Education

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Scaling education programs in the Philippines: A policymaker’s perspective

agosto 13, 2019agosto 13, 2019Rosalina Villaneza

By: Rosalina Villaneza.

In 2016, 586,284 childrenof primary school age in the Philippines were out of school, underscoring demand for large-scale programs to address unmet learning needs. As a chief education program specialist in the Department of Education (DepEd) in the Philippines, I have firsthand experience planning, implementing, and monitoring and evaluating a variety of education programs. One of our main challenges is ensuring that effective initiatives, such as with our teacher professional development program, take root and grow into sustainable, system-wide approaches for improving teacher quality and encouraging responsive instructional practices to improve learning outcomes.

With the implementation of the K-12 Basic Education Program, DepEd has taken significant strides toward fulfilling its mandate of establishing a comprehensive and integrated education system relevant to the needs of people and society. The program aims to develop productive, responsible, and engaged global citizens with the essential competencies and skills for lifelong learning and employment. We believe this begins by ensuring every child of primary school age acquires basic literacy and numeracy skills.

How was DepEd able to improve literacy and numeracy skills in recent years? We began by articulating a clear vision that focused on teachers, as they play a fundamental role in developing these skills among their students. I worked closely with my team of education experts to retool teachers’ mastery of content knowledge and pedagogical skills so they could effectively lead in the classroom. In 2015, we introduced the Early Language, Literacy, and Numeracy Program (ELLN) to improve reading and numeracy skills of K-3 learners. ELLN strengthened teacher capacity to teach and assess reading and numeracy skills, improved school administration and management, established competency standards, and introduced a school-based professional development system for teachers, the “School Learning Action Cell” (SLAC). ELLN trained teachers through a ten-day, face-to-face training module. While this approach had some impact, it was not to the extent we hoped—we wanted to reach the entire country. We understood that scaling an in-person training would be costly and time-consuming to reach primary grade teachers in all schools throughout the country. Because of this, my DepEd colleagues and I began thinking about ways we could harness technology to deliver improved teacher professional development at a national scale.

Before we selected an approach for delivering technology-enabled teacher professional development, we decided to test some things to see what worked. Over a five-month period from November 2016 to March 2017, we piloted ELLN-Digital (ELLN-D) with 4,030 K-3 teachers in 240 public elementary schools that had not participated in the ELLN program. During this piloting phase, we collaborated with the local Filipino NGO, The Foundation for Information Technology, Education, and Development (FIT-ED). ELLN-D is a blended teacher professional development program on early literacy for K-3 teachers with two components: an interactive, multimedia courseware for self-study, and collaborative learning through SLACs. Due to the success of the pilot, DepEd is scaling up the program nationally (with support from FIT-ED) to more than 38,000 public elementary schools throughout the country during this coming school year. We accomplished this by planning for scale from the start: We prioritized a focus on teachers, then pursued digital solutions that could reach teachers across our island nation—experimenting at a small scale first to determine what works—and finally implemented the program through existing SLAC structures instead of creating new ones.

WHAT HAVE WE LEARNED ABOUT SCALING AND SUSTAINING IMPACT?

Analyzing education programs that sustainably scale offers rich insights for people like me who work in government and are trying to serve a massive population with limited resources. What common factors enable programs to scale? Who should programs serve? How can program implementers facilitate the success of programs?

First, programs that sustainably scale are relevant and responsive to the needs of the people they serve. Second, these programs should demonstrate some meaningful change that is visible to citizens. And third, to effectively scale a program, implementers should truly understand and commit to the program, believe in its success, and go above and beyond what is expected to achieve sustainable outcomes.

