By: Gilbert M. Forbes
If basic and tertiary education are describe to be sub-standard, nothing will seem to surpass Graduate Education in the country as observers in the early and late nineties until now constantly describe and affirm.
Seven years ago data on graduate enrollment reveals that 43.8% of the total enrollment was in teacher education. The doctoral level is far higher having a share of 62.6% (Garcia 1996). Thus, it is predicted to increase further encouraging the proliferation of ‘diploma mill’ type of institutions and unqualified graduates.
From this vantage, it appears that their ability to respond to new challenges is questionable hence, “it is preposterous to think of a bureaucracy manned by full-fledged MA’s and Ph.D’s who know little about their disciplines”(Angel Alcala 1996).
Given the fact that the kind of school management being employed by our school leaders is still far fetched from what it is desired is a reflection and is in direct relation with the fact that many of this masters and doctors know little of their disciplines
In recognition for this claim, weight other than that of graduate education is given on merit and performance in the current DepEd setup although, being a full fledged MA and better Doctor, still puts somebody ahead than those who don’t regardless of how and where their degrees were taken.
Adding insult to injury is the still popular belief and thinking that majority have when it comes to graduate education not only in the area of educational administration and educational management but also in other disciplines. “The requirement of graduate units as a prerequisite for promotion and advancement was abused and misinterpreted. For instance, instead of aiming to become researchers and creators of knowledge, many graduate students aim for graduate units or a CAR (Complete Academic Requirements) to comply with academic requirements,”(Angel C. Alcala, EDCOM Chairman 1996).
Fr. Ranhilio Callangan Aquino in his article entitled The Woeful State of Graduate Education, said that research that typifies graduate work in other countries will hardly be found in many of our graduate institutions. Theses and dissertations are often perfunctory and dull: ?Reading Problems of Grade 6 Pupils of Barangay Maraburab?, ?Job Satisfaction of the Pumping Station at Iriga? and other inconsequential products of half an attempt at diligence are willingly accepted ?in partial fulfillment of requirements? for high-sounding degrees.
Taken altogether, “these studies are as localized as they are unrelated to each other. This must be partly due to the fact that these studies were done independently and are therefore, desperate and unrelated to one another (Ochave, 1996).
Sad to say, but there are even some state colleges and universities in the provinces which are contributing to this malady, to think that there are many instances that they require their students to finish their thesis in just a semester. To make sure that their students will finish in that short while, thesis advisers use to require their students to report to them even during week days.
There are, to be sure, graduate programs in the Philippines that compare favorably with those offered by creditable foreign institutions abroad, but with a graduate school or more in almost every province and cities of our country now, those that contribute to Philippine education reliable masters and credible doctors are indeed few.
It is limited to CHED’s center of excellence. However, only few, dare to enroll in this institutions for even with those who have money, will just prefer institutions that will insure that they will graduate and this will be credited when they apply for promotion.
In a keynote speech delivered by then Secretary of Education Isidro Cariño in a PAGE national conference in 1991, he noted the persistent rumors (until now) about the “ghost writing” of thesis and dissertations and “trading” of finished manuscripts. He also noted the proliferation of masters and doctoral program of dubious quality. As long as one has the money, it is said that thesis isn’t a problem.
Dr. Josefina Cortez once said in 1994 that graduate education suffers from “diploma disease” virus. The situation becomes even more serious if we consider that most of the products of these graduate programs end up as school leaders managing, leading, directing, and supervising our schools. Or at the outset, teaching and handling administrative positions in our colleges and universities.
Currently, DepEd has just released a new memorandum with regards to school principals who want reclassification which require them to be full-fledged MA’s plus additional units in Doctoral as they climb up the ladder.
Just recently, the Civil Service Commission has released an issuance putting MA degrees as a requirement for all Level II position appointments, thus increasing more the demand for MA and Doctoral degrees from both quality and mediocre graduate colleges in the land.
