EFA2000: Literacy Assessment Philippines EDUCATION FOR ALL: THE YEAR 2000 ASSESSMENT COUNTRY REPORT BY PHILIPPINES [This is an excerpt of country report containing relevant sections on literacy and non-formal education.] Downloaded from Asia-Pacific Literacy Data Base (http://www.accu.or.jp/litdbase). 1 EFA2000: Literacy Assessment Philippines Report Philippine Country EFA Assessment – The Internalisation and Evolution of EFA in the Philippines The State of Philippine Primary Education at the Start of EFA ….. Learning Outcomes ….. The literacy rate among 15-24 year olds, which is one proxy measure for the educational system’s effectiveness in imparting the basic skills of reading and writing, stood at 96.6% with a gender parity index of 1.0 in 1990. The high level of literacy within this particular age group reflects the recent outcomes of the educational process. Therefore, when the literacy rate is analysed in relation to the results of achievement tests, it raises the question of whether primary level education is on the whole good only at developing simple reading and writing skills and not much else. It is no wonder then that the 1989 functional literacy rate 1 among the population 10 years and alternative (73.2%) was appreciably lower than the simple literacy rate2 for the same population segment (89.8%). If that is so, there was then very little justification in having maintained a six-year primary cycle producing skills that could have been achieved more efficiently and as effectively through a shorter and less expensive programme. ….. Adult Literacy In 1990, the simple literacy rate among 15+ year olds was 93.6 percent with a gender parity index of 0.991. Although this literacy level was high at that time for developing country standards, there nonetheless were an absolute number of about 2.3 million alternative adults. Since the literacy rate among the narrower age group of 15-24 year olds as presented above was higher at 96.6 percent, it meant that many of the non-literates came from the above 24 age-group and were earlier products of the educational system. This is highly probable, considering that for the past 30 years the gross enrolment ratio in the primary level had always been more than 100.0 percent. This may or may not be a reflection of the capability of the educational system during the earlier years, but the fact is that in 1990, they had become a big burden in terms of providing them the basic literacy they needed. Conclusions …. 1 The functional literacy rate refers to the percentage of the population that has the ability to read and write with comprehension, as well as to make simple arithmetical calculations in an expanded sense; and the possession of minimum skills needed to carry out simple functions in life and interact with others in society. 2 The simple literacy rate is defined as the percentage of the population who can read and write and understand simple messages in any language or dialect. 2 EFA2000: Literacy Assessment Philippines Yet, there were high levels of simple literacy among both 15-24 year olds and 15+ year olds. Such that when these indicators are related to the inadequate percentages of pupils who mastered reading/writing, mathematics and life skills, it brings up the idea that while the primary education system was effective in imparting simple literacy, it was non-optimal in developing greater knowledge. The comparatively lower level of functional literacy should lend credence to this hypothesis. …. Philippine EFA Goals and Targets Literacy Targets Under the PPA, the nationwide simple literacy rate was to increase from 89.8 percent 1989 to 98.0 percent in 2000, while the functional literacy rate was to increase from 73.2 percent in 1989 to 85.0 percent in 2000. The MPBE did not revise these goals (see Chart I-9 below). Figure 0-1: PPA Targets for Simple and Functional Literacy Simple and Functional Literacy Rates PPA Targets 120 100 Simple Literacy Functional Literacy Percentage 80 60 40 20 0 1989 2000 Year 3 EFA2000: Literacy Assessment Participation Rate Regions I II III IV V VI VII VIII IX X XI XII NCR CAR ARMM NATL Philippines 1989 99.9 92.7 99.9 99.9 98.5 97.9 96.9 98.6 98.7 99.9 99.9 99.9 99.9 99.9 99.7 99.1 1991 99.9 93.4 99.9 99.9 98.6 98.1 97.2 98.7 98.9 99.9 99.9 99.9 99.9 99.9 99.7 99.5 1995 99.9 96.3 99.9 99.9 99.7 98.9 98.4 99.3 99.4 99.9 99.9 99.9 99.9 99.9 99.9 99.7 Cohort Survival 2000 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 1989 80.5 69.1 80.7 77.6 66.1 64.6 62.1 55.5 56.9 63 63.1 55.9 93.1 64.5 37.5 68.7 1991 81.2 70.2 81.3 78.4 67.3 65.9 63.5 57.1 58.5 64.3 64.5 57.6 93.2 65.8 39.9 69.2 1995 83.7 74.7 83.4 81.4 72.3 71.1 69.1 63.9 65 69.8 69.9 64.2 93.7 71 49.4 73.8 Achievement Level 2000 86.9 80.2 87 85.2 78.5 77.6 76.1 72.3 73.1 76.7 76.7 72.5 94.2 77.5 61.8 80 1989 56.2 50.3 60 66.6 58 46.8 61 51.4 54.1 52.1 54.9 59 60.6 55.8 41.1 55.2 1991 59.7 54.2 63.3 65.9 61.4 50.9 64.3 55.2 57.8 55.9 58.5 62.4 63.9 59.3 45.5 60 1995 66.8 62 70 75.4 68.3 59.1 70.8 62.9 65.1 63.4 65.7 69.1 70.5 66.5 54.4 66.9 Dropout Rate 2000 75.7 71.7 78.3 82.8 76.9 69.3 79 72.4 74.3 72.9 74.8 77.6 78.7 75.4 65.4 75 1989 6.2 8.1 4.1 5.1 9.3 9.6 8.1 8 10.7 9 9.2 12.6 2.8 12.6 16 7.6 1991 1995 5.4 7 3.7 4.5 8 8.3 7 6.9 9.2 7.8 7.9 10.8 2.5 10.8 13.7 6.5 4 2000 3.8 4.8 2.7 3.3 5.5 5.6 4.8 4.8 6.2 5.3 5.4 7.2 2 7.2 9 4.5 1.8 2.1 11.6 1.7 2.2 2.3 2.1 2.1 2.4 2.2 2.2 2.7 1.4 2.7 3.1 2 EFA2000: Literacy Assessment Philippines Resource and Funding Implications of the EFA Targets …. Costs by Component The distribution of the total expected cost among the EFA components are shown in Table I-9 below. As planned, ECD projects were to have gotten the largest share of the EFA budget at 4.2 billion pesos or 50.8 percent, owing to enormous costs of the needed institution building and because of the large number of region-based ECD projects. Surprisingly, only 10.7 percent of the total estimated cost was programmed for UPE, in spite of the serious problems in internal efficiency and learning outcomes. Programmes for eradicating alternative and improving functional skills were allocated 22.2 percent consistent with the strategic importance placed by the EFA movement the evolution of alternative learning systems. Integrated programmes, which were to cut across two or more EFA components, were earmarked 16.3 percent of the total budget (also see Chart I-10 below). Table 