The great divide

(Although written more than seven years ago,and some circumstances have already changed but I think the truth in this article still rings to this day.) It had been quite some time that I was able to fill this column. Reason is I had been very busy in my profession as a teacher. After almost five years of experience as a private school teacher, I am now in the public school. After more than three months in the public school, I can’t help but compare it to the private schools I had worked with. It was here where I saw the great divide between those children “who have” and those “who have nots” in life. When I came to public school, the room assigned to me has a leaking roof. Everytime it rains, my pupils ready the buckets and the mop. While I am having my lecture, one pupil has to mop the floor or else we will be walking in a slippery wet floor. As cleaning materials, we have a handful of old brooms and a dust pan without a handle. That means I have to buy the needed materials in order to maintain the cleanliness of my classroom. Books? What books? Oh! I forgot, we do have a book- the only one. As in only one for thirty eight pupils in our Science subject. Four Reading Books and well, at least half of the class have books during Filipino and English. Well, one good way to teach them the value of sharing huh?. Of course, in private schools the school’s administration provides the facilities and the needed repair of rooms. The children even have their own books and workbooks. In private schools, most children don’t just have bags but they use trolleys. Because their school materials are heavy for them to carry on their backs. While with my pupils right now, I should already be thankful everytime half of the class brings their notebooks with a pencil. Most of them can’t even afford to buy decent clothes for school. Some of my pupils have to wear tattered clothes in school. However, I never have any regrets being in a public school. Why should I? It was here where I discovered that teaching is more than earning money but a calling. A calling to serve those who have less in life. Teaching is indeed a noble profession, much nobler if you dedicate it to those who can’t afford an education with complete classroom facilities, books and learning materials. I would like to express my thanks to the administration of Altavas Elementary School because of their help that I was able to adjust quickly in the public school. To Sir Rolando Doroteo, our Principal, the heads of the different departments, my co teachers and of course, my pupils. This space would also like to take this opportunity to call the attention of the DepEd and national government officials to do something to improve our system of education. If they envision a Cyber Educated populace in the future, perhaps it could be a better start if we repair the roofs of classrooms and provide more books to our learners. Have a merry Christmas and a prosperous New Year everyone. *** (Comments and suggestions? Email to nailbite3@yahoo.com.)

If my looks could kill...

“Frail thin as if dying like Palito!” This was a description I can very well remember by the bully boys back in high school. Now, I’m out of high school. Out of college and as a matter of fact got a job – but still frail thin as if dying like Palito. My perhaps frail brain once wondered. What if I have the looks and body of a famous movie star? Like Sam Milby or Piolo Pascual, would those boys still bully me and call me names in front of amused girls? I doubt they will envy me from head to toe. If ever I got the looks of a combined Piolo and Sam, for sure I’ll kill those bullies by just looking at me. Obsessed with getting a six pack abs like the models in MensHealth and other glossies, I browsed the net for practical tips for body building. All I got? Rigid discipline in hitting the gym and vitamins that costs as heavy as a 200 pounds barbell. Obviously are tips that are not practical in my case. Nuts! Would I really spend that much for a body that I perceive everyone would envy? Then it hit me like a dumbbell that fell on my foot-never would I kill my pocket just to get the looks that would kill in envy those bully boys. Frail thin and dying like Palito I may be, but I believe my eyes are seductive more than Brad Pitt has which those bully boys back in high school never have. *** This short feature won 1st place for Feature Writing (English) School Paper Adviser Category during the 2007 Regional Training of School Paper Advisers and Campus Journalists held at Punta Villa resort, Arevalo, Iloilo City, Philippines on September 5-6, 2007.

Unemployment and the K-12 curriculum

The school year 2013-2014 have just opened and came with it are the usual woes of teachers, learners and parents. As an educator, I just can’t help but reflect on the current state of Philippine education. First on my list is the K to 12 curriculum.

Recently, the Philippine Government’s Department of Labor and Emploment (DOLE) announced that unemployment is a result of mismatch between jobs available and the skills of Filipino graduates. Last year, 2012 National Statistics Office (NSO) data showed that almost eight of every ten unemployed were able to finish high school, college and some even have post graduate studies!

However, IBON, an independent think tank, their research found that unemployment is rising because employment is scarce. It is not the disparity between school curriculum vs. jobs availability.

Unemployment can also be attributed to the country’s weak industrial sector. If there are plenty of domestic manufacturing in the country, these could create enough jobs, unfortunately this is not the case.

Although the government’s barkers keep on telling the public though the mass media that everything is being addressed, those words are not felt much on the ground level. Well, there’s only one excuse that we had been told and they kept on telling us, “everything don’t happen overnight”.

Doing lip service on the part of the government is not helping at all. Glorifying the education sector workers, especially the teachers through mass media but not doing everything to improve their plight is hypocritical.