In the Philippines, the following approaches helped us to create, adapt, and scale programs with the aim of sustainable impact:

Identify learning champions at all levels: There is a need to identify and empower a pool of champions at multiple levels of the system—in the regions, divisions, communities, and schools. By doing so, these champions become agents of change. In the case of ELLN, regional directors play a critical role in implementing the program by liaising with school division superintendents and public school leaders.
Adapt programs to local context: Those implementing programs at larger scale or in new locations should be equipped to make the programs work in their areas by contextualizing approaches to suit local needs. This includes identifying and articulating the “non-negotiables” of the original design to ensure adherence to a set standard, but those implementing in new contexts should feel agency to adjust to fit local needs. Setting specific standards on program implementation through policy guidelines or memoranda can help maintain the appropriate level of consistency in implementation between different areas. On ELLN-D, we encourage slight variations in the structure and format of SLACs in ways that make sense for a given context.
Recognize that every idea is valuable: It is important to allow champions to implement the program with standardized guidance but recognize that adjustments and changes are not only inevitable but also beneficial. Have faith that even when the originating organization or institution is no longer around, others implementing can successfully deliver the programs and have sustained positive impact on the people they serve.

Thirty-four years working in government has provided me ample opportunity to stress-test these principles, which I believe are critically important to sustainably scaling programs. Through the implementation of ELLN, ELLN-D, and similar initiatives as part of the K-12 Basic Education Program, DepEd has fully committed to providing quality, accessible, and relevant basic education to all Filipino learners. The road ahead will not be an easy one, but through adherence to these key principles, scaling effective interventions that reach all Filipino learners will help our country continue down the path toward quality educational opportunities for all citizens.

Source of the article: https://www.brookings.edu/blog/education-plus-development/2019/08/01/scaling-education-programs-in-the-philippines-a-policymakers-perspective/

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How e-learning is making education affordable and accessible in India?

agosto 13, 2019agosto 13, 2019Noticias

Asia/ India/ 13.08.2019/ Source: www.indiatoday.in.

Here is how online learning helps in educating the masses while achieving its 2 major goals of accessibility and affordability over traditional learning.

ndia is witnessing a digital revolution and with 500 million people within the age bracket of 5-24 years, there are immense growth opportunities for the Indian education sector (source – IBEF).

Digital education

The growing demand for quality education and skill-based learning has waved the green flag for online learning. Digital education is breaking uncountable barriers by ensuring the availability of affordable and accessible learning even in rural areas.

Engaging and interactive content delivered by professional instructors makes it easy for students to skip geographically bound classrooms and enjoy self-paced learning.

Permission by UGC

UGC has now permitted higher educational institutions in the country to offer Certificate, Diploma, and Degree Programmes in online mode to the students in the University Grants Commission (Online Courses) Regulations, 2018. With such a reform, it is evident that the benefits served by online learning have convinced even the government to take relevant actions for its betterment.

Here is how online learning helps in educating the masses while achieving its 2 major goals of accessibility and affordability over traditional learning.

Accessibility

Digitalisation in India led to the development of technologies such as ‘Direct to Device’ which are empowering students to study through any device at any time. A much-developed aspect of online learning is M-learning where students can access the training content on their mobile phones anywhere. Now, getting 75% attendance marked on the teacher’s register is not essential to get a job; however, being 100% skilled is the pre-requisite for the same. E-learning ensures uniformity in the syllabus so that global disparities can be narrowed down.

Generally, online training platforms deliver content which features a combination of text, demonstrative videos, and presentations. Students who enrol in these trainings have their own dashboard which allows them to access the training content and monitor their own progress whenever they want.

All the doubts are cleared through forum query/doubt solving box, avoiding students’ dependence on teachers. Its accessibility has helped education reach even in the remote corners of the country, where teachers hesitate to enter because of less remuneration.

Not only students but even working professionals are benefitting from online trainings as they can up skill and explore new skills along with their existing job and other responsibilities.

Affordability

The biggest issue that students face in India is the lack of opportunities and resources. While some of them discontinue their studies due to monetary issues, others quit as they cannot find desired courses within their cities. Students who are interested to learn in-demand courses such as data science, Python, machine learning, etc. usually face difficulty as traditional coaching centres aren’t well equipped to teach such courses. Relocating to another city for study requires economic stability which everyone does not possess. In such cases, e-learning comes to the rescue as it does not ask you to travel anywhere to reach your education institution.

