UP Ibalon Bicol: public school

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Shortened learning hours: an obstacle to education in RP's crowded schools

9/16/2009 | Posted by mesiamd | Edit Post

A setback in the thrust to improve teaching and make better students, the Department of Education (DepEd) was forced to cut down on the teaching hours for elementary students because of overcrowding and safety concerns. The revised program was an answer to the worrisome increase in the number of students that hadn't provided a good environment to learning.

Under the revised program, Grades 1 and 2 will have four hours; Grade 3--- four hours and 30 minutes, and Grades 4, 5, and 6---5 hours.

“Grades 1 and 2 pupils will have 90 minutes each for English and Filipino, Sibika at Kultura and 70 minutes each for mathematics for a total of 240 minutes on a daily basis. Grade 3 pupils will have 90 minutes for English, 70 minutes for Filipino, Sibika at Kultura, 70 minutes for math and 40 minutes for science for a total of 240 minutes. Grades 4, 5 and 6, they will have 60 minutes each for English, 40 minutes for Heograpiya, Kasaysayan at Sibika, 60 minutes for math, 60 minutes for science, 40 minutes for Filipino and 40 minutes for Edukasyon Pantahanan at Pangkabuhayan for a total of 300 minutes for each grade.

To compensate for the revised program, Lapus said science and health will be integrated into the English subject for Grades 1 and 2 while Sibika and Kultura will be integrated into Filipino in Grades 1, 2I and 3. For Grades 4, 5 and 6, Musika, Sining at Edukasyong Pampalakas ng Katawan will be integrated into Heograpiya, Kasaysayan at Sibika while Edukasyong Pagpapakatao will be integrated into all subjects.” ---Jesli Lapus, Education Secretary. Daily Tribune (09/15/09, Faustino, J.)

Student-Class Ratio

Country-------------------Number of Students per Class
===============Elementary=========High School
Philippines------------43.9----------------------56.1
Thailand---------------22.9--------------------- 41,5
India--------------------40------------------------39
Malaysia--------------31.7-----------------------34
Japan------------------28.6----------------------33.9

Alhough Lapus assures that the quality of education will not suffer with the shortening of study hours, integrating subjects in a shortened hours of learning poses significant obstacle. This is more true when one sees the overpopulatinn in Philippine schools compared to those of its Asian neighbors. The crowding is worse in the high school than elementary as shown above.(Photo Credit: unesco.net.) =0=

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Labels: Department of Education, DepEd, Jesli Lapus, overpopulation, public school, safety, Students, Totie Mesia

Dep Ed’s P427 million noodle contract revoked

5/28/2009 | Posted by mesiamd | Edit Post

After criticisms and corruption charges, the Department of Education (Dep Ed) secretary Jesil Lapus was forced to recind the P427 million contract with a regular supplier of “fortified” noodles for its nutrition program for school children. The cancellation resulted after complaints that the foodstuff the public school system plans to distribute this year has not passed through normal bidding process, are overpriced, and lack nutritional value.

The irregularity in the procurement was bared by whistleblower Dennis Quido of Kolonwell Trading, a government contractor. He said DepEd’s Bids and Awards Committee (BAC,) under Teodosio Sangil Jr. was in violation of the terms of reference for fortified noodles. According to Quido, the anomaly has been going on for several years now.

For the past 5 years, Jeverps Manufacturing Corp. was the only bidder to supply the noodles amounting to about P750 million under the Food for the Schools Program. In an attempt to correct the scandalous scam, a new rebidding of the contract will be conducted.

Corruption in a nutrition program intended to help malnourished children is plainly unacceptable. (Photo Credit: Nephatic Gren) =0=

RELATED BLOG: "Noodles for "brighter minds" in DepEd’s nutrition program draws sharp criticism" Posted by mesiamd at 4/23/2009

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Labels: children, Corruption, Corruption in Government, Department of Education, DepEd, feeding project, Jesil Lapus, noodles, Noodles Republic, nutrition, public school, Totie Mesia

Noodles for "brighter minds" in DepEd’s nutrition program draws sharp criticism

4/23/2009 | Posted by mesiamd | Edit Post

The Council of Health and Development (CHD) through its director, Dr. Eleanor A. Jara decried the “deceitful and scandalous” distribution of poorly nutritious noodles by the Department of Education (DepEd) in its “Food for the School” program.

According to Dr. Jara, a total of 19,418,880 packs of overpriced salty instant noodles were allotted to 19 million public school children in the Philippines, but the food is hardly nutritious. P400 million pesos have been allotted to the feeding program that hopes to give “brighter minds” to many malnourished students.

Nutritional Value of a typical Noodle Pack:

Serving size: 1.5 oz. (42 grams/1/2dry noodle block and 1 tsp. of seasoning)
Calories: 190
Total Fat: 7 grams
Sodium: 910 mg
Carbohydrates: 26 grams
Protein: 5 grams

CHD, a national consortium of more than 50 community-based health organizations, advises that instead of masking the nutrition problem of Filipinos, the government must look into the causes and solutions of poverty in the country. (Photo Credit: Claudebarutel) =0=

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Labels: Council of Health and Development, Department of Education, DepEd, Dr. Eleanor Jara, food, malnutrition, noodles, Noodles Republic, nutrition, public school, Totie Mesia

UP Para Sa Bayan

12/13/2008 | Posted by mesiamd | Edit Post

The 2008 celebration marking the 100th anniversary of the University of the Philippines (UP) is about to close. There is much to thank for as many unnamed students and graduates have worked hard to fulfill their personal dreams and realize the school’s mission. On the other hand, there is much to be ashamed of (or regretful about) if some of UP’s graduates have fallen short of their potential.

