INTRODUCTION

As I was looking for possible reading material for legislative gaps and issues, I

came across with the blog of Senator Edgardo Angara who talked about this report from

World Bank related to skills and research in higher education in the Philippines. I read

about this in a broadsheet already so I decided to check on the book. The book is named,

Putting Higher Education to Work, Skills and Research for Growth in East Asia a World

Bank East Asia and Pacific Regional Report, an Overview. It diagnoses higher education

in East Asia which also includes all public and private formal institutions of learning

beyond upper secondary education.

HISTORY

In the book that I am referring to, the author pointed out that to understand the

need for an improved higher education system, it is important to understand the economic

context in East Asia. These economies can be divided into three income groups on the

basis of their gross domestic product (GDP) and into three technology clusters on the

basis of the skill and technological intensity of their products and exports. The

technology cluster approach can gauge science and technology development and

innovation as a driver of productivity. The table below summarizes the income groups

and technology clusters.

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Figure 1. Income groups and technology clusters in East Asia, 2009

TE

CH

NO

LO

GY

CL

US

TE

RS T

OP

Korea, Taiwan, Singapore, Japan, Hong Kong

MID

DL

EUpper China

MiddleMalaysia, Thailand

LowerPhilippines, Indonesia

LO

W

Cambodia, Vietnam, Lao PDR

Mongolia

Low income economies

Middle income economies

High income economies

The Philippines is in the middle income economies and also in the middle in

terms of technology clusters. Accordingly, countries that belong to the middle income

group are becoming more open and follow their upper income counterparts by promoting

industrialization and infrastructure development through high levels of investment.

To reach the top technology cluster, their primary challenge is to move from

being countries of assemblers and processors to countries of innovators with high

technological capability in manufacturing and to introduce new technologies in their

service and agriculture sectors.

RATIONALE

Knowing the background of the Philippines in terms of technology and income

cluster, I would like to summarize some points presented in the book in which I would

like to create my analysis, recommendations, and draw my conclusions.

The World Bank Report on skills and research for growth in East Asia noted that

in the Philippines, it is observed that higher education graduates have

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1. Poor quality in terms of skills

In the book Philippines Skills Report by World Bank, the World Bank pointed out

that the Philippines has a strong needs for critical skills with focus on a

combination of job specific and generic skills (critical skills include the capacity

to work independently and communicating effectively, as well as practical

knowledge of the job, problem solving and leadership for managers/professionals;

teamwork, time management and better grounding in theory for skilled production

and sales staff), higher level skills applicable to the service sector (high level

academic and behavioral skills) and skills supporting a more competitive

manufacturing sector (includes problem solving and creative thinking)

There is an emerging skills gap or mismatches that are documented through

difficulties to find the right skills to fill skilled vacancies.

2. In terms of research and development, very limited research outputs due to widespread skill and R & D disconnects.

ANALYSIS

1. Poor quality in terms of skills

In my analysis, poor quality in terms of skills and emerging skill gaps/mismatches

is a combination of poor quality basic and secondary education including poor facilities,

poor quality faculty and poor university-industry linkage.

We have to start from the basic.

As we all know, our basic education emphasized the 3 R’s—reading, writing, and

arithmetic—which are not wrong because these skills are important and basic.

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I have been a part of several schools teaching Technology and Livelihood

Education. In terms of basic skills, students are universal. There are those who are really

good and diligent—teacher’s pet. In a class which is really heterogeneous, a teacher’s

skills and experience will be put to test.

I am teaching bookkeeping. The subject is not mathematics per se but one needs

to be good in understanding concepts which are embedded in the problems. Of course,

my classes need to have several sessions on terminologies but I noticed that if a student is

given a combination of word problems and some figures, they find it difficult to answer.

As a teacher, I noticed that several of my students have difficulty analyzing information

when it is problem solving or when the skills require combination of recall,

comprehension, and application. If they encounter some difficulty, it will be good luck to

you and good bye to your evaluation.

Moreover, students with difficulty understanding concepts do not mind because

what they are thinking of is they will not use it in college anyway--not realizing that there

are core skills which are necessary for college or university work which will later drive a

person to have good ground of his work.

I remember as a child, in school, we are required to read everyday selections of

reading materials in books which were given by the government—really old but I must

say, I appreciate reading because of all those worn out books.

What kind of elementary and secondary students do we have right now? Do they

read a lot or are they good in surfing the net, copying and pasting? The quality of our

higher education graduates are products of basic education both in public and private.

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How much skills do we put in our basic education graduates…do they have the skills to

do university work?

Poor facilities

In our classroom discussion, there are more than 2000 HEI’s (higher education

institutions) in the Philippines. Not more than fifty (50) institutions have been granted

accreditation. I heard that cities and municipalities backed up by their representatives or

congressman want to put up state colleges and universities.

I came to realize that our country does not need too many state colleges and

universities. We need to place our money or spending in building good facilities for

institutions that are in placed already in the community—making it center of excellence

be it in higher or basic education.

Good facilities provide a good environment for learning in which a student is able

to explore more, interact with his classmates in an environment that simulates what is

real, and provide a safe place for further exploration of knowledge.