Above that, students can simply avoid what they have to pay for books, parking, infrastructure, practical labs, and equipment in traditional institutions. There is no strictness in terms of reaching the class on time, which in turn helps the learners to continue with their work schedule and manage their expenses.

Containing various modules and interactive forms of audio-visual teaching, online trainings have simplified the overall learning journey. While being affordable and accessible, e-learning allows students to save more hours, instils a feeling of self-belief, and encourages them to learn with the purpose of acquiring job-specific skills.

Source of the notice: https://www.indiatoday.in/education-today/featurephilia/story/e-learning-is-making-education-affordable-digital-learning-divd-1580383-2019-08-13

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South Africa is getting new ‘technical’ schools – here’s what you need to know

agosto 13, 2019agosto 13, 2019Noticias

Africa/ South Africa/ 13.08.2019/ Source: businesstech.co.za.

In his February State of the Nation Address, president Cyril Ramaphosa said that his government would introduce a number of new technical schools to meet the growing demand for skills in the country.

To expand participation in the technical streams, several ordinary public schools will be transformed into technical high schools, he said.

Responding in a recent parliamentary Q&A session, minister of Basic Education Angie Motshekga said that government plans to have a technical high school in each regional school circuit.

“The time frame for the transformation and expansion of schools will be over a period of 5 years starting in 2020 – 2025,” she said.

Motshekga said that the following process will be followed for identifying and transforming these schools:

Identification of schools by the nine provincial education departments;
Mapping of schools in circuits to be undertaken;
An onsite audit of schools will be conducted by the national and provincial departments;
A Mathematics, Science and Technology (MST) conditional grant will cover all schools offering technical occupational and technical vocational subjects.

Motshekga said that a number of costs will also be incurred including:

Infrastructure renovation and construction for workshops;
Provisioning of equipment tools and consumables for the technical specialisation subjects.
Spending on Human Resource recruitment.

New subjects

Government has made a substantial push towards digitisation and technical subjects in South Africa’s education sector in recent months.

In February Ramaphosa said that over the next six years government will provide every school child in South Africa with digital workbooks and textbooks on a tablet device.

Ramaphosa said that the Department of Education would also expand the training of both educators and learners to ‘respond to emerging technologies’ including the internet of things, robotics and artificial intelligence.

On top of coding and robotics, other new technology subjects and specialisations will be introduced, he said, including:

Technical mathematics;
Technical sciences;
Maritime sciences;
Aviation studies;
Mining sciences;
Aquaponics.

Source of the notice: https://businesstech.co.za/news/government/333979/south-africa-is-getting-new-technical-schools-heres-what-you-need-to-know/

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Improving Inclusive Education in South Africa

agosto 12, 2019agosto 11, 2019Noticias

Africa/ South Africa/ 12.08.2019/ Source: www.borgenmagazine.com.

ince 1989, UNICEF has recognized the right of every child to equal and quality education. However, many nations fall behind in having an education system that supports children with disabilities or those who come from poorer backgrounds. South Africa is no different. Only half of those who enter first grade make it the full 12. Despite the fact that inclusive education in South Africa has been a government priority since the early 2000s, little progress has been made. Fortunately, organizations are stepping in to create initiatives that have a positive impact on hundreds of children.

Children with Disabilities

A recent report by Human Rights Watch accused South Africa of failing to provide inclusive education for children with disabilities. These children often do not have access to the programs and supplies that would give them an equal opportunity to succeed at school. Approximately 600,000 South African children with disabilities are not in school, in part because of the fees required. While many children are not required to pay school fees, this is not extended to children with disabilities and they are often charged an additional fee.

Additionally, rather than creating inclusive schools, separate schools for children with disabilities were created. Many of these special schools do not provide the same level of education that supports the holistic development of cognitive skills of these children. Therefore, they ultimately fail to prepare these students for employment.

Steps to Improve Inclusive Education

The government has taken some steps to improve this, such as adopting a national curriculum for South African sign language, distributing teaching materials in Braille and even declaring that public schools for children with disabilities would soon abolish fees, but there’s still a long way to go before inclusive education in South Africa meets international standards. There are organizations and projects that are trying to improve things a little faster.

