Issues in Philippine

Art Education
 Art educators in the country face an uphill
battle as they navigate the educational system
and its need to prioritize its resources---
often not in favor of the arts. However,
there are other issues facing
arts education in the Philippines,
some of which are much closer to the classroom.
several are discussed here.
 Problems in Artistic Values
The issues discussed hereunder deal with the
attitudes and mindsets of the various participants
in art education regarding the teaching of art in
schools. They are problems of
perspective, which in turn
affect policy, which then affects practice.
Teacher issues
It should come as no surprise that the
teaching as a whole is not the career of choice
for a majority of Filipinos, with many of its practitioners
a victim of the “mag-teacher ka na lang!” mentality in
the culture. Alongside this, art educators in the country
face several self-esteem issues, expressed
through statements like “I’m not talented
enough to be a real artist” or “There’s no money in
the arts, so I teach to make a living.”
 The most immediate issue when it comes
to art educators is the lack of good training.
Teachers by training are specialists, but upon being
employed in the field due to economic reasons,
they are often called upon to teach subjects outside
their specialization, leading to half-baked teaching.
Art as a Subject
Perhaps because of its initial, utilitarian
roots as “drawing” art is still a curriculum
often viewed as a “subject” rather than
self-expression. This results in teaching
of art that is overly academic, focusing
on facts about art rather than practice and
creation of art.
Student Discipline
Many students struggle w/ motivation issues
due to unnecessary vicious cycle of critism family,
peers, and ill-equipped teachers, thereby limiting
their willingness to invest the hours needed to master
the skills needed to create art. Wasteful and neglecting
to store materials properly, and the lack of a general
sense of order and cleanliness both while working
and after working.
Art as a Luxury
The popular view of art in the country is that
It is a luxury- “Pangmayaman lang yan!”
nice to have but not essential to the average
working Filipino. Art is considered a privilege
of the elite- those who do not have to actually
work for a living and can therefore devote the
time, energy, and money needed to participate
to artistic endeavors.
The following are the problems related to physical
Requirements for teaching art and their availability .
Limited Materials- due to lack of adequate support,
art materials are scarce in the average classroom, with
art educators relying on the students themselves
to provide the necessary art supplies.

Workspaces- many schools have no space for art

classes

Management Issues- Lack of awareness of how to manage

and organize an art class to maximize learning
and ensure students’ safety.
Insights…..
Reflect…..
Challenges…..