UP Para Sa Bayan, a huge display of public service will be held in campus this Saturday, December 13, 2008. The slogan and happy occasion will showcase the relevance the school plays for the country. It will surely make many people feel good and proud.

A hundred “oblation men” will have a photo shoot at the amphitheatre. Free medical, veterinary, legal, and dental services will be offered to the public. A blood drive, a school-sponsored mass wedding and public entertainment are slated--- all in one day.

This is the right time for every UP graduate to mull on what leadership, excellence, and service mean. There are those who say the university is now focused on service. And leadership and educational excellence have long been century-old indelible school trademarks.

But are they true? One can’t help but wonder if truth is what most people really see in the government-funded top learning center. The mirage which blurs the university’s actual accomplishments and failures still remains. Photo Credits: BotchokoyD, KuManahan; Ulan25; ButchokoyD) =0=

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Labels: centennial, public school, Totie Mesia, University, UP, UP Para sa Bayan

84.1% functional literacy of Filipinos, but…

9/09/2008 | Posted by mesiamd | Edit Post

“Literacy is the Best Remedy,” is the theme of the UN International Literacy day observed on September 8. Based on multi-agency data which include the Department of Education and the National Statistical Council, the functional literacy of Filipinos is 84.1%. This means 67 million of us are functionally literate and 12.72 million are illiterate. Not bad.

But the big number of illiterates is still a huge problem. With a sizeable impaired segment of the population, we cannot tap the maximum potential and productivity of our workers. Having close to 13 million individuals lacking in education and skills is a huge drain in our pool of nation builders. By estimates, this is close or a bit larger than the extent of the country's brain drain---Filipinos who have left for jobs abroad.

Philippines must not slacken for about 65% of our youth are out of school and 56% of our students are not able to graduate in high school. Philstar (09/09/08, Roces, AR) There is an ominous message in this statistics as we proceed to the 21st century. Realizing that among the ranks of highly schooled literates, a significant number of talented Filipinos use their educational edge for their own selfish ends, the picture doesn’t look pretty. (Photo Credits: EDP@ICC)=0=

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Labels: brain-drain, Education, literacy, Philippines, public school, United Nations

Heard From The Underbush

6/19/2008 | Posted by mesiamd | Edit Post

"Gusto nilang maging commercial endorser, eh ang papangit naman nila, [They want to be commercial endorsers but they are so ugly],''

-Sen. Miriam Defensor Santiago denounces politicians who endorse consumer products. She condemns this advertising as a form of early election campaign. PDI (06/17/08, Cabacungan, G.)

“We hope the government would undertake mitigating programs because there might be further rise in unemployment as a result of the rising power cost in the country.”

-Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP) spokesman Alex Aguilar reacting to the National Statistics Office (NSO) report which shows the rise of unemployment to 8% in April, 2008 from 7.4 of April last year. Philstar (06/18/08, Jaymalin, M)

"I assure [students] that in 2009 we will prioritize this (the construction of more comfort rooms in public schools.)"

-DepEd Secretary Jesli Lapus tells the audience of a Manila morning show, "Umagang Kay Ganda." how he'll solve the problem of filthy toilets in public schools. According to the Alliance of Concerned Teachers (based on DepEd's records,) 51 elementary pupils share one toilet bowl. In high school, it's even worse -- 102 students share one toilet bowl. ABS-CBN Online (06/17/08)

"I appealed, I cajoled, I threatened by telephone…These people do not have an ideology. This is pure banditry."

-Sen Loren Legarda says on her role in gaining the release of reporter Ces Drilon et al who were held hostage by Islamic militants in Mindanao. ABS-CBN Online/AFP (06/18/08.)

“That will drain more our finances. Now at 20 percent, we are bothered financially,”

-Rustico Jimenez, M.D., president of the Private Hospitals Association of the Philippines, saying that it is too much to increase senior citizen hospital discount from 20% to 30%. Inquirer (06/17/08, Alave, KL.)

“Even if cases have been filed against some alleged perpetrators of summary executions, justice remains elusive and the possibility of getting genuine justice remains unsure. This is because forensic investigations of human rights violations are not done with due diligence, either because of unwillingness to do so, or because of incompetence to do good investigations,”

-Dr. Aurora Parong, Amnesty International (Philippine section director,) bewails the lack of justice in the Philippines. Manila Times (06/17/08, Apanay, IK.)

Labels: Accountability, government, human rights, Justice, Miriam Defensor Santiago, Philippines, public school, senior citizen

UP Ibalon Bicol

Shortened learning hours: an obstacle to education in RP's crowded schools

Dep Ed’s P427 million noodle contract revoked

Noodles for "brighter minds" in DepEd’s nutrition program draws sharp criticism

UP Para Sa Bayan

84.1% functional literacy of Filipinos, but…

Heard From The Underbush

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