Inclusive Education in South Africa (IESA): IESA has been working since 1995 to promote and support inclusive education practices. Its efforts are aimed at educators and professionals, giving them theknowledge and tools necessary to provide high-quality education for all students, regardless of disability or background. One of IESA’s methods is a two-day training for early childhood educators and caregivers on inclusive education. The training teaches them how to accommodate children with disabilities in their centers.
The Workbook Project: In 2012, the Department of Basic Education and the EU’s Primary Education Sector Policy Support Programme began a workbook project to supply literacy and numeracy workbooks to every child in school. This project is a response to low literacy and numeracy rates, fuelled by a lack of classroom resources, including workbooks. In an effort to be inclusive, workbooks in braille and large print were created and distributed to students who needed them. However, there is still a need to further adapt the workbooks for a wider variety of disabilities.
Focusing on Vocational Skills: While there is still a long way to go, the Department of Basic Education has recognized the need for job training and made an effort to make it more available for children with disabilities. Kempton Park Panorama School’s vocational training program provides an example for other schools seeking to provide inclusive education in South Africa. The school works with local mechanical workshops, nursery schools and bakeries to provide students with workplace skills development. For students with disabilities, or those with little interest in receiving higher education, finding a job is often crucial. There is also a shortage of students going into vocational education programs, so making these programs more accessible to students can help fill an employment gap and ensure people with disabilities can make a living for themselves.
Full-Service Schools: As of 2017, South Africa had 900 full-service schools. These schools welcome all students, including those who are disabled and meet the differing educational needs of all students. One of these schools is Isiziba Primary School in Gauteng’s Ekhuruleni North District. Of the school’s 1,309 students, 108 have a learning disability. All 35 teachers have received training on how to identify and support those students. The school provides a model for inclusive education that all schools should be striving to meet.

Moving Forward

UNICEF is currently preparing a survey on inclusive education to assess whether standards are being met in countries around the world, which could help South Africa and other nations improve their inclusive education programs. Current initiatives need to be expanded to increase their sensitivity to and accommodation for children with disabilities.

Awareness of the impact that these schools can have on the children needs to be spread if inclusive education in South Africa is to be achieved across the nation. Furthermore, accurate data also needs to be released about the educational needs of children with disabilities. With that data, the government and other organizations can make smart decisions about how to use their funding and resources to best help the most children in need.

Source of the notice: https://www.borgenmagazine.com/improving-inclusive-education-in-south-africa/

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At Taiwan education fair in Manila, tech sector draws Filipinos

agosto 12, 2019agosto 11, 2019Noticias

Asia/ Taiwan/ 12.08.2019/ Fuente: focustaiwan.tw.

Access to Taiwan’s high-tech sector and the ability to learn Chinese are among the major factors sparking interest among Filipino students to study in Taiwan, educators said on the first day of the Taiwan Education Fair in the Philippines on Saturday.

Trinity University of Asia President Wilfred U. Tiu (張漢威) said at the fair that both factors were important in the eyes of Philippine students, who see overseas study as a chance to make themselves more competitive in the job market.

Studying Chinese is a big draw because of the considerable demand for Mandarin speaking professionals in the Philippines, he said.

Tiu noted that the Philippines has tried to move toward filling the gap by adding Chinese language to elementary and middle school curriculums in the country, but the lack of educators has made it difficult to implement the policy.

At the same time, the availability of scholarships and future access to Taiwan’s technology sector are also key incentives because of the potential career opportunities exposure to the tech sector could bring, Tiu said.

Now in its second year, the two-day fair is providing a chance to 32 Taiwanese universities this year to sell their programs and attract students from the Southeast Asian country, according to the organizer, the non-profit Taiwan Education Center in the Philippines.

More than 500 people visited the fair on Saturday and were introduced to Taiwan’s education system and environment by students and faculty of Taiwanese universities such as National Chengchi University and Fu Jen Catholic University.

