PCER examines the education system anew

- Releases first draft recommendations

Ninety-eight years in existence and seven surveys ago, the Philippine education system once again
undergoes an examination via the Presidential Commission on Educational Reform (PCER). Created by virtue
of Executive Order No. 46, the Commission is part of the Estrada Administration's Ten-point action plan,
mandated to define a budget-feasible program of reform, and identify executive priority policy
recommendations and item for legislative action.
Chaired by former DECS Undersecretary and concurrent UNESCO Regional Director for Asia, Victor
Ordoñez, the Commission's objective is to come up with doable/implementable reforms that will alleviate or
eliminate the perennial problems that have been besetting the educational system for almost a hundred
years: "If each of the six committees comes out with one or two very important reform proposals, then, we
will have a dozen changes in the Philippine educational system - that's a big agenda," Ordoñez said.
The chairman related that his major task at the Commission will be to translate the recommendations into
actionable items which he expects to be very short, comprising of `specific things' backed up by appendices
of relevant and accurate data.
Furthermore, DECS Secretary and PCER Acting Chair Andrew Gonzalez, FSC, clarified that the commission's
major task is not to conduct another survey but to review what has/not been done/implemented and why,
with respect to the nine year old Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM) Report and past
educational surveys. "The purpose of PCER is not to gather new data but to use and locate existing data that
could be made as reference to come up with actionable educational reforms that are responsive to today's
changing times," he stressed.
Thus, after six grueling months of extensive review of past educational surveys which include the Monroe
Survey (1925), Commonwealth Survey (1936), UNESCO Survey (1949), The Swanson Survey (1960), Review
of the Swanson Survey (1967), Presidential Commission to Survey Philippine Education (PCSPE-1969), the
nine-year old EDCOM Report (1991), Philippine Education Sector Study (PESS-1999) jointly conducted by the
World Bank and Asian Development Bank, and the Medium Term Philippine Development Plan (MTPDP);
marathon meetings/workshops; and consultations with key persons in the system, PCER has finally come up
with its first draft recommendations. The recommendations were formulated based on the clustered priority
areas of concern specified in EO 46, further conflated to six that now make up the PCER six working
committees, namely: Financing; Governance, Information Technology, Science, Math Education and other
Technologies (ITSMEOT); Medium of Instruction (MOI); Quality Assurance (QA); and Teacher Development
and Welfare (TDAW).

The Findings/Recommendations
With P4M budget and only one year to finish the task, PCER decided to focus more on issues and concerns
that need immediate attention. A laudable move, according to the Chairman, because as said earlier, the
success of the reform lies primarily on how doable and implementable it will be, lest it be called, in the words
of Senator Oreta, `Mona Lisa recommendations that just lie there and die there.'
A thorough study of the past education surveys revealed similar findings as appropriately summarized in
the EDCOM Report: `Two principal reasons for the continuous decline of Philippine education: a) we are
simply not investing enough in our educational system; and b) our education establishment is poorly
managed.' Classified according to the six areas of concern, following are the Commission's major
findings/recommendations, initially drafted on 29 April, during the Commission's first workshop:

