On Sen. Angara’s Senate Bill 2312

 Last July, Senator Sonny Angara filed Senate Bill 2312 which seeks to establish a teacher for Achievers Program (TEACH) that aims to produce the best teachers for the public schools in the Philippines.

The said Bill seems to contradict the fact that public school teachers are all qualified, skillful and talented. They have gone to four years study of pedagogy and trainings. Every year they are undergoing In-service Trainings (INSET) to update themselves on the current trends of teaching methodologies and strategies. They even attend masters and doctorate degrees relative to their respective field of specialization. So there should be no question about the qualifications of teachers when it comes to producing quality public school teacher.

There are few things that we need to consider with regards to the declining quality of Philippine education.

Overly Protective Policies. The Child Protection Policy, for instance, which was adopted by DepEd, is a little bit abused by students and parents. They use this law against the teachers especially on the issue of discipline in schools. Due to this, teachers are afraid to scold students if they are misbehaving during classes. 

Mass promotion policy. Under mass promotion policy, the teachers are forced to promote or pass an underperforming student, after intervention and remediations, because of the directives from the DepEd officials or their immediate superiors. This is because of the notion that it will affect the standing performance of a school which is the basis of giving the performance-based bonus (PBB).

Mismatches in the curriculum. Some subjects do not match with the academic strand. For example, in TVL particularly EIM, there are topics like Research II and Inquiries, Investigation and Immersion. In fact, the reason why some students enrolled in that strand is because they cannot easily comprehend the other strands like STEM and HUMSS. The TVL-EIM strand focuses more on skills and on hand practice. 

I believe that these are some of the problems that the Department of Education system should reconsider. 

However, one way to achieve quality education is by relieving teachers from voluminous administrative functions and other ancillary workloads. In this way, teachers can focus more on their teaching functions like preparation of teaching materials, development of intervention or remediation programs, plan their lessons, analysis of academic outcomes, and engagement with learners’ parents or guardians.   

Thus, I think Sen. Angara pushes the wrong bill.

✍️Efren K. Teres 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Lengaoan-Waking ES is renamed Lengaoan-Waking Integrated School

 To bring the school with complete basic education closer to the learners, Lengaoan-Waking Elementary School is now renamed Lengaoan-Waking Integrated School in Bunguias, Benguet by virtue of the unnumbered regional memorandum issued by DepEd Cordillera Regional Director Estela L. Cariño on June 11, 2021. Said conversion into an integrated school was based on the feasibility study conducted by Moresto Angyatao, Head Teacher III, who claimed that there were no secondary schools inside the barangay within the two (2) kilometer radius that would cater to the education needs of school-aged learners. The feasibility further claimed that parents are strongly clamoring for the creation of a Grade 7 at Lengaoan-Waking ES so they would have a closer watch of their children and to make sure they are in school. For this School Year 2021-2022, there are two classrooms available for the 27 Grade 7 students and eight Grade 8 learners, who are expected to be the first products of the said school.   M
Read more

Brigada Eskwela continues amidst COVID-19

 Every Filipino deserves to be educated—to receive a quality education. This contention is highlighted on Article II Section 17 of the 1987 Philippine Constitution, “The State shall give priority to education, science and technology, arts, culture, and sports to foster patriotism and nationalism, accelerate social progress, and promote total human liberation and development.”  The aforementioned statement is a clear proof that Filipino people believe that education is an indispensable tool to the growth of a nation. The Department of Education (DepEd) is married to the dedication of fulfilling this commitment. In fact, DepEd, through the years, has exerted much effort and has devised a number of ways to deliver quality education and to cater the arising needs of every Filipino learner.  However, having encountering similar dilemmas like those of other government agencies, DepEd, at times, has flaws and shortcomings. Giving quality education to every Filipino calls effort, initiative, a
Read more

Bakun District holds ASPUAN di Parentis

  In the pursuit to recognize the contributions  of all stakeholders and to address issues during this school year of Modular Distance Learning, Bakun District holds ASPUAN di Parentis on June 22 at Ampusongan Elementary School covered court with the presence of our Schools Division Superintendent,  Gloria B. Buya-ao and her team. Ma’am Gloria, inspired and  set the mood of the day   as she quoted  the famous statement of Winston Church Hill, “Do not give up.” She also said that we should have an eye of   an artist or sculptor who  will  see beyond and a heart of of an astronaut to teach and touch the future.  We should take challenges as a potential opportunity  to invest in the  child. She then plead to  the stakeholders  that  together, we continue to dream and to find ways.  Meanwhile, Sir Ceasar Luma-ang’s opening statement,”Just entering the gate, you can spell out the kind of leadership the school has”  brought  positive vibes and energy especially to the host school.   He al
Read more