At the opening ceremony, Michael Hsu (徐佩勇), Taiwan’s representative to the Philippines, said there are more than 1,600 Filipino students studying in Taiwan, with 450 of them enrolled in colleges or universities and the rest studying Chinese language or engaged in short-term programs.

He hoped that through the fair, more people in the Philippines will gain in-depth knowledge of Taiwan’s higher education system and its advantages, and become interested in studying in Taiwan.

Justine Pura, a Filipino student at National Sun Yat-sen University who was on hand to share her experiences, said Taiwan is a good option for Filipinos to study abroad because of its appealing culture and food as well as its convenient transportation and relatively low living expenses.

Fuente de la noticia: http://focustaiwan.tw/news/aedu/201908110009.aspx

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Niños soldados, triste realidad de cada día (+Video)

agosto 11, 2019Noticias

Por: Zeus Naya*/Prensa Latina

Historias como la de Matthew, Shaida, Wafa o Abdelkarim marcan cada día al mundo del siglo XXI, con diferentes pronunciamientos en función de protegerlos, liberarlos o reincorporarlos a una vida normal, pero sin la sombra de alguna fórmula precisa para detener a los señores de las guerras.

A mí no me mandan a las misiones, me ponen a lavar ropa, recoger cosas y a vigilar. Un día estaba de guardia y vi a un hombre. Le disparé y él levantó los brazos. Lo llevé ante el comandante y este dijo que era un ladrón, así que le cortó los dedos de una mano’, cuenta en Nigeria el primero, con su gorra camuflaje a través de la cual asoman sus ojos infantiles.

La camerunesa Shaida, por su parte, con apenas 15 años califica de lo peor el amanecer en el que se vio desnuda junto a su pequeña hermana Shaida y, ante la insistencia de ellas, un jefe confesó la droga empleada para evitarles el agotamiento de ‘tanto uso’.

Actualmente un número considerable de menores son explotados como esclavos sexuales, domésticos, utilizados de mensajeros, guardaespaldas, detectores de minas, cargadores, cocineros e incluso fabricantes de bombas, forzados a casarse, robar en las entidades locales, plantar explosivos o efectuar ataques suicidas.

Muchos de estos menores fueron secuestrados; a otros, la pobreza, la inseguridad, la falta de educación, la injusticia personal o comunitaria, la presión de la sociedad o el deseo de vengarse les impulsan a unirse a grupos armados.

DIA MUNDIAL CONTRA LA UTILIZACIÃ’N DE NIÑOS SOLDADOS

Desde su sede en Londres, Reino Unido, Child Soldiers International reveló en un informe reciente que el reclutamiento de niños soldados en el mundo experimentó un aumento del 159 por ciento entre 2012 y 2017.

Según esta organización no gubernamental dedicada a prevenir el fenómeno, mientras en el primer año se contabilizaron tres mil 159 casos en 12 países, en el último se produjeron ocho mil 185 en 17. En el caso de las niñas, en 2017 se registraron 893, cuatro veces más que los 216 de 2012.

A consecuencia de su empleo en labores de apoyo, según Child Soldiers International, las pequeñas suelen quedar fuera de las estadísticas oficiales y pasan desapercibidas para las estructuras de protección, de ahí que se sospeche la cifra podría ser mayor.

Las luchas abiertas en Oriente Próximo, Somalia, Sudán del Sur, República Democrática del Congo, República Centroafricana y otros lugares ‘están dejando a los pequeños cada vez más expuestos al reclutamiento’, denunció la entidad.

Por iniciativa de la Organización de Naciones Unidas (ONU) desde 1998 se instauró el 12 de febrero como jornada internacional contra la utilización de niños soldados, también llamada a partir de 2002 Día de las Manos Rojas, en referencia al símbolo propuesto para denunciar esta práctica.

MÁS ALLÁ DE ESE DÍA

El afgano Abdelkarim, de 16 años, pasó un lustro en plena guerra y asegura vio cosas espantosas: ‘la explosión de un coche bomba frente a mi antigua escuela, allí varios familiares en el suelo y, tras esas muertes, busqué cada día la forma para escaparme, hasta que conseguí llegar al centro de tránsito’.

