Philippine students last in reading comprehension

[hk blues]

On 12/7/2019 at 7:54 AM, Mike J said:

Is this a public or private school?

It's a private school, Mike.

I fully appreciate there is a variation between public and private schools, and even within both,  but I always take care to avoid generalisations and tarring all parts of the education system with the same dirty brush.  

[hk blues]

3 hours ago, Tommy T. said:

I think, Marvin, it may unfortunately be a bit like I previously described about education here. There is very little money or effort directed to provide text books, computers (or computer time), even notebooks - for the students. As your post notes, there are so many dialects abounding, but teaching is conducted in only a few languages. Here in Davao, in the middle of the Davaoweno language, Cebuano, Visayan and others that you have mentioned, my partner, L, is mandated to teach using Tagalog in her high school. Can you even imagine how difficult that must be for the kids? And, as you also mentioned, there is virtually no "literature" devoted to so many of these "minor" languages.

Lastly, as you also say, the kids are taught in one language (typically Tagalog) in schools, the parents might speak Mandauan yet the most successful language to get ahead here is English with few or no textbooks for learning or reference available? This gives me a headache just contemplating it all!!

Tom, are you sure kids are typically taught in Tagalog throughout the Philippines - my experience says otherwise.  Also, as for English books, the are a multitude available from what i can see.  Maybe I am misreading your final paragraph but it seems to be completely at odds with what I believe to be the case.  Admittedly, I am talking mainly about the private system but that covers a sizeable number of students - 40% of schools here are privately owned. 

[Clermont]

3 hours ago, Tommy T. said:

Here in Davao, in the middle of the Davaoweno language, Cebuano, Visayan and others that you have mentioned, my partner, L, is mandated to teach using Tagalog in her high school. Can you even imagine how difficult that must be for the kids? And, as you also mentioned, there is virtually no "literature" devoted to so many of these "minor" languages.

Tom, your pretty good at butting in and answering posts whether you know what your talking about or NOT. Now it is decreed by law that the national language is English, Tagalog is a native language, teachers teach English in schools, as a cultural learning and they will give lessons in the local dialect. Read the laws of the PI's before you run off at the mouth about teachers, most of us have relations that are involved in the tertiary sect. 

[Arizona Kid]

On 12/6/2019 at 8:29 AM, Tommy T. said:

Sorry for my rant here... But the Philippine school system needs an entire overhaul from the top down - or from the bottom up?

Or visa versa!

[Arizona Kid]

On 12/6/2019 at 8:29 AM, Tommy T. said:

Mike... After observing and listening to L, who is a high school teacher here,  the "gaps" in the education sector here are huge. Teachers and students are not provided with basic materials - textbooks, note pads, pencils, computers... If a teacher wants to display something using a projector, he or she must provide that projector privately. Teachers are expected to teach western style subjects and methods, but are given no teaching aids or real guidance. They also spend 75% of their time filling out paperwork that probably nobody looks at - abstracts about the students and their physical beings, abstracts about student performance and all sorts of other reports.

Added to that, the newer teachers tend to be lazy, I am told. They show up to get a paycheck, then don't spend much time in preparation for classes or actual time for classes. Plus, there are many laws now that "protect" students from teacher abuse. Sure... many of them have reasons because of a few instances of true abuse in the past... But now, when I talk to L on the phone when she is at school, it sounds like a zoo with all the kids yelling and screaming. L is  a strong woman and good teacher, but she is now powerless to control the more unruly students out of fear of losing her job or teaching certification due to any student claiming any kind of "abuse." She has already had to defend herself to some parents when kids claimed abuse and won when the kids finally backed down from their bulls**t claims in the face of other student in classrooms as witnesses.

Sorry for my rant here... But the Philippine school system needs an entire overhaul from the top down - or from the bottom up?

We have discussed this in other threads, so I won't belabour this... The kids here now just mainly learn dancing, singing, partying. Not much English, history, no geography... Only the really gifted or motivated kids or kids in private and dedicated schools have a chance to succeed.

Tommy. You are irritating people tonight. Back off. That's MY job.

[GeoffH]

A cousin of the family is a high school teacher in Ozamiz, she teaches (at that school anyway) in English.  Bisaya is most widely spoken, often children from poor families don't attend school for long and don't learn much English.  Tagalog is not widely spoken in the family even amongst the better educated (SWMBO speaks much better English than Tagalog for example).

[Tommy T.]

13 hours ago, Clermont said:

Tom, your pretty good at butting in and answering posts whether you know what your talking about or NOT. Now it is decreed by law that the national language is English, Tagalog is a native language, teachers teach English in schools, as a cultural learning and they will give lessons in the local dialect. Read the laws of the PI's before you run off at the mouth about teachers, most of us have relations that are involved in the tertiary sect. 

Yeah, Clermont you are right. After this comment, I will shut up... And my apologies to all here...

I will just repeat what I posted earlier...regardless of the laws, the experience here is that my partner, L, is a public high school teacher here in Davao City. Her school tells her that she teaches in Tagalog. That's it. Sorry to irritate everyone here...

Edited December 11, 2019 by Tommy T.

[KC813]

30 minutes ago, Tommy T. said:

Yeah, Clermont you are right. After this comment, I will shut up... And my apologies to all here...

I will just repeat what I posted earlier...regardless of the laws, the experience here is that my partner, L, is a public high school teacher here in Davao City. Her school tells her that she teaches in Tagalog. That's it. Sorry to irritate everyone here...

I frequently deal with Filipino math and science teachers at the high school level, both public and private.  Their descriptions of teaching conditions very closely matches the description you gave in your earlier post.  Oddly, I have never heard of discipline as being a problem, but I imagine that varies from place to place.  The biggest complaint I hear is how difficult it is to be a 'good' teacher when many other teachers and administrators don't even try.

It sounds like your L is one of the especially good ones!

[Snowy79]

At least they can sing , dance and quote from the bible. Who needs education when you have so many festivities to celebrate? 

[Mike J]

Interesting how the posts have been so varied as to which languages were being used for teaching.  I think the reason we are seeing such disparity in posts as regards what language is used for teaching is that the education system is in kind of state of flux or transition to a newer model of education.  The link will take you to "Full text of REPUBLIC ACT NO. 10533 “Enhanced Basic Education Act of 2013″.

A short summary:

Grades Kinder thru grade three will be taught in the "Mother Tongue" of the area.  In addition grades K-3 will have as a subject English and Filipino.  

Grades 4-6 will be a time of transition where classes begin to be taught in English, Filipino.  English and Filipino continue to be taught as subjects.  That act says that the department of education is responsible for developing curriculum for the transition period.

Grades 7 - 12.  Math and science taught in English, remaining classes in Filipino.  English and Filipino continue to be taught as subjects. 

The actual transition from K-10 to K-12 only happened in 2017 so I wonder if other parts of the program are also only be recently implemented.  That would help explain why there are such differences in what language is being used to teach the students.

Here in Moalboal my nephew is now in grade 1.  Kinder and grade 1 were/are being taught in Cebuano with courses in English and Filipino.   Preschool and Kinder were both private and English was taught as a subject.  Starting with grade 1 he is now in public school.  My wife feels his education has been adequate and effective in both the private and public school.  

https://www.officialgazette.gov.ph/2013/05/15/republic-act-no-10533/