0-1: Estimated Component Costs of the Philippine EFA Amount Percentage Share (in million Pesos) 4,209.0 50.8 887.0 10.7 322.0 3.9 1,517.0 18.3 1,350.0 16.3 Component Early Childhood Development (ECD) Universal Quality Primary Education (UPE) Eradication of Illiteracy (EOI) Continuing Education Development (CED) Integrated Programmes (INTPRO) TOTAL 8,285.0 100.0 The Philippine EFA Strategy ….. For those outside of the educational mainstream, such as non-literate, semi-literate adults and out-of-school youths, broader access to the alternative learning systems was to be ensured to provide them functional literacy skills and continuing education for development (CED). The ALS was equally meant to serve developmental functions: through it learners would go on learning towards the development of a learning society, the scope of choices of learners in acquiring education would be widened, certain inherent inadequacies and limitations of the school system would be addressed and the way for the so-called borderless or “open” learning would be smoothly paved. ….. The Environment for EFA …. Strengthening Home-School Partnership ….. 5 EFA2000: Literacy Assessment Philippines DECS sa Barangay (DECS in the Barangay) Programme Launched in 1996, this program is being implemented at the barangay level with focus on the rural communities. The aim is to establish operational linkages with line agencies, local government units, local development councils and inter-sectoral consultative councils organised in every barangay. The specific objectives of the Program are to increase literacy rate, achievement rate and participation rate; decrease dropout rate; provide all barangays and remote sitios with adequate school facilities like books, desks, blackboards, classrooms and toilets; and make barangay schools as learning centres or community centres of educational information. Philippine EFA Thrusts on Alternative Learning Systems The PPA subsumed the twin components of Eradication of Alternative (EOI) and Continuing Education and Development (CED) under an umbrella programme of innovation dubbed as Strengthening of Alternative Learning System (ALS). In the 1991 Jomtien Conference, this was recognised as the Philippines’ unique contribution or approach to the global EFA Movement’s ultimate objective of reaching out to those who have either been deprived of formal basic education or those who choose not to acquire their basic learning needs from the conventional learning or school system. Eradication of Alternative Eradication of Alternative in Selected Areas (EISA) A research and development project that addressed the low literacy levels among out-of-school youths, adults, women and girls 13 years and over in marginalized communities, which constrain attainment of personal development and participation in community development. The project also looked into solutions to the difficulty in identifying, locating and monitoring the learning progress of literacy clientele. Parent Education and Female Functional Literacy An expansion to five provinces of a similar one that was being implemented in 1990 in seven Area-Based Child Survival and Development (ABCSD) provinces. In these areas, as in the expansion sites, women and girls were more disadvantaged in terms of literacy than their male counterparts. The literacy intervention was expected to result in improved status of women in the community; increased participation in community development projects; and in the capability of women and parents to improve family life and conditions. Promotion of Continuing Education & Development Media Advocacy of Values and Informal Education A deliberate attempt to maximise the positive role of media in the formation of values and consciousness, this initiative advocated themes and issues that enhance consciousness of the dignity of human life, man’s responsibilities towards his fellowmen and his role as steward of society and the environment. Media advocacy was to reach children and adults nationwide via television, radio and print. 6 EFA2000: Literacy Assessment Philippines Science for the Masses This national project was conceived to be a principal vehicle for attaining scientific and cultural literacy among Filipinos. The targets are OSY, adults, students in formal schools and clientele of the alternative learning systems. They were to be reached via a network of science and technology museums and centrums, science communication through the intensification of science broadcasts (TV and radio) and publication of research and development outputs. Production of Indigenous Teaching Materials and Training on Productivity Enhancement of Economic Projects (PEEP) for Barangay Folks The PEEP effort addressed the dearth of materials relating to productivity, production culture, self-development, decision-making, appropriate technology and other basic life skills that hamper education and training for economic productivity in the rural areas. It aimed to produce and disseminate modules on various life skill areas and train 950,000 rural and urban poor women in all regions using these indigenous learning materials. Implementation of Integrated Programmes Programme for the Development of Alternative Learning Systems Another R & D project that sought to establish a stream of learning encompassing non-formal and informal education, to run parallel to the formal or school-based learning system. If the study confirmed the feasibility of this project, it would have been used as basis for future legislation enabling individuals to broaden their access to learning opportunities. National Distance Learning for Out-of-School Youths and Neo-Literate Women This project, which was piloted in selected communities, rested on a learner or demand-oriented participatory and culture-based learning system founded on a multi-media channel approach to message delivery. The design called for the use of radio and instructional modules as main channels; the others being audiocassettes, comic books, folk media and other indigenous channels. There was also a linkage to entrepreneurship agencies and a provision for access to livelihood seed funding. Integrated Community Based Continuing Education for Depressed, Disadvantaged and Underserved (DDU) Communities An extension of the experience of an earlier project of the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) and the Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organisation (SEAMEO) to 100 identified communities. Successfully tried out in four low-income villages in Luzon, this undertaking aimed to provide training programmes designed to improve the cognitive and practical skills of the villagers. Another objective was to enable the clients to conduct sustainable income-generating and other social development projects. These learning programmes were supported by a viable multipurpose social cooperative and other village-based organisations, which were set up through the primer funds provided by the project. There was a built-in mechanism to replicate the project in other depressed communities in future. ….. 