The strong and resilient economic growth and development in many Asian countries even during the world financial crisis in the late 80’s and in the 90’s attracted many economist to try to identify the cause of such growth. The Philippines is one these countries that has weathered the economic crisis, consistently performed favorably and has gained positive reviews the past several years from different international business and financial sectors.
Even with the positive performance rating the country is receiving, the challenges of the “new economy” propel the Philippine Department of Education (DepEd) to introduce a major reform in 2010, the K-12 Basic Education Program. This paper explores the influence of neo-progressivism or the new human capital theory in the formulation of this reform and some of its features.
Education is everyone’s business
“Education is everyone’s business.” This is the slogan of the Philippine Business for Education (PBEd). From their website- “PBEd is the business community’s response to the need for consensus and sustained advocacy in education reform. It aims to become the voice of the business community. The purposes of PBEd will be to nurture consensus on key directions in education reform and to initiate and lead the actions towards those directions.” (http://pbed.ph/pages/what-is-pbed)
A closer look and you will find that PBEd’s 23 board of trustees are among the top businessmen in the country and it’s 27 corporate members are from the top companies in the Philippines. In a statement released by PBEd calling on all business communities to support government’s K-12 program, it says:
“Certainly, with K+12, business shall be able to open its doors to hiring high school graduates as is the practice in almost all other countries in the rest of the world. Consequently, K+12 also further opens up doors to global opportunities for our young Filipinos.” (http://former.deped.gov.ph/cpanel/uploads/issuanceImg/PBEd%20Calls.pdf)
The huge interest, involvement and full support that the business sector is giving to this reform is undeniable. Never has any reform been able to bring the business sectors together with the pledge for a long-term commitment in the implementation and to ensure success of the current reform. This is just an example of the strong participation and influence of the business sector in the shaping of the new educational reform in the country.
The Philippine government in its published briefer on the K-12 recognizes the role of education at a micro-level as individual person benefits from a higher income and at a macro-level as it projects increased growth of the national economy. Studies in the Philippines have shown that an additional year of schooling increases earnings by 7.5%.
Studies validate that improvements in the quality of education will increase gross domestic product (GDP) growth by 2% to 2.2%. (http://www.gov.ph/2010/11/02/briefer-on-the-enhanced-k12-basic-education-program/)
Challenges in Philippine Education
The country faces serious issues that has plagued the education system for decades. The major problem is the deterioration of the quality of education that remains unresolved for so long and this is acknowledged by educators, economists, legislators and the public.
Proof of this is the Filipino students’ performance in Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS). The Philippines ranked a dismal 23rd in performance out of 25 countries in Grade 4 Math and Science, 34th out of 38 countries in High School Math; 43rd out of 46 countries in high school science (TIMSS 2003). In 2008, the Philippines ranked 10th out of 10 countries in advanced math.
There are other challenges like high drop-out rates, unemployment, underemployment, huge disparity between the job available and skills of the laborers. The Philippines is also lagging behind neighboring countries by being the only one with the ten-year cycle.
The K-12 Program
The Department of Education (DepEd) addresses the problem through the introduction of universal kindergarten and increasing primary and secondary education to 12 years.
K-12, patterned after US, Canada and Australia, is an archetype of that of the west. But two features in the curriculum that I would like to highlight that is taken from the official gazette of the Philippine government. These are the adaptation of spiral progression in teaching Math and Science to ensures seamless and integrated learning, and the nurturing of holistically developed Filipino (college and livelihood readiness, 21st century skills). Through the K-12 program, every graduate will be equipped with: information, media and technology skills; learning and innovation skills; effective communication skills; and life and career skills (http://www.gov.ph/k-12/#Features).
From its published curriculum guide DepEd wrote, “the goal of K-12 Basic Education Program Curriculum is geared towards the development of a holistically developed Filipino with 21st century skills (bold letters not mine) who is ready for employment, entrepreneurship, middle level skills development and higher education upon graduation from Grade 12” (http://www.slideshare.net/marcomed/deped-k-to-12-curriculum-guide slide no.9)
The above features correlates clearly to what “modern growth theory” emphasizes as characteristics and skills needed in the “knowledge economy” like innovation and knowledge creation, developing life-long learning, creativity, problem solving and entrepreneurship. Technology, science and mathematics are taking on a new significance because of the problem solving skills and thinking skills rooted in these subjects. These skills are foundation for economic growth and embedded in the new curriculum reform.
