Gloria, bye-bye! Hello, Noynoy!

After nine punishing years of the Arroyo administration, I can only breathe a sigh of relief even it may only be very temporary. Although I am not an avid Noynoy fanatic unlike many of Filipinos today, his incoming administration is a much welcomed development even just for the sole reason that it means one thing - Gloria Arroyo's reign of terror is coming to an end.

However, I am not inclined just yet to be encouraged to think that this second Aquino administration will bring much needed change for us Filipinos. One can only hope that he will indeed bring us what he promised during the campaign period. But I certainly doubt it. Campaign slogans oftentimes mean just that - mere slogans.

Here is a great article on Noynoy Aquino.

First day of school, first post since forever

It has been long since I last posted something here. Many things have happened in between this post and the last one before this. Well, hopefully I will be posting something here more often from now on. I hope so.

Well, it is the first day of classes in many schools in the Philippines. The past ills of the education system are still here. Here are some hard facts about the dismal state of our education system:


Primary and secondary

* Out-of-school youth (6-15 y/o) – 8 M
* Enrollment for Prep, Elementary and HS – 23 M
* % enrolled in public schools – 86

Shortages and deteriorating quality

* Classroom size – 1:85 up to 100
* Ideal classroom size – 1:25
* Classroom shortage – 71,325
* Teacher shortage – 49,699
* Armchair shortage – 4M
* Textbook shortage – 34.7M

* % of schools w/o science labs – 22
* w/o ventilation – 20
* w/o lighting – 27
* w/o electricity – 55
* w/o ceiling – 25

Budget

* Gov’t budget for 2010-2011 – P159 B
* Gov’t budget per day per school age Filipino – P6.85

* % of educ budget of GDP
* 2001 – 3.3
* 2008 – 2.19
* UN recommendation – 6

* Est expenses per child per year in public school – P25,000

* Add’l budget needed to cover shortages – P91.54 billion

Drop outs

Out of 10 students entering grade 1, only 6 will finish grade 6. 5 will enter high school and only 4 will finish 4th year. 2 will enter college and only 1 will be able to finish.

College

* Enrollment – 2.7 M
* Public Institutions – 1,494
* State colleges and universities – 522

Tuition hikes

* Schools to increase tuition 2010 – 382
* Schools increased tuition 2009 – 258
* % of average increase – 8.71%
* Natl average tuition rate per unit 2010 – P501.22
* Natl average tuition rate per unit 2001 – P257.41
* NCR average tuition rate per unit 2010 – P980.54
* NCR average tuition rate per unit 2001 – P439.59
* Average 20 units plus other fees – P25-40,000
* Revenue of country’s top 5 school earners for the past 6 yrs – P15.43 billion
* University of the Philippines (UP) tuition per unit – P1,000
* No. of newly approved UP lab fees for SY 2010 – 36
* Amount of newly approved UP lab fees – P500-1,500

Sources:
Education in crisis: A challenge to Noynoy, Kabataan Partylist
Education 2010 briefer discussion guide, NUSP
Alliance of concerned Teachers

This is lifted from Vencer Crisostomo's new blog.Please visit his site. Also, this is a good read on the Philippine education crisis.