Financing
Although, education gets the lion's share of the national budget, seemingly the system cannot get enough
of what is needed to cope with the gargantuan backlog in terms of school infrastructure, manpower, and
instructional materials to make the schools more conducive to learning. This is further aggravated with the
continuously burgeoning population rate estimated at present to be between 2.2% and 2.3% which President
Estrada himself acknowledged in his weekly TV/radio program, `JEEP ni ERAP' aired last 29 May with
Secretary Gonzalez as one of the panelists. `Sabi ko nga kay Bro. Andrew, mahirap makahabol sa
pangangailangan ng edukasyon, kung patuloy ang pagdami ng populasyon,' he said. The results: teacher-
shortage (29,186 new teachers are needed for SY 1999-2000); classroom-shortage (21,000 classrooms
needed for this school-year); and lack of instructional materials (P10B is needed to meet the 1:1 textbook-
student ratio). Following the EDCOM recommendation, `put all our money in basic education,' the Financing
group has focused on looking for more creative ways that will help augment the education budget, to wit:
1. Rationalizing financing public education towards attaining equity,efficiency and quality
education.
2. Operationalizing the constitutional mandate of giving
 education
the highest share in the budget, and providing compulsory elementary education, vis-à-vis the
following actions:
n Assure that the budgetary allocation to meet the full requirements of basic education shall be provided
annually in the General Appropriations Act (GAA).
(cf. 1991 EDCOM: Give highest priority to education in budget)
n Assure that the share of education in the total budget program for the year shall not be diminished
relative to the previous year and shall in fact be increased relative to increased enrolment and inflationary
trend.
(cf.1949 UNESCO Survey: (16) that educational expenditure (budget) be increased)
n Prioritize the adoption by local government units (LGUs) of permanent arrangements towards greater
support to basic education.
(cf. 1999 EDCOM
(8) … private industry, workers, teachers, parents and local government to plan, deliver and finance
education and training.
1960 Swanson Survey
(3a) Develop a partnership plan of support for elementary and secondary schools: Each division makes
the same local effort. The national government provides the remainder of the cost.)
n Adopt acceptable and dynamic formula for determining shares of the tertiary education in the over-all
available and anticipated resources.
n Introduce the following additional government revenue measures to be channeled to basic education
budget, namely:
a. Increase marriage license and birth registration fees so that part will go to education.
b. Increase from 1 to 2 percent of the real estate tax, the amount that should go to the special education
fund of the Local School Board Fund.
c. Enforce an exit tax to recipients of publicly funded scholarships/training programs given to those who
emigrate.
(cf. 1991 EDCOM
(11) Find new sources of money-including taxes-to support basic education
1960 Swanson Survey: (3c) Levy a school tax dedicated for public schools
1947 UNESCO Survey
Detailed suggestion on how additional revenues may be secured.)
- Provide incentives for stock educational institutions to convert to non-stock. Provide limits on returns to
investments of stock educational institutions.
n Provide incentives for tertiary institutions which are willing to be converted to community
colleges or which desist from being converted into an SUC.
n Institutionalize an expanded means-tested direct channeling of resources to students to systematize all
programs of state financial assistance on the basis of the trifocalized management of educational system.

n Delete from the budget of SUCs provisions for basic/technical education institutions.
3. Use an alternative service delivery system as a strategy in attaining cost-efficiency and improving
assess to quality education.
n SUCs should maximize and optimize the use of their resources for income-generating purposes.

(cf. 1999 PESS

Increasing the reliance of SUCs on income fees and other revenue sources. A program for the escalation
of fees would be agreed with CHED in order to reach an acceptable cost recovery. Gradually over time,
income from fees would replace the financial support provided to SUCs from the national budget).
n Work toward the corporetization of SUCs in the future.
n Impose full cost tuition fees to students of SUCs.
n The Government should provide scholarship grants to poor but deserving students.
(cf. 1999 PESS
Introducing a comprehensive program of student financial assistance. To offset the adverse
consequences of fee increases for low-income groups, a comprehensive program of targeted financial
assistance should be introduced. An equitable and efficient income-contingent loan program should be tried
on a pilot basis).