Kennedy (2005) “Modern growth theory…points to the need to have people with certain kinds of skills and attributes if the economy is to be stimulated and economic growth is to continue. It is the human factor in economic growth that is the most significant feature of modern growth theory. In the new economy people need to be creative, problem-solving, innovative and entrepreneurial because they are the very qualities leading to new ideas and it is ideas that lead to innovation and subsequent growth.” (p.13)
Again, from the official gazette issued by the office of the President of the Philippines, in response to the question what will society gain from K-12, enumerates the following benefits: K-12 will facilitate an accelerated economic growth, it will facilitate mutual recognition of Filipino graduates and professionals in other countries, a better educated society provides a sound foundation for a long-term socio-economic development, and increase GDP by as much growth as 2% (http://www.gov.ph/2010/11/02/briefer-on-the-enhanced-k12-basic-education-program/).
To support this rationale, DepEd explains how Filipino graduates need to develop a competitive advantage over others in the ASEAN region. Unfortunately, the 10-year basic education system handicaps overseas Filipino professionals competing in the world market. Bologna Process requires 12 years of education for university admission and practice of profession in European countries. On account of the Bologna Process, starting 2010, undergraduate degrees in the Philippines are no longer recognized in most European countries. The Washington Accord prescribes a minimum of 12 years on basic education as an entry to recognition of engineering professionals. Obviously, the short basic education cycle is a deterrent in pursuing recent initiatives like the APEC and ASEAN mutual recognition projects. APEC or Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation is an inernational forum of 21 member economies that acts collectively to advance their common interests. APEC is committed to a policy of reducing barriers to trade and of being a vehicle for promoting economic cooperation within the Asia-Pacific region.(http://www.slideshare.net/marcomed/deped-k-to-12-curriculum-guide# slide no. 3)
Again, we see how the demand for economic competitiveness influences policy-makers in the formulation of the new reform. Furthermore, the Philippine government recognizes the valuable contribution of its overseas workers in the economy. This has a close connection to development of human capital as the Philippines is the third top recipient of remittances from overseas workers. According to news report, this represents around 10% of GDP based on the report from the World Bank. Remittances continue to support the country’s balance of payments (BOP), which gauges our capacity to meet external trade obligations and foreign debts. (http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/story/290386/economy/moneyandbanking/overseas-filipino-remittances-up-7-6-to-1-9b-in-nov)
As our labor forces becomes competitive in the world market, this will translate to economic growth. These remittances was able to keep the Philippine economy afloat during the world financial crisis.
Conclusion
Policy-makers may well see in new economic theories the answer to current problems, but the application of theory to practice needs to be treated cautiously. (Kennedy 2005, p.5) It is true that adding years in schooling rather than substance in schooling does not translate to socio-economic growth. The focus on GDP, TIMSS measurement data only provides information for comparison but do not show what students are actually learning in schools. The influence of neo-progressivism is not the only factor that should affects education reform. In a world that is becoming more complex brought about by globalization and the unpredicatableness of world economic and political make-up, the Philippines is caught in a threshold of becoming an emerging economy. Confronted with equally complex domestic problems, policy makers recognizes the key role of education in solving many of our social and economic ills. It is important that our leaders in business and government do not see society as an adjunct of the economy but that people should be at the very center. In the formulation and implementation of any educational reform, at the heart of the policies, goals and curriculum development should be the student needs and student learning.
References
Kennedy, Kerry 2005 Changing Schools for Changing Times, Learning and the New Economy, Chinese University Press
Briefer on the enhanced K to 12 Basic Education Program Official Gazette of the office of the President of the Philippines. Retrieved February 11, 2010 from http://www.gov.ph/2010/11/02/briefer-on-the-enhanced-k12-basic-education-program/
GMA Network News Online Overseas Filipino Remittances up 7.6% to 1.9 Billion in November. Retrieved January 15, 2013 from website: http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/story/290386/economy/moneyandbanking/overseas-filipino-remittances-up-7-6-to-1-9b-in-nov
Philippine Business for Education. Retrieved from PBEd Website: http://pbed.ph/pages/what-is-pbed
Philippine Business for Education Calls on the Business Community to Support Government’s Move to Quality K+12 Basic Education for All. Retrieved from Website: http://former.deped.gov.ph/cpanel/uploads/issuanceImg/PBEd%20Calls.pdf
The K to 12 Basic Education Program. Retrieved March 12, 2012 from Marco Med Website: http://www.slideshare.net/marcomed/deped-k-to-12-curriculum-guide
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