Filipino Students Left Without Textbooks For 10 Years
The past decade has seen Filipino learners in public schools grappling with an unfortunate reality - the lack of textbooks. According to Karol Mark Yee, the executive director of the Second Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM II), only students in Grades 5 and 6 had complete textbooks from 2012 to 2022.
Despite the education sector receiving budget allocations from the national government specifically for textbooks, the full utilization of these funds has been a challenge. A staggering P11 billion out of the P12 billion allotment for textbooks from 2018 to 2022 remained unused. This situation has left many learners attending school without the necessary educational materials.
The Department of Education (DepEd) cites a lengthy textbook procurement process, which takes up to three years, as a major hurdle. As a solution, the department has shifted to a more streamlined approach. The same entity that develops the content and manuscripts now also handles the printing and delivery of the textbooks.
However, EDCOM II suggests a different strategy in its Year One Report titled "Miseducation: The Failed System of Philippine Education." It recommends that DepEd consider procuring readily available textbooks from the market instead of commissioning publishers to develop new ones. This could potentially speed up the procurement process and ensure that textbooks reach the students on time.
The report further highlights that only 27 textbooks have been procured for Kinder to Grade 10 since 2012. The introduction of the K to 12 curriculum saw only Grades 5 and 6 textbooks being successfully procured. This lack of textbooks impedes effective teaching and learning, creating a ripple effect on the overall quality of education.
The pandemic and the changes in the K to 12 curriculum have further complicated textbook procurement. The focus shifted to distance learning modules, and the curriculum changes made the department hesitant to procure textbooks.
The EDCOM II report also reveals another alarming issue - some teachers are not proficient in the subjects they teach. DepEd assures that they are conducting a study to address this issue, along with the teacher shortage.
The challenges in education are further exacerbated by malnutrition among learners. Poor nutrition during the foundational years can impact a child's cognitive development and learning capacity. To combat this, DepEd has expanded its school feeding program to cover the entire school year.
EDCOM II, created by virtue of Republic Act (RA) 11899, is mandated to undertake a comprehensive national assessment and evaluation of the Philippine education sector's performance. It aims to develop a more holistic, harmonized, and coordinated education ecosystem.
In conclusion, the lack of textbooks in public schools is a pressing issue that needs immediate attention. It's high time for all stakeholders to come together and address these challenges to ensure a brighter future for Filipino learners.