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Out of every hundred Filipino children who enter Grade One, only
42 percent graduate from high school and only 25 percent will go to
college4. The data of the Department of Education (DepEd)5 alarmingly
shows a 6 percent dropout rate for the primary level while 7.45 percent
for the secondary level. It has been almost two decades since dropout
rates were acceptable at 1.65 percent for the elementary level and
only 5.88 percent for high school. A report commissioned by the
United Nations Development Program (UNDP) echoed the same stand
of increased dropouts in the country. Enrollment dropped to
12.03 million for school year 2007 to 2008 from the 12.08 million
pupils enrolled in 2006 to 20076. For this school year, DepEd has
estimated that 60,000 students from private schools have
transferred to public schools due to high tuition fees7.
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To achieve this, greater access to quality and relevant education must aggressively be pursued through proper and
relevant education and training, which will eventually lead to quality and high paying jobs for Filipinos. The government
needs to ensure that majority of the Filipinos are amply provided with the necessary basic education to
develop and empower themselves. Through the expansion of educational and skills training opportunities
especially for marginalized members of Philippine society, the countrys productivity
will improve and sustainable growth and development can be attained.
The people should be given the learning tools to help themselves. The unequal distribution of human capital
caused by inequalities in education is the worst form of inequality. Spending on education is the most productive
public investment any Government can makebecause to educate a child is to save a man.
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international standards-- other countries allot 6 percent of their gross domestic product (GDP) for
education expenditures; whereas, the Philippines education budget only accounts for 2 percent of the
GDP. A P172.84-billion budget, P18 billion less of the original P190-budget proposed, has been
allotted to the Department for this year. However the distribution of this budget is unable to address
the pressing problems of the public education system. The biggest percentage of its annual budget goes
to its personnel services. For this year, P141 billion14 of the budget of the DepEd goes to the payment
of salaries and other personnel benefits. Only P22 billion15 is reserved for maintenance and other
operating expenses (MOOE) (which includes school operating budgets and expenses for teacher
training, textbooks, and desks) and P12 billion16 for its capital outlay (which include the
construction of school buildings and purchase of laboratory and IT equipment).
Given this proportionate distribution of budget, there is very little room for implementation of
developmental projects and operational expenses directly related to the improvement of the learning
process in classrooms. According to the Global Education Digest 2008 of the United Nations
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The daunting objective of dealing with the huge backlog in basic education resources may be dealt with in the next three years and cope with
the increase in enrollment. This one-time P30 billion added expenditure
program can put an end to the perennial basic education backlog.
In the last State of the Nation Address (SONA) of President Gloria
Macapagal-Arroyo, the Philippine Education System has been boasted as
to be the great equalizer that allows every young Filipino a chance to
realize their dreams. She enumerated that 95,000 classrooms have been
built, additional 60,000 teachers have been employed, P1.5 billion have
been allotted for teacher training, especially for 100,000 English teachers.
Behind these numbers are the realities that priorities have been misplaced and budgets have been misallocated. The Philippines Business for
Education (PBEd), an organization working towards education reform,
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Final Word
Education is a major instrument for economic and social
development. For the past decade, numerous efforts have
been exerted to achieve the elusive economic growth.
Echoing the recommendations of the recently concluded
conference of the Joint Foreign Chambers of the
Philippines30, education in the country should be vastly
improved because rapid economic progress is not
possible without a well-educated workforce. The National
Government Budget should substantially allot for higher
wages for teachers, investments on school facilities
and continuous training of instructors.
Hopefully the new government through the
education department can be more aggressive and
persistent in pursuing educational reforms. Education is
the true essence of human development. Without
education, development cannot be sustained.
Endnotes:
reforms dont transform. Launched on May 20, 2009 at Crowne Plaza Galleria Manila Hotel.
Mocon, Claudeth. (2010) Sorrow in our schools. Business Mirror. June 12, 2010.
Mocon, Claudeth. (2010) Sorrow in our schools. Business Mirror. June 12, 2010.
5
Cited in Another Shamefil Arroyo Legacy: Highest Dropout Rates in Years by Bulatlat, posted
in June 6, 2009
6
Cited from DepEd hit over freight cost, dropout crisis, Manila Times, May 24, 2009
7
Mocon, Claudeth. (2010) Sorrow in our schools. Business Mirror. June 12, 2010.
