REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES

Polytechnic University of the Philippines

Open University- Lopez, Quezon Center

Name: MANALO, CARLO TROY ACELLOTT T.
Course: MEM-B

Date: ________________
Score/Rating: __________

Course Specialist: Prof. Lizyl Rodil Rebusquillo

EXAMINATION IN

Comparative Education
QUESTIONS:
1. Make a comparative analysis of educational system among the following:
Philippines, Singapore, USA, Japan.
2. Name three areas in education that must be improved by the Philippine
Government to be competitive globally. Justify your answer.
3. The Philippines is part of ASEAN Economic Integration. Discuss its effects
to our educational system by explaining the opportunities it offer and the
challenges that we have to deal with.

ANSWERS:
1. Make a comparative analysis of educational system among the following:
Philippines, Singapore, USA, and Japan

Philippines from it old curriculum comprising only 10 years of basic education (6

for elementary and 4 for high school), now surpassing its peak in educational system
with its new k-12 curriculum. The description of the curriculum is obvious that the
Philippines wanted to have global standard educational system. Now the Philippines
have pre-school, elementary with 6 years, junior high school with 4 years and senior
high school with 2 years, then they are able to attend and finish college if they persist.
Every child are expected to finish kindergarten in pre-school before they will be admitted
in grade school unlike before that any students with or without finishing pre-school is
able to start grade 1. And take note that 7 years old is the minimum age requirement for
grade 1 unlike before that 5 or 6 years of age is allowed. In The school calendar in the
Philippines is consistent beginning in the month of June and ending in March or first
week of April. Currently, there were many reforms to change the school calendar to
August-May.
The education system in Singapore usually starts with preschool. Singaporean
children attend preschool up to the age of six, getting prepared for primary school. After
six years of primary school, children move on to secondary school. The education
system in Singapore allows students to choose a path at this point. They can decide
whether they wish to attend a normal secondary school, a specialized school, an
express school which leads to the "O" Level in four years rather than the regular five
years or another school (such as a privately funded one), which offers a similar
education. Post-secondary education usually takes between one and three years and
offers a choice of schools, including junior colleges, polytechnics, and institutes of
technical education.

Prior to higher education, American students in USA attend primary and

secondary school for a combined total of 12 years. These years are referred to as the
first through twelfth grades. Around age six, U.S. children begin primary school, which is
most commonly called elementary school. They attend five or six years and then go
onto secondary school. Secondary school consists of two programs: the first is middle
school or junior high school and the second program is high school. A diploma or
certificate is awarded upon graduation from high school. After graduating high school
(12th grade), U.S. students may go on to college or university. College or university
study is known as higher education. The school calendar usually begins in August or
September and continues through May or June.
The Japanese school system is often described as a 6-3-3-4 system, based on
the number of years spent in each of the respective schools. In its current form, the
school system dates back essentially to the early years of the post-war period. The
education system is sub-divided into pre-school, elementary school, junior-high school,
high school and university. There are public as well as private schools. School uniforms
are usual in middle and high school, but rather rare among pre-schools and elementary
schools. Compulsory schooling lasts for nine years, and school attendance is free
during this time. The school year begins in April, rather than in the summer. As
education is highly-valued in Japan, the rate of illiteracy or other learning problems is
practically zero. There is, however, a dark side to the countrys education system, and
many students complain of the inordinately high pressure to achieve that is imposed by
schools and parents, sometimes even starting as early as the pre-school years.

2. Name three areas in education that must be improved by the Philippine

Government to be competitive globally. Justify your answer.
For me the three things that must be improved by Philippine Government in our
educational system to be globally competitive are the following:
1. Facilities and tools
2. The use of information and communication technology
3. Food for students
It is obvious and there is no doubt that even we change our curriculum, increase
the years in basic education or strengthen the students centered education, it is always
and long-time problem in our education, the lack of facilities and tools to be used. Yes,
it is the problem for all season since the Thomasites started their charitable launching of
education in the Philippines up to date. We are deficit of rooms, chairs, study areas and
books, etc. As time goes by, Filipino students increased but many classrooms, books
and other facilities depreciated. Government, Ill say focuses more on complex things we

cannot afford yet because we dont fix first some basic things like this. What I mean is
our government invested more on revising curriculum but forgetting those students they
planned to have new curriculum didnt have classrooms or even books. I can say that it
hinders those students to be motivated to learn or to be educated if they dont have
chairs, or they dont have classrooms when there is rain or very hot sun, or they dont
have any books to read to learn. To be globally competitive, I can say that government
shall take aware of this issue first!
Since we are in 21st century, so the learners must be thereof. As 21 st century
learners they say doesnt mean that these students were divert and liberal students but
as the modern word synonymous for, High-tech Techy. I thinks thats what the
government must take notice, use of information and communication technology.
For me it is the best way to be globally competitive. With the use of technologies like
internet and laptop/tablet, students were exposed to the whole world. They access
everything they must learn. Things and information that they dont know exist but really
existed. With this, they will not just isolated here in the Philippines but they will know the
world even if dont visit it in real life. Technology will become the windows of success.
Food as the basic need for me is also the basic problem of the country not just in
educational area but also in many institutions. Although we dont admit it but yes we are
lack of food. As a public teacher in a very populated school of Quezon National High
School with 9,000 populations of students, I encountered a lot of problems with regards
to this basic necessity. I can say that it is really a vital problem, an ill that the state
cannot cure right now. Nutrition is the one of the best factor why students learned.
However, I know and I can tell that starving is really a great factor why students cannot
understand the lesson in school. How the students can learn if he doesnt have food in
his stomach. How lessons would be retained in his mind if he is malnourished. Theres a
lot of reason to this problem, maybe it is resulted from poverty thats why they cannot
afford food or because of junk foods they preferred. That is why we have Nutrition Week
to assure that Filipino students are nutritious. But I think it is not sufficient. And think the
government must resolve this. I think the Philippines must have a law giving right and
free food for the student. How the student can be mentally equipped if they are
physically weak because they are hungry? How the learners can be globally competitive
if they are weak?

3. The Philippines is part of ASEAN Economic Integration. Discuss its effects to

our educational system by explaining the opportunities it offer and the challenges
that we have to deal with.

The Association of South-East Asian Nation has helped our country in many
ways specially our educational system. ASEAN has become our training ground in
education to face the world. As member and one of the founders of this organization,
Philippines have really attained many opportunities and challenges that became our
pushing mentor.
ASEAN gave not just our country but the whole South-East Asia a chance to
brainstorm strategies, curriculum, guidelines, etc., in our educational system. It gives
different country a chance to know others educational system. And by this, learn and
adopt the best one.
This organization utilizes cooperation to every nation to achieve a high standard
of education that is globally. Many representative meet at least once a year to present
their thesis that will tackle the problems in the educational system of their country and
its solution. This practice has is really cooperation because they help each others
delegates to formulate suggestion, conclusion and recommendation by reflecting their
own educational background of their country.
ASEAN provides for a healthy competition. We cannot escape that there will be a
competition in education among the countries. But it will be a good effect because many
countries especially the Philippines will do their best to achieved higher standard of
education to surpass other countries.