Indeed, it would be bread and butter, or a milking cow for scrupulous graduate institutions and of thesis advisers who themselves have a difficult grasp of their disciplines hence they themselves are products of mediocrity.
If our graduate institutions doesn’t merely meet standards of this globalized world, how could we expect Basic Education manned by products of these graduate institutions? The Civil Service Commission should think about this while CHED should strengthen the regulation, accreditation and policies governing the operations of Graduate Schools in the country.
You may also like reading: Investment Wise: Which Deserves to Receive More? Higher or Basic Education Sector
(Mr. Gilbert M. Forbes had his Bachelors Degree and MA in Educational Management (CAR) from the Philippine Normal University. A campus paper adviser and trainer for 13 years. Currently, he is a school principal in one of the central schools in the Division of Quezon.)
References:
Alcala Angel C., Excellence of Graduate Education Research, Sangguni, Vol. IX No. 1, Philippine Normal University Press, October 1997
Garcia Ester A., General Directions for Graduate Education: The CHED Viewpoint; Sangguni, Vol. IX No. 1, October 1997
Ochave Jesus A., Towards the Development of a General Framework for Research in Teacher Education in the Philippines, Sangguni, Vol. IX No. 1, Philippine Normal University Press, October 1997
Callangan Aquino, Ranhilio C., The Woeful State of Graduate Education, Manila Standard, September 8, 2008
Garcia Ester A., General Directions for Graduate Education: The CHED Viewpoint; Sangguni, Vol. IX No. 1, October 1997
Ochave Jesus A., Towards the Development of a General Framework for Research in Teacher Education in the Philippines, Sangguni, Vol. IX No. 1, Philippine Normal University Press, October 1997
If basic and tertiary education are describe to be sub-standard, nothing will seem to surpass Graduate Education in the country as observers in the early and late nineties until now constantly describe and affirm.
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| Photo courtesy of fewsimplethoughts.com |
From this vantage, it appears that their ability to respond to new challenges is questionable hence, “it is preposterous to think of a bureaucracy manned by full-fledged MA’s and Ph.D’s who know little about their disciplines”(Angel Alcala 1996).
Given the fact that the kind of school management being employed by our school leaders is still far fetched from what it is desired is a reflection and is in direct relation with the fact that many of this masters and doctors know little of their disciplines
In recognition for this claim, weight other than that of graduate education is given on merit and performance in the current DepEd setup although, being a full fledged MA and better Doctor, still puts somebody ahead than those who don’t regardless of how and where their degrees were taken.
Adding insult to injury is the still popular belief and thinking that majority have when it comes to graduate education not only in the area of educational administration and educational management but also in other disciplines. “The requirement of graduate units as a prerequisite for promotion and advancement was abused and misinterpreted. For instance, instead of aiming to become researchers and creators of knowledge, many graduate students aim for graduate units or a CAR (Complete Academic Requirements) to comply with academic requirements,”(Angel C. Alcala, EDCOM Chairman 1996).
Fr. Ranhilio Callangan Aquino in his article entitled The Woeful State of Graduate Education, said that research that typifies graduate work in other countries will hardly be found in many of our graduate institutions. Theses and dissertations are often perfunctory and dull: ?Reading Problems of Grade 6 Pupils of Barangay Maraburab?, ?Job Satisfaction of the Pumping Station at Iriga? and other inconsequential products of half an attempt at diligence are willingly accepted ?in partial fulfillment of requirements? for high-sounding degrees.
Taken altogether, “these studies are as localized as they are unrelated to each other. This must be partly due to the fact that these studies were done independently and are therefore, desperate and unrelated to one another (Ochave, 1996).
Sad to say, but there are even some state colleges and universities in the provinces which are contributing to this malady, to think that there are many instances that they require their students to finish their thesis in just a semester. To make sure that their students will finish in that short while, thesis advisers use to require their students to report to them even during week days.