8
Another Shameful Arroyo Legacy: Highest Dropout Rates in Years by Bulatlat, posted on June
6, 2009
9
Mocon, Claudeth. (2010) Sorrow in our schools. Business Mirror. June 12, 2010.
10
2008/2009 Philippine Human Development Network (PHDN) entitled Institutions, Politics
and Human Development. Chapter Two entitled When Reforms Dont Transform: Reflections
on institutional reforms in the Department of Education Department of Education: When reforms dont transform. Launched on May 20, 2009 at Crowne Plaza Galleria Manila Hotel
11
Mocon, Claudeth. (2010) Sorrow in our schools. Business Mirror. June 12, 2010
12
DepEd welcomes students to SY 2009-2010 released on May 31, 2009
13
Employment rate registered at 92.0 Percent in April 2010, results from the April 2010 Labor
Force Survey (LFS) by the National Statistics Office (NSO), released on June 15, 2010
14
Republic of the Philippines, Republic Act No. 9970, General Appropriations Act Fiscal Year
2010, Department of Education, Office of the Secretary; Department of Budget and Management (DBM)
15
Republic of the Philippines, Republic Act No. 9970, General Appropriations Act Fiscal Year
2010, Department of Education, Office of the Secretary; Department of Budget and Management (DBM)
16
Republic of the Philippines, Republic Act No. 9970, General Appropriations Act Fiscal Year
2010, Department of Education, Office of the Secretary; Department of Budget and Management (DBM)
17
Global Education Digest 2008: Comparing Education Statistics Across the World. United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Published on December 31,
2008
18
DepED 2009 Budget Deprives 3M Students of Seats, abs-cbn news.com/Newsbreak, Septem
ber 11, 2008
19
DepED 2009 Budget Deprives 3M Students of Seats, abs-cbn news.com/Newsbreak, September 11, 2008
20
DepED 2009 Budget Deprives 3M Students of Seats, abs-cbn news.com/Newsbreak, September 11, 2008
21
DepED 2009 Budget Deprives 3M Students of Seats, abs-cbn news.com/Newsbreak, September 11, 2008
22
Mocon, Claudeth. (2010) Sorrow in our schools. Business Mirror. June 12, 2010.
23
A Statement from Philippine Business for Education (PBEd) entitled Final SONA of PGMA
reinforces call for Education President released on August 18, 2009.
24
Patrinos, Harry Anthony, Barrera-Osorio, Felipe and Guqueta, Juliana. The Role and Impact of
Public-Private Partnerships in Education. World Bank. 30 March 2009.
25
Patrinos, Harry Anthony, Barrera-Osorio, Felipe and Guqueta, Juliana. The Role and Impact of
Public-Private Partnerships in Education. World Bank. 30 March 2009.
26
2008/2009 Philippine Human Development Network (PHDN) entitled Institutions, Politics
and Human Development. Chapter Two entitled When Reforms Dont Transform: Reflections
on institutional reforms in the Department of Education Department of Education: When reforms dont transform, page 4. Launched on May 20, 2009 at Crowne Plaza Galleria Manila
Hotel.
27
President Arroyo Approves Salary Standardization Law. June 18, 2009
28
Estopace, D.D. (2010) DepEd allots 2009, 2010 budgets fro computers. Business Mirror. March
29, 2010.
29
The End of Poverty: How we can make it Happen in our lifetime by Jeffrey Sachs. 2005
30
Joint Foreign chamber Press Conference entitled Impact of the Global Economic Crisis on
the Philippines: Preparing to Rebuild Foreign Investment Inflows (Analysis and Comments of
the Joint Foreign Chamber in the Philippines. Held at the Dusit Thani Hotel, Makati City on
June 1, 2009.
10
State of Textbooks: Still Faulty, Says Go. By Jarius Bondoc. The Philippine Star, Updated on
August 28, 2009
2008/2009 Philippine Human Development Network (PHDN) entitled Institutions, Politics
and Human Development. Chapter Two entitled When Reforms Dont Transform: Reflections
on institutional reforms in the Department of Education Department of Education: When
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