A.
Access to quality education and skills development towards employment and livelihood
CONTEXT
Education is
the great enabler and equalizer. It is central to the inclusive development
strategy of the Philippines and stands as the primary area of engagement of the
Cagayan de Oro Youth Development Council. Increasing access to quality
education is vital in sustaining the growth trajectory of the city as the hub
and leader of the region. It is a task that requires the committed
participation of all sectors in the community especially its recipients – the
students. Through the OYDC, the students or the In-school-youth sector made a
clear commitment that they do not only sit and passively reap the benefits of
education but also become active partners in building our educational
institutions.
Cagayan de Oro city is home to one of the
largest concentration of learning institutions in the whole Island of Mindanao.
As of SY 2008-2009, a total of 135 pre-schools, 139
elementary schools, 75 secondary schools and 16 tertiary schools. From these
schools, there are 288 pre-school teachers, 2,505 elementary school teachers,
1,418 secondary school teachers and 1,988 college teachers[1].
This is a competitive-edge that the government and civil society should
constantly nurture and improve to maintain our leadership in the region.
Last
November 16, 2013, the City conducted the 1st Education Summit where
Elena M. Borcillo, CESO VI, presented the situation of primary and secondary education
in Cagayan de Oro City.
National Achievement Test
Results
In
elementary, the National Achievement Test (NAT) results both public and private
schools fluctuated from SY 2010-2011 SY 2012-2013 from the mean performance
scores of 69.36 to 60.94. It increased in SY 2012-2013 to 64.77 but it was
still below the education for all target of at least 75%.
Elementary
|
Secondary
|
PASSING
|
|
2010-2011
|
69.36
|
47.40
|
75
|
2011-2012
|
60.94
|
46.39
|
75
|
2012-2013
|
64.77
|
49.07
|
75
|
These
results showed that for every 10 questions in English, Science, and
Mathematics, the learners answered only 6 correctly.
In the
Secondary School, the NAT of the secondary school decreased from 47.4, 46.39
from SY 2010-2011 to SY 2011-2012 respectively. It increased to 49.07 in SY
2012-2013. However, these were still below the Education for ALL Target of at
least 75%. Hence, it shows us that only 5 questions out of 10 in English and
science and only 4 questions out of 10 in mathematics are answered correctly.
Public Elementary School
TOP 3 for 2012
Baluarte Elementary School 89.12
Tablon 88.60
Palalan 86.11
BOTTOM 3 for 2012
Corrales 41.66
Gusa
46.01
East city Lapasan 46.84
Public High School
Top 3 for 2012
Gusa 72.01
Taglimao –Besigan 69.76
Tablon NHS 65.33
Bottom 3 for 2012
Macabalan 38.39
Taglimao – Tumpagon 39.56
Carmen 41.22
Drop out rate
Elementary
|
Secondary
|
|
2011-2012
|
.23%
|
-
|
2012-2013
|
.78%
|
4.06%
|
For
elementary, there was a noted increase of dorp-outs in the recent S.Y. This
means that out of 30,289 secondary students, 1,230 dropped out in SY 2012-2013.
For secondary, this means that out of 30,289 secondary students, 1,230 dropped
out in S.Y 2012-2013.
Retention
Rate
S.Y.
|
Elementary
|
Secondary
|
2010-2011
|
94.59%
|
89.45%
|
2011-2012
|
94.22%
|
89.00%
|
2012-2013
|
91.86%
|
90.00%
|
For
elementary, this means that 8.14% or 5,368 out of 65,948 total population of
the division were not able to proceed to the next grade level. For secondary,
this means that 9.54% or 2,215 out of 23,218 of the secondary students were not
able to proceed to the next year level.
Cohort
Survival Rate
S.Y.
|
Elementary
|
Secondary
|
2010-2011
|
83.43%
|
85.69%
|
2011-2012
|
83.43%
|
73.93%
|
2012-2013
|
78.14%
|
83.93%
|
For elementary, this means that out of 14,563 pupils in
Grade 1, only 11,011 reached grade 6 after 6 years of schooling. For secondary,
it means that out of 8,317 students in 1st year, 6078 reached fourth
year high school after 4 years of schooling.
Access
or Participation Rate
S.Y.
|
Elementary
|
Secondary
|
2010-2011
|
88.56%
|
39.85%
|
2011-2012
|
92.20%
|
41.83%
|
2012-2013
|
81.37%
|
40.11
|
For elementary, it means that out of 82,422 (based on NSO
data) school aged children, only 67,072 enrolled in school. For secondary
schools, this means that out of 54,565 (based on NSO data) secondary level
school aged children only 21,886 were in school.
