Saturday, June 19, 2010

Kopi Talk Education in the MDGs

Hi florangel in Singapore because of the small population size and high rates of contribution, Singapore has the highest savings rate in the world. It also has the highest home ownership rate, with about 92 percent of the population living in homes they own and also high literarcy rate http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Education_in_Singapore.

The flip side some of the critics comment that the education system, including many parents, state that the Singapore’s education system is too specialized, rigid, and elitist. Often, these criticisms state that there is little emphasis on creative thinking, unlike education systems in other societies, such as those in the United States. Those defending the current education system cite that Singaporean students have regularly ranked top when competing in international science and mathematics competitions and assessments, along with South Korean students.

Reality bites in Philippine sometimes the under privileges even had a problem owning a house and shelter for  the family. Getting a loan whether it from government, banks, co-ops, is not easily as the gulf between the lip service and the hard reality remains like in most of their advertisements, they tout themselves as the generous, friendly, easy-to-talk-to partners of the peoples, The advertisements glowingly talk of happy and profitable partnerships to apply a loan to buy a house or even education, as photos show high corporate individual types in neckties embracing the shoulders of farmer types in buri hats in huge billboards. At the end of the day the bottom line for any loan is profit and risk. Once you in their list of high risk sector, I bet they will high tail out out of here not even given a 2nd chance.

Moreover, if people on the ground even had difficult for having a meal and decent roof, I guess having a education might be in their least concern. Therefore, sometimes it also boil down to basic of having shelter, food and probably education starting at the community and government level to help the poor. 

Posted by florangel
The incoming administration recognizes that achieving the targets of the UN Millennium Development Goals for 2015 is a priority. But how have we fared thus far?

On two goals, "Achieve Universal Primary Education" and "Promote Gender Equality in Education" the National Statistical Coordinating Board provides an assessment of probability of achieving these goals by citing the baseline data in 1990, the target for 2015, the latest statistics in 2008 and "green," (high) "yellow" (medium) or "red" for low probability in achieving the targets.

The target on ratio of girls to boys in primary education is the same (1.0) for the latest and the baseline statistics, for which it is given a "green" in probability.

Another "green" is given to ratio of girls to boys in secondary (baseline of 1.1; target of 1.0 and latest of 1.1); and for tertiary, a "yellow" probability assessment at 1.3, baseline, 1.2, latest and 1.0, target). The ratio of literate females to males of 15-24 age range is the same (1.0) baseline, latest and target) and has a "green" probability.

But here are worrisome trends which are rated "red" in probability. The target for 2015 on the three indicators is 100. On the first, net enrollment ratio in primary education, with a baseline of 84.6 in 1990, the latest (2008) statistic is 85.1. On proportion of pupils in Grade 1 who reach Grade 6, with a baseline of 69.7, the latest rate is 75.4. On primary completion rate, with a baseline of 64.2, the latest is 73.3.

The latest statistic on literacy rate among students within the 15-24 age range is the same as its baseline which is 96.6, with 100 as the target for 2015.

The implication from this NSCB assessment of the MDGs, is that we have to work very hard in order to catch up with our targets for the last four indicators. Of course, we have to relate the data with other indicators on the goal of halving poverty between the 1990s and 2015. As we know, the latest findings show that still, a large proportion of our people live on an income that is less than one dollar a day. Hunger is still prevalent, a cause for the high rate of dropouts and low retention rate in our schools.

My own assessment is that our catch-up plan should be to make everyone aware of the MDGs, and to anchor the MDG on the "education for all" movement. Everyone must take responsibility to ensure that targets are met. An intensive communication strategy which involves sharing of family and community experiences in response to the eight goals, monitoring progress, and sending feedback on unique approaches taken could help in reducing the existing gaps.

A 2009 UN Millennium Development Goals Campaign survey of 7,000 respondents of voting age suggests three priorities for the next president to consider - create more jobs with equal opportunities for both skilled and unskilled workers of both sexes; build more schools and hire more teachers; and strengthen and implement laws and regulations that protect the environment, provide decent housing and potable water.

Feedback: A Filipina resident in Switzerland who read my last column said that while we are considering educational reforms, we may consider looking into the unique features of Switzerland's educational system. For example, only 25 percent of high school students achieve university-level education, a situation which is ironic for a highly developed country, she notes. And we agree with her observation that indeed, Switzerland knows it has a very important niche to fill in the world economy. This is its high precision-hand-skilled workers.

With its focus on federalism and decentralization and on ethnic and linguistic diversity, the Swiss educational system delegates educational planning to its 26 "cantons" which enjoy political and fiscal autonomy Compulsory and university education planning is a responsibility of the cantons, but planning for vocational education is centralized.

Several countries in Europe - Germany, France, Switzerland, among others, have adopted a "dual model" in education which emphasizes a balance between academic and practical training.

With the high priority that P-Noy has given to educational reform, we may anticipate among others, a review of our present educational system that would include rationalization of the three agencies - Department of Education, the Commission on Higher Education and the TESDA or Technical Skills and Development Authority
Educational Fund Raising: Principles and Practice (American Council on Education/Oryx Press Series on Higher Education)Basic Math and Fund. Math-Video Lecture (Software)