Governance
`Stress basic public education - elementary and high school - because it is all the formal schooling the
masses of our people get. Set aside for this constitutional entitlement as much as we can of our available
resources in money and talented people,' (EDCOM, 1990, p. xiii), served as the springboard of the group in
crafting the following recommendations that basically centered on the enactment of the DBE bill, assuring
that salient features are clearly spelled out in the bill:
1. Push for the enactment of the DBE Bill ensuring that the following salient features are clearly spelled
out:
(cf. 1991 EDCOM: Restructure DECS)
a. Inclusion in the introduction of the bill of the philosophies embodied in the following: `Education for
All' and the Melbourne UNESCO Conference Declaration: `Education for the 21st Century in the Asia-Pacific
Region'.
Adopt the `World Declaration on Education for All and Framework of Action to Meet Basic Learning Needs'
recommendation with regard to clarification of the scope and meaning of Basic Education for future policy
and resource allocation purposes, as follows:
Basic Education - the term encompasses pre-school, elementary and secondary education and basic non-
formal education programs which focus on functional literacy, citizenship/values inculcation and livelihood-
oriented training for adults and OSYs.
b. Insertion of the word `pre-school' in the bill's Declaration of Policy to connote the Department's
governing authority.
c. To rename DECS as Department of Basic Education, this is strongly being pushed for purposes of
achieving clarity for `future policy, resource allocation purposes and structuring of the education bureaucracy
in both national and sub-national levels.'
d. Decentralization (to mean equitable distribution of power) focusing on:
n The promotion of school-based management; transfer of authority and decision-making from the
central and regional offices to the provinces (divisions) and schools; sharing education responsibilities with
other stakeholders such as LGUs and PTCAs; and the devolution of education functions.
(cf: 1999 PESS
Enhancing the powers of Local School Boards. Divisional and municipal School Boards will coordinate central
and local government involvement in basic education. The School Boards' new functions would include
generating additional resources for basic education, determining the use of funds and having greater say in
the deployment of teachers.
(1969 PCSPE Decentralize the system Action Taken: Decentralized with organization of regional offices with
directors and staff.
Note: With regions still dependent on fund allocation and distribution from the Central Office, there are
doubts whether decentralization is effective)
n Redefine the functions of division offices and regional offices focusing on the following:
- the role of Division Offices shall be purely supervisory and administrative.
- the role of Regional Offices will be purely technical assigned to do planning, coordination and
monitoring and other such residual functions pertaining to quality control of programs and human resources,
further ensuring availability and adequacy of technical information and data. ROs will also be responsible in
dealing with other regional offices like the Regional Development Council.
e. Integration of the planning and curriculum development of the pre-elementary, elementary and
secondary levels into one whole stretch.
f. Incorporation and systematization of all basic, non-school based learning opportunities and
experiences under an autonomous technical, coordinating, resource allocating and accrediting or assessment
body.
g. Strengthening the development, planning and project monitoring functions of the DBE in both
national and decentralized levels.
h. Ensuring undivided and undiluted attention to basic education, by abolishing unnecessary bodies e.g.
culture and sports (done via EO 80-81).
i. Insert a provision in the law that will allow the Department of Education to have enough elbow room to
trim down its own bureaucracy in order to minimize wastage of manpower.
j. To mention, in a paragraph or two the assistance that could be extended by the government to the
private schools.
k. Instead of a school improvement fund (SIF), establish an endowment fund to allow flexibility in the
financing scheme of the schools. This way, schools will take a more active role in improving their teacher-
learning strategies since only schools who submit viable/feasible proposals will be granted an endowment
fund.
2. Establish the National Coordinating Council for Education via an Executive Order to serve as the
permanent coordinating structure of CHED, DECS, TESDA, DOST, DBM, NEDA, DOH, NCCA, PSC and various
education among institutions/organizations to discuss issues concerning education. The members of the
council will provide for its secretariat and budget.
 Its other functions are:
-It shall be the venue for technical discussion of issues and complete staff work towards resolution of
issues that cut-across the concerns of member agencies.
-It may initiate formulation of, and subsequently monitor, programs/projects that may be implemented
jointly by the concerned line agencies.
-It shall regularly review the system of allocating resources (both GOP and ODA) across the three levels of
education and training.
3. For DECS, CHED and TESDA to institutionalize project development, implementation and evaluation by
creating an office similar to DECS' Project Development and Evaluation Division. EDPITAF personnel can be
absorbed to man said offices.
4. Issue an executive policy to the National Book Development Board to ensure that DECS textbook
budget will not be drastically affected by textbook price increase.
5. Involve local government units/school boards through build-operate-transfer (BOT) scheme in the
school-building program.
6. Rename local school board (LSB) to Local Basic Education Board (LBEB) to reflect the priority to be
given to basic education and to institutionalize the changes based on then expanded meaning of basic
education as recommended above.
7. The Special Education Fund (SEF) shall be for:
a) construction, rehabilitation and repairof school buildings and other facilities;
b) operation and maintenance; and
c) school sports (to cover sports activities up to the division level only).
8. The National Education Testing and Research Center should be reconstituted into a National
Educational Assessment and Testing Services (NEATS) which will be a quasi-private entity responsible for
developing tests and evaluation instruments.

