Public school teaching gets boost from private initiative

THE education sector continues to get a much-needed shot in the arm from private initiatives such as the free seminars on teaching styles being conducted by a non-government organization to help public schools teachers adapt to the ever-evolving learning environment.

As of May, the Foundation for Upgrading the Standard of Education (FUSE), in coordination with the Department of Education, has conducted in-depth training on teaching english, mathematics, physics, elementary science, chemistry and literature for 341 public-school teachers.

A total of 167 teachers at Urdaneta City University in Urdaneta City, Pangasinan, participated in the FUSE seminars, which turned out to be the second-biggest out-of-town training in the country. The biggest was in Don Bosco Technical Institute in Victorias City in October last year, which was participated by 270 teachers.

FUSE reported it trained 174 teachers in May this year at the Learning Center for Teachers in Pearl of the Orient Tower Condominium in Ermita, Manila.

World Bank report

In a study entitled “The Role and Impact of Public-Private Partnerships in Education,” the World Bank said that ensuring basic education and making it accessible to the poor is not only the responsibility of the government but as well the private sector.

“There are ways in which the public and private sectors can join together to complement each others’ strengths in providing education services and helping developing countries to meet the Millennium Development Goals for education and to improve learning outcomes,” Harry Anthony Patrinos, one of the authors of the study, said.

The World Bank, citing the result of the study, found that making high-quality education accessible for all in developing countries requires innovative programs and initiatives in addition to public resources and leadership.

Patrinos said public-private partnerships (PPPs) could even be tailored and targeted specifically to meet the needs of low-income communities.

He said the PPPs could provide education services and operations, as in voucher schemes or charter schools (a private organization manages and operates a public school). Private organizations can give teacher trainings, help in management or curriculum design, among others.

Teaching skills training

The study coincides with the belief of FUSE that one of the best ways to upgrade Philippine education is by improving the skills of teachers on new methods, innovative techniques and modern equipment. The group has trained 14,141 teachers so far.

FUSE, a beneficiary of the Tan Yan Kee Foundation, plans to hold seminar-workshops in Romblon, Bukidnon and Dumaguete later this year.

It also broadcasts telecourses on science, math, physics, english and literature through the Knowledge Channel, which has 38 cable partners nationwide for its Classroom on the Air program.

FUSE has also circulated over 21,000 journals and over 400,000 training video compact discs, and held 156 general assembly meetings with experts as guests.  — Francis Earl A. Cueto And James Konstantin Galvez, Manila Times