Education Towards a Means of Livelihood

In all probability, educational preparation enhances one’s earning capacity. It is one of the most sustainable ways to address poverty. The education agenda is common to most candidates in this 2010 election campaign.

First, let’s look at tertiary education. In this globally competitive world, we should catch up with the rest of the world. The requirement for college education in most countries abroad is six years secondary education ( equivalent to our four years high school). During the last two years of secondary education abroad, it is presumed that students have taken advanced courses called general education ( the equivalent of our liberal arts education). So, by the time students enter university, the focus is already on one’s field of specialty. In most of Western Europe, the Bachelor’s degree no longer exists; after four years in the university, all students receive a Master’s degree upon graduation. If we are to promote trade and exchange of human resources in the Asean region or in the Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines - East Asia Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA), we must facilitate a “credit transfer system” in our educational systems within the Asean region. This system will make education in the Asean region comparable in terms of credits earned in our various universities in the Asean economic region.

In our country, our educational system is divided into basic education for ten (10) years, vocational or technical education and tertiary education. It is said that the last four years of our basic education is more geared towards college preparation. Unfortunately, less that fifty ( 50) per cent of those who entered grade school do not go to college. Which is why, one of the proposed educational reform agenda ( i.e. Ten Point Education Agenda of presidential bet NoyNoy Aquino 111) is to bring back technical vocational education to high school. NoyNoy says “ Half our High School graduates want to work upon graduation rather than attend university….. We need to provide a technical-vocational education alternative to better prepare students for the world of work. I will re-introduce technical-vocational education in our public high schools to better link. “

Juan Miguel Luz, former Undersecretary of the Department of Education and consultant to the Davao City School Board echoes this and he says “ we would like to create agribusiness high schools ( for agri, aqua, food processing, etc ) where these would be meaningful and appropriate….. Pass the agenda to as many teachers, principals, educators as you know and ask them to explain what it means to our parents and university students.”

Our constitution says, particularly under the article on Declaration of Principles and State Policies, our state shall….“ promote full employment.’’
This provision is akin to promoting a right to work provision. A right to work provision is not found in other constitutions of other countries. This full employment provision in our constitution is repeated in our Labor Code and therefore with the Labor Code’s Implementing Rules and Regulations, it is like making this provision ready and enforceable through our legal and judicial system. Which is why many jurists insist that economic rights are justiciable issues in the Philippines. As we are not a litigious society, the best way of promoting full employment is through a labor friendly or work friendly educational system. Now, this needs to be communicated to the public at large.