7 EFA2000: Literacy Assessment Philippines Part II - Philippine Performance towards Achievement of EFA ….. Progress towards PPA Targets: ALS Simple Literacy The 1994 simple literacy level of 93.9 percent was just 4.1 percentage points below the 98.0 percent target set for 2000 (see Table II-13). Table II-1: Simple Literacy Rate, Targets vs. Latest Data by Region Region 1994 Actual 2000 Target Gap I II III IV V VI VII VIII IX X XI XII ARMM CAR NCR 95.5 93.3 96.3 96.4 94.9 91.9 93.1 90.9 89.7 94.6 92.0 90.8 73.5 88.8 98.8 98.4 97.2 100.0 99.9 96.6 96.9 97.0 93.6 92.9 98.4 98.4 91.7 80.2 96.1 100.0 -3.0 -3.9 -3.7 -3.4 -1.8 -5.0 -4.0 -2.7 -3.2 -3.8 -6.4 -0.9 -6.8 -7.3 -1.2 Philippines 93.9 98.0 -4.1 By 1994, eight regions had actually surpassed their 1995 targets. Good performance was led by Region XII, which had already overshot its 1995 target by 5.2 percentage points and was only 0.91 percentage points from its 2000 objective. Surprisingly, it is followed by the ARMM whose 73.5 actual simple literacy rate was 3.7 percentage points higher than its 1995 target of 69.8 percent. Based on the 1994 performance, Regions XII, NCR and V have the highest probability of achieving their 2000 targets, since they had gaps of only 0.91, 1.17 and 1.77 percentage points, respectively. On the other hand, CAR, ARMM and Region XI have relatively higher gaps at 7.3, 6.8 and 6.4, respectively. These regions may thus find it difficult to attain their targets. Functional Literacy Nationwide, the functional literacy rate rose from 73.2 percent in 1989 to 83.8 percent in 1994. Thus, the gap between actual performance in 1994 and the 85.0 percent targeted level for the year 2000 is only 1.2 percentage points (Table II-14). If the highly favourable record of the five-year period 1989-1994 is an indication of success in combating alternative, then this very small difference appears highly surmountable. In fact, despite the methodological changes and the apparently “tougher” questions in the questionnaire, functional literacy managed to increase to its 1994 level, surpassing expectations with a growth of 10.6 percentage points compared to the 1989 baseline. 8 EFA2000: Literacy Assessment Philippines Table II-2: Functional Literacy Rate, Targets vs. Latest Data by Region Region 1994 Actual 2000 Target Gap I II III IV V VI VII VIII IX X XI XII ARMM CAR NCR 86.4 86.6 87.3 88.0 82.8 80.9 80.9 79.8 75.4 83.4 79.4 77.4 61.2 78.6 92.4 82.7 83.8 89.0 86.7 83.7 83.8 84.2 85.0 75.7 86.9 85.2 84.7 68.1 85.7 86.5 3.7 2.8 -1.7 1.3 -0.8 -2.9 -3.3 -5.2 -0.3 -3.5 -5.9 -7.3 -6.9 -7.1 5.9 Philippines 83.8 85.0 -1.2 This remarkable development in the literacy situation is highlighted by the fact that four regions did not have to wait for the year 2000. Regions I, II, IV, and NCR have as early as 1994 not only surpassed their individual year 2000 targets by more than one-percentage point; they also went past the national 2000 target of 85.0 percent. Alongside this encouraging development in FL, five regions will have much catching up to do before the end of the EFA Decade. As shown by Table II-14, Regions XII (Central Mindanao), the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR), the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao, XI (Southern Mindanao), and VIII (Eastern Visayas) still have to surmount their respective above-five percentage point FL gaps. CAR and Region XII will face the toughest challenge among the underachievers in meeting FL targets while Regions III, VI, VII, and X with their below fourpercentage point gaps will have relative ease in meeting year 2000 target. On the other hand Regions V and IX, with their 0.83 and 0.33 remaining percentage point-gaps, respectively, will have the least problem of meeting the FL target at the end of the EFA Decade. In sum, Table 24 indicates that the most intensive internal efforts and massive external interventions in both formal, non-formal and informal education will have to be focussed in Regions XII, CAR, ARMM, XI and VIII to close the still yawning gaps in FL at this point in time. A Note on the Measurement of Literacy in the Philippines At that time of the formulation of the EFA-PPA, the only available and collected data for measuring progress in fulfilling the objectives of the Alternative Learning Systems (ALS) component were the basic or simple literacy (SL) and the functional literacy (FL) rates. It was envisioned that other suitable and adequate measures would evolve within the EFA decade under the Grand Alliance. 9 EFA2000: Literacy Assessment Philippines Both SL and FL data are gathered through the Functional Literacy and Exposure to Mass Media Survey (FLEMMS). So far, the Philippines had twice undertaken the FLEMMS.3 The first was done in 1989 while the second, which introduced some modifications in the survey instruments and timing, was done in 1994. In 1990, data on simple literacy was also generated by the 1990 Census, thus, giving a wider and more accurate view of the Filipinos level of basic literacy. Based on the Administrative Order issued by President F. Ramos in 1993 regularising the conduct of the FLEMMS every five years, the third Survey is scheduled in 1999, a year away from the closing of the EFA Decade. This could be of immense use for the full assessment of the impact of the EFA movement in the Philippines in the area of literacy. While all other countries only collect and use data on simple or basic literacy, the Philippines has included FL 4 for monitoring purposes because it was the closest that could approximate the learning objectives of CED. This was deemed to be more qualitative and better serve other developmental purposes. As CED is underpinned by a