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Eye
opener
Column:
Eagle Eye, Wednesday August 6, 2003
By Harvey S. Keh
Manilatimes.net (http://www.manilatimes.net/national/2003/aug/06/opinion/20030806opi3.html)
LAST
Saturday, I gave a talk on the state of and issues
concerning public education in the Philippines to
a group of Ateneo de Manila University freshmen students.
This talk was part of their formation before they
eventually venture into different public schools and
teach English and Mathematics as part of their National
Service Training Program (the program that replaced
ROTC) requirement.
I
started my talk with the question: “When you
hear public education in the Philippines, what comes
to mind?” All sorts of answers came out: one
student mentioned lack of facilities, while another
mentioned cramped classrooms and incompetent teachers.
After
gathering their answers, we went through it together
one by one. Firstly, we tackled the cramped classroom
answer that one student gave. I asked the group again,
“So what do you think is the current teacher
to students ratio in the public schools?” Some
answered with confidence 1:35, others 1:40 but majority
agreed that it was around 1:50.
Most
of them would have been right if the same question
was asked about a few years ago. But now the reality
is that in Metro Manila, 35 to 40-square-meter classrooms
are packed with 60 to 70 students sometimes even going
up to 80. I’ve also heard about reports that
in some provinces, students can even go beyond 100
in a class!
As
soon as I told them this, everyone was in disbelief,
they couldn’t picture in their minds how learning
could still happen inside a small room packed with
so many students.
We
then proceeded with our discussion about the lack
of facilities in public schools. I told them that
all of their answers were, in fact, correct from the
lack of classrooms to the lack of tables and chairs.
But when all the talk among them had subsided, I told
them that they had missed one facility that all of
us dearly love but often take for granted: the toilet.
In
a study conducted by the Ateneo Center for Educational
Development, it showed that there are public schools
with more than 2,000 students who have to share three
toilet bowls. They were again dumbfounded and they
couldn’t believe it. But I told them this is
reality and I could go on discussing more problems
with them for the whole morning but they might just
end up going home depressed.
I
stopped my discussion there and ended by throwing
to them the challenge of at least doing their own
little share to help education in our country by devoting
their time and by sharing the knowledge that they
have gained through the years.
As
I went out, I realized that although there are a lot
of people who know the problems that afflict our public
education system, not many truly know the extent of
the problems and the urgency that is needed to resolve
these problems. Statistics have shown that out of
18 million elementary and high school students, more
than 85 percent or around 16 million students study
at public schools. These students are the ones who
do not have textbooks to read, chairs to sit on, laboratories
and libraries to discover new things and, most especially,
classrooms to stay in and learn.
It
is these same students that will eventually comprise
the majority of whom we will blame for electing inept
and corrupt leaders. As the great Jose Rizal has said,
“Ang kabataan ang pag-asa ng bayan.”
What
hope are we giving our country if we continue to deprive
our youth with quality education. As the constitution
clearly states, each citizen is given the right to
quality education at all levels. Are we providing
quality education by fitting 80 students in one small
classroom or asking an English graduate to teach Mathematics?
Your guess is as good as mine.
Welcome
to “Eagle Eye.” This column is dedicated
to opening our eyes to the realities of public education
in our country and at the same time feature the people
and institutions who have become heroes in public
education reform. Yes, the problems are indeed daunting
but hope springs eternal as long are there are ordinary
people like you and me who are willing to help uplift
the state of public education in our country.
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