Philippine Education Review EDCOM 1990

Study Notes

EDCOM

The Joint Congressional Commission to Study and Review Philippine Education (EDCOM) was established in 1990.
It was tasked with reviewing and studying the state of Philippine education.

Composition

The commission comprised of 5 Senators, 5 Congressmen, a Technical Secretariat, 3 Panels of Consultants, a Chairman from the Senate, and a Co-Chair from the House.

Key Findings (1991)

The Philippines had one of the most expanded school systems globally, with high participation rates in elementary, secondary, and tertiary education.
Elementary education participation rate was nearly 97.78%, indicating progress towards universal elementary education.
The country had an 89% literacy rate, but functional literacy was only 73%.
There was significant underfunding of education compared to other ASEAN countries, with only 1.3% of the GDP allocated to the education sector.
Disparities in access to education existed, favoring wealthy families and leaving underprivileged communities behind.
Learning achievements were generally low, with students learning only 55% or less of expected material.
Drop-out rates were higher in rural, less developed communities and among impoverished students.
The needs of Muslim and cultural communities as well as special learners were largely neglected.
Early childhood education and development were largely available only to affluent families.
Nonformal education services were insufficient and primarily concentrated in developed communities.
Disruptions to school schedules and shorter school years negatively impacted learning quality.
Science and technology instruction was lacking or inappropriate for classroom use.
Values education in schools was inadequate and ineffective.
Bilingual education using Filipino and English negatively impacted learning quality.
A significant mismatch existed between the supply and demand for educated and trained workers.
Education was deemed irrelevant to individual and societal needs.
Teachers lacked proper training and effectiveness, and graduate studies were lacking in quality and development.
The organizational structure of the education system was inefficient and ineffective.
Overall, there had been little improvement in Philippine education in over 65 years.

Recommendations

Prioritize basic education to ensure the Department of Education, Culture, and Sports' (DECS) undivided focus.
Develop alternative learning methods, especially for literacy acquisition.
Use the mother tongue as the language of instruction for Grades 1 to 3, gradually transitioning to Filipino as the medium of instruction in basic education, with English as a supplementary language in later years.
Expand and enrich technical/vocational education.
Enhance pre-service teacher education and provide incentives to attract talented individuals to the teaching profession.
Professionalize teaching by implementing licensure exams and increasing basic minimum wage salaries for teachers.