By Anthony A. Araos
The festive atmosphere at the Lagawe Central School gymnasium offers a respite and awakens the spirits of about 400 senior high school students during their just-concluded congress.
This narrative takes us back to the rigorous preparations for the activity spearheaded by EPS Science and Senior High focal person Brenda Ducusin of the division office of Ifugao’s education department. All told, the undertaking was a success. It’s no surprise why it went that way. Luckily, with the momentum of upscale actions and strong support of OIC School’s Division Superintendent Virginia Batan, and school heads and other stakeholders, scores of learners from the province’s 32 senior high schools now have a wealth of experience. It only shows that they care so much for these young learners.
The exhibits and research presentations provide conclusive proof that preparations were indeed extensive. This narrative becomes the heart and soul of the event’s identity, guiding the participants and allowing them to share valuable insights. It really pays to invest in the people one believes in.
The success of the congress can also be attributed to the outputs of students of a certain portion of the program. Views shared by Sta. Maria National High School of Alfonso Lista were particularly attractive to the audience. The winds of change that are what these learning institutions are willing into existence began in recent times when it became evident in the K-12 top brass leadership that the only way to reinvigorate it was to infuse young blood. The school head of Sta. Maria National High School-main is Uzman Paggadut, also an outstanding educator.
Of course, there are obstacles in the K-12 program. It is not easy to dwell at this point but it does seem that it would not be natural or right to ignore them. The big difficulty in the way of adopting such attitude is the mere fact that the stakes are so high for the future of the Filipino youth.
And so it goes: the chances of getting jobs under the K-12 program are high. Yet, a study by the Philippine Institute for Development Studies showed that only 20 percent of the country’s SHS graduates have landed employment. A senior high school is filled with distress learners carrying out their dreams.
Though some excuses are offered by them, one can only argue with the overall situation in Ifugao. The province’s unemployment rate hardly moved for so many years. Quality of available jobs had deteriorated, as employment generated by the May polls are over, many households can’t make ends meet. Surely now, one still hears the lure of carpentry and dressmaking jobs. This only creates confusion. It’s obviously used as an excuse for something else. As the DepEd also frankly admitted that the K-12 program has so far failed to deliver on its promise to produce job-ready graduates.
My heart sank as I heard that elegantly-looking uniforms of students (they looked like flight attendants) of Gohang National High School in Banaue, were tailored at their own expenses. They’re public school students and therefore their poor parents should be spared from such burdens.
By this time no one could have been ignorant of the conditions in public high schools. Poor working conditions of teachers, shortage of teachers, classrooms, desks and many other learning facilities and equipment were nothing new. Higher salaries for overworked but underpaid teachers are the dreams not only of senior high teachers but also of all others in public schools. For we should be not be doing this not merely with senior high teachers, but with mentors drawn from elementary schools.
The government has not changed. DepEd programs, projects and activities are underfunded. While graft-ridden DPWH is receiving a hefty budget. It only will benefit corrupt congressmen and moneyed contractors at the expense of people’s welfare. Funding is a problem involving priority.
Is this how we intend to reward the sacrifices of teachers? They deserve a raise and more benefits. What has to be done? For one, its time to expedite hiring of teachers and non-teaching personnel.
An informed discussion around key issues on the education sector focusing on their impact and challenges that shape the future is essential. For this shall ultimately contribute to positive outcomes for learners. It’s high time to find strength in the collective aspirations in order to strengthen the DepEd’s measures for learning platforms. Thus, it’s time to move with great effort and urge President Marcos to exercise political will in addressing these problems. **
