were just too many. Some of the interviewees
expressed doubts on the suitability of these tools in assessing mastery
of competencies across levels (e.g., primary level, intermediate level,
middle school, senior high school)
On the quality of basic education
The 4Ps Act aims to help ensure that learners can attend school, and
this is achieved through the help of the elementary and high school
teachers in the monitoring of the attendance. However, attendance as
an indicator was found to be not sufficient to achieve quality education.
There were also observations on the results of the monitoring not being
used for feedbacking and planning which defeats the purpose of the
monitoring and evaluation activities.
On school supplies and other materials
The conditional fund transfer for the 4ps beneficiary supposedly
seeks to support the nutrition and education of the children. Partici-
pants observed that despite the financial assistance, learners still lack
school supplies and materials. Some of them even attend school on an
empty stomach. The presence of pandemic eliminates attendance as a
criterion for the exclusion of the grant. Therefore, there is an increasing
apprehension on whether the fund is utilized as intended.
On teaching approaches
Participants observed that the monitoring tools for teaching effec-
tiveness and efficiency were not sufficient. To cite an example, NEDA
mentioned that there are indicators used to measure the quality of ed-
ucation in the country over the years, like the number of learners and
graduates; however, other indicators like NAT results declined. Simi-
larly, participants expressed that the teaching competencies for both
elementary and high school were assessed using the same instrument.
Thus, the monitoring tools for quality education are limited.
To summarize, the basic education policies, particularly the Kinder-
garten and K to 12 Acts and the 4Ps Act, designed to support the edu-
cation of the marginalized sectors have been implemented for over five
years. The present study was able to determine the gaps in the formu-
lation, implementation and monitoring, and evaluation of the policies
mentioned. The problem statements derived from these gaps provide a
concise description of an issue to be addressed by the policymakers to
improve the quality of basic education in the Philippines.
Among the gaps presented in the policy formulation, implementa-
tion, and monitoring and evaluation, participants felt more difficulties
in the use of Mother Tongue Based Multi-lingual Education (MTBMLE)
in the primary level which created barriers in learning subject matters
delivered in English. Also, during implementation, although, the partic-
ipants expressed their creativity in the delivery of instruction, they felt
that necessary resources such as textbooks, ICT infrastructure and equip-
ment, and Technical- Vocational laboratories be provided. In addition,
both the administrators and teacher participants identified teacher’s
competence as a challenge in achieving quality education in Malaybalay
and Valencia divisions.
Formulation of problem statements based on the identified gaps of
relevant basic education policies
After analyzing the data gathered from the participants, gaps in the
policies under study were identified and the following problem state-
ments were derived:

5
J.M. Mirasol, J.V. Belderol Necosia, B.B. Bicar et al.
Problem statement on policy formulation
The formulation of the K12 Act, 4Ps Act, and Kindergarten Act follows
the typical process in a centralized, bureaucratic government system like the
Philippines. It follows the top-down approach where policies from the central
office are cascaded to the division level. During policy formulation, there is
limited involvement of stakeholders in the consultation process. As a result,
these policies pose a challenge in local contextualization or implementation
of the policy. For example, the divisions used as research sites have stake-
holders with a different demographic profile compared to other divisions. Yet,
the IRRs of these policies may have considered these peculiarities or at least
provided for flexibility and accommodation of local contexts.
The policies, while timely and relevant, do not have provisions in antic-
ipation of crises such as disasters and pandemics. With such a provision, a
course of action for the continuity of learning amid a crisis or fortuitous event
could have been already in place. The role of one major stakeholder of basic
education is not defined in the K12 Act and Kindergarten Act – the role of
the parents. Defining their role in implementing the policy could have been
beneficial in terms of parental support to activities and undertakings of the
school.
Hill and Hupe (2015) emphasized that policy formulation is more im-
portant than implementation as intentions precede the action, and there
is a linear causal logic on goals, instruments, and results. The policies
being studied were formulated at the national level that may face chal-
lenges in terms of consistency because of some degree of political au-
thority (Norris et al., 2014). The stated problem on policy formulation,
when addressed, will create “local universality” (Sausman et al., 2016)
whereby general rules, products, and guidelines will be tailored to local
context such as the Indigenous People of Bukidnon and its geography.
Problem statement on policy implementation
At the onset of implementation of the K12 Curriculum, construction of
infrastructure and hiring the necessary human resources (e.g., subject special-
ists) have yet to be completed. Some teachers needed more capacity-building
activities, especially in terms of pedagogy (i.e., out-of-field teachers). There
were also geographical limitations in the implementation of these policies. For
example, there are schools in far-flung areas that make information dissem-
ination a problem. Moreover, financial decisions rest at the national level,
with the division level just downloading the budget allocated by the central
office.
Responses during the Focus Group Discussion indicate that the K to 12
curriculum remains congested even though it espouses mastery of competen-
cies. The massive number of competencies per subject per grade level poses
a challenge in mastering these competencies. On another note, implementing
the MTB-MLE in Bukidnon is also challenging because the prescribed lingua
franca Sinugbuhanong Bisaya is not familiar to learners and teachers alike.
