- Angel de Dios, associate professor at Georgetown University in the United States and an advocate of education reform in the country, questions why education officials continue the practice of excluding science from the grades one and two curricula.
“The fundamentals of the science disciplines, which could be as simple as listening attentively and carefully to what others say, or developing keen observation skills, are necessary toward the development of a critical and questioning mind. Not having a formal subject of science in the early years denies its primary role in humanity, how we reason, relate, and represent,” De Dios told Asian Scientist Magazine.
- ACT Teachers Partylist Representative Antonio Tinio said that more than the curriculum itself, there are other factors that contribute to science comprehension in Filipino students.
“We have a lot of problems in the country’s science education. One of them is the shortage of teachers who have a background in science,” Tinio said in an interview with Asian Scientist Magazine. “We need higher salaries and benefits for teachers. If the salaries are too low, then you can’t expect to hire the best ones for the job,” Tinio said, noting that the government needs to increase its education budget to hire and train more teachers.
- In a separate interview, Raymond Palatino, Kabataan (Youth) Partylist Representative, suggested that apart from hiring more science major teachers to teach science, the DepEd should report the status of science education and science schools, including an inventory of science laboratories in basic schools.
“K-12 would be rendered meaningless if basic science teaching is not improved,” he said.
To read the entire article visit http://www.asianscientist.com/academia/filipino-leaders-advocate-science-curriculum-teacher-salaries-2013/
i think science educ from first grade up is fine.
ReplyDeletehigher teacher salaries are fine too -- but can you identify ANY WAY to spend for it, and by how much? what should be cut?