broader concept of functional literacy, the PPA has envisioned that it would be supplemented by certain impact indicators that correspond to a set of integrative outcomes on social development indicating better quality of life in the community setting. Thus, apart from FL, the PPA recommended additional CED indicators such as: family income, percentage of graduates of NFE programs, number of trainees, percentage of practitioners to trainees, employment status, incidence of alcoholism, drug abuse, and other social ills in the barangay, status of maternal and child health conditions, health and sanitation status, and number of people participating in community development activities in the barangay. Simple literacy is officially defined in the FLEMMS as the “ability of a person to read and write with understanding a simple message in any language or dialect.” The National Statistics Office (NSO) definition of terms also explains that the simple literacy status of an individual can be determined based on the respondent’s answer to the question “Can ______ read and write a simple message in any language or dialect?” 3 There is a growing appreciation in the Philippines of FL as an indicator of overall social development planning and quality and efficiency of education from its being a traditional non-formal education access indicator. It has also been adopted as key social indicator in subsectoral planning documents. In support of the program for Eradicating Alternative in the Year 2000, the Philippine Statistical System has decided to regularise the generation of these indicators every five years (Napoleon B. Imperial, “Re-Thinking The Scope And Uses Of Functional Literacy In The Philippines: Towards International Benchmarking,” think paper presented to the LCC Workshop, INNOTECH, Quezon City, 22 January 1998. 4 According to the UNESCO Principal Office in Asia and the Pacific (PROAP) in recent Internet inquiry, the Philippines is the only country that gathers regular statistical data on FL. UNESCO does not collect or compile data on functional literacy of the member countries in its regular publication, World Education Report. While many countries and their think-tank institutions agree on the need to make their people more functionally literate, their views on and the means to achieve FL, both as results of learning experiences and as a learning process still widely differ. See Imperial, ibid. for some discussions on the recent move of the Philippines to review the definition and use of functional literacy through an Experts Group commissioned by the Literacy Council (LCC). 10 EFA2000: Literacy Assessment Philippines The official definition of terms of the 1994 FLEMMS describes FL as the “ability to read and write with comprehension, as well as to make simple arithmetic calculations (numeracy) in an expanded sense. It adds that “it includes the possession of minimum skills needed to carry out simple functions in life and to interact with others in society.”5 Furthermore, as stated in the explanatory notes of the survey questionnaires of the NSO on the 1994 FLEMMS, FL is “a significantly higher level of literacy, which includes not only reading and writing skills but also numeracy skills. The skills must be sufficiently advanced to enable the individual to participate fully and efficiently in activities commonly occurring in his life situation that require a reasonable capability of communicating by written language.”6 The UNESCO, for its part, defines FL as the “ability to read and write adequately enough to cope with the demands of daily living.” In operational terms, therefore, the literate Filipino is defined as one who is “either assumed to be literate simply because he merely says he can read and write or he has actually demonstrated writing and reading skills in any language or dialect during the survey. Similarly, a functionally literate person is one, who during the survey is deemed as such simply because he has either completed secondary education or was able to answer correctly at least one of the three questions involving numeracy and reading comprehension in the survey questionnaire written in a dialect or language of his choice. Outside this category of respondents everybody else, that is, all persons who have at least graduated from high school are assumed to be functionally literate, regardless of the number of years they have been out of school. Summary: Progress towards PPA Targets ….. Alternative Learning Systems The 98.0 percent simple literacy target set in the PPA for 2000 could be attained given the leadtime. In 1994, the nationwide simple literacy level stood at 93.9 percent, only 4.1 percentage points below the 2000 goal. Nationwide, the functional literacy rate rose from 73.2 percent in 1989 to 83.8 percent in 1994. Thus, the gap between actual performance in 1994 and the 85.0 percent targeted level for the year 2000 is only 1.2 percentage points. Given the necessary inputs and aggressive implementation of interventions in formal education and literacy programs, the 4.1 percentage points difference between the year 2000 and the actual 1994 simple literacy will not be that difficult to close. ….. 5 See also Literacy Coordinating Council, The New Definition and Indicators of Functional Literacy, 1998, which followed the parameters based on the International Commission on Education for the 21st Century (Delors Report), 6 Paula M. Collado, “Literacy and Mass Media Exposure: Results from 1994 FLEMMS,” National Statistical Office, 1994 11 EFA2000: Literacy Assessment Philippines Part III – Developments in the Provision of Primary Education …… Literacy Rate of 15-24 Year-Olds (Core Indicator 16) There was only a very slight increase in the nationwide simple literacy rate among 15-24 yearolds between 1990 (96.6%) and 1994 (97.3%). For both years, the gender parity index stood at almost 1.00, although female literacy levels were slightly higher than that of males’ (see Table II-51 and Figure III-46). As early as 1994, the Philippines had already posted a substantial achievement in pushing universal literacy in this age bracket, but even the seemingly small percentage of alternative still translated into 392,000 persons at that time. Area PHILIPPINES Gender 1990 Rate TOTAL Male Female 1994 GPI 96.6 96.3 96.9 Rate 1.006 Table III-1: Literacy Rate of 15-24 Year-Olds, National Aggregates Figure