Quality of education
VARIOUS quarters, including recruitment and placement agencies, fear that the Philippines runs the risk of losing its title as one of the world’s major manpower exporters.
Of course, it is “disheartening” to know that the nation’s workers, many of them jobless or underemployed, are not as equipped with skills that many employers are looking for.
In fact, due to numerous factors, the Filipino people continue to witness a deterioration of the country’s ability to provide foreign and local employers with much-needed skills.
Doubtless, concerned government authorities need to speed up the improvement of the quality of education not only in urban centers but throughout the country.
Thus, the public welcomed the return of face-to-face (F2F) classes in selected schools after two years of online learning due to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19).
Admittedly, the holding of online classes worsened the problems confronting Philippine education, particularly in public elementary and high schools across the country.
“Dahil sa kahirapan, maraming mag-aaral ang walang pambili ng mga kinakailangang gadget na kagaya ng cellular phone o laptop,” lamented an impoverished farmer.
And during online classes in many places, students and teachers were confronted with various challenges, including anxiety, depression and very poor internet service.
A retired school teacher said: “Ang lalong kawawa ay ‘yong mga bata na ang mga magulang ay hindi man lang nakatapos ng elementarya. Walang natutuhan ang mga anak.”
Thus, in the view of many, the return of F2F classes is a move in the right direction.
