The Correlation of Ncae Examinations and the Academic Performance of the Students (Chapter 1)

CHAPTER 1
INTRODUCTION
The principle of humanism and egalitarianism has been the anchor of Philippine education. Over the decades, Filipinos considered education as the key to success, or roughly translated, the key to a stable job and eventually to the elevation of their social status. The latter ensures that neither poverty nor difference in political creed and culture shall pose obstacles to the fulfillment of this basic need. The whole facet of the learning process shall ensure the provision of good quality and relevant education. Such quality education shall be an instrument in the pursuit of the common good, peace and unity, environmental security and sustain growth and development. The ultimate aim of education is to develop in the learner the desirable knowledge and skills, values and attitudes. In that way, he can effectively use to alleviate poverty and improve the quality not only of his life, but also to his family, the community and the larger society. In Philippine educational institutions, success is measured by the student’s academic performance or how well a student meets standards set

by the local government and the institution itself.[1] As career competitions grow even fiercer, the importance of students – specifically graduating students – doing well in their studies has caught the attention of parents, legislators and educational departments.[2] A good academic performance, however, is not the only determinant of triumph in the working world. Non-academic factors also matter. The aptitude, inclination and skills of the student should be taken into consideration, especially when they apply for college and choose their career paths. In knowing this, the country’s local government officials came up with the National Career Assessment Examination or NCAE. According to the former Department of Education Secretary, Mr. Jesli A. Lapus, the NCAE mainly seeks to guide graduating students on what career path is fitted for them.[3] It is also aimed at determining the best-suited college courses for the examinees after graduation from high school. When the NCAE was first introduced and took over the National Career Entrance Examination (NCEE) in 2006, it was mandatory for all graduating students of public high schools to take it but not for private schools. Now, even private schools are required to take the examination. It has been three years since the NCAE was implemented but the answer on what is the relevancy of the NCAE to the academic performance of the graduating students still remains unsatisfactory to the researchers. In view of the foregoing, the researchers conducted an assessment on the significant correlation between the NCAE results and the academic achievement of the Fourth Year Secondary Science Curriculum students of Saint Ferdinand College, School Year 2009 – 2010.
STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM This study sought to find out if there was any relationship between the National Career Assessment Examination (NCAE) results and the academic performance of the Fourth Year Secondary Science Curriculum (SSC) students of Saint Ferdinand College for the School Year 2009 – 2010. More specifically, this looked for the answer to the following sub-problems: 1. What is the performance level of the students in the following areas of the NCAE? • Mathematical Ability (NCAE Math) • Scientific Ability (NCAE Science) • Reading Comprehension & Verbal Ability (NCAE Reading and Verbal) 2. What is the performance of the students in the following subject areas? • Mathematics (AP Math) • Science and Technology (AP Science) • English (AP English)

3. Is there a significant difference between the levels of performance of the students in the following paired facts? • NCAE Math and AP Math • NCAE Science and AP Science • NCAE Reading & Verbal and AP English
HYPOTHESIS
This study was based on the hypothesis that there is no significant relationship between the National Career Assessment Examination results and the academic performance of the Fourth Year SSC students of Saint Ferdinand College in the School Year 2009 – 2010.
SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY This study was conducted to determine whether or not there is a significant relationship existing between the NCAE scores and the academic performance of the Fourth Year SSC students of Saint Ferdinand College, S.Y. 2009 – 2010. It is hoped that the study will be useful to all those concerned in improving and strengthening the present condition of teaching and learning activities especially to the following:
School Administrators. The outcome of this study hopes to serve as a basis for the school to determine the extent of the realization of the objectives of the shcool and the study in general.
Students. Being the direct clientele, the findings if this study will be beneficial to the students to challenge or motivate them to try to pursue their studies better regardless of being an achiever or underachiever and continue their efforts to develop their potentials to the maximum.
Teachers. This will enable them to examine closely their teaching strategies and review their instructional objectives and processes for a high level of performance as a school.
Parents. The information that will be derived from this study will encourage them to provide better and higher education, living conditions and harmonious family relations. Furthermore, the study will make it possible for them to help their children decide on what course to take so that time, money and effort will not be unnecessarily wasted.
Researchers. Being the inquirers of this study, the researchers will be enlightened with their queries on the correlation of the NCAE results and the Academic Performance of the students.
SCOPE AND DELIMITATION This study was concerned with the comparison in the level of performance in the NCAE and the academic achievement of the Fourth Year Special Science Curriculum students enrolled at Saint Ferdinand College during the School Year 2009 – 2010. A total of 50 students composed the population of the study. The investigation is focused on the scholastic ratings of the students in Mathematics, Science and Technology, English and the NCAE ratings in the Mathematical Ability, Scientific Ability, Reading Comprehension and Verbal Ability sub-tests. The final grade point averages found in the BPS form 137-A was the basis for determining the academic achievement. The other sub-tests of the NCAE (Non-Verbal Ability, Manipulative Skill, Clerical Ability, Entrepreneurial Skills) are excluded from this study for the reason that the researchers think these tests are minor to mention, and that the researchers are more concentrated on the major sub-tests, which are then included in this study. One limitation of the study is subjectivity in grading some aspects of the criteria since different teachers were included in the teaching of Mathematics, Science, and English. Psychological factors such as emotions, motives and aspirations of the students when the test was conducted are other limitations which were considered. Results and conclusions arrived at are true only to Fourth Year Special Science Curriculum students of Saint Ferdinand College, Ilagan Isabela for the School Year 2009 – 2010.
CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK This research work was made to determine the relationship between the NCAE results and the academic performance of the 4th Year SSC students of St. Ferdinand College for the School Year 2009 – 2010. The variables used in this study were the NCAE scores obtained in 2009 – 2010 and the academic achievement of the graduates for the same school year. The NCAE consists of a series of tests designed to gauge the students’ proficiency in the following areas: • Mathematical Ability • Scientific Ability • Reading Comprehension • Verbal Ability • Non-Verbal Ability • Manipulative Skills • Clerical Ability • Entrepreneurial Skills
The last four tests were excluded from this research, as mentioned in the scope and delimitation of the study. The variables are tabulated as shown in Table 1.1.
Table of Variables (Table 1.1)
|Variable Number |Identity (Name) |Description |
|1 |NCAE Math | |
|2 |NCAE Science | |
|3 |NCAE Reading and Verbal | |
|4 |AP Math | |
|5 |AP Science | |
|6 |AP English | |

PARADIGM

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[1] eHow.com, Define Academic Performance, retrieved on July 28, 2010 from http://www.ehow.com/about_4740750_define-academic-performance.html#ixzz30b8lGMne
[2] Ibid.
[3] DepEd Online, EducNews “Career Test for HS Students Lauded”, retrieved on July 29, 2010 from http://www.deped.gov.ph/e_posts.asp?id=493

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NCAE Scores in:
Mathematical Ability
Scientific Ability
Reading Comprehension
Verbal Ability

Academic Performance in:
Mathematics
Science
English