Vallarta St, San Isidro, 3106 Nueva Ecija

Chapter 1
PROBLEM AND ITS SETTING

This chapter presents the introduction, conceptual

framework, review of related literature and studies,

research paradigm, statement of the problem, significance

of the study, scope and delimitation and definition of

terms.

Introduction

Education in the Philippines is of great importance

because it is considered as the primary avenue for upward

social and economic mobility of the country. Realizing this

fact, the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) is

mandated to the national government’s commitment to

transformational leadership that puts education as the

central strategy for investing in the Filipino people,

reducing poverty, and building national competitiveness

that shall promote, among others, relevant and quality

education which is accessible to all (Pontilllas, 2018).

As a proof, starting S.Y. 2018–2019, the government

shoulders the tuition and fees of students enrolled in 112

SUCs, 78 LUCs, and duly registered technical–vocation

education and training programs (Cepeda, 2018). The reason

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why government launched this kind of program is because

they see the value of education.

According to Rojas and Rojas (2016), the value of a

higher education is measured in its capacity to open doors

to the graduates for future employment and the

establishment of their sustainable career path. The process

that a college student undergoes in a higher education

institution does not only hone and develop his or her

capacities; but also to prepare him or her to become

productive citizen and dignified member of society.

People go to universities and finish college degree

with the goal of being employed and earn a living. General

de Jesus College which is one of the Teacher Education

institutions in Nueva Ecija primarily aims to produce

competent and highly qualified graduates employable here

and abroad. They employ a variety of strategies to realize

this relevant goal. They continually enhance their

curriculum content and delivery through employing and

maintaining competent faculty members, improving

instructional facilities, providing relevant student

support systems, and cultivating a culture of quality and

excellence. Through these concerted efforts, it is hoped

that they would result to high–quality teacher education

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preparation and provide graduates with better employment

opportunities (Aquino, Punongbayana, Macalagium, Bauyon,

Rodriguez and Quizon, 2016).

General de Jesus College of San Isidro, Nueva Ecija

anchored to its vision and mission is a leading learning

institution where every learner is transformed into a God–

loving and highly–productive citizen responsive to the

local, national and global needs. Moreover, the institution

is committed to produce graduates who are instilled with

nationalistic, moral and spiritual values and who are

equipped with life and career competencies.

Graduate tracer studies are one form of empirical

study that can appropriately provide valuable information

for evaluating the results of the education and training of

a specific institution of higher education (Schomburg,

2003) like General de Jesus College. According to Mwilima

(2010), it can collect essential information concerning the

employment profile of graduates, their undergraduate

experience, the first and current jobs of graduates

(Nengomasha and Chiware, 2009) and the relevance of their

educational background and skills required in their job.

Graduate tracer study can also collect data on the

relevance of the curriculum (Millington, n.d.) and

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graduates’ level of satisfaction of their academic

preparation (Vong, 2015).

Furthermore, tracer study is a significant means of

evaluating the results of the education and training

provided by the college to their students. This gives basic

information regarding the level of employment, unemployment

among graduates, the first and current position of

graduates and the correspondence between educational

qualifications and required work skills. The results that

will be derived will indicate whether there is a mismatch

between the provided education and trainings by the college

and the requirements of the workplace. It is desired that

these results will serve as basis for future revision of

curriculum, if necessary (Pontilllas, 2018).

The fact that General de Jesus Colleges offers

Bachelor of Secondary Education program, it shows that it

provides preparation for students wanting to have a stint

in the teaching profession. To monitor its performance and

the relevance of its curriculum, the college regularly

conducts graduates tracer studies like this.

By obtaining this kind of information, the College of

Education in particular and the entire college, can show

the success of its educational efforts pertaining to its

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graduates, the labor market, and employers. Strategically,

the institution can identify areas for growth and

development in the context of quality assurance and the

provision of relevant preparation and training. Any

possible deficits in its program offerings specifically in

the Bachelor of Secondary Education related to of

administration, content, delivery and relevance can be

ascertained and further improved.

