THE COLLEGE OF MAASIN

“Nisi Dominus Frustra”

Maasin City, Southern Leyte
Graduate School

Critical
Review
Paper Writing
(Philippine Education and the
Developing Problems and Issues it
accompany)

Submitted by:
Nikki Jean O. Sunit

Submitted to:
Mr. Jimmy M. Dagupan

MPA204: Philippine Government & Local Administration

 The Philippine: Development issues and Education

Introduction

It is undeniable that Filipinos are much competitive wherever and whenever

we are. We are undoubtedly represented in all forms whether it comes to how well we
speak English or how great our skills put us through the top of businesses locally or
internationally. Foreigners who knowingly well Filipino’s capabilities might wonder
how Filipinos raise above the rest of the crowd of workers. That despite of being a
third world and a developing country, the question lies on how do we manage to
acquire such capabilities and able to test our capacities. –Well there is only one thing
we all Filipinos should be thankful to: aside from the passion to know new things is
the dedication for unending learning, the thing called “Education”. As of today; it has
been a tough and rocky road for young Filipino minds. The fact that the government
has been studying and now implementing new educational policy entail different
feedbacks from the society. Implementing new policies and embracing great changes
starting in our educational system of the country is like defying gravity. Education has
been part of the history and an attempt of changing it comprises unexpected results
that may or may not work in the kind of society we have. In that sense, this paper
aims to critically examine the occurring reforms in our educational system in “The
Philippines: Development issues and education” of James Trewby’s to within each it
will discuss the relationship between the developing problem in the Philippines and
how education impacts the country.

Summary

James Trewby’s on his “The Philippine: Development issues and education”

explains that the developing issues in the country have a huge impact into our
educational status. The idea of embracing new educational policies for our
educational system is a risk to consider amidst the developing issues the country has
been suffering since the dawn of time. Our country thus exists together with the issue
that hinders our growth. These developing issues (such as Corruption, Inequality,
Conflict and Underemployed/ Unemployed) were chosen by Trewby in the light of
what he had experienced upon his stay in the Philippines and also together with his
researches of the available literature.

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 Trewby’s observation upon the Corruption in relation to the educational
system has a negative impact to it. Corruption is “strangling” the nation (Javellana-
Santos 2004) and has been described as “the root cause of continued poverty” (Azfat
and Gurgur 2003), “pervasive and deep-rooted” (World Bank 2000, ii). These are
some of what corruption brought to the country and by that corruption has had a
negative effect on education. According to him the effectiveness of educational
investment depends upon the stability of the economic environment and the efficiency
with which “public institutions mobilize the resources they have and capture private
contributions. It is clearly embodied that education has been one of the subjects of
corruption in the form of misappropriation of funds. Philippines as one of the slowest
in improving educational systems must also be reminded that despite the educational
constraints corruption brings into the table; Education must also play a part in efforts
to end corruption.

Inequality, according to Trewby, it begins in the geographical location;

throughout history. This only means that people far from the power base have often
missed out. That is obvious in our country since that we display a unique territorial
characteristic, not to mention Philippines as an "archipelagic state. Generally,
inequality exists when unequal distribution of government resources and opportunities
for social and economic advancement. Such which, educational deprivation to
depressed rural cities would enable educated people to migrate and start to congest
urban city in particular because of the educational benefit it accompany. For these
inequality exists, among the poorest of the poor, lower quality of education is far of
reach. And although education is theoretically free, the hidden costs still cut the hope
to equal education to all who desires.

On the same side, Trewby also made a huge emphasis on the Conflict. According to
Trewby this said conflicts arises when corruption and inequality exists both
harmoniously. In some instances, arising rebellions threat the future foreign
investments, the deprived ones made out by corruption and equality posts great threat
into our economic stability of our country. Likely as said, private institutions are
needed to power up governmental programs such as the theory of free education to
all. But because of the conflict that raises, our chances of foreign support is
detrimental.

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 Underemployment/ Unemployment .This is about the educational quality of
the country. Existing issues such like employees being employed but well below
capacity in terms of ability or working time. Corruption, inequality, conflicts and
Unemployment/ underemployment are somehow posses a domino effect and have a
relatively huge negative impact to educational system in the Philippines.

Critique

It has been in the very verge of argument that the quality of education in our
country must be prioritize. Ever since globalization takes the world in a sweep, it is in
our hands, the government and the administration to upgrade the skills of the people
as the modern world does. Thus; lately, our government is making signs of progress in
combating the inevitable becoming tougher world of competition especially in the
quality of education. But, is it really necessary to keep up with the changing trends
despite of having much and more crucial problems currently existing in the country?
Is it a need to keep up with the change even though we aren’t built to fight it? In
particular, are we ready for the change that new educational policies being embrace in
our educational system despite from all the corruptions in the country, existing
inequality amongst our citizens, conflicts and violence, unemployed/ underemployed?
Is this time the appropriate and best time to welcome change? We are built to change
and for change but; we and those who are in the position should also put in mind that
Philippines is still a developing country, struggling with a number of challenging
issues. –This would quietly mean that our country is vulnerable. Trewby’s mentioned
major developing problems faced by the Philippines today (Corruption, Inequality,
Conflicts, Underemployed/ Unemployed) are an eye opener. –An eye opener to those
people who are in the position to influence, make the decision for the goodness of the
fellowmen. –A fact that would remind us that rapid and radical change is not good to
every situation, that one solution may not be applicable to another.

