Evidence of ‘EFA-ESD’ character transformation of teachers, preschoolers at Visayas universities

(Part 2 of a series on EFA-ESD Call for All…)

The Consultation Meeting facilitated by CHED Commissioner Dr. Nona Ricafort, who is also the Education Committee Vice Chair of the Philippine UNESCO NatCom, for the SEA-CLLSD (Southeast Asian Center for Lifelong Learning for Sustainable Development) two weeks ago was attended by the major education agencies (CHED and TESDA), Health (DOH), Science Education Institute (DOST-SEI), Agriculture Training Institute (DA-ATI), National Commission for Culture and Arts (NCCA), Office of Muslim Affairs (OMA), E-Net Philippines, SEAMEO-INNOTECH, and OB Montessori Child and Community Foundation.

Dr. Evelyn Cruzada, president of Leyte Normal University, suggested that annual ESD orientation linked to teacher training and curriculum can be done by the SEA-CLLSD. APCEIU (Asia Pacific Center for Education for International Understanding), the Korean Category 2 Center, holds teachers and students camps for education for international understanding.

There are only four years left before the Decade of Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) concludes in 2014, to help achieve the UN Millennium Development Goals for each country. Teacher Education Institutions (TEIs) need more evidences of what is quality in education to welcome the change. The faculty should be encouraged to undertake research work on how effective the conversion of teaching traditional curriculum to “Education for Sustainable Development” curriculum affects the character development of students starting with preschoolers.

Incorporating ESD in the Education Curriculum

Last month, ESD teacher trainors – Mesdames Beverly Ciencia, and Cecile Azurin – of the OB Montessori College, working closely with its Child and Community Foundation, started monitoring and supervising the newly trained Pagsasarili Education lecturers and teachers of the laboratory school of the Leyte Normal University (LNU), St. Paul’s University (SPU, Dumaguete), and the Philippine Normal University (PNU) in Cadiz. This is a UNESCO Participation Programme grant approved by the Paris headquarters to further activate the Philippine Category 2 Southeast Asian Center (SEA-CLLSD). This UNESCO pilot seeks to infuse ESD into the Philippine educational system.

The process involves six weeks of summer re-training the traditional lecturers and teachers. Funded by the universities and the mayor of Valencia, Negros Oriental, it includes a complete package of scientifically-tested ESD Montessori apparata. In-service training visits are made on-site: first, to help orient the parents; second, visit is before Christmas to evaluate the progress of the teachers; and the third and last one, to conclude the year with the children presenting all the materials to the parents. The succeeding summer, they attend a refresher course.

Re-engineering the education system – no longer an impossible dream

Here are some anecdotes the ESD trainors observed during their second in-service visits:

Mrs. Maricel del Rosario enrolled her daughter at the LNU laboratory school. Although, she is a college graduate, she feels like she did not learn anything in school when her daughter talks about working with the geography contrasting pans illustrating “isthmus and strait”, and “bay and peninsula”. She had to research through the internet to familiarize herself again with these terminologies. Her daughter even corrected her on how to eat spaghetti and sandwich properly, taking small bites and chewing slowly. She felt embarrassed, but at the same time proud that her daughter is learning so much not only academically, but also in social courtesies.

Another mother was surprised that her daughter, also enrolled in the LNU lab school, did not have as many workbook assignments everyday like she did in the private preschool she used to attend. When she reprimanded her daughter for watching TV after class daily, her daughter replied, “It’s because you’re not making me do anything.” The mother was so happy that her daughter wanted to help fold the laundry, set the table, and sweep the floor. She was amazed that her daughter got perfect scores in her exams without even reviewing at home. The mother soon realized that her daughter was not only being taught academic lessons in school, but also to become a responsible person.

Christine Arante, a fourth year student majoring in preschool education took up the course on Montessori Approach at LNU. She relates that “I learned that children have love for order and want everything in its proper place. Otherwise they become disappointed. I realize that if my things are not in order then I will not be able to do my work efficiently. So, now I always put order in my things by having a separate grooming kit from my pencil case and school supplies bag.”

Visions of government agencies and NGOs regarding ESD

During the consultation meeting held two weeks ago, the different government agencies and NGOs verbalized their visions regarding ESD:

CHED Director Jean Tayag proposed that more ESD researches must be done by SEA-CLLSD in collaboration with CHED, who has a generous budget for research. CHED will hold a regional conference on biodiversity, a major element for sustainable development.

TESDA Planning Office Director Ernesto Beltran and Yerma Saulon focused on a major pre-requisite of ESD – quality competency standards and qualifications, as well as competency assessment. He felt that mutual recognition of technical skills needs to be done among the Southeast Asian countries. Our skilled workers have to be at par with their peers in the neighboring countries. It was noted, however, that the excellent TESDA training technicians have left their jobs, attracted by higher salaries and better equipped industrial schools in other countries. It was suggested that TESDA could use the four well-equipped high school bistros of the OB Montessori Professional High Schools in Greenhills, Sta. Ana, Las Pinas, and Angeles Pampanga, which are financially self-sustaining.

E-NET Philippines, a civil society network for education reforms, is part of an international network of literacy agencies which have been very effective in underprivileged communities. E-Net Campaign Officer Reginaldo Guillen reminded that local training must first be encouraged. If well skilled, more technicians will find enough local employment. However, the government encourages people to go abroad to work.

DA-ATI OIC Luzviminda Razon and Deputy Director Evelyn Esquejo stated that capability building for farmers – as producers is given importance. Due to the existing hunger problems of our huge population, the government prioritizes “food security”. Although there are agricultural training centers for each of the 17 regions, and farm scholarships are available, young adults are not attracted to farming.

The SEA-CLLSD offered the use of the unique LLSD training laboratory – the OB Montessori’s 11-hectare multi-crop farm in Alfonso, Cavite, which was used by public school Agriculture teachers, principals and supervisors from MIMAROPA who enjoyed learning about the virgin forests, the fish ponds, nursery for ornamentals, endemic ferns and orchids, vegetables and fruit orchards designed by Bangkok’s Kasetsart University.

DOH representatives, Ma. Cristina Yuson, Socorro Balbino and Juanita Fandino, relayed how their agency provides training courses to fill the gaps of their technical skills requirement. They can tie up with TESDA and CHED to ladderize their programs. They were also reminded that UNESCO has two HIV-AIDS Teachers Manual which they could make use of. Director Fandino proposed that a health workshop could be done to prepare on how to cope with the various new diseases that have been cropping up.

DOST-SEI Deputy Director Leticia Catris stated that they have been accelerating human resources for science and technology since there is a need to increase the number of scientists and engineers in the country. Scholarships are made available, including training programs, as well as training camps for elementary and high school students.

Challenging presidential candidates to save the educational system

Education Nation, a coalition of captains of industry and other concerned citizens, has unveiled a 10-point Education Reform Agenda which provides presidential candidates a list of “10 doable things” to achieve quality education in the country. The coalition is pushing education to be the No. 1 issue in the May elections. The country needs a government seriously concerned with the plight of millions of Filipino children.

Among the “doable things” envisioned to reform Philippine education are: Increasing the education budget to four percent of the gross national product to make it at par with other countries; adding two more years to basic education; developing globally benchmarked standards of excellence; developing community ownerships of schools, etc. Quality education is the only way to eradicate poverty. –Preciosa S. Soliven (The Philippine Star)

(For more information or reaction, please e-mail at exec@obmontessori.edu.ph or pssoliven@yahoo.com)(Part 2 of a series on EFA-ESD Call for All…)