The K to 12 curriculum should also focus in equipping students with the skills to develop our country. It is obvious that with the present K to 12 curriculum, it is aimed at answering the need of providing work force for the global market. K to 12 should be developed to harness the creativity of the learners to build new technology and help the country’s industry. New industries mean new jobs and thus solving the country’s unending unemployment predicament.

But for now, we can all cross our fingers and hope for the better.  

Hello people.. it's been a long time that nobody had read this blog. The administrator is busy. But for awhile, followers of this blog will read an article from a good friend and a prolific blogger, Jessie S. Flores. His articles can be read here: http://globalteachersnetwork.weebly.com/. Enjoy!

Mother Tongue Based Education and its weaknesses

Jessie S. Flores

So it is the opening of the school year 2012-2013, and everyone in the teaching field are astonished by the speed  of implementing the mother tongue-base d education in  public schools.

So what is this MTBMLE (Mother Tongue-Based Multi-Lingual Education ) all about for the hoi poloi? MTBMLE is the use of mother-tongue or the first language of the child as a tool for instruction. We are used to English and Filipino as mediums of instructions here in the Philippines. 

This MTBMLE is based on the Executive Order No. 210, Strenthening ESTABLISHING THE POLICY TO STRENGTHEN THE USE OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE AS A MEDIUM OF INSTRUCTION IN THE EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM signed by the then President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo. 

We have the legal basis, and we have the funds, but what are the weaknesses of its implementation this school year?

The very first weakness is that the new curricula for Kindergarten and Grade 1  First of all, the Kindergarten and Grade 1’s new curriculum integrates the first language learned by the child as subject and medium of instruction. The poblem with this is that teachers are gathered in mass trainings, who are trained by instructors who themselves are not much familiar with MTBMLE concepts. So far there was no systematic evaluation and assessment undertaken for the 921 MTBMLE pioneer schools.  

The risk that the Department of Education took in the willy-nilly approach in implementing MTBMLE hopefully can stand on its own. This MTBMLE will take time for sure to be implemented successfully. Preparation of materials alone should take at least a year and should be developed with the community, and not just by teachers alone. Lack of sufficient materials will hinder the success in the implementation of MTBMLE. 

If the purpose of of the grueling schedule that DepEd has imposed on itself in implementing MTBMLE is to show tangible developments during the term of office of President Aquino, then let us just hope for the best. 

In order to ensure success for MTBMLE, there should be an investment of research and campaigns on the part of the department. There should be a region-specific data on exam performance, dropout, retention before education programs are implemented. In the case of MTBMLE, the data should be credibly linked to highlights and sidelights of failures and successes of monolingual approach to learning.  Parents awareness should also be given focus. We should also learn from other third world countries that had used MTBMLE and let us learn from them.   

With the opening of the school year, we just have to keep our fingers crossed and hope for the best that this  MTBMLE implementation will be a success, despite its weaknesses.

(The author is presently a Secondary School Principal in Aklan, Philippines. He describes himself as a writer, an educator, learner, professor, knowledge seeker. For comments and reactions, please connect to jefloprin143@yahoo.com.)

Guys, if you want to read some of my Akeanon poems, here's the link: http://bueabodalc.blogspot.com . It is maintained by Mel Cichon, Aklan's leading authority in Akeanon lit. Thanks!

National Artist for Literature Dr. Bienvenido Lumbrera and Antoniño F. Tolentino during the Pambansang Palihan sa Pagsasaling Wika, a national workshop aimed at training translators of local or regional literature into the Filipino Language. The said workshop is sponsored by the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) and UP Visayas Sentro ng Wikang Filipino.

Monica Ureta, Project Coordinator of NBDB and Dr. Elena Cutiongco, Reading Workshop Speaker awards the Certificate of Recognition to Mr. Antoniño F. Tolentino during the Booklatan sa Aklan, a national workshop for library management, reading and storytelling. Booklatan sa Aklan aims to improve the appreciation of reading among Aklanons was held in Aklan state University, Banga Campus.

Speakers and guests from the National Book Development Board (NBDB) were toured in Sampaguita Gardens in New Washington, Aklan. (From Left standing; Jessie Garcia, teacher from Solido Elem. School; Antonino Tolentino, teacher from Altavas Elem. School; and Glenn Malimban, OIC Project Director of NBDB. (From Left sitting; Randolf Yanza, Storytelling Workshop Speaker; Dr. Elene Cutiongco, Reading Workshop Speaker; Monica Ureta, NBDB Project Coordinator; and Jessie Flores, Principal II of Madalag National High School.

OFFICERS OF DIVISION ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY SCHOOL PAPER ADVISERS' ASSOCIATION for school years 2008-2010.