The learners at the higher levels have difficulty transitioning to English (i.e.,
spelling, vocabulary, phonics, etc.). This is a problem since English is the lan-
guage used to test the competencies in the NAT. Finally, parents need to be
more active in school meetings but measures have to be adopted to consider
the constraints of the working group.
The problem statement on policy implementation integrated all the
gaps recognized in the adaptability to accommodate changes, policy
inclusivity, realistic policy, attainability, and unintended effect to re-
sources. In the principle of continuous improvement, the education of
the country will address issues of quality. However, when addressed, ad-
justments are necessary on the curriculum, human, and infrastructure.
Problem statement on policy monitoring and evaluation
While there is a clear system for monitoring and evaluation, utilization
of assessment data is not observed. This is unfortunate as feed backing with
stakeholders on evaluation results can be improved for policy implementation.
6
International Journal of Educational Research Open 2 (2021) 100093
On the other hand, monitoring tools for basic and secondary education
are similar, and thus, puts constraints on the evaluation of processes unique
to secondary education and those which are peculiar to basic education.
The problem statement covers the gaps in the policy monitoring and
evaluation related to curriculum, quality, school supplies, and other ma-
terials, and teaching approaches.
Policy recommendations for basic education in the new normal
To address the issues on the quality education expressed in the prob-
lems statements on formulation, implementation as well as on monitor-
ing, and evaluation, the researchers proposed the following changes in
the policies as recommendations for basic education.
On Policy Formulation
a Strengthen the consultation process in policy formulation, ensuring
that the varying demographics and context of locales are considered.
The consultation process is a critical stage in policy formulation since
it is in this particular phase that the conditions of communities who
will be most likely affected by the policy will be understood. Looking
into the demographics and the circumstances affecting these com-
munities is essential in ensuring the relevance and responsiveness of
policies to be formulated.
b Typology of basic education schools (e.g., hard posts, IP schools,
Central Schools, conflict-affected and disaster-prone areas, etc.) may
also be considered in the policy formulation. Classifying the schools
in consideration of prevailing disparities (i.e., as in the case of urban
vs rural or IP vs non-IP schools) will help rationalize the formulation
of policies and facilitate the implementation process.
c Consultation with stakeholders can be done at the division level to
ensure that the policy implementers are involved in the decision-
making process. The stakeholders at the division level are familiar
with the challenges confronting them in implementing the policies
formulated by the think-tank of the educational system. Their inputs
during the consultation process can be a rich resource for policy
formulation.
d Strengthen parental support in the policy formulation to create a
sense of ownership; this is critical for successful policy implemen-
tation. Deficits on parental involvement in policy formulation can
have detrimental consequences since parents are in fact the most im-
portant partners of schools in the educational process. Getting them
involved early on will most likely guarantee their involvement in
policy implementation.
e Provision of emergency plans in anticipation of crisis (e.g., disasters
and pandemics) may be made to ensure continuity of teaching and
learning. The recent months revealed the fact that the schools in
the country are not ready to deal with extreme emergencies. While
there had been planned actions for disasters like earthquake and
floods, little has been done in anticipation of large-scale outbreaks
of diseases. The COVID pandemic has shown us the ‘cracks’ in the
school system in this aspect and it is imperative that these cracks are
also covered in policies to be crafted.
On Policy Implementation
a A periodic curriculum audit may be conducted to identify the most
essential competencies needed by the learners so that the cognitive
load of students and workload of teachers might be reduced when-
ever necessary. The results of this study indicated that the curricu-
lum continues to be congested despite the adding of Years 11 and 12
in the curriculum and the result is evident in the poor performance of
students in the recent PISA. Focusing on the essential competencies
as implemented during the pandemic is a prudent decision. How-
ever, there is still a need to conduct curriculum quality audit at peri-
odic intervals to monitor the quality of the learning delivery system
in the context of emerging trends.
b Employ measures to increase parental participation in policy imple-
mentation. The data indicating that a number of factors do prevent
J.M. Mirasol, J.V. Belderol Necosia, B.B. Bicar et al.
the parents from getting more engaged in policy implementation
is concerning since the children’s success in school is a mutual re-
sponsibility of both teachers and parents. Establishing partnership
between schools and parents provides the crucial link for students’
academic success.
c Assess the training needs of teachers, especially the out-of-field
teachers handling Grades 11 and 12. The employment of out-of-field
teachers has helped address the shortage of teachers when the K
to 12 curriculum was implemented. However, this scheme has its
downside when improperly dealt with considering that these teach-
ers’ may have limitations in terms of subject knowledge, experience
or specialization. Provision of trainings addressing these needs will
greatly enhance these teachers’ teaching competencies.
d Rationalize the use of local dialects in instruction to ensure that it
facilitates (not hampers) the acquisition of competencies tested in
the NAT. The mother tongue is a rich resource for facilitating the
acquisition of the required learning competencies as tested in the
NAT. Its potential use in the classroom can be explored further to
optimize its value in the teaching-learning process.