III-1: Literacy Rate of 15-24 Year-Olds, National Aggregates Core EFA Indicator 16 Literacy Rate and Gender Parity Index of 15 - 24 Year-Olds NATIONAL AGGREGATES BY GENDER 98.5 Total Female 98 97.5 Total Phils Rate 97 Total Male 96.5 96 95.5 95 1990 1994 Year 12 97.3 96.6 98.1 GPI 1.016 EFA2000: Literacy Assessment Philippines There was no appreciable variation in literacy levels among and within regions. For 1990 and 1994, the standard deviation among regions had been minimal and the variation within regions (among provinces), while generally higher than the variation among regions, was likewise insignificant for the two years (Tables III-52 and Figures III-47 and III-48). Table III-2: Literacy Rate of 15-24 Year-Olds, Means & Standard Deviations Area PHILIPPINES Region I Region II Region III Region IV Region V Region VI Region VII Region VIII Region IX Region X Region XI Region XII Region XIII CAR NCR ARMM 1990 Mean 96.014 98.766 96.507 98.917 97.846 97.922 96.610 95.904 94.281 84.104 96.451 95.587 89.468 S.D. 3.644 0.229 1.760 0.243 1.899 1.095 0.970 3.069 3.016 10.119 1.690 1.460 5.983 95.322 99.277 2.607 0.053 13 1994 Mean 96.751 98.922 96.870 95.391 98.578 98.171 96.577 97.793 93.255 92.257 98.414 95.521 93.951 93.429 99.464 S.D. 2.099 0.495 2.009 8.095 1.323 1.968 1.763 2.045 4.196 5.854 1.543 4.916 3.969 4.374 0.738 EFA2000: Literacy Assessment Philippines Figure III-2: Literacy Rate of 15-24 Year-Olds, Regional Means Core EFA Indicator 16 Literacy Rate and Gender Parity Index of 15 - 24 Year-Olds REGIONAL MEANS 105 NCR 100 95 Rate Reg IX 90 85 80 75 1990 1994 Year Figure III-3: Literacy Rate of 15-24 Year-Olds, Standard Deviations Core EFA Indicator 16 Literacy Rate and Gender Parity Index of 15 - 24 Year-Olds STANDARD DEVIATIONS WITHIN REGIONS 12 10 Reg III Rate 8 Reg IX 6 4 2 Reg I 0 1990 Year 14 1994 EFA2000: Literacy Assessment Philippines Adult Literacy Literacy Rate & GPI of 15+ Year-Olds (Core Indicators 17 & 18) There was virtually no change in the nationwide simple literacy rate among 15+ year-olds 1990 (93.6%) and 1994 (93.6%). For both years, the gender parity index stood at almost 1.00, although male literacy levels were slightly higher than that of females’. (Table III-53 and Figure III-49). Although this literacy level among adults can be considered high by developing country standards, what is worrisome is the absolute number of the alternative within this age bracket, which stood at 2.7 million persons at that time. Table III-3: Literacy Rate & GPI of 15+ Year-Olds Area PHILIPPINES Gender 1990 Rate TOTAL Male Female 1994 GPI 93.6 94.0 93.2 Rate 0.991 Figure III-4: Literacy Rate & GPI of 15+ Year-Olds, National Aggregates Core EFA Indicators 17 & 18 Literacy Rate and Gender Parity Index of 15+ Year-Olds NATIONAL AGGREGATES BY GENDER 94.2 94 93.8 Total Male 93.6 Rate Total Phils Total Female 93.4 93.2 93 92.8 1990 Year 15 1994 93.6 93.7 93.5 GPI 0.998 EFA2000: Literacy Assessment Philippines There was no appreciable variation in literacy levels among and within regions. For 1990 and 1994, the standard deviation among regions had been minimal and the variation within regions (among provinces), while generally lower (except for four regions) than the variation among regions, was likewise insignificant for the two years (Table III-50 and Figures III-50 and III-51). Table III-4: Literacy Rate & GPI of 15+ Year-Olds, Means & Standard Deviations 1990 1994 Area Mean S.D. Mean S.D. PHILIPPINES 96.014 3.644 96.751 2.099 Region I 98.766 0.229 98.922 0.495 Region II 96.507 1.760 96.870 2.009 Region III 98.917 0.243 95.391 8.095 Region IV 97.846 1.899 98.578 1.323 Region V 97.922 1.095 98.171 1.968 Region VI 96.610 0.970 96.577 1.763 Region VII 95.904 3.069 97.793 2.045 Region VIII 94.281 3.016 93.255 4.196 Region IX 84.104 10.119 92.257 5.854 Region X 96.451 1.690 98.414 1.543 Region XI 95.587 1.460 95.521 4.916 Region XII 89.468 5.983 93.951 3.969 Region XIII CAR 95.322 2.607 93.429 4.374 NCR 99.277 0.053 99.464 0.738 ARMM Figure III-5: Literacy Rate & GPI of 15+ Year-Olds, Regional Means Core EFA Indicators 17 & 18 Literacy Rate and Gender Parity Index of 15+ Year-Olds REGIONAL MEANS 120 NCR 100 80 Rate Reg IX 60 40 20 0 1990 1994 Year 16 EFA2000: Literacy Assessment Philippines Figure III-6: Literacy Rate & GPI of 15+ Year-Olds, Standard Deviations Core EFA Indicators 17 & 18 Literacy Rate and Gender Parity Index of 15+ Year-Olds STANDARD DEVIATIONS WITHIN REGIONS 16 14 Reg IX 12 CAR Rate 10 8 Reg XI 6 Reg II 4 2 NCR 0 1990 Year 1994 The State of Primary Education towards the End of the EFA Decade ….. Learning Outcomes In 1998, the percentage of primary school pupils having reached Grade 6 who mastered basic competency in Reading/Writing, Mathematics and Life Skills were 61.6%, 78.2% and 60.9% respectively. Reading/Writing and Mathematics competency increased between 1995 and 1998, but there was a decrease in the percentage mastering basic competencies in life skills/others. Females generally did better than the males. The urban areas had a better performance than the rural areas. There was only a very slight increase in the nationwide simple literacy rate among 15-24 year-olds between 1990 (96.6%) and 1994 (97.3%). For both years, the gender parity index stood at almost 1.00, although female literacy levels were slightly higher than that of males’. Adult Literacy There was no change in the simple literacy rate among 15+ year olds. The level remained constant at 93.6 percent for 1994 and 1990. However, there was an improvement in the gender parity index, which rose to 0.998 in 1994 from the 0.991 level in 1990. ….. 