In the study which I conducted in 2007, The Capabilities of Manuel A. Roxas

High School to Offer Technology and Livelihood Education Component of

MAKABAYAN, the following were some of my findings: The facilities of Manuel A.

Roxas High School specifically those of the classrooms are perceived by the students-

respondents as adequate. However, the same respondents perceived the practice

room/laboratory for Technology and Livelihood Education as inadequate. The learning

materials as perceived by the students respondents are inadequate.

The teachers and administrators respondents viewed the facilities specifically that

of the classrooms as adequate. The same respondents perceived the practice

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room/laboratory room for Technology and Livelihood Education as inadequate. The

administrative support as perceived by the teachers and administrators -respondents is

inadequate.

This is a sad reality--inadequate facilities for a very skill rich subject—

Technology and Livelihood Education in a school of 209 graduating students in Quezon

City.

In Batasan High School alone, seventy (70) students have to be in a classroom at

the same time. In the class of my nephew in a public school in Montalban, there are 60

students in a classroom.

This is reality in our public school system. In private schools, facilities are not so

much a concern since quality is always equated with the price.

In our class discussion on higher education institutions, according to Dr.

Castañeda, not less than 50 colleges and universities are accredited. Accreditation, of

course, is one way of assuring quality in education. Since we have only very limited

schools in the Philippines that are accredited, I am sure that poor facilities will always be

a concern of higher education institutions in the Philippines.

Poor Quality of Faculty

For me, faculty members as the students’ direct contact to the world of learning

and facilitators of learning as well, play a very vital role in the execution of what is going

to be learned and experienced by the students. A good faculty member does not know

only how to smile and make friends with students. He does not know only how to teach

but looks at himself as an avenue where students can learn what is new, related and

relevant.

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Some schools provide learning experiences for the students and it’s the

responsibility of the teacher to enhance it with his experience and profound knowledge.

However, there are cases in which teachers are curriculum makers as well. Hence, it is

an opportunity to effect changes also in the system and provide what is needed, related

and relevant.

However, I observed that there are faculty members who are satisfied with

mediocrity and do not want to go out of the box. These faculty members have

succumbed to being average and do not want to get tired.

There are those who kept on studying and upgrading to keep up with the needs.

Just recently, I was able to meet a fresh graduate from my school, Grace Christian

College, who studied from University of the Philippines. The graduate is taking up units

in the same school. The said person is hired as a part time faculty of the same school

also. I am sure that the student graduated on top of her class but if UP is allowing faculty

members without a minimum of graduate study qualification, how much more are the

other schools in the Philippines today.

In one of my readings in The Manila Bulletin Newspaper Online, Dr. Nilo

Colinares wrote that accredited schools have a higher percentage of passing in board

exams compared with those who do not have.

Obviously, good faculty members produce good graduates.

Poor University-Industry Linkage

According to my husband, Mr. Emmanuel Gonzales, who used to be a faculty

member of Asian College of Science and Technology, university-industry linkage refers

to an agreement between two institutions. The school for its part benefits from the

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agreement in the sense that training is a part of curriculum particularly industry exposure

including facilities. The students are able to actualize their training in an real work

environment. On the other hand, the industry benefits from the training in the sense that

it is a source of manpower pooling. Trainees are trained already, no need for training;

therefore, minimizing the possibility of equipment damages because the trainees are

familiar already with the equipment and facilities. It is not only a source of manpower

but out of it, industries can get the best manpower.

In the ACSAT experience with Bell Company, the industry provides a prototype

of the equipment used and provides the training for the faculty member who will in return

train the students. The main reason why the linkage was cut was because the company

changed management and that the company downsized. The Bell Company was adjacent

to the school. Since then, according to Mr. Gonzales, the company does not have any

linkages anymore.

I used to be a faculty member of Samson College of Science and Technology.

We do not have any industry linkage but we send our students for training in companies

they wish to have their training.

In my analysis, higher education institutions in the Philippines continue to expose

their students in trainings particularly OJT as part of the school curricula. In the DEM

739 class of Dr. Castañeda, one of our classmates mentioned about OJT as an in issue

since most students do not achieve the intended training—students become more of

errand runner. To deal with this, close monitoring of the coordinating university or

school is needed and that responsibilities or functions must be clear from the very start as

suggested or mentioned by one of our classmates also.

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However, on my analysis, schools should not only be sending their students for

training but an industry linkage would be stronger because students are trained for a

particular purpose and at the end, there is a possibility of being hired. It also provides the

needed manpower for the industry.

2. In terms of research and development, very limited research outputs due to

widespread skill and R & D disconnects.

We discussed in the classroom that PUPians are basically good students but are

not too much into research. One of the reasons probably is that PUP is basically an

institution which is not really known for research. The school did not start as an

institution for research but a school for office personnel. With its visionary leaders, PUP

has become an institution which is known for what it is today.

Research skills should not only be presented in high school but as early as Grade

4, it should be part and parcel of school life…when one has started to become aware of

his environment, elementary students should learn how to write his observations not only

in English or Science.