On Policy Monitoring and Evaluation
a Improve the post-monitoring feedbacking system to ensure that ap-
propriate decisions can be formulated by the concerned offices. The
purpose of securing post-implementation feedback is crucial in im-
proving subsequent implementation of plans. The utilization of the
obtained data in this process can greatly help the policymakers in
coming up with informed decisions.
b Recalibrate the monitoring tools to suit the unique needs of the el-
ementary and secondary schools based on typology. The quality of
monitoring tools to be used in schools has serious implications to the
quality of data to be obtained. It is therefore important to maintain
its relevance, validity and reliability in shaping decisions.
Considering the recommendations presented above, the agencies
concerned may incur costs associated with the changes. The recom-
mendation on increasing participants during policy consultation may
incur various administrative costs such as but not limited to communica-
tion, additional workforce to deliver clerical and research works, travel
and transportation, meals and allowances, and consultation venues. The
agency may also allocate remuneration of the participants as the case
may be. In aggregate, the total cost is directly proportional to the num-
ber of participants in different regions.
If typology of basic education schools is applied, the agency might
consider providing infrastructure such as classrooms, ICT facilities, ad-
ministrative buildings, laboratories, libraries, and support services fa-
cilities. In addition, the recommended policy requires an increase in
the provision of Maintenance and Other Operating Expenses (MOOE)
as deemed necessary. Each school typology will be complemented with
an appropriate number of teaching and non-teaching personnel. This
personnel should be well-equipped with the necessary skills and com-
petencies through training and other capability building mechanisms to
deliver the desired outcomes.
The recommendation on the provision of emergency plans for the
continuity of teaching and learning during disasters and pandemics may
require cost in the formulation and distribution of the manual of opera-
tion. Although achieving resiliency is a long-term process, the buildings
and school sites may be reassessed for renovation/construction or relo-
cation. There is also a need to provide safety equipment, materials, and
supplies for all personnel. Furthermore, the department need to train
more personnel to spearhead the disaster risk reduction. All personnel
and learners should also receive disaster training.
Depending on the emergency plan developed, alternative modes of
instruction should be given consideration. This also means an additional
provision in the capital outlay such as ICT, production printers, and
other equipment to ensure learning continuity. Curriculum audit may
require training on the audit team or committee. The training cost is
7
International Journal of Educational Research Open 2 (2021) 100093
dependent on the length, the number of trainees and curriculum to be
examined, the resources to be used and the resource person. Curriculum
audit may also require instruments. The design and production of these
instruments entail additional costs. The agency may also look at the
possibility of hiring competent personnel in this area to avoid multiple
designations and overlapping of activities. The audit interval has to be
carefully studied because the frequency is equated to additional cost.
If the role of parents will be properly defined during the implemen-
tation of policies, there is a need to design, formulate, produce and dis-
tribute a parents’ guide and also requires training of parents. All costs
associated are proportional to the number of students.
The monitoring tools are deemed useful. If properly designed and de-
veloped, the benefits will outweigh the cost incurred. Costs associated
may include training of personnel involved in the design and develop-
ment, the fees on the test of reliability and validity. The agency may
also consider the printing, handling, and delivery cost during the imple-
mentation of the monitoring tools. The assessment of the training needs
of the out-of-field teachers varies. This may require training needs in-
strument. The instrument will be designed and developed by competent
personnel, and DepEd may hire or capacitate its human resource for this
purpose.
The rationalization of the use of local dialects in instruction may re-
sult in the obsolescence of the Instructional Materials (IMs). Thus, costs
associated with the reconstruction, printing, and distribution of IMs may
be made available. There is also a need to train all teachers in Kinder-
garten to Grade 3 and MOOE will be affected or realigned.
Conclusions
This paper conducted an evidence-based root-cause analysis on the
poor performance of learners in the National Achievement Test in basic
education in the Philippines as well as in the Program for International
Student Assessment. The analysis focused on the aspects of policy for-
mulation, implementation as well as in the monitoring and evaluation
phases of policies implemented in the Department of Education in sup-
port of the teaching-learning process. The findings indicated that policy
formulation can still be improved by enhancing the consultation process,
ensuring the participation of stakeholders in the implementation phase,
addressing the varying needs of schools, optimizing the use of mother
tongue, and strengthening the use of the feedback mechanism. Most im-
portantly, this paper highlights the necessity of formulating policies in
anticipation of emergencies such as the COVID-19 pandemic.
Declaration of Competing Interests
None.
Acknowledgement
The researchers acknowledged the significant contribution of the
DepEd Region X and divisions of Malaybalay and Valencia Bukidnon,
National Economic Development Authority Region X, Local Government
of Malaybalay and Valencia City Bukidnon, Bukidnon State University
and other State Universities and Colleges in Region X in the conduct of
the study.
Funding
This work is locally supported by the Bukidnon State University
through its research funds.
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