EDITORIAL: Educational Deficiencies

AS the school year 2024-2025 begins, over 19 million students return to classrooms across the Philippines, greeted by enduring challenges that have long plagued the education system.

With the appointment of former senator Juan Edgardo Angara as the new Secretary of Education, hopes are cautiously renewed for a more responsive and effective educational environment.

However, the road ahead is fraught with familiar obstacles that require more than just a change in leadership.

The statistics are blunt reminders of the systemic issues: classroom shortages, inadequate teaching quality, and underpaid, overworked teachers. These have been perennial problems exacerbated by natural calamities like the recent monsoons and Typhoon Carina, which delayed the opening of nearly a thousand schools in affected regions.

The deployment of 33,000 police officers for security underscores the logistical challenges of the school opening but does little to address the core issues within the schools themselves.

Angara’s predecessor, Vice President Sara Duterte, faced a tumultuous tenure marked by controversy and the introduction of the Matatag Basic Education Curriculum. Now, Angara must navigate the complexities of an education system beset by what Rep. Edcel Lagman aptly describes as a “universe of shortages.”

From teachers and support staff to basic infrastructure like classrooms and sanitation facilities, the gaps are wide and deep.

The introduction of the MATATAG Curriculum, aimed at reducing contact time between teachers and students while increasing teaching loads, has raised concerns among educators.

Teachers’ groups have expressed both optimism and skepticism regarding Angara’s leadership, emphasizing the need for substantive changes that go beyond curriculum adjustments.

Adequate training, competitive salaries, and comprehensive support for educators are critical if meaningful progress is to be achieved.

While there are some positive steps, such as institutionalizing overtime pay and expanding career progression tracks for teachers, these measures alone are insufficient. The demand for a significant salary increase to P50,000 per month reflects the broader need for investment in the human resources that form the backbone of the education system.

The challenge for Angara is not only to implement immediate fixes but to advocate for long-term solutions that address the root causes of educational deficiencies.

A focus on improving infrastructure, providing necessary learning materials, and ensuring access to basic utilities like electricity and the internet is essential.

Moreover, the government must prioritize these foundational needs over metrics like the Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) test results, which can improve naturally when systemic issues are resolved.

As the new school year unfolds, the success of Angara’s tenure will depend on his ability to translate dialogue and intentions into action and results.

The education sector’s transformation requires bold, decisive steps and a commitment to overcoming challenges that have persisted for generations. Only then can the Philippines hope to provide its learners with the quality education they deserve.