17 EFA2000: Literacy Assessment Philippines Part IV – A Retrospective on the Implementation of EFA ….. External Assistance for EFA …. In addition to serving as the engines for development towards EFA, these projects allowed the “grand alliance” among public and private sector agencies involved in EFA to take root as planned under the PPA. This was to be realised through the new genre of basic education programmes and projects that were started under the framework of the MPBE. For example, under the on-going ADB Non-formal education (NFE) Project, the NGOs have become active partners in the delivery of community-based literacy program. Incidentally, one of the most important and quite revolutionary innovations proposed under EFA is the “establishment of viable alternative learning system (ALS) encompassing non-formal and informal education” for which the Philippine EFA has been lauded by the world educational community especially during the Jomtien Conference. This has thus been partially fulfilled at the time of this assessment through the incorporation of the accreditation and equivalency component of ALS in the on-going ADB NFE Project. This is a significant step in validating the feasibility and viability of non-school based learning channels. During the EFA decade, the UNDP initiated the Community Support Scheme (CSS) approach that was implemented in all the project sites. The CSS had a positive effect on the overall performance of the school and schoolchildren. With support from the parents, local officials, community members and volunteers, the schoolchildren’s performance had increased and the completion of incomplete schools catalysed. …. Table IV-1: External Assistance to Primary Education Project Non-formal education Project Project Period Description 1994-1999 Development of functional education and literacy, continuing education and capacity building of non-formal education staff in DECS. Source Estimated Proj Cost ADB US$ 25 M Sources: Development Academy of the Philippines, Policies, Trends and Issues in Philippine Education (1997) World Bank, Philippines – Education Sector Assistance Strategy Note, (1998). Educational Development Projects Implementing Task Force (EDPITAF), PROBE ….. 18 EFA2000: Literacy Assessment Philippines The Efficacy and Impact of Philippine EFA Thrusts ….. Alternative Learning Systems The progress in the literacy levels in the Philippines can reasonably be inferred as largely a result of the high participation rate in formal basic education, which features an almost universal coverage in primary (or elementary) education. However, the gains being made by both the government and non-governmental organisations in providing the basic learning needs of the still substantial number of alternative or those with very minimal schooling effectively contribute to the increasing literacy rates. The DECS’ Bureau of Non-formal education believes that the rate of acceleration in literacy will further increase as a result implementation of the Literacy Service Contracting Scheme (LSCS). Before this, the Government had started implementation in 1994 of the Non-formal education Project funded by the Asian Development Bank (ADB-NFE) and the literacy projects funded by the UNICEF under the Country Programme for Children (CPC) III. These directly support and incorporate the EOI objectives of EFA. Many NGOs have increased the tempo of their literacy programs, often in partnership with the government; thus accelerating the meeting of the EFA targets.. The Government’s own effort to improve the literacy situation is accelerated by the sustained partnership in advocacy by the LCC, the PIA and the AIJ among LGU officials, literacy workers and literacy-oriented NGOs primarily through the Annual Literacy Awards. The impact of these initiatives will hopefully be reflected in next literacy census that will be conducted towards the end of the decade. In the regions and divisional offices of the DECS, many forms of simple and functional literacy programmes were implemented between 1990 and the present. The most widely adopted, however, are the Magbassa Kita (Let’s Read) Project and the Functional Education and Literacy Project that is now a component of the ADB Non-formal education Project. The former is a long-running project that was already in place even before the start of EFA. It aims to reduce basic alternative through regular funds provided by some DECS regional offices, but has been discontinued in some. There still are Magbassa Kita classes that are conducted, especially in the National Capital Region (NCR), where there is a regular influx of alternative from the provinces. These basic literacy efforts continue through books and materials provided by the Magbassa Kita Foundation using regular DECS teachers. There is a clamor from some regions for the revival of this programme with increased funding in their localities. The FELP, which aims to raise both simple and functional literacy rates has been in existence for more than two decades and has now been incorporated as a component of the ADB-NFE Project. It targets mostly out-of-school youths, alternative adults and women of the poorest households and gives them training not only in literacy but also in livelihood skills such as food preservation, baking, cosmetology and hair science. A crucial component of this initiative concerns the need to provide capitalisation funds for the graduates so that they could employ their new capabilities immediately. Since FELP is now project-based, its future sustainability is a problem that must be faced at this early stage. Scattered around the various regions are literacy training programmes that cater to specific groups. There are functional literacy classes for females in Regions IX and VIII. for prisoners in NCR (the Education behind Bars Project), for ethnic communities in Region II, and even a functional literacy programme for cultural communities affected by the Casecnan Dam Project , also in Region II, to name a few. 19 EFA2000: Literacy Assessment Philippines Clearly, the number and variety of literacy programmes in place should partly explain the high literacy rates in the country. However, the task of making people literate is progressively becoming more difficult as the ones bound to be left out repeatedly are either those who steadfastly refuse to join literacy classes or those who are simply unreachable by virtue of geography. To push literacy rates further to near-universal levels would require bringing the classes to the unreachables, as what is being done under the Army Literacy Patrol Scheme (ALPS), which, as the project’s title states, is conducted by Army personnel in the hinterlands and the mountain areas. There are drawbacks to this modality, especially since Army personnel are not trained to be literacy providers. This can be remedied nonetheless by providing them with proper orientation and training. The regional offices have observed that people become more critical and analytical with respect to issues affecting their lives and are able to meaningfully participate in group and community affairs. A study conducted by the BNFE stated that one of the perceived impacts of the female functional literacy programme was the increased utilisation of available social services in the community, including schooling opportunities.7 Providing literacy training therefore gives immediate satisfaction to both the givers and the receivers because of the relatively short programme period and the ease of measuring outcomes. Nevertheless, the implementation of literacy programmes are fraught with problems and difficulties that must be overcome to ensure efficiency in the total Philippine effort. Feedback sessions with field operatives have yielded the following observations and suggestions: 1) Lack of teachers in the field; there is therefore a dearth of NFE district coordinators to assist the district supervisor in his capacity as district NFE manager. Full-time NFE coordinators are needed. 