In our discussion earlier, for the Philippines to be included in the top performing

countries in East Asia, we need to be innovators. Innovators are good in research.

When I took my bachelor course in PUP, I do not even have Statistics for

Research; moreover, any research related paper work. Although I find research

interesting, I find research skills as killing as well.

3. Constraints include the following incomplete autonomy and accountability, quality

and quantity trade off in private higher education, under spending in science and

technology, engineering, and mathematics, spending inefficiencies, and low spending.

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I would like to be more specific in the area of autonomy and accountability. As

World Bank sees HEI’s in the Philippines, it has incomplete autonomy and

accountability.

In our classroom discussion, I gleaned that prior to recognition of a certain

program, facilities, faculty, and curriculum are supposed to be within the minimum

requirements as set by CHED. However, some schools cannot keep up with the needs of

the present time which includes new and better facilities. CHED has the mandate to

regulate such institutions. Hence for me, autonomy is good but it is always coupled with

responsibility—not only to the stockholders or owners but moreover with the

stakeholders. Many higher institutions are like that in the Philippines. Complete

autonomy should only be given to those who are deserving but strict implementation of

the rules/laws should be imposed to those who fail to meet minimum requirements.

CONCLUSION

Legislation policies then must be geared towards or should include increase

public funds for STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics), equity, and R &

D, increase spending and move to PBA (performance based allocation), complete

academic and procedural autonomy and accountability to boards, and support stronger

incentives to quality private higher education and selected university-industry linkages.

RECOMMENDATIONS

Poor Facilities

a. Local community representatives and political leaders to stop putting up local

school colleges and instead put their budget on facilities of higher or basic

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education institutions that are existing already in their community making it a

center of excellence.

b. Educational leaders should ask for more participation from their graduates and

industries that are located within their vicinity or civil society group within the

locality to encourage graduates and industries to partner with them in building

good facilities which will in turn provide happy community and good

graduates for manpower pooling in the future.

Poor Quality of Faculty

a. In the Philippine setting, only secondary education teachers have the relevant

specialization. Elementary teachers do not have specialization but are

assigned to teach particular subjects. If I will be Department Education

Secretary, teachers in elementary should have specialization also so that

students can get the best out of a good faculty.

b. Require secondary education teachers to have a minimum of 18 units of

graduate study work as entry requirement for work.

c. Faculty members in HEI’s should have a relevant industry experience as part

of their entry and as a minimum requirement for faculty members not only

with relevant Master education.

d. That CHED would look into the qualification of faculty members even to

those schools who passed regulated status. Autonomy is good but

accountability also is necessary.

Poor university-industry linkage

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a. Provide incentives to industry which will provide linkage not just on the job

trainings for higher education institutions.

b. Foster university-industry linkages by institutionalizing and accrediting On-

the-Job Trainings (OJTs).

OJTs, practica, or internships vary in quality and participation. CHED could

work with national accreditation agencies to develop minimum standards for

OJT experiences and foster better linkages with the nation’s industry

including the Department of Labor and Employment as well.

c. CHED before approving a program should include industry linkage as part of

requirement not just a part of curriculum.

d. CHED to have more budget to hire competent staff that could run after

schools that need to meet requirements hence allowing CHED to have more

than one visitation annually per institution.

Limited research outputs to limited research skills and R and D disconnect

a. Awareness of research needs and skills including a culture of innovation

should become part of school life not only in higher education institutions but

should start from basic education.

b. For CHED and TESDA to require all HEI’s and technical schools to submit

action research relevant to the needs of the institution as part of yearly report.

DepEd should encourage both private and public schools to submit also action

research as part of the achievement of the school.

c. For government to provide more incentives to schools whether HEI’s, TVET,

and basic education that will provide relevant research outputs.

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d. For CHED to provide scholarships not only to students who are into science

and engineering but as well as teacher training.

REFERENCES

BOOKS

Philippines Skills Report Skills for the Labor Market in the Philippines Human Development Department East Asia and Pacific Region A Document of the World Bank March 2010

Putting Higher Education to Work Skills and Research for Growth in East Asia World Bank East Asia and Pacific Regional Report Overview by the World Bank c 2011

Philippine Institute for Development Studies Policy Notes ISSN 1656-5266 No. 2009-12 (December 2009)

Nilo E. Colinares, March 4, 2012, Educators Speak on Accredited Programs (Conclusion) Manila Bulletin Newspaper On line, Mania Bulletin Publishing Corporation

THESIS

Gonzales, Joena V. (2007). Capabilities of Manuel Roxas High School to Offer Technology and Livelihood Education Component of MAKABAYANcan.

INTERVIEW

Emmanuel G. Gonzales, experienced technical courses trainer, Electronics and Computer Technology and Engineering curriculum developer, and co-author of the TESDA’s Consumer Electronic Servicing National Certification(NC) Level II. Instrumental in the curriculum development of microcontroller and robotics in Asian College of Science and Technology (ACSAT). Currently, administrator, Alexan School of Technology, TESDA Trainor for Electronics

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