Education
From The Report: The Philippines 2012
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Education in the Philippines suffers from chronic funding shortfalls, but budgets have risen significantly in the past several years, suggesting increased government recognition of the problem, though there is a ways to go yet. The addition of two more years of school will bring the Philippines in line with the rest of the world, but without additional money it could be an exchange of quality for quantity. At the university level, meanwhile, the private sector dominates, but schools face a similar funding crunch.
This section features an interview with Patricia Licuanan, Chairperson, Commission on Higher Education (CHED).

Articles from this Chapter

Overview

The new class: Reform initiatives include big changes in expansion and funding
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As it seeks to simultaneously expand access and improve quality, the Philippines faces numerous challenges in the realm of education. Increasing enrolment, low levels of per capita spending and under-investment in previous years have left the sector in need of key infrastructure and educational resources. At the same time, a shifting economy demands more skilled graduates to fill roles in growth areas, such as business process outsourcing, hospitality, catering and shipbuilding. While the government…

Analysis

Paradigm shift: The K-12 policy will have wide-ranging effects
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Among the policies pursued by the administration of President Benigno Aquino III, the introduction of the K-12 programme is perhaps the most ambitious and controversial. It aims to provide universal kindergarten education to some 2.4m five-year-olds, while also adding two extra years of schooling at the high school level, bringing the Philippines in line with international standards. Detractors argue that, since resources are already spread so thin, quality, not quantity, should be the focus.…

Interview

OBG talks to Patricia Licuanan, Chairperson, Commission on Higher Education (CHED)
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Interview:Patricia Licuanan What is the motivation behind extending primary and secondary education in the Philippines? PATRICIA LICUANAN: When we compare the Philippine education system to those elsewhere it is clear that, while the content is sufficient, students are not being given enough time to deepen their understanding of key subject matter, nor opportunities to master skills. The move to a full 13 years of pre-university education is something we have long talked about, but little…