Dear Professor,
Good day doc!
When you let us pick the country that we are going to study for its educational system, immediately I look for the United Kingdom. I chose UK because I wanted to know the kind of education system that they have considering that there are 4 countries that comprise this big nation. How they were able to successfully implement plans considering the fame in education that they are enjoying right now, the astounding buildings and the vast universities that are too high.
Education in UK has the same patterned with the other countries. As I look at its structure, it’s almost the same with others, if there is, only minute thing. I view this as physical only but as to the implementation and the other factors to consider I have not included.
UK’s primary education is 6 years from the combined junior and infant schools 2 years in infant school and 4 years in junior school. This is the first stage of children’s schooling. Secondary education covers schooling from the age of eleven to the minimum school leaving age of sixteen. Students follow a common curriculum leading to the GCSE and VCSE. They may combine a number of GCSEs, VCSEs or a combination of both. At some schools, pupils may stay on at a school sixth form for a further two years when they sit for the General Certificate of Education Advanced Level (GCE A Levels) or the General Certificate of Education Advanced Subsidiary examinations (GCE AS examinations), or vocational courses leading usually to a Vocational Certificate of Education Advanced Level/Vocational Certificate of Education Advanced Subsidiary Level). Further education colleges also offer these courses.
Higher education is provided by three main types of institutions: universities, colleges and institutions of higher education and art and music colleges. All universities are autonomous institutions, particularly in matters relating to courses. They are empowered by a Royal Charter or an Act of Parliament. As a result of the Further and Higher Education Act of 1992, the binary line separating universities and polytechnics was abolished and polytechnics were given university status and took university titles. Unlike the Philippines, not all universities are autonomous. They still need to pass some accreditations in order to get the highest level which is the autonomous level. The UK universities also offer second stage of higher education the Master’s Degree and Master of Philosophy and its third stage is the study of Doctor of Philosophy and the Higher Doctorate. We can see that UK’s higher education is being strengthened. Philippines also offer postgraduate education but its only Master of Arts and Doctor of Philosophy. The students choose their own program or major.
UK also tightened their teacher qualification before teaching. A teacher applicant must undergo trainings and post graduate studies before one is hired.
I realized that there is no so much difference in the structure between UK and Philippine education but when you look at the outcome we are (Philippines) far beyond compare. We are 50 years beyond behind from them. Perhaps because they have money and we don’t have. Our budget for education is meager plus it is not well address, corruption is rampant, needs are not met. If only Philippines has disciplined leaders I doubt if we will not achieve first class education. Money is secondary. What is the most important are the personnel who can carry out the goal with iron hands not with vested interest. Our country needs realignment of each goal to one common goal towards quality education and it must start first from the right hiring of new teachers. It must start from the simplest thing to the complicated ones. Secretary Quisombing once said that “the education of the heart is the heart of education”. I hope that the new program “K+12” will give impact to our present education today and not just remains an unimplemented program.
So help us God!
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