WHEN IS SLOW ‘SLOW’ AND FAST ‘FAST’?

LORNA B. LUZANO

Several issues and problems has been brought up by those socalled specialist in the field of Philippine education. Many has been said and proposed to ‘curb’these but until today they have remained as mere proposals. But when does really a proposal be approved? Are we just slow in accepting facts and fast on being critical?

Gone are the days when teachers were on top of the situation because there are no arguments on human rights. Parents and guardians alike are in unison in telling teachers to discipline their beloved children. To top everything up, there are people that become instant doomsayers with our educational system and that they are like the only rightful persons and had the capacity solely to say what’s to be given solution and which aren’t.

Based on some research by them, there are at least seven main issues and problems that hamper the quality and global competitiveness of education everybody is shouting for. These include in random or der :

1. Overworked and underpaid teaching staff,

2. Mismatch,

3. Bilingual policy and the problem of a national language, 4. Globalization issue in education,

5.Colonial, feudal, imperial, commercial, and elitist orientation in Philippine education,

6. Shortage of school buildings, textbooks and equipment and lastly, 7. Deteriorating quality of education. The Philippine educational system became a non-stop shop for topics worthy of dissertation by soon to be master teachers and doctors of education because of the above-mentioned issues. How we all dream that one day everything will be attended without any pretentions and must really give lasting solutions. What we all need now is the political will to accept and act fast before it’s quite late. I’ve already started the introduction, the next move is yours now fellow Filipino readers and May God bless the Philippines!

— oOo—

The author is SST I at San Pablo 2nd National High School