The way how Trewby attacks and relate how developing problems existing in
the country to our education has made a broader view to what has to come in this
change we are currently facing right now. We all know that implementing new
educational policies in the Philippines has been a struggle from the fact that it hardly
stresses our economical status.

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 Philippine Education is a product of long history of struggle. Even during
Spanish colonization was education was selective, more of a privilege than a right. In
which way, the origin of corruption began. The angle of which Trewby discussed how
corruption, inequality, conflicts, and underemployment/ unemployment somehow was
clear; but there are some that he wasn’t able to mention. Few of them may include:
the curriculum that is not responsive to the basic needs of the country. This is about
the time allocation to learn every major subject added with the enrichment subjects.
This overloaded curriculum results to difficulty in knowledge and skills absorption
among pupils. This issue is one of the most obvious loop wholes evident in such
educational reform. Another issue that can be related to Corruption which was the
previously discussed is how well are the schools equipped and able to train pupils
under their care? In this matter, it falls under the consideration of are there enough
school buildings ready to accommodate pupils such like classrooms and facilities that
would care the pupils in their journey. Is the government equipped to face those facts
and act upon the changes we have to go through this early? That is one of the
questions government should deeply think about. It is in our beliefs that everything
can be made possible by our government; but, the thing is that we are the government.
We create conflicts from different stands we have and by that we are endangering
peace in our country. The arising conflicts between people who aren’t in favor to the
new reforms in our educational system can put the country’s peace at risk. Like what
Trewby said “Education is playing a key role in peace-building”. –That is indeed true.
Occurring state problem in relation to conflict is the new movement of Maute rebel
groups, them recruiting young Filipinos to join them and get payed. The government
is clever enough to use pen against the sword. According to the government,
education is the best way to resolve this problem. How? It is by educating young
Filipino minds, giving them enough knowledge to say “NO” to violence and rebellion.

Conclusion
Trewby’s study about the developing issues in our country and how it impact
and how education impacts it was commendably able to let me see through the light.
He emphasized the recurring issues that we, as Filipinos can’t unseen, unheard and
deny. Trewby though he isn’t a Filipino citizen, was able to merge important pieces of
information and able to create a very resourceful and informative reading material.
Although there are some of the parts where he wasn’t able to cover, yet he made a

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great effort in making proofs by researching previews facts that would support his
material. He was able to capture the great quotations that would suffice every
description.

I believe that Trewby could have explain better the developing issues if he
also tackled the implementation of such educational policies in the educational system
in regards to the teacher themselves and the monitoring of the implemented programs.
If he did, then it would tough up to the much broad sphere in education. In that extent,
globalization of education will be tackled and more interest can be put into.

Corruption, Inequality, Conflict, and Underemployment/Unemployment seems

to sum up today’s Philippine crisis. It is a broad definition that Philippines just like
the existing countries in this world has its own troubles; but, it is good to learn that we
can never solve a problem if we are to face it with another problem; we have to solve
the existing problems in order to freely and confidently move on to another tough
challenges… as they said the world gets tougher and tougher as what life is all about
“a process and a cycle” the great challenges of today can be someone’s success
tomorrow.

Policy Implication

There are pros and cons into this educational reform. (1) it is an advantage to
the new generations who can access such grant of educational reform through which
their skills are more inclined to what they want to do in their lives. New generations
who can access these reforms can better lead the profession they really want.(2) the
strands offered are also inclined to the global market and graduates will possess
competencies and skills relevant to the job market. Thirdly, Graduates will be
prepared for higher education and will be able to earn higher wages. Also the
additional years of schooling has a positive overall impact in the society. Studies
show by then, Philippine education system will be at par with the international
standard. This only means that a better educated society provides a sound foundation
for a long-term socioeconomic development. On the other hand, disadvantages do
exist upon it. (1) Parents have to shell out more money (for transportation and food)
for education of their children. (2) The government has more on its plates when it
comes to allocation of funds, insufficient funds are hard to face. (3) Institutions
should first fix what has to needed to be fixed before engaging into new and different

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challenges. This only means that institutions such as DepEd should fix the current
subjects instead of adding new ones; facing the problem before moving to other great
challenges.

We all know that all things in this world has its pros and cons, advantages and
disadvantages; the only thing we all have to remember is that no matter how
advantages weigh than disadvantages or vice versa, we all have to remind ourselves to
make a decision not only for ourselves but for the goodness of the people we are
living with. New educational reforms must be taken seriously by the people who have
the power to decide for which there lies many things to consider. Let us be reminded
that authorities are the ones who have the capability to decide but the people will
endure either the reward or consequences made by the authorities. Implementing such
reforms in education strains not only our economy but also the children who are
subjected on it and the families who want the best education for their children. It
should be a lesson that it is not that bad to go with the change and trends but let us be
reminded of the accompanying consequences it has.

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References

The Philippines: Development Issues and Education

http://www.boscovolunteeraction.co.uk/wp-
content/uploads/2012/04/Education-in-the-Philippines.pdf

https://www.scribd.com/doc/48551785/Education-in-the-Philippines

Issues and Concerns of Philippine Education through the years

http://www.ajssh.leena-
una.co.jp/AJSSHPDFs/Vol.1%282%29/AJSSH2012%281.2-08%29.pdf

Education in the Philippines

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Education_in_the_Philippines

Education and Data Center

https://www.epdc.org/country/philippines

The Impact of K-12 in Philippine Education

https://studymoose.com/the-impact-of-k-12-in-philippine-education-essay

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