2) Small budget allocation from central office; LGUs and NGOs could not provide or promise definite financial assistance. Inadequacy in literacy materials is felt; regional offices cannot finance all the literacy materials required due to lack of MOOE funds. 3) Lack of practice in using reading and writing skills make literacy graduates revert to their former state. Community learning centres should be established where literacy materials are provided for completers to enrich their new skills. 4) Many target clienteles are reluctant to participate in literacy learning groups because of the stigma associated with the term “alternative.” Perhaps a different terminology such as “reading and writing impaired” should be adopted. 5) Most hardcore Alternative are that way because they are perpetually busy working to feed their families. 6) Distance between residence and venue of literacy classes discourage potential trainees from participating. 7) Facilities were sometimes not conducive to learning. The absence of furniture and dark rooms make it doubly difficult for the alternative and sickly among the trainees to learn. 8) Completers of basic literacy programmes seem to be contented with the skills they have acquired. They only continue on to functional literacy programmes if livelihood training is integrated. 7 Bureau of Non-formal education (BNFE), DECS, 1993 Annual Report, as cited in O. Solon and S. Quimbo, op.cit.. 20 EFA2000: Literacy Assessment Philippines EFA Management Policies and Structures ….. Social Mobilisation & Advocacy The Asian Institute of Journalism and Communication (AIJC) served as the lead agency and technical secretariat for the EFA advocacy and social mobilisation movement. The Institute’s social mobilisation and advocacy (SAM) activities were supported by the UNICEF and the UNESCO National Commission of the Philippines. The Institute organised a project team to plan and manage the activities. The EFA Social Mobilisation and Advocacy Project was named the Most Outstanding Information Programme by an NGO in support of a Development Programme in the 1994 Gawad Oscar Florendo sponsored by the Public Relations Organisation of the Philippines. Meanwhile, AIJC’s partnership with UNICEF continues to date with focus on the ASM needs of EFA-Country Programme for Children (CPC). AIJC’s EFA activities consisted of (1) planning and production of information, education and communication (IEC) materials; (2) policy advocacy, (3) conduct of media relations, (4) networking with various sectors and professional organisations; (5) capability building and (6) resource mobilisation. During the EFA decade, the SAM component accomplished the following: (1) preparation of quality IEC materials on EFA in general and in specific matters such as literacy, early childhood, school enrolment; (2) greater awareness and acceptance of the newsworthiness of basic education and literacy by tri-media; (3) training of public information officers in SAM strategies; (4) institutionalisation of the National Literacy Awards; and (5) integration of the SAM component in succeeding education-related programmes and projects. The EFA experience has succeeded in emphasising among policy and decision makers the important role of SAM in planning and managing developing programmes. A number of on-going internationally-assisted major educational programmes now include a SAM component. These include the Third Elementary Education Project (TEEP) of the World Bank and OECF, the Philippine Nonformal education Project funded by the ADB, and the Integrated Early Childhood Development Programme of the World Bank, among others. Summary ….. Alternative Learning Systems Despite the number and variety of literacy programmes in place, the mainline strategy still employs static training venues that do not maximise these programmes’ reach among the hardcore alternative. Moreover, the prevailing negative attitudes and perceptions among the members of this segment prevent their being efficiently co-opted into the literacy programme. If this situation continues, both simple and functional literacy levels in the country would never really reach 100 percent. The extent to which the Literacy Coordinating Council, an interagency body within the DECS and the BNFE, which supports the Council in its role as implementing organisation for alternative learning systems, have addressed the concerns for eradicating alternative and providing opportunities for continuing education must be examined. 21 EFA2000: Literacy Assessment Philippines Management of EFA The Master Plan for Basic Education as Foundation The DECS implements EFA responsibilities using the MPBE as its guiding framework, but the present MPBE largely focuses on the UQPE component of the EFA Programme. Hence, it is timely for DECS to review and expand the MPBE by incorporating the rest of EFA thrusts and objectives. In particular, the MPBE is weak on policies and programmes concerning eradication of alternative and continuing education development. Thus, the DECS should accept the fact that the EFA for the next decade cannot be implemented through the extant MPBE without the injection of the necessary changes. To do otherwise would be to accord MPBE with features it was not designed to address in the first place and would therefore be unfair to DECS itself as an institution and misleading to EFA as a goal.8 ….. 8 NEDA comments on the second draft of the Philippine Country EFA Assessment Report, contained in a letter of Ms. Erlinda M. Capones, Director, Social Development Staff, NEDA, to Asst. Sec. Ramon C. Bacani, 23 August 1999. 