By ALEJANDRA M. PALAGANAS
Teacher IIIJuan P. Guadiz Elementary School

IF there’s a crisis in education, where should the greater part of blame be laid – on poor learning reception of students, on inadequate school facilities or on inept and less-motivated teachers?

The answer to that, most social scientists say, is: All three factors.

Add to this the fact that government seems to put education not on top of national priorities. From time to time, it wakes up and does provide some fresh support especially if jolted by adverse statistics and findings of study groups. Pretty soon however, the concern fades and it’s back to normal in the education front.

Consider these figures: In the 2004-2005 NAT (National Achievement Test) result, our Grade 6 students were averaging 59% in English, 61.75 in Filipino, 59.55 in Hekasi, 59.1 in Math and 54.12 in Science for an overall score of 58.73%. The fourth year high school students – those on the threshold of college – scored about 51.33 in English, 42.49 in Filipino, 50.01 in Hekasi, 50.7 in Math and 39.49 in Science for an average of 46.80%.

Such results, according to an influential business consultant and national daily columnist, Peter Wallace, is “frightening.”

As a classroom teacher thru the years, I know there’s an even percentage of willing-to-learn pupils and those who are not.

There is no problem with the first half, they take the initiative and are determined to excel in their lessons. It is in the other half where a teacher’s motivational and psychological capabilities are challenged. Failing to provide the motivation and unable to “psychologize” what is bothering the unwilling student, a teacher usually finds such student lagging way behind the others or totally missing class altogether.

The problem is compounded when, at home, the student is caught in his parents’ or guardians’ often loud statements that he would be better off helping in household chores or in the family’s small business than attending classes. Although here, I must qualify, such cases are still in the minority, with most parents preferring to spare their child from labor tasks and instead sending him to school regularly.

The key ingredient in all these, I believe, is Dedication

A student must be dedicated enough to study and learn and help the family later on; the teacher truly dedicated to helping the student learn and government sincere enough to provide the needs of the schools and the schoolteachers for a more healthy and vibrant education system.

If one of these pillars falls or is missing, we can only expect a lopsided kind of learning system — as the NAT, NEAT( National Elementary Achievement Test) and NSAT (National Secondary Achievement Test) results of recent years have all graphically revealed.

Somehow, I believe however, there is hope. I know because I am here still working as a a teacher and I am not about to give up.