OPINION: GENUINELY TRANSFORMATIVE EDUCATION

I’m glad to hear that, teacher. That would typically be said by a satisfied parent who has no greater dream but seeing his or her child transparently progress in school. It is a picturesque scenario worth looking at.

Judiciously, in relation to that, teachers would evaluate the extent of learners’ advancement through years with the latter’s portfolio, results of examinations, records of behavioural patterns, socialization skills, observable and tacit class participation, etc. Even if such means of evaluation may seem both idealistic and pragmatic, we are still constantly bothered by how much learning transpires in every learner, knowing that money, time, motivational effort, and resources are involved in carrying it out. Indeed, it is costly to send a child to school---whether in a public or in a private school---because much should be carefully provided by not only the parents but also by the immediate community which encompasses numerous responsibilities over the child’s safety and development. At home, parents are tasked to supply the physiological needs of a child like nutritious food, decent clothing, secured shelter, etc. The tasks do not merely revolve around those but likewise, parents carry the cross of supporting the child’s moral development in preparation for the realities and emotional challenges the outside world creates everyday.

Having said that schooling is expensive, we wish to assure ourselves that it is worth the spending as we look forward to seeing the children becoming educated in mind and in heart. We desire this kind of transformation in them so they could find good jobs that will stabilize their future. The issue of joblessness has always perturbed the society and one strong root of such is not absolutely illiteracy but lack of genuine appreciation and love for work---indolence and insolence. In here, work is not confined in professional or vocational jobs but is also about students’ darma or responsibilities. Diplomas and other forms of certification, which are generously distributed to the youth, are perfect statements of educational attainment but why are Filipinos poor in knowledge and values, and slack in progress? There is a rampant mess in our education, certainly.

Suppose Juan and Juana are students from a small barrio high school. Juan is a notorious kid in Sapang Bato-Bato High School and he always earns the ire of his teachers. His grades are all flunking and he has been a devoted guest in school’s guidance office for repeated misconduct. On the other hand, Juana is an average learner who is prompt and punctual in the same institution. Not only friendly, she is also generously helpful to her teachers and classmates. Both of them would graduate in April. Why both? Indisputably, it’s because the school cannot continually contain students who have not learned GMRC aside from the required Academics since they would be perpetuating the same inappropriate student conduct. The notion of education for all however applies lavishly as the school knows that all kinds of learners should be treated with utmost inclusiveness. This is not the only mess we wish to obliterate in the education system. We have no enough classrooms, not even chairs to seat on. There are insufficient books and school paraphernalia which make our students incapable of learning effectively. Sky is the limit in restating this perennial dilemma.

Another undying issue is Filipinos’ withering love and respect for virtues and discipline. Corruption in the government offices is contemptible and so is crime and injustice. Garbage disposal and destruction of the environment are indecisively guarded. Road and driving etiquette have been forgotten by people which has resulted to drastic traffic and accidents. Prostitution, human trafficking and even drugs are incessantly strangling the laws of the land, thus, endangering the helpless and marginalized people. Has education ever been employed to vanquish these? Yes, it should have done that but sadly, it does not apply to all---or not yet. The learners are not thoroughly introduced to these realities of life and so they have not been prepared to combat them. What then should education be like and how it should be exhausted to say that the nation is genuinely transformed? It begins at homes then in schools.

Much has been said about smart parenting. Parents are deputized to meet the needs of the children. They must understand that education does not happen alone in school or outside the house. They have the most opportune chance under the roof to influence the way their children think, act, and socialize. More than love they could provide, they have the absolute authority to plan and execute anything for the betterment of the children. Moral instability can be avoided if parents would take time to train them as they grow. They should ascertain that whatever good values they inculcate to them, the children will bring it wherever they go. The school, on the other hand, has to make sure that values are empowered among the learners. Indeed, values are diverse inside the classroom and misunderstandings can happen but teachers can surely find means to unravel all and put them together to build an atmosphere of respect, inclusiveness, and harmony. As teachers impart indispensable content knowledge to students and evaluate their learning, they are likewise expected to prepare for values integration so that  the latter see the essence of imbibing various concepts to real life; in other words, education should suffice for both the mind and the heart.

To end, we may agree that an ideal learning environment, in order for genuine education to transpire, should possess the majority of the following:

·      Goal-oriented, loving, motivated and intellectually competent educators and school administrators

·      Learning by modeling and doing and not simply by rote

·      Socially, politically, environmentally, morally significant and authentic learning materials

·      Well-engineered and secured facilities and updated equipment

·      Mental and physical activities geared toward creating responsible and cooperative leaders, heroes, advocates, etc. for nation building

·      Commitment to school’s clear statement of vision and mission

·      Harmoniuos parent-school-community relationships

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