Literacy rate in the Philippines has improved a batch over the last few years- from 72 per centum in 1960 to 94 per centum in 1990. This is attributed to the addition in both the figure of schools built and the degree of registration in these schools. The figure of schools grew quickly in all three degrees – simple. secondary. and third. From the mid-1960s up to the early 1990. there was an addition of 58 per centum in the simple schools and 362 per centum in the third schools. For the same period. registration in all three degrees besides rose by 120 per centum.
More than 90 per centum of the simple schools and 60 per centum of the secondary schools are publically owned. However. merely 28 per centum of the third schools are publically owned. A large per centum of tertiary-level pupils enroll in and finish commercialism and concern direction classs. Table 1 shows the distribution of classs taken. based on School Year 1990-1991. Note that the difference between the figure of enrollees in the commercialism and concern classs and in the technology and engineering classs may be little – 29. 2 per centum for commercialism and concern and 20. 3 per centum for technology and engineering.
However. the spread widens in footings of the figure of alumnuss for the said classs. Table 1: TERTIARY ENROLLMENT AND GRADUATION BY FIELD OF STUDY. SY 1990-1991 FIELD OF STUDY ENROLLMENT GRADUATION No. % No. % Arts and Sciences 196. 711 14. 6 29. 961 13. 6 Teacher Training & A ; Education 242. 828 18. 0 34. 279 15. 5 Engineering & A ; Technology 273. 408 20. 3 32. 402 14. 7 Medical and Health – related Programs 176. 252 13. 1 34. 868 15. 8 Commerce/Business Management 392. 958 29. 2 79. 827 36. 1 Agriculture. Forestry. Fishery. and Veterinary Medicine 43. 458 3. 2 7. 390 3. 3 Law 20. 405 1. 5 2. 111 1. 0 Religion / Theology 1. 695 0. 1 209 0. 1 Entire 1. 347. 715 100.
0 221. 047 100. 0 On gender distribution. female pupils have really high representation in all three degrees. At the simple degree. male and female pupils are about every bit represented. But female registration exceeds that of the male at the secondary and third degrees. Besides. male childs have higher rates of failures. dropouts. and repeat in both simple and secondary degrees. Aside from the Numberss presented above. which are impressive. there is besides a demand to look closely and decide the undermentioned of import issues: 1 ) quality of instruction 2 ) affordability of instruction 3 ) goverment budget for instruction ; and 4 ) instruction mismatch.
Quality – There was a diminution in the quality of the Filipino instruction. particularly at the simple and secondary degrees. For illustration. the consequences of standard trials conducted among simple and high school pupils. every bit good as in the National College of Entrance Examination for college pupils. were manner below the mark average mark. Affordability – There is besides a large disparity in educational accomplishments across societal groups. For illustration. the socioeconomically deprived pupils have higher dropout rates. particularly in the simple degree.
And most of the freshmen pupils at the third degree come from comparatively comfortable households. Budget – The Philippine Constitution has mandated the goverment to apportion the highest proportion of its budget to instruction. However. the Philippines still has one of the lowest budget allotments to education among the ASEAN states. Mismatch – There is a big proportion of “mismatch” between preparation and existent occupations. This is the major job at the third degree and it is besides the cause of the being of a big group of educated unemployed or underemployed.
The followers are some of the reforms proposed: Upgrade the teachers’ salary graduated table. Teachers have been underpaid ; therefore there is really small inducement for most of them to take up advanced preparations. Amend the current system of budgeting for instruction across parts. which is based on engagement rates and units costs. This clearly favors the more developed parts. There is a demand to supply more allotment to dawdling parts to contract the disparity across parts. Stop the current pattern of subsidising province universities and colleges to heighten entree. This may non be the best manner to advance equity.
An expanded scholarship plan. giving more focal point and precedence to the hapless. possibly more just. Get all the leaders in concern and industry to go actively involved in higher instruction ; this is aimed at turn toing the mismatch job. In add-on. transport out a selective admittance policy. i. e. . put ining mechanisms to cut down registration in oversubscribed classs and advancing registration in undersubscribed 1s. Develop a rationalized apprenticeship plan with heavy inputs from the private sector. Furthermore. reassign the control of proficient preparation to industry groups which are more attuned to the demands of concern and industry.