ITSMEOT
The unsatisfactory performance of the students in the Third International Math and Science Survey
(TIMMS) with the Philippines placing third to the last among 41 competing countries indicates that the
average Filipino secondary school student achieved a mathematics result only half that of the average
international student (and only a third that of the average student in Singapore, which topped the list of
TIMMS nations). The group therefore recommended to :
1. Streamline the curriculum such that it will provide for greater concept, understanding, mastery of
skills (e.g. critical thinking and other scientific skills) and appreciation of science and technology as applied to
daily life.
(cf. 1999 PESS Streamlining of lower elementary curriculum. The elementary curriculum is overcrowded,
Grades 1-3 in particular, with at least 7 subjects per day. Greater emphasis should be given to reading and
communication skills and to understanding basic mathematical concepts …. Revising mathematics and
science instruction at the secondary level to stress problem-solving approaches and proper sequencing of
concepts seem promising policy options to increase learning outcomes) 2. Massive training of teachers in
science and math setting a target of ______ teachers and ______ math teachers in a period of five (5) years or
______ teachers each of science and math (exact figure still to be determined).
(cf. 1991 EDCOM: Create more scholarships for science and technology) 3. Strengthen and update the
pre-service education in science/math in COEs e.g. TEIs.
4. Encourage professionals such as engineers, doctors, who are strong in content background, into the
teaching profession.
5. Provide one science lab for each elementary and high school; for new school buildings incorporate a
laboratory in its design.
6. Revise policies as needed to support and encourage the use of science labs. Include in the package
the training of teachers, supervisors, principals on the use, maintenance and monitoring of the lab.
(cf. 1960 Swanson Survey
Science program … sadly lacking in adequate demonstration equipment and almost devoid of any
equipment for individual student experimentation) 7. Conduct annual assessment hrough division tests
and utilize the data to produce information that can be used to improve the teaching/learning process for
science and math concepts and skills tested.

MOI
To come up with a language policy suitable to Philippine education that will serve as a vehicle in making
teaching and learning strategies more effective that such will eventually lead to communication competence;
the attainment of national unity and global competitiveness is the goal of the MOI committee. A review of
related studies revealed that the current bilingual policy has been regarded by many as deficient,
`particularly in its failure to support satisfactory levels of learning in schools across the country including the
learning of the two languages, i.e. Filipino and English (PESS 1999) and it is not even implemented in some
parts of the country. Contributing factors are ill-preparedness of teachers to use both English and Filipino as
MOI; lack of instructional materials; and the preoccupation of language teaching with the mechanics,
structures, and rules of languages neglecting important functional, creative and communication skills.
Resulting in low achievement scores (cf. the 1997 NSAT, English: 47% and Filipino: 58%, which are further
manifested in the TIMMS as mentioned earlier). The group did not opt to change the BEP but instead chose
to modify it, by making the vernacular as the medium of instruction in grade I with the aim of achieving
reading readiness and developing cognitive and functional skills. Studies show that the use of the vernacular
language in the first years of school provides the necessary bridge for a child to learn a second language (in
this case, Filipino/English). Children are less likely to drop out of school when the instruction during the first
years of school is in the language spoken at home (Brigham and Castillo, 1998). The group then,
recommended the following:
1. Bilingual Education Policy
The Bilingual Curriculum prescribed by DECS shall be the minimum standard to be followed by the schools.
However, said schools can adopt a mix of more Filipino and/or English depending on the capabilities and
needs of the students.
2. Tertiary/Post Secondary schools will be given freedom to choose their medium of instruction (MOI).
However, it is emphasized that tertiary institutions must lead in the intellectualization of Filipino.
3. MOI for Basic Education
a. Use the regional lingua franca in grade 1 to develop basic literacy and reading readiness. The subjects
Reading, Science, Math GMRC and Sibika shall be taught in the regional lingua franca.
English and Filipino shall be taught as separate subjects.
(cf. 1936 Commonwealth Survey
6b Use the dialect in primary grades as aid to teaching. Action taken: Implemented under Secretary
Bocobo)
For Grade II and up, BEP will be applied i.e. Science/Math will be taught in English with the rest of the
courses taught in Filipino. However, the subjects Science and Math may be taught in Filipino
provided that there will be strong support for the writing of instructional materials in Filipino and
intensive training of teachers for Science/Math in Filipino.
c. Finally languages that already have initial reading materials, may be used as MOI to develop
basic literacy.
4. The following conditions for the implementation of a language policy will be met:
a. No program will be implemented unless all necessary preparations are made, thus:
-implementors (regional directors, superintendents, principals, division supervisors and teachers) should
have already been trained in the use of the instructional materials
• budget should have already been alloted for the purpose of developing instructional
materials
b. An effective periodic evaluation program for students will be designed. Part of this is the
language proficiency test (Eng/Fil).
An agency will be created to coordinate the implementation of the above recommendations
(4a and 4b).
5. Teachers can not take LET unless they pass a language proficiency test. PRC must also develop an
appropriate certification system for competency to teach a particular subject in Filipino or English.
a. Teacher Education Institutions should emphasize knowledge in subject matter
b. Language/subject matter proficiency
- Teachers should be proficient in teaching English/Filipino in subjects mandated to be taught in either
language.
6. For TEIs to impose selective admission.
7. Strong advocacy on the promotion of teacher education programs e.g. more scholarships in teacher ed
programs, including training of teachers in the Centers of Excellence (COE) in the teaching of Science, Math,
English and Filipino.
(cf.1999 PESS: Improving and expanding the output of university S & T programs. Priority emphasis within
the public sector should be given to S & T disciplines, which are expensive to run and less likely to be found
in private institutions. Selective expansion of small but established S & T scholarship programs should be
considered.)
8. To include language proficiency in the teacher ed curriculum.
9. Provide a control mechanism to the continually mushrooming TEIs.
(cf. 1999 PESS
Between 1996 and 1998 the number of TEIs nationwide rose from 750 to 815. About 70% of these are
private. Most offer low-quality programs failing to satisfy standards of accreditation. Only 27% comply with
the minimum standard of CHED.
1960 Swanson Survey
There now exists a number of public institutions with the name `college' or `university' which have almost
none of the qualities of a college or university. This prostitutes higher education.
1936 Commonwealth Survey
2) Higher education - if 45% of graduates fail in 2 consecutive board examinations, withdraw recognition
of private institution or close if public. Action taken: Not implemented).

