‘Only 62% of elem students go to HS’

Following a study that showed only two percent of Filipino students were college material, another report reveals that only 62 percent of elementary school students from both public and private institutions make it to high school.

This data was revealed by a non-profit organization yesterday in a statement made during a three-day conference held at Ateneo de Manila University in Loyola Heights, Quezon City, and attended by some 100 public elementary school teachers.

In its fact sheet released to the media, the Sa Aklat Sisikat Foundation (SAS) said there are now a total of 13 million elementary school students, of which 12 million are enrolled in public schools nationwide.

"Of these, only 62 percent make it to high school," the SAS fact sheet revealed.

SAS also cited Department of Education statistics saying that DepEd still needs about 20,000 public school teachers as the student population rapidly increases every year.

SAS is a non-profit organization established in 2001 to help build a nation of readers. The group is embarking on a "silent revolution" in the Philippine education sector by conducting a first-of-its-kind training conference for public school teachers this month.

SAS added that most public schools are crowded, under-funded and public schoolteachers overburdened.

"Most public schools lack basic teaching and learning materials. Without enough classrooms and teachers, schools are badly overcrowded," said the SAS.

Its paper said many teachers are expected to handle 60 or more students per class. Most public school teachers have very few opportunities for professional development while on the job, the SAS also said.

The SAS held a three-day conference called "Programang Kaakbay" as an initiative to supplement and sustain the reading program and provide more support to public school teachers, to help solve the growing  problems in the education sector.

SAS sees teachers as the key to shaping the future of the next generation of Filipinos.

During the conference, the teachers listened to talks by education experts and inspirational speakers, as well as participated in hands-on, interactive workshops and small-group discussions conducted by known reading advocates from the media, literary, entertainment, fashion and education sectors.

In a study released last August, KAAKBAY Citizens’ Development Initiatives (KAAKBAY CDI) said only six out of every1,000 grade six elementary graduates are prepared to enter high school, and only two out of every 100 fourth year high school students are fit to enter college.

KAAKBAY CDI also disclosed that only 19 out of every 100 public schoolteachers are competent to teach English.