There are, to be sure, graduate programs in the Philippines that compare favorably with those offered by creditable foreign institutions abroad, but with a graduate school or more in almost every province and cities of our country now, those that contribute to Philippine education reliable masters and credible doctors are indeed few.
It is limited to CHED’s center of excellence. However, only few, dare to enroll in this institutions for even with those who have money, will just prefer institutions that will insure that they will graduate and this will be credited when they apply for promotion.
In a keynote speech delivered by then Secretary of Education Isidro Cariño in a PAGE national conference in 1991, he noted the persistent rumors (until now) about the “ghost writing” of thesis and dissertations and “trading” of finished manuscripts. He also noted the proliferation of masters and doctoral program of dubious quality. As long as one has the money, it is said that thesis isn’t a problem.
Dr. Josefina Cortez once said in 1994 that graduate education suffers from “diploma disease” virus. The situation becomes even more serious if we consider that most of the products of these graduate programs end up as school leaders managing, leading, directing, and supervising our schools. Or at the outset, teaching and handling administrative positions in our colleges and universities.
Currently, DepEd has just released a new memorandum with regards to school principals who want reclassification which require them to be full-fledged MA’s plus additional units in Doctoral as they climb up the ladder.
Just recently, the Civil Service Commission has released an issuance putting MA degrees as a requirement for all Level II position appointments, thus increasing more the demand for MA and Doctoral degrees from both quality and mediocre graduate colleges in the land.
Indeed, it would be bread and butter, or a milking cow for scrupulous graduate institutions and of thesis advisers who themselves have a difficult grasp of their disciplines hence they themselves are products of mediocrity.
If our graduate institutions doesn’t merely meet standards of this globalized world, how could we expect Basic Education manned by products of these graduate institutions? The Civil Service Commission should think about this while CHED should strengthen the regulation, accreditation and policies governing the operations of Graduate Schools in the country.
You may also like reading: Investment Wise: Which Deserves to Receive More? Higher or Basic Education Sector
(Mr. Gilbert M. Forbes had his Bachelors Degree and MA in Educational Management (CAR) from the Philippine Normal University. A campus paper adviser and trainer for 13 years. Currently, he is a school principal in one of the central schools in the Division of Quezon.)
References:
Alcala Angel C., Excellence of Graduate Education Research, Sangguni, Vol. IX No. 1, Philippine Normal University Press, October 1997
Garcia Ester A., General Directions for Graduate Education: The CHED Viewpoint; Sangguni, Vol. IX No. 1, October 1997
Ochave Jesus A., Towards the Development of a General Framework for Research in Teacher Education in the Philippines, Sangguni, Vol. IX No. 1, Philippine Normal University Press, October 1997
Callangan Aquino, Ranhilio C., The Woeful State of Graduate Education, Manila Standard, September 8, 2008
Garcia Ester A., General Directions for Graduate Education: The CHED Viewpoint; Sangguni, Vol. IX No. 1, October 1997
Ochave Jesus A., Towards the Development of a General Framework for Research in Teacher Education in the Philippines, Sangguni, Vol. IX No. 1, Philippine Normal University Press, October 1997
4 comments:
The first question a school involved in any professional development should ask is: What is the purpose of education in the 21stC? And then what attributes will students need to thrive in uncertain but potentialy exciting times? Or how do we ensure all students are engaged in learning? At the very least schools should focus on realizing their mission/vsion - or the vision of the 2007 New Zealnd National Curriculum, other wise it is 'tinkering' not transformational.
should english and filipino be taught with synchronized objectives this sch yr.2012-2013 esp to gr. 1 nd 2 pupils? need asap reply pls. thank you very much.
curiouslass
Dear Curiouslass,
Thanks for dropping in this blog site.
With regards to you question, let me first refer to the new curriculum for grade one under K to 12. But with regards to grade two, definitely yes.
do u have sample lesson plans showing synchronized objectives of fil nd eng. plss. post. tnx again.
curiouslass
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