BESRA

Views on BESRA

By: Grace D. Suminguit

                                                                                       

                      

            Our government spends much budget for the Department of Education. This is to address the need of our country which is to have quality education to every child. To achieve this need, the undersecretary of the Department of Education together with his committee established some reforms and programs. They made some key reform thrusts for the fulfillment of the Education for All (EFA). This program of the Department of Education was established to provide basic competencies to everyone to achieve functional literacy for all. This project of the Department of Education was very significant to all Filipinos especially that we all desire to have brighter future. 

          We could not deny the fact that many of our fellowmen are poor. In fact, many of the Filipinos work hard just to eat three times a day. Our country is suffering from poverty. That is why there are still parents who could not afford to send their child in school even if the primary and secondary education is already free. Instead of sending their child in school, they let their children work as young as seven years old. You could not see these children in school but you can see them in the streets selling rugs, cigarettes and many other things. Others are in the damp areas looking for some thing to sell. This scenario is very much alarming. In the Children’s Rights, it is stated that every child should enjoy their right to education. It simply means that parents must send their child in school regardless of their status in living. That is the reason why the basic education was made for free so that everybody would have the access to education. I could not help but pity on the children that I see in the streets everyday selling anything or asking money from the by-passers. How I wish I could send them to school. 

          Aside from this, we also have another problem in our country today and that is the number of unemployed Filipinos. One of the reasons why we have plenty of unemployed people is due to lack of education. Many did not have a degree. In fact others did not graduate from high school or even elementary. As they said, these people are “no-read no-write”. They don’t know how to read even the simplest word and don’t know how to write even their names. Good thing that the Department of Education established another program and that is the ALS or the Alternative Learning System. This program is to address the problem of unemployment. With ALS, those who are unemployed were trained to earn their own living. They are taught how to cook, how to make handicrafts, how to raise pigs and chicken so that they can produce money even if they have not graduated from elementary. TESDA is also established to address the need of unemployment. Different skills were taught to the students. With TESDA, many Filipinos were already working abroad. They earn dollars and now have a good life. 

          Recently, the issue of K + 12 is already declared in public. This program of the Department of Education is no longer new since we have already heard of this long time ago about the bridge program. However, this time it is already push-through. It might not be effective this June but it is already finalized that there will be Kindergarten plus six years in the elementary and another six years in the high school in the succeeding years. I absolutely agree with this program because I have seen the good sides of it towards our youth. The additional two years in high school is very much needed for our students. With these two years, they can already acquire many skills needed in applying for a job even if they will no longer proceed to college. As we all know, many could not afford to go to college to earn a degree and be employed. However, because of the additional years in high school they will no longer worry for they can already choose many jobs after graduating from high school. It may be costly but it’s all worth it.  We have to support this program because this is for the betterment of our youth. 

         

Reflection on...

Curriculum Leadership

By: Grace D. Suminguit

                                                                                       

            

              We all aim for quality education to our students. We want them to have the best learning so that soon they will be useful in our country. The quality of education that we give to our students lies upon the curriculum, the teacher, the community and most especially to the school head. These are the important elements to deliver quality education to our stakeholders. Teachers play a very important role in the lives of the students for they are the primary source of all the knowledge that the students should acquire during their basic education. That is why we have to have a teacher who has the qualities of an effective and efficient teacher. A teacher who is committed to teach and has a vast knowledge of the subject area that she will teach. However, we could not only depend on the teacher alone in achieving the quality of education that we want to have. The school head also plays a vital role in attaining this goal.

          The school head’s function is to make sure that there is quality curriculum in the school and that she should monitor if these curriculum were effectively implemented by the teachers during the delivery of the lesson. Curriculum is the meat of the instruction. It is the guide of the teachers in teaching. Without the curriculum, fragmented lesson will take place. That is why it is the role of the school principal to really make sure that there is quality curriculum for the teachers to follow. The principal must also be updated on the new trends and issues in the field of education so that he could integrate these in enhancing the curriculum. 