QA
Re-echoing the EDCOM, the committee recommended the following:

Basic Education
1. Create a national body for the assessment and evaluation of both public and private schools. The body
will identify and periodically review standards for outputs of, and inputs to, schools. Its functions will include
the testing of students.
2. Strengthen the system of instruction.

Higher Education
1. Create an accrediting body for each area or discipline to apply, e.g. to both public and private
institutions. The CHED will support the creation of these bodies and give incentives to IHLs which pass
accreditation.
Members of the accrediting bodies should include representatives of the industry which employs graduates
of the program.
(cf.1999 PESS:
Encouraging private institutions to undergo the same validation process. Private higher education
institutions would be invited to apply for accreditation from the same Expert Panel (or, if this were to be
institutionalized in the future, some sort of national higher education accreditation council).
2. Review the mandate of PRC, specifically, those functions that overlap with CHED such as curriculum
design

Middle Level Skills Development

1. Implement, support and monitor the Technical Education and Skills Development Project (TESDP) of
TESDA which rationalizes program regulation, accreditation, and certification
(cf. 1999 PESS
TESDA to rationalize and set priorities in the development of institutional accreditation standards and
occupational standards)
2. Establish a pre-university system in institutions of higher learning
- This system is a sort of a bridging program whereby students are encouraged to undergo training on
certain subject areas in preparation for collegiate work.
(cf. 1999 PESS
The length of the basic education cycle in the Philippines is considered inadequate by many critics. The
most cost-effective option for the time being, however, may be to concentrate on measures to increase
learning in each of the ten years now in the cycle. The introduction of a `bridging year' for selected students
entering university is another option that should be considered to improve overall learning at this level.
1969 PCSPE (more or less)
Proposed `new educational ladder', first level, elementary, 6 years; second level, secondary, 5 years, first 3
years single stream, last two years = 2 streams, one vocational/technical, the other college preparatory;
third level, higher education - 4 or more years. Action Taken: Five year HS not implemented; Filipino
thinking seem stuck on four year HS.
1967 Review of the Swanson Survey
Vocational education should begin after four years high school or after a student has worked several years
and is more than 16 years old).

