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Chapter II

REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE AND STUDIES

This chapter presents an overview of literature pertinent to this study. It is

focused on the ideas and studies that strongly support this research work. This also

includes the definition of terms and the formulated hypotheses of the study.

P’noys Ten Point Agenda in Basic Education

12-year Basic Education Cycle (K+12)

The K to 12 Program covers Kindergarten and 12 years of basic education (six

years of primary education, four years of Junior High School, and two years of Senior

High School [SHS]) to provide sufficient time for mastery of concepts and skills, develop

lifelong learners, and prepare graduates for tertiary education, middle-level skills

development, employment, and entrepreneurship. In this program, the president said

that he will expand the basic education cycle, from a 10-year cycle to a globally-

comparable 12 years, for our public school children. Thus, at present, those who can

afford basic education get into the best universities and the best jobs after graduation.

Universal Preschooling for All

Pre-Kindergarten (Pre-K) programs have received considerable attention in

recent years as an avenue for providing child care and promoting school readiness.

Almost 40 states currently fund Pre-K programs; over 800,000 children were enrolled

nationwide in 2004-2005. Compared to just a decade earlier, this is more than a twofold

increase in the number of children in state subsidized preschool. Most of the ongoing

programs target children were in low income families.

In this agendum, all public school children will have preschool as their

introduction to formal schooling by 2016, and he will make this available to all children

regardless of income. With regards to pre-schooling, I think this program was

implemented already by previous administration. We had already our Day Care Centers

managed by Day Care Worker. This program is under the Department of Social Welfare

and Development (DSWD) with the Municipal Nutrition Action Officer (MNAO) as the

head of the Day Care Workers (http://eduphil.org).

Madaris Education (Madrasah) as a Sub-System within the Education System

President Noynoy Aquino wants full basic education for all Muslim Filipino

children. According to him, this is to give proper respect to their culture while providing a

sound curriculum in English, Filipino, Science, and Math. Madaris education, with

subjects in Arabic language and Islamic Values Education, can be integrated in our

public school curriculum as additional subjects. Thus, we can make sure that everyone,

not just the majority, improves and steps up.

Technical Vocational Education as an Alternative Stream in Senior High School

Its primary goal is to provide high school graduates with opportunities to acquire

certifiable vocational and technical skills that would allow broader options in pursuing

their post-secondary career whether this is a college education, short term technical

courses, entrepreneurship or apprenticeship leading to eventual formal imployment.

There is a need to develop diverse multiple links and mutually beneficial strategic

partnership with the industries and other relevant partners to enhance technical skills
 5

advancement towards integrated skills development, honing of talents, up-skilling, and

multi-skilling of graduates, employment/entrepreneurship, work force mobility and entry

in higher education. That’s why the president reintroduces technical-vocational

education in our public high schools to better link schooling to local industry needs and

employment. We need to provide an educational alternative to better prepare the

students for the world of work. Moreover, students in technical vocational education are

also being exposed to the actual technical aspects of the different technical vocational

specializations and latest types of products/technology produced in the industry. It also

provides them with the opportunity for career exploration or contact with potential

employers for future employment. Similarly, the industries are also the beneficiaries of

the partnership as they are given the opportunity to know and identify potential recruits

possessing high quality skills. Thus, this will minimize job skills in addressing

underemployment and unemployment.

“Every child a reader” by Grade 1

At the core of our children’s non-learning problems is the inability to read

properly. By the end of the next administration (SY 2015-16), every child passing pre-

school must be a reader by Grade 1. It is the responsibility of the parents to teach their

children how to read while at home. Modesty aside, our parents taught us how to read

when we were still young even if they were just both an elementary graduate. In other

words, the parent’s role is to teach their children the very intrinsic/concrete foundation of

knowledge especially in reading so that when they enter schooling, it will not be so

crucial for them to read and for the teachers to mainly teach the learners as well.
 5

Science and Math Proficiency

Our President is also planning to rebuild the science and math infrastructure in

schools so that we can produce more scientists, engineers, technicians, technologists

and teachers in our universities so that this country can be more globally compatible in

industry and manufacturing. To build a culture for science and math is to promote

science and math clubs and fairs as well. Further, math periods significantly expanded

in length and advanced in lessons. The same happened with the science subjects. If

this would also implement, through one way or another, to other schools, we would

really produce more engineers and scientists.

Assistance to Private Schools as Essential Partners in Basic Education

The President is also planning to expand government assistance to private

education. A strong private school system will strengthen our public schools by

providing parents an alternative and not adding to the overcrowding. One concrete

example is the Fund for Assistance to Private Education (FAPE). They have this

program Educational Service Contract (ESC). A student in a private school can apply as

ESC Scholar provided that he or she deserves to become a scholar. In other words,

his/her academic records are good. According to him, no grade below 80% is one of

their requirements. another as well as the Income Tax Return (ITR) of the parents.

Medium of instruction
 5

President Aquino wanted the Philippines to become a trilingual nation: Learn

English well and connect to the world. Learn Filipino well and connect to our country. He

said: “Retain your dialect and connect with your heritage.”