22 EFA2000: Literacy Assessment Philippines Part V – Future Directions for the Philippine EFA ….. Recommendations Strengthening the Foundation of Education Alternative Modes of Service Delivery a) Expansion of pre-school services through contracting private sector providers beyond the 5th and 6th class municipalities should be seriously considered in order to increase participation. b) The impact of the 8-week Early Childhood Experiences in Grade 1 scheme should be studied with the view of improving effectiveness or identifying possible alternative modes of delivering ECCD programmes. ….. Alternative Education Streams a) Outreach programmes that literally bring the training to marginalized and difficult to reach groups should be promoted rather than just concentrating on static training venues. As literacy programmes intensify and literacy rates rise higher, there will come the time when alternative will be confined to a hardcore segment that either refuses to attend or is difficult to reach. b) Non-formal education Accreditation and Equivalency (A & E) programme offers an alternative pathway by which out-of-school youth and adults can earn educational qualifications comparable to the formal school system. It utilises a range of innovative nonformal learning strategies designed to break down the traditional learning barriers of time, accessibility and resources. The A & E, which is currently in pilot stage, should be given support as an alternative means of certification of learning for persons aged 15 years and alternative who are unable to avail of the formal school system or who have dropped out. c) Concrete steps should be taken to further enhance access and participation in literacy programmes by integrating livelihood skills training components and finding solutions to non-participation caused by fear of stigmatisation. d) Community learning centres should be established where literacy materials are provided for completers to enrich their new skills. Lack of practice in using reading and writing skills make literacy graduates revert to their former state. 23 EFA2000: Literacy Assessment Philippines List of Acronyms and Abbreviations ABCSDP ADB AIR ALS ARMM ASEAN ASNP AUSAID BCDA BEE BHS BNFE BRIGHT CAR CED CHED CIDA CIDSS CONSTEL CPC CSAC CSR CWC DECS DDU DILG DIP DOH DPWH DSWD ECCD ECDP ECD ECE EDCOM EFA EISA EOI EPI GER GNP GO GOP HEKASI IMCI INTPRO IRA LSCS LGC – Area-Based Child Survival and Development Programme – Asian Development Bank – Apparent Intake Rate in Grade 1 – Alternative Learning Systems – Autonomous Region for Muslim Mindanao – Association of Southeast Asian Nations – Alternative School Nutrition Programme – Australian Agency for International Development – Bases Conversion Development Authority – Bureau of Elementary Education, DECS – Barangay Health Station – Bureau of Non-formal education, DECS – Better Reading Instruction Geared towards Higher Thinking Skills – Cordillera Administrative Region – Continuing Education Development – Commission on Higher Education –Canadian International Development Agency – Comprehensive and Integrated Delivery of Social Services – Continuing Science Education via Television – Country Programme for Children (UNICEF) – Children in Situations of Armed Conflict – Cohort Survival Rate – Council for the Welfare of Children – Department of Education, Culture & Sports – Depressed, Disadvantaged and Underserved – Department of the Interior and Local Governments – Dropout Intervention Programme – Department of Health – Department of Public Works and Highways – Department of Social Welfare & Development – Early Childhood Care and Development – Early Childhood Development Project – Early Childhood Development – Early Childhood Education – Congressional Education Commission – Education for All – Eradication of Alternative in Selected Areas – Eradication of Alternative – Expanded Programme for Immunisation – Gross Enrolment Rate – Gross National Product – Government Organisation – Government of the Philippines – Heograpiya, Kasaysayan at Sibika (Geography, History & Civics) – Integrated Management of Child Illness – Integrated Programmes – Internal Revenue Allotment – Literacy Service Contracting Scheme – Local Government Code 24 EFA2000: Literacy Assessment LGU MBN MCH MDSP MG MLC MOOE MPBE MTPDP NCEFA NCR NEAP NEAT NEDA NER NESC NETRC NGO NIR NSED NTS OPS PD PDCC PEEP PEM PES PMT PPA PPAC PPAN PRC PROBE PRODED PTCA RA RCEFA RISE SMAP SMEMDP SPED SRA SUC TCPA TEB TEEP TESDA UNESCO UNICEF UNDP UQPE WB Philippines – Local Government Unit – Minimum Basic Needs – Maternal and Child Health – Multi-grade Demo School Project – Multigrade Teaching – Minimum Learning Competencies – Maintenance and Other Operating Expenditures – Master Plan for Basic Education – Medium-Term Philippine Development Plan – National Committee for Education for All – National Capital Region – National Educators Academy of the Philippines – National Elementary Achievement Test – National Economic & Development Authority – Net Enrolment Rate – New Elementary School Curriculum – National Education Testing and Research Centre – Non-Government Organisation – Net Intake Rate in Grade 1 – National School Enrolment Day – National Technical Secretariat – Office of Planning Service, DECS – Presidential Decree – Public Day Care Centre – Productivity Enhancement of Economic Projects – Protein Energy Malnutrition – Parent Effectiveness Service – Project Management Team – Philippine Plan of Action – Philippine Plan of Action for Children – Philippine Plan of Action for Nutrition – Professional Regulations Commission – Programme for Basic Education – Programme for Decentralised Education Development – Parent-Teacher-Community Association – Republic Act – Regional Committee for Education for All – Regional Initiative in Science Education – Social Mobilisation and Advocacy Programme – Science and Mathematics Education Mastery Programme – Special Education Programme – Social Reform Agenda – State Universities and Colleges – Teacher-Child-Parent Approach – Teacher Education Board – Third Elementary Education Project – Technical Education and Skills Development Authority – United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation – United Nations Children’s Fund – United Nations Development Programme – Universal Quality Primary Education – World Bank 25