EDUCATION FOR ALL

MARIA SYLVIA M. SANTIAGO

It is a global fact that education helps in the development of the citizens and eventual progress of a certain nation. Hence, people from all walks of life strive to acquire a certain degree of education for their personal and family’s benefit. For the past years, education has been undergoing a transformation in the global perspective. Countries have modified and even implemented new curricula to keep abreast with the demand of the times. The integration of technology in all disciplines is a common practice worldwide. The global academe has responded to the needs of the times, most especially in the aspect of “globalization” where in conduct business deals in an international scale. Thus, ICT integration and tech-voc subjects are incorporated in the different levels of their education.

The claim on the importance of education holds true in most Filipinos. Filipino families send their children to school to get educated and acquire a degree because they believe that through education, their current economic status will surely improve as they accomplish their education levels. This belief is an affirmation of the late Nelson Mandela’s statement that “Education is the most powerful weapon we can use to change the world”. This simply states that, education is the most effective way to have a better standard of living. Trough the acquisition of a better paying jobs, individuals could provide more for their families.

The Philippine government, through the Department of Education (DepEd), Commission on Higher Education and Technical Education (CHED) and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), continuously collaborate to effectively and appropriately cater the needs of the Filipino Learners. Acknowledging the value of education to all Filipinos, the government has been implementing programs. One of which is the implementation of free compulsory education in the elementary and free education in the secondary level. This catered to the basic education needs of the Filipino students. To further address the needs of the Filipino students, President Duterte, recently, signed Republic Act 10931, the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act, which provides free education for college students with financial constraints. This is to further assure easy access to quality education in the tertiary level.

With all the signed laws, it could really be professed that in the Philippines, “education is really for all” since poverty is not a reason why a student could not go to school. The Philippine government, through its official agencies, provide for the type of education needed by the students. The Department of Education provide for the basic education, the Commission on Higher Education takes care of the college and post graduate studies, while the technical-vocational programs are delivered by TESDA. With such agencies, Filipino learners have a wider variety of programs to choose from. In the Philippines, “education is designed for everyone” and the government and its citizen work together towards it full realization.

— oOo— The author is Teacher III at St. Vincent Quebiawan Integrated School

THERESE T. MANANSALA

The famous cliché, “Teaching is more than just a mere profession, but a noble vocation” has been affirmed by a good number of educators since they themselves have experienced how it is to be a dedicated teacher. Educators, undergo at least a 4 year college program, board exam and some even post graduate studies to further capacitate themselves with the essential principles, theories and technical know how in delivering instruction and classroom management. For a teacher handling regular classes, it is a true challenge to educate learners and make them acquire the necessary knowledge and skills in different learning areas. But, to be a Special Education teacher, probably requires more effort, energy and a huge amount of compassion and commitment, since a type of Sped teachers have to work with a wide range of students who various needs.

Although, Sped teachers ideal number of students in a class is not as big as the regular class, still it requires a special orientation and technical know how to handle Sped pupils because they have a unique set of needs different from other students. In a Sped instruction, special method, strategy , technique or probably approach is required for a specific type of learners to be able to facilitate reading, writing and math lessons. Trained Sped teachers will have various approaches in teaching pupils with visual impairment, with hearing impairment, with developmental delays, with down syndrome, with autism, with emotional and behavior disorders and the likes. Thus, these type of mentors are capacitated to facilitate unique instructions to assist the learners achieve their optimum potential and guide them to exert their best effort for progress and personal development.

As others would claim, many may be called to service, but few will be chosen. Some Sped teachers leave the field. They decide to shift to another profession or job after having experienced handling Sped classes. They may have their own valid reasons for such decisions. Sped teachers who remain in service, in spite of and despite of the challenges of being one, are to be appreciated and loved. They continuously demonstrate love, compassion, concern, dedication and most of all understanding and empathy at all times. They continuously serve these types of learners with special needs that could not be catered by any teacher, but they alone could provide. They craft and apply a special curriculum for a specific type of sped students. They plan for activities that are appropriate to develop their learners’academic, physical and social progress. Sped teachers work in close coordination with parents to keep them updated with their children’s progress, performance and to educate them as to how help promote learning at home.

With all the tasks to be performed by a Sped teacher, everyone would agree that it requires a “special heart” from a teacher to educate sped pupils. In the Philippines, there is an abundance of such “champions”, who truly love and serve their learners. — oOo— The author is Teacher I at St. Vincent Quebiawan Integrated School