Careful, undue haste often makes waste - I

Long is the clamor for urgent remedial measures - not just mere improvement, but more of reformative overhaul with impact - to the deteriorating educational system and standards.

The ready gauge to measure the undeniable "meltdown" of the "products" quality is on their performance in varying tests, such as the then NCEE, college entrance exams, job placement tests, bar/board exams, civil service tests, career assessments, as well as actual job trials. It could also be gauged by the lack, or the facility, of communication or expression in both oral and written usage, or even in their penmanship.

The results in professional exams entailing long preparations and review are often dismayingly low in passing percentage, like the Bar, Accountancy, and even the Teachers' tests. And in the Civil Service or high school standard tests, the average passing percentage hovers between low 8% and 15%.

In international competitive tests for grade school or elementary level in Math and Science, the RP contestants have not been excelling, except in few occasions. Recently though, in the 6th International Math exams held in Singapore, the RP garnered 2nd place.

Time was when the Philippines used to be the leading literate nation in Asia, especially in English and other academic subjects. In fact, many Asian neighbors look up to the Filipinos as highly educated and very learned, such that, even until now they study English in the Philippines, say, the Koreans, the Japanese, and some Mid-Eastern nationals.

It is a fact that other than the democratic system of government, the Filipinos owe a debt of gratitude to Uncle Sam for the American system of education that they introduced very early in their occupation. The so-called "Thomasites" - taken from the ship that transported the first batch of American pioneer teachers - have become historical by-words of effective teaching in the elementary curricula with no-nonsense efficiency and personal discipline.

That was sometime after circa 1898, if one recalls right, when one's old man was born in 1900 and one's mother two years later. They could have enrolled in the First Grade some seven years, or much later after their respective births, and graduated the elementary course up to Grade 7 then, even granting some delay. Thereafter, just 2 years difference, they found themselves teaching the lower elementary grades. And to think that when they had started classes with their Thomasites teachers, they were totally English illiterates.

To enrich the teaching skills, one's old man had to proceed later to a 2-year Secondary Normal study while his better-half quit teaching. And after passing the equivalent of a Senior Teachers' exam in English, he attained his security of tenure. Such was the simplicity and shortness of an educational career. But one thing, he was proficient in English, both written and spoken. One still has few samples of his written works, including experiments in Science, and his English appeared impeccable in his Zaner Bloser penmanship.

 Perhaps, given the historical background of the old Philippine elementary educational system up to the 7th grade when the graduates were admittedly proficient then, many have clamored for the restoration of Grade 7.

But then, such school of thought is too simplistic a solution vis-à-vis the inadequacy of knowledge and learning in English language particularly, and overall academic weakness in other aspects and subjects. Isn't it misleading to think that a one year restoration would solve the problem, as if the accumulated defects of the 6-year elementary training would be cured by a simplistic one-stroke redemption?

Indeed, neither does the restoration of Grade 7 be the ready answer to improve the present defective elementary course, nor the addition of another year to the high school, or both to make the basic education to 12 years, be the solution per se. A lot more of reforms and exhaustive overhaul of the system have to be studied thoroughly and instituted. (To be continued)