RESEARCH DESIGN
QUALITATIVE RESEARCH DESIGN
The educational system of the Philippines poverty line has had a huge impact among
students that are affected by the poverty on education. It is said that it has been an ongoing
source of concern for the government as well as the general public. Poverty has been an
enduring issue in our country with a 22.4 % and the GDP of 25.24 million pesos ranking 72
on the poorest countries in 2024. This percentage represents 119,106,224 million people
within 2024, the Philippine poverty rate of 10.70% where people are living and the number of
families below the poverty line. It has been found that at some point a significant number of
people in the philippine have been experiencing a certain aspects of poverty such as
joblessness which may have been one of the huge contender of why most students were
affected by the financial crisis on which they have a hard time on going to school which
affected their education, however the government made a solution of building public school
which access the educations for those who have financial problems, public school has been
around us since 1863 however it was built on a spanish colonial era by the queen Isabella II,
her primary instruction was made free and the teaching of spanish was compulsory. Having
these public schools made most students get access to education, however some public
schools required students to pay some contributions in school such as school fan, floor wax,
and chalks.
It has been defined in academic texts as a shortage of resources to meet the needs of the
society, or a social inequality. Poverty is also defined as a constant absence of access to
assets and belonging taken for granted by wealthy individuals.
Over the past years the Philippine government has launched several initiatives aimed at
addressing the problem of poverty and its impact on education. One of the programs is the
“pantawid pamilyang pilipino program” also known as the 4p’s which provides cash transfer
to poor families to help them meet their basic needs, including education expenses such as
school supplies, uniforms and transportation costs. The program has been successful in
increasing school enrollment and reducing dropout rate in poor communities across the
country.
4p’s program has been subject of much research, and several studies have shown its
effectiveness in improving access to education for impoverished families. Despite the
success of the 4p’s some experts argue that cash transfers alone are not enough to address
the root cause of poverty. They emphasize the need for more comprehensive poverty
reduction strategies such as creating more job opportunities and improving social services.
According to a study by Ibon foundation (2019), poverty reduction strategy is the sustainable
livelihood program (SLP), which is implemented by the department of social welfare and
development (DSWD). The SLP aims to provide sustainable livelihood opportunities to poor
households, enabling them to increase their income and improve their standard of living.
The ongoing conflict in some parts of the Philippines has created many challenges in the
education sector. The situation has greatly impacted the lives of many children, making it
difficult for them to continue their studies. With schools being forced to close and students
being displaced, the government has recognized the need for an alternative education
system that can provide access to education to those who have been affected by the
conflict. One of the measures implemented by the government to address this issue is the
Alternative Learning System (ALS).
ALS programmed in providing educational opportunities to those who have been affected, in
2021 the ALS program reached over 900,000 learners, providing them with access to basic
education and skill training. Furthermore, the program has been successful in improving
literacy rate in the Philippines.
In addition the united nations children’s fund (UNICEF) has implemented a program that
aims to improve access to quality education for children affected by the poverty impact on
education. This program includes initiatives such as providing temporary learning spaces,
training teachers, and providing learning materials to students. The UNICEF program has
also been successful.
Another important issue facing the education system in the Philippines is the lack of
resources and infrastructure in many schools, especially in rural areas. This issue is
widespread and affects a significant number of schools in the country. According to a report
by the department of education, around 5,000 schools in the Philippines have no access to
electricity, while 10,000 have no access to potable water. This lack of basic amenities puts
students and teachers at a significant disadvantage, affecting the quality of education they
receive. In addition many schools lack adequate classrooms, textbooks , and teaching
materials, making it hard for the students to learn effectively. This issue is not only limited to
rural areas but is also present in urban areas.
The lack of resources and infrastructure in school affects the quality of education that
students receive. Without a proper facilities student may not be able to attend class
regularly, or they may get distracted by external factors making it hard for the students to
concentrate on their studies and the lack of textbooks and teaching materials also hinder the
learning process of a students and as a student they may not have access to the necessary
information to understand the concept taught in class.
To address this issue,the government has invested in infrastructure projects to improve
school’s facilities. For example the government has constructed classrooms, provided
electricity, and installed water systems in rural schools that lacked these amenities. In
addition, the deped has implemented the k-12 program, which aims to provide students with
a quality education that is globally competitive, the program includes initiatives such as the
provision of free textbooks, school facilities, and teacher training.
The COVID 19 pandemic has undoubtedly brought numerous problems to the education
system of the country, affecting not only students but also teachers, parents and educational
institutions. In march 2020, the Philippine government ordered the closure of schools to
lessen the spread of the virus. As a result millions of students had to shift to online or
modular learning which was a huge struggle among students who didn't have access to
technology or reliable internet connection. One of the major issues that the pandemic has
exposed is the digital divide, this refers to the gap between those who have access to digital
technologies and those who do not. According to a survey conducted by the deped in july
2020, only 64% of the students who responded had access to a smartphone while 55% had
access to a laptop or desktop computer. Which means that a significant portion of the
student population is left out of the digital learning experience.
To address the digital divide and the issue posed by the pandemic, the deped has
implemented various distance learning programs. One of these is the deped tv where a
program that provides televised lessons to students in grade 1-10 it was launched in october
5, 2020 and aired on free to air in tv channels. The lessons cover various subjects, such as
English, Math, Science, and filipino. Another program that the deped has implemented is the
online platform that provides free access to digital resources for teachers and students,
which contains thousands of learning materials such as the lesson plan, videos, and
quizzes. Teachers can use the platform to create their own digital lesson, while students can
access the material to supplement their learning. It was launched in 2019 but gained more
significance during the pandemic.
Apart from these solutions that the government implemented they also partnered with
telecommunication companies to provide free internet access to public school teachers and
students. In may 2020, the deped signed an agreement with globe telecom and smart
communications to provide free internet access to public school teachers and students until
the year end. This aimed to ensure that the teachers and students have access to online
resources and can participate in online classes. While these solutions are commendable,
some experts argue that the government’s response to the pandemic has been inadequate
particularly in addressing the needs of the communities.
According to a study by the Philippine institute for development studies, only 14% of
students in the poorest households have the access to a computer or tablet, while 16% have
the access to the internet, the study also show that only 27% of the students in rural areas
have access to the internet compared to the 47% in urban areas which shows that students
from the rural areas have the greater disadvantage when it comes to the online learning.
To address this issue the government came up with the solution to provide laptops and
tablets to public teachers and non teaching personnel who lack access to technologies,
however some argue that the program should be expanded to include students who also
lack access to technology.
CONCLUSION
In conclusion, the challenges facing the education system in the Philippines are complex and
multiface, ranging from poverty to lack of resources and infrastructure and the digital divide.
Addressing these issues will require a comprehensive and multi dimensional approach,
including strategies to create more opportunities to those who are in need as well as
providing alternative learning opportunities for students that have been affected by the
poverty on education. By ensuring that all Filipinos have the equal rights to access education
and unlock the full potential of the people and contribute to a sustainable development.
