Titser Juan

THE IMPORTANCE OF CONSULTATION AND ADVOCATING THE SPIRIT OF CHECK AND BALANCE TO AVOID CHAOS

History has consistently demonstrated that unchecked power, regardless of its scope or intention, inevitably faces limitations and challenges. The ongoing situation in Bangladesh serves as a simple reminder of this reality. The government's actions and decisions, while potentially in good faith, reveal the inherent difficulties of governing without sufficient checks and balances. Similarly, the EDSA Revolution in the Philippines showcased the power of collective action in addressing an autocratic regime. Both instances highlight the critical need for mechanisms that can hold power accountable and ensure that governance remains responsive to the needs of the people.

In the context of educational reform, the importance of implementing checks and balances is equally crucial. The recent DepEd Orders No. 5 and 10, along with the MATATAG curriculum, underscore the necessity of involving educators in the decision-making process. Teachers, who are on the front lines of education, possess invaluable insights into the practical challenges and needs within their respective classrooms. Their feedback is essential in shaping policies and curricula that are both effective and relevant. Without their input, reforms may fall short of addressing the real issues faced by students and educators alike.

Consulting teachers before rolling out significant educational changes ensures that policies are both relevant and practical. Teachers possess first-hand experience with the educational landscape and are best positioned to identify what adjustments are necessary to enhance student learning and engagement. Incorporating their feedback helps to create a more balanced approach, ensuring that reforms address actual students’ needs without putting our teachers at the losing end thereby promoting a more effective and responsive education system. In doing so, we uphold the principles of checks and balances within education, fostering an environment where policies are thoughtfully implemented, genuinely stable (MATATAG) and beneficial for us to achieve the so-called “quality education” which we ought to give for all Filipino schoolchildren.

RAUL P. CONSTANTINO
President
Teachers’ Dignity Coalition-Central Visayas
And Co-convenor of “Ating Guro-TDC” partylist

ATTENTION: Senator Sonny Angara!

As a state educator, I welcome your plan Senator Angara in pushing a program that aims to produce quality teachers for the public school system in the country. There is nothing wrong about that "plan" of yours for the way I understood, your plan is an affirmation on the problems in our present system of education.

Mr. Senator, the very reason why we have a declining quality of education nowadays lies not heavily on the teachers, but on the system itself. It is good for you to be reminded that our teachers already have Board Exam (Licensure Examination for Professional Teachers), English Proficiency Exam (EPE), In-service Trainings (INSET) and Learning Action Cell (LAC) not to mention the vexatious CPD of former Senator Trillanes.

By the way, you don't need to produce best teachers they'll naturally come if they're valued accordingly. This would be best shown by giving them the salary that they deserve, fully and heartily implement the R.A. 4670 (Magna Carta for Public School Teachers) and in making the "inclusion of irrelevant paperworks" a "mockery" to the quality of education and at the same time a "crime" to their teaching job.

Again, as a state educator, I should have to emphasize that the problem is not on the teachers themselves but it is on the inclusion of the so-called "IRRELEVANT PAPERWORKS" or "BOONDOGGLE" things (if I may call it) to the job of our teachers. Let our teachers focus on their teaching job so that the "QUALITY" of education that we are aiming can certainly be achieved. Mr. Senator believe me, for I myself is a teacher in the field, these irrelevant paperworks cut our actual attention in teaching our students (sobrang daming irrelevant paperworks...name it, and we got it all).

Mr. Senator, if you really want to make changes or overhaul our defective education system, do not rely on the information that you got from the top officials of DepEd alone (dahil ang iba ay pakitang gilas lang iyan) instead HAVE time to ASK our teachers from the field (I presume this is what Congressman Marcoleta did).

We tend to give our children cut flowers instead of teaching them how to plant. It is high time to revolutionize our educational system not from the top, but from the bottom. Those in the battle field know how to topple the enemies better than those who are in the godly pedestal seats.

In this light, and if I may compare the system of education in Finland (as they have given their full trust and confidence to their teachers), give your trust to our state educators as well. Ask the teachers in the field for you to make a good, if not best, legislation pertaining to the system of education in the country.

Mr. Senator, it is about time to do these things not for ourselves but for the sake of the future generations of this country.

P.S. Sa mga friends at nakakaalam ng FB page ni Senator Sonny Angara, please tag or share this one to him. Thank you so much!

RAUL P. CONSTANTINO
President
Teachers' Dignity Coalition-Central Visayas
and one of the Conveners of "ATING G**O-TDC" party list

With all due respect to you Madam Secretary, my conviction compels me to believe that, like us, you are not PERFECT. Sometimes we need to accept that in our lifetime we somehow commit mistakes and, for this reason, I should have to say that the BIGGEST MISTAKE for us to commit is by thinking that WE ARE ALWAYS RIGHT.
Before asking the World Bank (WB) for an apology, why not ask the teachers in the field on the REASONS why the QUALITY of education in the country dramatically DETERIORATE? Or should I say, better ask yourself Madam Secretary?

