Webster says that bringing up trainings, instructions given in schools, the principles and the practices in teaching are keys to learning. That is what education foretells.
In the world of erudition today, our country is actually facing a huge challenge which will certainly bring innovation on education in compliance with the rules in global competence and excellence. This is about the crucial certainly that early this year, Mongolia joined the rest of the world after Nepal extending its basic education curriculum from 10 years to 12 years, leaving Botswana and Philippines, the countries which still have basic education curriculum for 10 years.
In the long history of the Philippine Constitution, the Filipino people had used to study their basic education for a total of ten years, which consisted of 6 years in the elementary and 4 years in secondary. Having a new law, which is adding two years, will surely be a momentous change in the lives of the Filipino youth. But as we eagerly comply with the rules through excellence, we can see that there is a great advantage if we go with the trend.
Many students nowadays seem not to be ready to face bigger responsibilities in the world of tertiary education, as also observed by college professors during their encounters with several high school graduates. This resolution will surely reinforce the student’s capabilities to handle bigger responsibilities in college since it was cited that the challenge includes adding two years after the secondary level, which is called pre-university level. This can merely help to develop readiness, for the upcoming college years.
Besides, Commission on Higher Education and Presidential Tasks Force Deputy Chairman Emmanuel Angeles said that the task force is in favor of adding two more years to the current education curriculum, to make the country’s basic education at par with the rest of the world.
On the other hand, former DepEd Sec. JesliLapus, said that adding two years in our education system would cost P30 billion php. With the present situation of our country, right now do you think that government can afford to spend billions of pesos?
In addition, Lapus also said that the current set-up would require the approval of the Congress. It would take years before it will be enacted to law. Instead of adding two years into curriculum, Lapus called for strengthening pre-school education.
This step would increase the number of students making it all the way to college. But this is a solution to our problems in the quality of education we have?
We have two options. We have a great decision to make. In our hands lie the better future of our youth and our country. In the path to find the progress that we hope for, let us start thinking a better solution to our problems on the kind of education we have right now.
By: Julieta D. Vicente | Teacher I | Samal South Elementary School | Samal, Bataan