Conceptual Framework

Internationalization of education is one of the most

pressing needs to establish a network of best practices

that ensures quality education. Rosaroso, Dakay and

Sarmiento (2015) support this claim based on their model

dubs as “Host Education Institutions Strategy Formulation

Framework” to ensure the institution’s core functions of

instruction, research, and extension. This model can

establish a mechanism of quality assurance, which

consequently affects the quality of graduations that most

Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) aspire.

In Nigeria, Fadeyi, Sofoluwe, and Gbadeyan (2015)

mentioned that there is an impact of teachers’ salary to

their job performance, concerning to students’ academic

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performance, which means the higher salary of the teachers

can boost their morale to perform better in teaching.

Maximum employability among their graduates is one of the

effects of this argument. To document this, it is

empirically through an effective system of the graduate

tracer studies.

Rojas and Rojas (2016) also mentioned that

employability and ‘demand’ of a certain profession is a

huge factor in the choice of degrees. Consequently, one of

the main goals of a higher education institution is also

based on the premise that graduates may continually adapt

the needs of a highly–evolving and competitive ‘market’, as

they serve as ‘factory’, a breeding ground for

professionals and employees of industries in the future.

This scenario remains an on–going challenge among education

stakeholders in the Philippines since then. It has also

been added by them that the success of the nation depends

on the quality of graduates higher education institutions

have produced.

Various authorities give attention on the conduct of

tracer studies. According to Mugabushaka (2002), tracer

studies, which pertain to surveys of graduates of

institutions of higher education, are considered important

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tools of institutional development, especially in an ever–

changing world of work. He regarded this endeavor as a

systematic feedback on the whereabouts of the graduates,

their working conditions, and their retrospective

evaluation of the programs.

According to Layaley (2016), graduates are faced with

the challenge of acquiring employment right after

graduation. It is paramount that they should have gained

the best knowledge and skills in their field of

specialization before plunging into any workplace of their

choice.

In like manner, a graduate who leaves the sanctuary of

the academe desire to find the best employment out there in

the job market. However, a job seeker's desire for the best

job is hampered by lack of basic skills relevant to the job,

lack of experience, poor communication and social skills

among others (Ballon, 2007).

Furthermore, the country’s education system continues

to turn out college graduates whose training and skills are

not attuned to the needs of the labor market both at home

and abroad (Milan, 2010).

Fisher and Chapman (1995) also conveyed that tracer

study is an ideal tool of providing demonstrable evidence

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of course outcomes as it permits institutions to map the

pathways of their graduates.

Thus, findings of tracer studies enable educational

providers to evaluate the effectiveness of their academic

programs (Fisher and Chapman 1995; Kongmanus 2016).

In fact, various universities in the Philippines have

also conducted tracer studies to evaluate the effectiveness

of their curricula.

Hazayme and Dela-Pena (2014) had concluded that La

Salle University Engineering graduates within 2009-2013 are

employable as they obtained their first job within six

months after graduation. They see the need to improve the

formation program to enhance further the values of their

graduates (Hazayme and Dela-Pena 2014; Saadia 2015).

This study hopes to provide a useful tool in

determining the quality of the College of Education

Bachelor of Secondary Education programs at General De

Jesus College. The graduates’ employment status can further

facilitate understanding, regarding the degree of graduates’

motivations, as a contributing factor in finding successful

employment opportunities.

The study also provides relevant information to

educational planners and policy makers, in assisting their

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decision making process to improve their programs, in

meeting the country’s high level and highly skilled human

resources.

Research Paradigm

The research paradigm is illustrated in figure 1. The

research paradigm represents the tracers study of the

Bachelor of Secondary Education graduates of General de

Jesus College from 2009–2018.

The paradigm below shows the variables that interplay

in the conduct of this tracer study. The independent

variables include the demographic characteristics of the

graduate respondents such as sex, civil status, course or

degree taken and year graduated.

According to International Labor Organization (2009),

these characteristics could impact decisions on employment.

The educational qualification is conceived to be the primary

factor in assessing applicant’s suitability to a particular

job. On the other hand, the employment profile such as

employment status, present occupation, nature of present

company/organization/institution, present position, skills

useful in their first job competence and core values.

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For some graduates who are traced to be unemployed,

their reasons of unemployment were mentioned and stated.

Thus, this can contribute to identifying the areas that

must be further enhanced and improved in the BSE Programs

Curriculum. The output of the study will be curriculum

development to the different programs offered from the

College of Education of General De Jesus College.