          During the discussion of curriculum leadership, I realized that to be a principal is really hard. You have to be knowledgeable enough to create the best curriculum. Checking of the lesson plan should also be done weekly if not daily. As a school head, you must also conduct formal observation to the teachers to check if they are really implementing the designed curriculum. I have learned that there are two views in the implementation of the curriculum. One is the laissez-faire approach and the other one is the authoritarian approach. The two approaches have its advantages and disadvantages. For laissez-faire approach, the teacher is given the power to choose what the best lesson to teach. They have the freedom to select the lesson which is appropriate for them to deliver. This approach is good but only to those teachers, who are diligent in teaching, can be trusted and has the vast knowledge of the subject area that she is going to teach. A teacher who doesn’t have to be monitored. A teacher who conducts classes effectively even without the supervision of the school head. Authoritarian approach on the other hand is an approach where the teacher is being controlled by the principal. The teacher here has no freedom in choosing the lesson that she want to teach towards her students. She has to follow the sequence of the lesson in the curriculum. The school head monitors the teacher almost everyday. In laissez-faire the teacher has the power to choose what to teach, but in the authoritarian approach, it is the school head who has the power to choose what the teacher should teach. This approach is good but too much of this is already destructive. There must be a balance between the two approaches. Too much of any of the approaches is not good. For this to achieve, there must be an open communication between the teacher and the principal. The teacher can choose the lesson which she thinks is appropriate, but she should consult this to the principal. 

          We want the best of our children. We want them to acquire quality education. However, this could only be achieved if we all work for it. Students, parents, teachers and principal must work hand in hand for the fulfillment of this goal.

Leadership Model 2

A look into…Postmodern Leadership

By: Grace D. Suminguit

                                                                                      

We are living in a diverse world. People came from different races, from different culture and from different religion. Every individual is a unique human being. We have different interest, needs, and desires. We possess varied intelligences and talents. This is very evident in a school community. In a school, we encounter pupils and students coming from diverse culture. They have different beliefs and traditions. They also have varied interests and needs which the school administrators, heads, staff and teachers should cater. 

The person that is in the great position to address this need of the students is the school principal. From the discussion that we had during our class, I have learned that there are plenty of leadership models where a principal can adopt. However, among the leadership models that I have heard, it is the postmodern leadership where we can truly cater our diverse stakeholders.

In the postmodern leadership, the focus is on the individual’s needs and interest. The culture of every student is respected and appreciated. Here, the principal does not only focus on one particular culture. He must recognize the different cultures of his stakeholders. In order for him to recognize these varied cultures, he must have the knowledge on the different cultures that we have in the Philippines. For example, if you are assign to manage a school in a Muslim community and you are a Christian, you must study the culture of the Muslim.

In addition, the school principal in a postmodern leadership style must be versatile. He must be very flexible to any situation for him to adjust immediately in a certain condition. As I have said earlier, we are living in a diverse world. There is no constant except change. And so, it is the role of the principal to find solution to every problem that might come along the way. Let say for example, in the previous year there were no Muslim students enrolled in a particular school. All students were Christians and so in the school there is a prayer room intended for the Christians. There were also activities for the development of the spiritual aspect of the Christian students. However, in this year there were already Muslim students who enrolled in the same school. In this case, the principal must find ways how to cater these Muslim students. Say for example, a small room intended for the Muslim students will be reserved for their prayer session.

 To be a principal is really not an easy task. There were so many things that we have to consider when we plan for the betterment of the school. If I were given a chance to be a principal someday, I would do my best that I would be able to cater all the needs of the students because that is the main reason why I became a principal. What for that I become a principal if I could not address the students’ needs and interests. Yes, it might sound idealistic for we could not cater all their needs especially when we are handling a big school. There might be many hindrances, problems, and difficulties that might come along the way, but we must make sure that at least we are able to be fair to all students. We must recognize the different cultures of our students. We must be able to build a harmonious community in the school where we are operating. Peace must be present in the school and must inculcate in every students for them to bring this value outside the school. It is only through education that our students will transform into a better citizen in this country. That is why we should work hand in hand to achieve this transformation of our students because as Dr. Jose Rizal said, “The youth is the only hope of our nation”.