For the
tertiary level, Cagayan de Oro enjoys the presence of competitive
Universities and colleges that regularly produces top-notchers in board exams
such as nursing, criminology, education among others. In part of the Local Government, they
established the City College Scholarship Program that gives 600 indigent but
deserving students scholarships to different colleges and universities in the
city. It also is providing alternative education among with different national
agencies.
It cannot
be doubted that the educational situation in our city is a reflection of the
over-all educational landscape of the nation. It is dire to see the dismal
performance our city has been showing in the NAT results especially in our
secondary schools. Multidimensional factors should be considered which cause
these challenges. During the Education Summit, 5 intervention ideas were
surfaced. These are (1) Conduct parenting seminars (2) values formation (3)
seminars on birth control (4) teachers training (5) expansion of ALS/Mobile
teachers.
YOUTH POLICY AGENDA
During the Oro Youth Leaders Convergence conducted last
March 22, 2014, the following policy agenda were surfaced with regards to
education:
1.
Invest in multi-sectoral
participation and youth private – public partnerships in reducing the drop out
rate and increase the NAT results.
The youth leaders pointed out
that vital to improving our quality of education is building long-term
partnership with the barangay, the parents, the principal/teachers, the students and
civil society in general. They highlighted the importance of the barangay in
providing a safe and school-friendly environment. This includes crime
monitoring and environmental scanning (canals, pests, dengue). The students also surfaced the importance of
establishing evaluations and feedback mechanisms in the implementation of
programs of the school. The parents should also be included in the decision
making process and regularly inform them of the performance of their child. In
part of the student leaders, they pointed out that they should not just only
focus on organizing activities but should also be given a chance to articulate
their own experience and suggestions. They also pointed out the importance of
being open to interventions and donations from the private sectors but
emphasizes that such interventions should be sustainable and include them in
the processes of owning it so that it would not be a total dole out.
2. Invest on school infrastructure,
cloud-based knowledge, and teachers’ development in consonance with K-12
The youth leaders pointed out
the lack of classrooms, books and resources to facilitate learning. With this
situation, they hope that the government continues their actions in building
better disaster resilient classrooms and invest in new learning materials. The public high schools should have their own campuses. The
students also pointed out the lack of computers and the lack of access to the
Internet. They also highlighted the
importance of incentives for teachers to perform better. Aside from trainings,
there should also be a reward system for teachers to improve their performance,
which must be evaluated and reviewed by a disinterested third person.
3. Evaluate and integrate the different
vocational courses offered by different agencies and create venues for youth
with special needs access to education
The out of school youth in
particular raised the importance of having a streamed line access to
alternative education or vocational courses. The government should evaluate the
teachers if they are up to date and competent in teaching and constantly
monitor job demands in the locality in order to align course offerings. They
also highlighted greater investments in the People with Disabilities sector.
The government should explore the idea of providing scholarship grants to
deserving PWDs.
4. Expand the city college scholarship program
and improve its screening and development interventions
The city college scholarship program is one of the flagship
programs of the city government. As mandated by ordinance, the program provides
scholarships to 600 indigent but deserving students to study in different
colleges and universities not only in the city but other parts of the region.
The beneficiaries pointed out the need to improve the screening process in
selecting scholars and the retention rules. It should be strict in terms of
retention. It should include private independent sectors in the selection
committee to insulate it from being used as a political reward tool.
ORO YOUTH DEVELOPMENT
COUNCIL PARALLEL ACTION
Adopt a school program
The
different college student councils will adopt the bottom 4 schools in terms of
NAT performance. The program is a long year intervention program that aims to
provide enrichment classes in math, science, English. It also includes skills
development seminars such as basic computer graphics designing, leadership
development, peace education and creative solution designing.
This also includes donating NAT reviewers and other learning materials
to their library.
NSTP-LTS Tutorials
In partnership
with the NSTP – LTS of their schools, the different college student councils
shall lobby their administration to intensify their investment in NSTP-LTS
tutorials in the area of Englsih, Math and Science. This will be a requirement
for the college students and the performance of their tutees should also be
factored in in their NSTP grade.
Barangay Conferences on School’s Surroundings
In partnership
with the schools student government, the OYDC would lobby to the barangay
council to conduct a conference call and scanning on the surroundings of schools.
They should monitor the business establishments and what they are selling. They
should also scan street lighting, traffic flow, drainage and other factors that
affect the learning of the students.
Active Representation in the Local School
Board
With
the organized In-School-Youth Sector, the OYDC shall create a communication
system that allows the different student leaders to lobby their school’s
concerns to the local school board through the Youth Representative of the board following basic administrative remedies.
City College Scholars
Life Coaching
The Faith based sector youth, in response to dismal
performance of some of the city scholars, would intervene in a year long life
coaching program that does not only talk about academics but also about time
management, character, leadership and values.
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