La representante especial de la ONU para la cuestión de los niños y los conflictos armados, Virginia Gamba, estima importante entender que la reintegración es un proceso y si no se hace debidamente puede convertirse en un círculo vicioso donde puede haber re-reclutamiento de menores de forma voluntaria.

Gamba advierte que ‘estos niños experimentan unos niveles de violencia tan horribles que probablemente tendrán consecuencias dramáticas, tanto físicas como psicológicas, en los adultos en los que se convertirán y es nuestra obligación mostrarles que hay esperanza (…), que pueden vivir en paz y vivir sus sueños’.

El secretario general de la ONU, Antonio Guterres, en una de sus últimas exposiciones sobre el asunto aseguró estar ‘más convencido que nunca de que la organización y los Estados miembros deben seguir dando máxima prioridad a la protección de los pequeños afectados por conflictos armados’.

Su difícil situación debe ser la causa primordial para no empezar un conflicto y para acabarlo, remarcó en 2018; mientras, el pasado Día de las Manos Rojas desde el Vaticano el Papa Francisco llamó a detener esta plaga que, dijo, involucra a cerca de 240 millones de menores en zonas de conflicto.

De acuerdo con el Fondo de Naciones Unidas para la Infancia, unos 300 mil niños soldados participan en más de 30 guerras en todo el planeta, desde Iraq, Israel/Estado de Palestina, Siria, Chad, Uganda, Yemen, Benín, Níger hasta Myanmar.

Ante tales historias, números, reclamos, los magnates de la industria guerrista debieran detenerse; sin embargo, esta realidad les sobrepasa cuando saben bien que sus políticas solo agravan el problema, causan más desastre y víctimas.

Distintos expertos abogan por propuestas de paz, piden suspender la venta de armas, instan a los medios a una información responsable y exigen control en las redes sociales para que no inciten a la violencia.

La complejidad del fenómeno requiere una acción global coordinada, planes de desarrollo para las regiones afectadas, establecer corredores humanitarios como salida del teatro de operaciones, ayudar a crear entornos protectores para los infantes, entre otras.

A la altura del siglo XXI, los menores merecen una infancia digna y propia de su edad, que todos, cada día, sean niños, no soldados.

*Periodista de la Redacción Europa de Prensa Latina

*Fuente: https://www.prensa-latina.cu/index.php?o=rn&id=263376&SEO=ninos-soldados-triste-realidad-de-cada-dia-video

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Nigeria: Ekiti begins mass recruitment of primary school teachers

agosto 7, 2019agosto 6, 2019Noticias

Africa/ Nigeria/ 07.08.2019/ Source: www.pulse.ng.

The Ekiti State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) on Monday commenced the process of recruiting teachers into public primary schools in the state.

A statement made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Ado-Ekiti by the Executive Chairman of SUBEB, Prof. Francisca Aladejana, said the planned mass recruitment was sequel to the approval of Gov. Kayode Fayemi.

According to her, the governor has directed the board to fill vacancies in public primary schools in the state without delay.

She said that application forms would be distributed free to applicants at the SUBEB headquarters in Ado-Ekiti on Tuesday and Wednesday between 8 am. and 4 pm.

Aladejana stated further that only applicants with verifiable credentials would be allowed to obtain the application forms.

She advised interested applicants with prerequisite qualifications to visit the SUBEB headquarters to collect their forms which must be submitted in person at the same venue on or before Friday for processing.

According to her, qualifying examination will hold on Aug. 17 at Ado-Ekiti, Ikere-Ekiti, Ikole-Ekiti, Ido-Ekiti, Ijero-Ekiti and Ode-Ekiti.

The SUBEB chairman warned that the board would not accept application forms submitted late .

Source of the notice: https://www.pulse.ng/communities/student/ekiti-begins-mass-recruitment-of-primary-school-teachers/rkc16mg

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Scaling education programs in the Philippines: A policymaker’s perspective

WHAT HAVE WE LEARNED ABOUT SCALING AND SUSTAINING IMPACT?