TDAW
Albeit the milestone EDCOM recommendation of raising the entry salaries of teachers, i.e., from 3,000++
to 8,600++ has been realized, `improving teacher effectiveness remains a necessary step to achieve
improved efficiency.' A major finding of the group is the teachers' ill-preparedness in handling his/her job
caused by such factors as :
n incongruence of teacher ed curriculum with the items given in LET which has resulted in the continually
dismal performance of education students in LET. Data show that since the implementation of LET in 1996,
the teachers' performance has not indicated any improved outcomes, i.e., only 26,813 (25.91%) out of
97,507 examinees passed in 1996; 26,264 (27.43%) out of 101,348 in 1997; and 33,156 (28.71%) out of
115,499 in 1998;
n involvement of teachers in non-teaching activities;
n too limiting power to deploy teachers to where they are really needed since they are protected by the
Magna Carta;
n the unfair incentive scheme which is more academic-based than performance-based;
n the teaching profession being looked at as dumping ground for less intelligent students; and
n sub-standard education obtained from the mushrooming sub-standard TEIs.
In the light of the above, following
are the group's recommendations:

Pre-Service Training
Rationalize the functions of the Teacher Education Council and the Technical Panel for Teacher
Education.
Come up with a clear articulation of the teacher education curriculum, the curriculum for basic ed
and the LET to achieve congruency among them.
(cf. 1999 PESS
Improving the quality of teaching and research. To encourage the development of less didactic and more
student-centered teaching, CHED should introduce and encourage the use of didactic pedagogical training
programs for teaching staff in higher education institutions and insist on evidence of good teaching as the
basis for decisions to promote academic staff...)
3. More rigid recruitment, selection, admission, retention/training of students in TEIs including incentives
for bright and deserving high school graduates specially in Science and Math.
(cf. 1991 EDCOM
Create more scholarships for S & T
1960 Swanson Survey
Select teachers more carefully)
4. Encourage upgrading of TEIs through accreditation.
5. Review the concept of Centers of Excellence in teacher ed and the idea of establishing institutes for
teacher development in specific discipline instead e.g. ISMED as model.

In-Service Training
1. Strict implementation of the LET law in public and private schools 2. Include private schools, faculty
and HEIs in NEAP Training Programs
3. Align graduate programs in education with the needs in basic education
4. Review CSC rules and regulations relative to the performance of teachers: reward the efficient and
impose sanctions on the inefficient.

Teacher Welfare and Benefits

1. Assist private schools in upgrading faculty and staff salaries
2. Review the master teacher plan including incentives to enable attainment of the position of district
supervisor, to superintendent etc.
3. Equitable allocation of opportunities for scholarships and training for public and private school
teachers
4. Reassess the retirement plan for both public and private school teachers and administrators
5. Review the ERF policy and corresponding budgetary requirements
6. Review and amend the provisions of the Magna Carta for Teachers(public and private)
7. Review policies on involvement of teachers in non-teaching activities
(cf. 1999 PESS: A fundamental means of enhancing teacher effectiveness in the Philippines would be to
remove the various distractions (e.g. clerical and administrative duties, fund raising, supervision of national
and local elections) that today limit the actual which teachers spend in teaching.)
8. Additional subsidy and other incentives such as tax credits for teachers/staff/administrators in private
schools

What lies ahead

The recommendations are still subject to further clustering/pruning considering the criteria of doability and
implementability. This will be done in a joint meeting of all working committees to be held on 16 July. In the
meantime, a draft of the preamble will be prepared by a technical committee headed by ED Castillo. The
pruned/clustered recommendations will be presented to the Commission for approval. The rest of the third
quarter will be devoted to the translation of recommendations into actionable reforms that will include
strategies of implementation, timetable and the like. The fourth quarter would be devoted to public
consultations and advocacy work. It is expected that the text of the reforms should have been completed as
early as October with the philosophical framework already spelled out. The remaining part of the quarter will
see presentation of the reforms to the Senate, Congress and the President.