UNESCO Education Support Strategy (UNESS) for the Philippines

There is the so-called “working poor” – individuals and families who sustain the seemingly limitless appetite for low-wage work. Their stories should provide ammunition to policy makers, if there are any, who wish seriously to eliminate poverty in the Philippines.

Research interviews of househelps, sidewalk vendors, street sweepers, and drivers should be an objective search without “demonizing” their employees. Moreover, these accounts can remove the notion that impoverished people are simply lazy. They should show people not just as statistics or symbols of injustice but as HUMAN BEINGS.

UNESCO to help rescue Philippine education

The cross-cutting theme of UNESCO, ever since it was founded in 1946, has been the eradication of poverty. Amidst the present economic growth and the optimistic prognosis about the Philippines, the country still faces enormous challenges in poverty reduction. The Human Poverty Index (HPI) in 2006 was calculated at 15.3, which was the same HPI in 2004, ranking the Philippines 37th.

Eradication of poverty is also the common goal of the UN Country Team (UNCT) led by the Resident Coordinator, who is also the Resident Representative of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). Together with ADB, FAO, IFC (Finance), ILO, IMF (Monetary Fund), IMO (Maritime), IOM (Migration), UNAIDS, UNESCO, UNFPA (Population), UN-HABITAT, UNHCR (Refugees), UNICEF, WFP (Food), WHO, and World Bank, we have been trying to work together under the UN call for “delivering as one” or “One UN”. Since 2004, I have been invited to meet with them regularly to represent the UNESCO National Commission of the Philippines (NatCom). 

The UNCT is in the process of completing the Common Country Assessment (CCA) of the Philippines, which is the current situation of the country. This will be the basis for the UN Development Assistance Framework (UNDAF) to the Philippines. Meantime, UNESCO has prepared the UNESCO Education Support Strategy document and is working on the draft of the UNESCO Country Programme Document (UCPD).

What is UNESS?

The UNESCO Education Support Strategy (UNESS) is the special survey and guidance UNESCO has offered to its member states, specifically for its national education concerns. In 2008, the UNESS team led by Dr. Anwar Alsaid, Education Program Specialist of UNESCO Jakarta, and Dr. Ibtisam Abu-Duhou, Senior Adviser, Education Policy and Reform of UNESCO Bangkok, with local UNESS consultant, Dr. Nestor Balmores, former faculty member of UN University of Tokyo, interviewed the top officials, such as Presidential Adviser on Education Dr. Mona Valisno; from DepEd - Secretary Jesli Lapus, Usec R. Bacani, and Asec. J. Mateo; from CHED - Commissioner Nona Ricafort, and Executive Director W. Medrano; from TESDA - Deputy Director General Mila Hernandez, and Executive Director E. Gatinao; from NEDA - Division Chief Violeta Corpuz, and OIC Normita Mendiola; and UNICEF Education Section Chief Lourdes Mateo.

By December, the representatives of the following agencies, namely: Office of the Presidential Adviser on Education, DepEd, TESDA, CHED, NEDA, DILG, DOLE, DSWD, CWC, NAPC, ULAP, SEACLLSD, SEAMEO INNOTECH, and UNICEF, reviewed the draft documents with Dr. Balmores, together with our NatCom secretariat and commissioners. The final document was presented last week by Dr. Alsaid in a High Level Meeting on UNESS.

The Philippines may not attain UNMDG 2, 5, and 6

The Philippines government admits its difficulty in meeting the UN Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) in universal primary education and maternal health care, nutrition and family planning services by 2015. The latest report shows that in 2006, 64% or 1.4 million did not enroll in Grade 1 and that 34% or 11.6 million of the ages 6 to 24 are out of school. To achieve the MDGs by 2015 and the government priority plans by 2010, the Philippine government has to improve performance in areas where it is lagging behind while sustaining development in areas where it has been successful.

Below are the proposed intervention areas for UNESS Philippines –

Objective 1: To strengthen Early Childhood Education (ECE) by standardizing preschool to become part of the formal educational structure.

Medium-term Outcome by 2013, Outcome 1.1: Pre-school shall become part of the formal educational system and a pre-requisite to Grade 1. Major Issues and Challenges: there is a need for ECE, but it is not yet mandatory; ECE curriculum is not standardized with only a few ECE centers in urban areas using some form of formal ECE curriculum; and, there is no government supervision of the many pre-school programs and day care centers offered by private organizations. UNESCO’s Proposed Action (2008–2013) is to support the development of a priority legislative agenda to strengthen ECE and making pre-school mandatory, i.e., a requirement for Grade 1, as well as the development of a standardized ECE curriculum.

Outcome 1.2: Standard School Readiness Assessment (SRA) developed, adopted and administered. Major Issues and Challenges is that SRA is not standardized and not compulsory; and ECE pupils are not tested for school readiness.

Objective 2: Strengthen basic education to increase its capacity to realize EFA objectives.

Outcome 2.1: School-based management (SBM) framework and standards adopted by all schools and 80% of all elementary and secondary schools have moved to a mature level of SBM practice. Major Issues and Challenges: Weak capacity of schools to implement education reforms; and need to strengthen schools to operate as a decentralized unit.

Outcome 2.2: The Student Tracking System (STS) reviewed, revised and adopted nationwide. Major Issues and Challenges: There is a need to revise the existing STS that is used in aid of school planning in view of reforms under BESRA. The existing STS is outdated in view of developments in the schools’ MIS projects like TEEP, SEDIP and CPC-CFSS and reform initiatives in BESRA, including a Student Profiling System.

Outcome 2.3: School-based Management Training Framework developed, adopted and implemented. Major Issues and Challenges: Low capacity of school heads and other education stakeholders to implement SBM activities in the community, as well as lack of SBM Framework that incorporates school leadership, SIP preparation and implementation, operationalization of CBTS and QAAF and resource mobilization and management.

Outcome 2.4: Professional standards for teachers developed and in place aimed at improving teaching effectiveness. Major Issues and Challenges: Low competency of basic education teachers particularly in Math, Science and English since competency-based teachers standards have not yet been implemented nationally.

UNESCO’s Proposed Action (2008–2013): Assist in developing the SBM Training Framework and support the training of school heads and other education stakeholders under the SBM Training Framework; as well as assist in the formulation of a Standardized Self-Performance Appraisal Tool and support in the development of a Division INSET Management Manual.

Objective 3: To establish the Philippines as the Center for Lifelong Learning for Sustainable Development in Southeast Asia under the auspices of UNESCO

Outcome 3.1: The UNESCO Center for Lifelong Learning for Sustainable Development in Southeast Asia established and operational in the Philippines. Major Issues and Challenges: A center is needed in Southeast Asia to provide a venue for cooperation among members of the Southeast Asian sub-regions in reinforcing lifelong learning activities for sustainable development. The Philippines through the activities of the NatCom has accumulated a wealth of experience in the area of “lifelong learning for sustainable development”.           

Development assistance to Philippine education

Yesterday, the Philippine and United States governments signed an agreement, which sealed their commitment to promote access to quality education in the country, particularly in Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM), including western and central Mindanao regions.

The $86 million assistance to the Philippine education sector will implement education projects that will improve access to education and improve the quality of teaching, as well as provide learning opportunities and livelihood skills training for out-of-school children and youth.

US Ambassador to the Philippines Kristie Kenney lauded Education Secretary Jesli Lapus for his “2009 DepEd Milestone” and his ability to draw financial resources from other partner agencies, including AusAID (Australia), CIDA (Canada), DANIDA (Denmark), JBIC (Japan), and the Spanish Development Fund.

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