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Figure 1. Research Paradigm

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Statement of the Problem

The purpose of this study is to trace the Bachelor of

Secondary Education graduates of General de Jesus College

from 2009–2018. Hence, this study aimed to track group of

Bachelor of Secondary Education graduates employed in

different institutions within and outside Nueva Ecija.

Specifically, the research process sought to answer

the following questions:

1. How may the profile of the Bachelor of Secondary

Graduates be described in terms of:

1.1 Sex;

1.2 Civil Status;

1.3 Course/Degree Taken; and,

1.4 Year Graduated?

2. How may the employment profile, features and status of

the graduate–respondents be described in terms of:

2.1 Employment and Unemployment Rate;

2.2 Employment Status;

2.3 Present Occupation;

2.4 Nature of Present Company/Organization/

Institution;

2.5 Present Position;

2.6 Period of Seeking Job;

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2.7 Reasons for Accepting their First Job;

2.8 Reasons for Staying in their Current Job;

2.9 Initial Gross Monthly Income in their First Job;

and,

2.10 Competencies Learned in College found Useful?

2.11 Core Values Learned in College found Useful?

3. What is the relevance of the curriculum in their first

job?

4. What are the reasons of the graduate–respondents for

being unemployed?

5. What are the implications of the findings of this

study to the curriculum development of the institution

in general and the Bachelor of Secondary Education in

specific?

Significance of the Study

This study was conducted to trace the Bachelor of

Secondary Education graduates of General De Jesus College

from 2009-2018. Thus, this study will offer information to

different groups of readers who wish to gain more insights

regarding this topic.

Students. This would offer the students the

information about the current status of Bachelor of

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Secondary Education graduates. It could also familiarize

them with problems encountered by the alumni, in this way,

if they could not prevent it, at least, supress it.

Parents. This study will make the parents realize the

importance of choosing college course of their children.

This will give the parents the chance to choose a college

or university that gives quality education so that their

children will not make any wrong decisions in their college

courses.

Faculty Members. Through this research, it will be

easy for the faculty members to trace their former students

and to gain an idea or background where their former

students are, the struggles they went through before having

a stable job and their impact to their students as they are

the one molding them to have a brighter future.

The College of Education. This study will serve as a

basis of instructor or professors’ performance as well as

their effectiveness as educators. This study will also show

how efficient they have become for the past years of

teaching future teachers by molding and helping them reach

their dream of becoming successful educators.

To the University. This study will serve as a record

on how far their alumni have gone and will also be an

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inspiration to the administration to have a better quality

education. Furthermore, this will serve as a tracker to

those alumni who have been successful in the field of

education.

Curriculum Planner. This will be an eye opener for

them to revisit their existing curriculum in the different

programs of the Bachelor of Secondary Education. It will

further help them identify the value of the curriculum in

the success of their students.

To the Future Researchers. The information to be

gathered for this study will serve as the baseline data for

the future researchers of this nature.

Scope and Delimitation of the Study

The study focused on the traceability of Bachelor of

Secondary Education graduates of General De Jesus College

from S.Y 2009-2018. The study’s concern is to trace and

determine the profiles and present status of our teacher

graduates. A set of questionnaire adapted from the

Commission on Higher Educated was simplified to gather

pertinent data.

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Definition of Terms

For better and clearer understanding of this, the

following terms are operationally defined and others were

taken from authorities.

Career. It refers to chosen pursuit or occupation.

Employed. It refers to having your services engaged

for, or having a job especially one that pays wages or

salary.

Graduate. It refers to the one who has received an

academic degree or diploma in the Bachelor of Secondary

Education.

Marital Status. It refers to the condition of being

married or unmarried.

Profession. It refers to a calling which requires a

specialized knowledge and often long and intensive academic

preparation.

Self-Employed. It refers to earning one’s livelihood

directly from one’s own trade or business rather than as

employee of another.

Tracer. It refers to an investigation or inquiry

organized to trace missing goods or persons.

Underemployed. It refers to the one who is not fully

or adequately employed.

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Unemployed. It refers to the graduates who are not

engaged in a gainful occupation. It means he is out of work,

especially involuntarily, jobless.

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