I am quite sure that THERE ARE SO MANY THINGS for us to say on this one. Do I have to mention the UNNECESSARY PAPERWORKS or the so-called "boondoggle" things (e.g. LDM2)? This is just a tip of an iceberg. It veritably stole our time from teaching our students well. Why not let the teachers focus on their teaching job?
Please spare teachers from doing IRRELEVANT PAPERWORKS. Let the ADAS, Head Teachers and School Heads/Principals do those things!

If I were you, don't blame the critics instead use them as a challenge to take a closer look on the problems and make changes, if not totally overhaul it, for the betterment of the education system in the country.

I do believe that in a democratic society like ours, CRITICS and MEDIA are very important for the constitutionally enshrined "CHECK AND BALANCE" to work out.
This CHECK AND BALANCE is for the good of the general public and not for the chosen few so to speak.

RAUL P. CONSTANTINO
President
Teachers' Dignity Coalition - Central Visayas
and one of the Conveners of "ATING G**O" party list
and former Correspondent of Today's CAROLINIAN-the official student publication of the University of San Carlos

With all due respect to you Madam Secretary, I just want to ask you a very basic question relevant to this issue.

Isn't all the powers for "system and security" in the implementation of all the stages which include but not limited to the writing, printing and distribution of modules for the whole country lies in your hands? Isn't it?
If it is, then, why you are now pointing your finger to us in the field? Naunsa na tug mo diha sa Central Office? Pag sure kuno mo diha be!
If I were you, pakig-estoryahan nako si Cong. Marcoleta before nako e blame ang mga teachers sa field. Why you didn't impose a uniformly authored modules? Localization should not be used as a good excuse.

Don't put "ALL" the blame to us...sometimes we need to accept that in our lifetime we somehow commit mistakes and, for this reason, I should have to say that the BIGGEST MISTAKE for us to commit is by thinking that WE ARE ALWAYS RIGHT.

PLEASE BELIEVE ME, THIS KIND OF MINDSET IS VERY WRONG!
TAO lang TAYO na pwedeng MAGMAHAL sa MALING TAO... aw unsa ba (apil man gugma2x oi)?

RAUL P. CONSTANTINO
President
Teachers' Dignity Coalition - Central Visayas

Our government must have to look for the very core of the problem. Genuinely find the root-cause why on earth it existed. Invest on our teachers. Overhaul the rotten education system in the country. Though it's important but don't just focus on curriculum alone, take a closer look on teachers' situation too. Don't terrorize teachers by giving them voluminous yet irrelevant paper works. It only hampered their capabilities to give their 100% into teaching for pressure, stress and anxiety are already competing for it.
In Finland, for example, the profession has high status and teachers are autonomous in their work, as the system is based on trust rather than control. Teachers are viewed as professionals who are valued and listened to by policy makers.
Further, they have high standard for the qualifications set forth for their State Educators which eventually put the teachers on the pedestal of highest respect and can be compared with their lawyers and medical doctors.
Our government must reflect on this one. We need to overhaul our education system including but not limited to the very qualifications of teachers in entering public schools system in the country.
The government must make it sure that teaching will attract and retain its rightful share of the best available talents as stipulated in Article XIV, Section 5, Paragraph (5) of the 1987 Philippine Constitution which state as follows: "The State shall assign the highest budgetary priority to education and ensure that teaching will attract and retain its rightful share of the best available talents through "adequate remuneration" and other means of job satisfaction and fulfillment". Hindi natin maitatago na may pagkukulang rin ang gobyerno sa ating mga kaguruan. Kaya hindi naging kabigha-bighani ang pagkuha ng kurso ukol dito. Nawa'y mabago ito.

RAUL P. CONSTANTINO
President
Teachers' Dignity Coalition - Central Visayas

Low LET passers? Many drawn to profession not ‘best and brightest’ https://youtu.be/6mAkmWr-egs MANILA, Philippines — One reason why the passing rate in the Licensure Examination for Teachers (LET) is going down could be because those “attracted” to the

Personally, iginagalang natin ang ating DepEd USEC. DIOSDADO SAN ANTONIO bilang isang naging PUBLIC SCHOOL din bago po niya marating ang isa sa mataas na posisyong pinangungunahan niya ngayon sa Kagawaran.

Subalit nais natin maglahad ng ating bukas at malayang komento sa pamunuan ng DepEd na ang ganitong pahayag ay nagpapahiwatig lang ng patunay na hindi sapat ang paghahanda ng pamunuan sapagkat isa lamang ang mga mali na napupuna ng iba kada araw sa mga modyul sa maraming dahilang sinasabi umpisa pa lang kaya may panawagan iantala pa rin muna sana ang pagbubukas ng klase para maghanda pa.

Hindi po lagi magiging katanggap-tanggap ang dahilang hindi napansin at hindi tayo perpekto tuwing maipakikita ang kamalian sa kagawaran sapagkat ang mga bagay na ito ay naiiwasan at inaasahang napagtuunan talaga ng masusing pagsusuri bago ilathala at ipagamit sa ating mga mag-aaral at ipaturo sa ating mga Titser na kung hindi rin nila napapansin agad na may mali ay naipatatanggap natin na tama sa iba.

Nawa ang pamunuan ay maging mas tapat pa sa ating lahat na kung kailangang aminin nila, "HINDI PA HANDA" talaga ay ating mauunawan.