Education and Seminar Lecture Session

Reflection Seminar – Lecture Session
On

Elena Paulma, ED.D.
Instructor

Hazel R. Balan
MSciEd Bio2
1st Sem SY 2012-201
REFLECTION
Seminar – Lecture Session
On
“ Quantity and Quality Assurance in Education and
Global Trends in Service Excellence “
By: Hazel R. Balan – MsciEd Bio 2

One of the thoughts I gained during the Seminar – Lecture Session is the vital task of education sector to the achievement of national development goals as embraced in the country’s development plan. Acquiring knowledge through education has become an essential element for nations to prosper and compete. The utmost importance is laid on quality and lifelong learning, from early childhood development to tertiary learning. The ultimate capacity of every Filipino young person to actively participate in national development and improve his quality of living can only be achieved by enhancing their knowledge and skills that will lead them to have a more meaningful and productive lives. In the Philippines, the general objective and goals of education have been cited in the National Constitution section 3(2), Article XIV of the Constitution. These goals have been transformed into educational policies which formed the legal bases in (elementary and secondary) education framework. Education for All (EFA) policy holds true to every Filipino who has the right to a quality and accessible education. It is the fundamental investment in the aspiration of wiping out the endless cycle of poverty and moral perversion in the country. A good outcome of education is composed of both quantity and quality of educational capital. The quantity of educational capital can be measured by the number of graduates. On the other hand, the quality of education is considerably hard to measure accurately. What does quality education really mean? According to Adams, (1993) the terms efficiency, effectiveness, equity and quality have often been used synonymously. Several consensus exist around the basic dimensions of quality education. One of the attributes is the outcomes that encompass knowledge, skills and attitudes, and are linked to national goals for education and positive participation in society. Conceptually, the quality of education is reflected in the performance of students and graduates. But, unfortunately, as several studies on Philippine education have revealed that the expansion of educational opportunities is inversely matched by a deteriorating quality of education in the country. As emphasized by our speaker that there are many factors that have caused dwindling in the quality of education which seem to be embedded in the political, cultural, social and economic context. The same issues were raised during our group discussions. Nevertheless, practical definition of quality is significant when it must be open to change and evolution based on information, changing contexts, and new understandings of the nature of education’s challenges. New research — ranging from multinational research to action research at the classroom level— contributes to this redefinition. It is already a good emerging manifesto when K -12 curriculum has been implemented last June of this year 2012. Aside the fact that Philippines has one of the shortest basic education systems in Asia Pacific, enhancing the quality of basic education in the Philippines is also critical and compels immediate action. It is viewed that 10 year basic education is insufficient. Every graduate of the Enhanced K to 12 Basic Education program is an empowered individual who has learned, through a program that is rooted on sound educational principles and geared towards excellence, the foundations for learning throughout life, the competence to engage in work and be productive, the ability to coexist in fruitful harmony with local and global communities, the capability to engage in autonomous critical thinking, and the capacity to transform others and one’s self.
( Quoted from the speech of Pres. Benigno Aquino III ). What I have come to realize in this seminar, is that despite of the negative feedbacks about K-12 implementation, this educational reform program is the best solution to attain accessible and quality education for global competitiveness. K to 12 will facilitate an accelerated economic growth and strengthen mutual recognition of Filipino graduates and professionals in other countries. A better educated society provides a sound foundation for long-term socio-economic development. Parents will not pay for 2 years of basic education that will give them an employable child. In effect, parents are actually saving 2 years of expenses. Bringing together all the challenges in on-going educational reforms, changing environment, content, process, and outcomes — is a difficult task, especially to teachers who are the front liners in the real arena of education. It requires knowledge, resources, commitment and willingness to change. But, these efforts must continue and expand if children’s right to quality education is to be ensured and fulfilled. In conclusion, the seminar-lecture session was very relevant, comprehensive and reflective. It has call forth my thoughts about the urgent need of educational reforms to ascertain good future of our learners as they geared towards self-fulfillment and societal development.