Taking into consideration that definitely not all countries speak Filipino, P.Noy's

8th proposition makes a lot of sense. If we improve our English, communication

between other countries and the Philippines would be clearer and they don't have to

decipher our intelligible carabao English. Also, we don't have to act like ignorant fools

while trying to understand their language. With stronger ties with foreign nations, our

economy also has a chance of rising back to its former glory through the possible aids

that they can offer.

Quality textbooks

As everyone knows, students depend on not just their teachers for knowledge

and information, but on their books as well. If a school book gives off wrong information,

then of course the student (and maybe even the teacher) wouldn't be gaining anything

at all. In fact, it would even do the exact opposite. So, through the three criteria P.Noy

has set- quality, better quality, and more quality, textbooks shall never again fill anyone's

mind with erroneous knowledge, misleading spelling and stupidity. It would also be

difficult if the books that are present in the school are old and obsolete because the

information that will be imparted to the learners and the teachers as well is also out-

dated. But through the different foundations, schools were given opportunity to have

new and updated books that are very useful to the learners and the teachers.
Books for Asia, a program of The Asia Foundation, regularly distributes books

and other reading materials of all educational levels to 18 countries. Since it was first
 5

started in 1954, Books for Asia has distributed nearly 45 million books and journals to

more than 50,000 academic and non-academic institutions throughout Asia. In the

Philippines alone, Books for Asia has distributed nearly 14 million books and journals to

public and private institutions across the country, contributing to national development,

international understanding, and English-language literacy. Donations of books for this

program are made possible through the tax-deductible contributions of American

publishers. At present, Books for Asia Philippines provides basic texts and

supplementary reading materials for pre-schools and elementary and high schools;

collections for university law schools and business programs; and resource materials for

nongovernmental organizations. The donations cover a variety of fields, including

governance, health, environment, information technology, social science, and

international relations, and vary from year to year.

Covenant with the Local Governments to Build More Schools

President Noynoy Aquino is planning to build more schools in areas where there

are no public or private schools in partnership with local governments, as well address

our persistent classroom and teacher shortages. We need more schools with smaller

populations so that teachers, students and parents can form a real learning community.

This time, there is now a Local School Board (LSB) with the District Supervisor as the

Chairman and the Municipal Mayor as the Co-Chairman or vice versa. This makeshift

school schedule really doesn't give public school students as much knowledge as it

could have, so the workers of tomorrow wouldn't have much of a foundation especially

when considering the fact that most may not go to college. Through building more
 5

schools, more students could be accommodated and they would have a complete whole

day class schedule; more productive Filipinos in the future indeed.

Despite the minor holes in this promising list (mostly with the 12 year educational

cycle), this could really change the Philippines if most of them actually gets

accomplished. In this way, we can improve our educational system and elope from

deteriorating quality education.

Definition of Terms

Terms used in this study are defined conceptually and operationally for clearer

and better understanding of the reader.

Effectiveness. Producing or adapted to produce the proper result; being forced

as in law; producing a striking impression as a speaker.

For this study, this pertains to the impact of each agendum to teachers’

perception on the effectiveness of P’noys ten point agenda in basic education.

Agenda/Agendum. A list of things to bedone; esp., a program of business at a

meeting.

For the purpose of this study, this refers to the different ideas and views about

teachers’ perception on the effectiveness of P’noys ten point agenda in basic education.
 5

Perception. Prototypically, this define as immediate or intuitive recognition or

appreciation, as of moral psychological, or aesthetic qualities; insight; intuition;

discrernment(http://dictionary.reference.com).

Operationally this refers to the idea and standing of grade school teachers in

Upper Tambler I Central Elementary School in the perception of declining quality

education.

Fatima Central Elementary School. This refers to the public school located at

Uhaw, Barangay Fatima, General Santos City.

References

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College: A Case Study. National Center for Public Policy and Higher Education.
Washington, DC.

Gormley, W.T., Phillips, D., & Gayer, T. (2008). Preschool programs can boost school
readiness, Science, 320, 1723-1724.

Henry, G. T., L. W. Henderson, B. D. Ponder, C. S. Gordon, A. J. Mashburn, and D.

Larsen, J. M., Hite, S. J., & Hart, C.H. (1983). The effects of preschool oneducationally
advantaged children: First phases of a longitudinal study. Intelligence, 7, 345-352.

Maria Donovan Fitzpatrick, 2008, “Starting School at Four: The Effect of Universal
Pre-Kindergarten on Children’s Academic Achievement, SIEPR Discussion Paper No.
08-05 2008.

Murnane R. J., J. B. Willett, F. Levy. (1995) The Growing Importance of Cognitive

Oreopoulos, P., M. Page, and A. Stevens. (2006) “Does Human Capital Transfer from
Parent to Child? The Intergenerational Effects of Compulsory Schooling” Journal of
Labor Economics, 24(4):729-760.

Rouse, C. E., & Barrow, L. (2009). School vouchers and student achievement: Recent
evidence, remaining questions. Annual Review of Economics, 1, 1-36.

---- (2010) Covenant with Local Government to build more schools.