IT IS the responsibility of the state to provide free elementary and secondary education. This duty is provided for under the 1987 Constitution. Article XIV, Section 1 mandates “the state shall protect and promote the right of all citizens to quality education at all levels and shall take appropriate steps to make such education accessible to all”. The Department of Education is tasked to implement education programs, projects, and innovations to achieve quality in education.
But, in spite of the big budget allotted to education, the attainment of quality education seems to be a big failure. Statistics show that the result of the National Achievement Test (NAT) is very low in all subject areas both in elementary and secondary levels. Under these scenario who is or are to be blamed? Is it the Department of Education itself, the teachers, the students, or the parents? I think nobody is to be blamed. Because it must be a collaborative effort of everybody so education will succeed.
The Department of Education tries its best to remedy the lack of classrooms, teachers, books, and other facilities needed for education. Teachers are trained through seminars to keep them abreast with the new trends in education. Students are encouraged to go to school, enroll without paying anything and much less minimize the cost of education.
Why is it in spite of all these good undertakings, education continue to deteriorate? I think because nowadays parents seem to be unconcerned about the education of their children. Education, to fully succeed, needs the help of parents because they can do a lot to influence students’ attitude towards learning. Parents who can come readily and promptly to school when they are needed; and parents who make a follow up in the school about the performance of their children.
Parents’ involvement can do a lot to raise the quality of education in a manner we like it to be. Parent-teacher conference can help a lot to be able to discuss why the student did not make his assignment, did not pass the project, did not take special test he missed when he was absent, and often times did not care to participate in class interaction, and why when the child was in school he was physically present but mentally absent.
It’s true that parents’ positive attitude can help a lot to raise the quality of education. They should not appear to be scary or intimidating to teachers once they got to the school for a visit. They should not seem to find every fault with the teacher as to why their children do not learn or why their child suddenly transforms from a sweet little boy to a bully.
Parents must realize the importance of taking time to earn the confidence and trust of teachers. It is very important for them to reach out and build a trusting relationship with the teacher, for it is only by cultivating a sense of partnership that we can contribute to raise the quality of education.
Ruby M. Jimenez