The State of Continuing Education in the Philippines

A recent study led by Dr. Rene Ofreneo of the UP School of Labor and Industrial Relations shows that the Philippines is still a primarily export-oriented country, and labor is one of the top exports of the country. With the Philippines facing a major crisis of job mismatch, and high unemployment and underemployment rates, people getting into the labor force are equipping themselves with all necessary skills – skills that cannot be acquired solely by the four years (or more) in college.

The Philippines is struggling to become a “learning society”, one in which its citizens obtain a high-quality general education, appropriate vocational training, and a job worthy of a human being while continuing to participate in education and training throughout their lives (Edralin, 1999) and, when seen as a set of practices, can be viewed in any of the following: (1) an educated society, committed to active citizenship, liberal democracy, and equal opportunities; (2) a learning market, enabling institutions to provide services for individuals as a condition for supporting the competitiveness of the economy, and; (3) a learning network, where learners adopt a learning approach to life (Edwards, 1995). However, with globalization taking its toll on the country’s primarily below-poverty population, the government’s objective of achieving higher levels of employment, in a manifest attempt to reduce poverty, is hindered by the conspicuous mismatch between the skills offered by higher education institutions (HEIs) and those being looked for by potential employers – a situation further exacerbated by the government’s neo-liberal educational policies such as commercialization of education such as unjust tuition hikes and the like.

Graduates, therefore, in an effort to place themselves ahead of the competitive labor force pack, resort to advanced learning solutions via the practice of continuing education and adult education. Continuing education, as defined by Edralin (1999), refers to “the aggregate principles and practices encompassing education of individuals after they have left the formal system”. On the other hand, adult education is defined as “the entire body of organized educational processes… whereby persons regarded as adult by the society… develop their abilities, enrich their knowledge, improve their technical or professional qualifications… and bring about changes in their attitudes… in the two-fold perspective of full personal development and participation in balanced and independent social, economic, and cultural development (UNESCO, 1989). In many societies, especially the developing ones, education is an endless process.

Many business organizations in the country resort to seminars, conventions, academic studies, distance learning, authorship, inventions, teaching material preparation, on-the-job training, observation tours, and professorial chair lectures as part of their strategies to promote continuing education while on the job, all of which are recognized and promoted by the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) as part of the national program for continuing professional education (CPE). These are especially prepared to update professionals about recent developments in their respective fields.

As the Filipino work force is faced by a globally prepared competition, the government has required all Filipino professionals to undertake CPE programs, as mandated by Executive Order No. 266 signed by then President Fidel Ramos on July 25, 1995. Since then, at least 43,100 certificates of compliance have been issued by the PRC for professionals.

Continuing education is not spared from issues and concerns. Despite the growing need of college graduates to acquire more skills to better connect themselves with the rest of a globally competitive workforce, continuing education seem to become more of a privilege than a right.

One of the foremost problems facing continuing education programs in the country arises from the general level of educational attainment of Filipinos. A study by Conferido (1998) shows that the condition of the Philippine education system highlights the crisis the country is facing amidst continuing globalization. According to the study, only 11% of the total number of employed obtained tertiary education – a requirement for most continuing education programs.

Another issue is employee motivation. Edralin (1999) stated that, according to national surveys, majority of adults qualified to undertake CPEs do not enroll in one simply because they have no motivation, support, or interest. And even those who are undertaking CPEs can come up with lists of financial, institutional, situational, or behavioral factors that hinder them to actively and maximally participate in such programs.

Furthermore, most people do not perceive the relevance of continuing education in their careers. Many professionals only undertake CPEs simply because they are required to do so by the PRC in order for their licenses to be renewed. This has raised a question as to whether the CPEs actually raised the level of competencies of these professionals.

But the most important and most critical issue continuing education is facing will have to be financing. It has been proven even in developed countries that revenues from taxation are inadequate to finance the increasing costs of education in general and continuing education in particular. In the Philippines, with the advent of the government’s neo-liberal policies that have greatly affected the country’s educational system, unjust tuition hikes for both private and state colleges and universities, the privatization of certain state universities, and other issues are already convincing indicators of the government’s lack of resources to fund general education, which implies that the government must luck resources to fund continuing education. Therefore, to supplement the government’s inadequacy, employer contributions via payroll taxes are seen as additional funds for such programs. With the global economic crisis still hounding the global economy, businesses are most likely to respond to immediate needs and are less likely to commit resources for human resource development.

But how are these issues addressed? Edralin (1999) have recommended 16 salient points for improving the condition of continuing education in the Philippines:
1. The government should unify and standardize a human resource development framework.
2. Continuing education programs should be reviewed.
3. A progressive model of CPE programs should be adopted.
4. The government, through the PRC and other relevant agencies, should improve their monitoring of the CPEs.
5. The government must ensure that access to education should be maximized and democratized.
6. Professionals and workers should be encouraged to continue education by offering incentives such as scholarships.
7. The government should provide tax incentives to firms that promote continuing education.
8. The needs of employees should be identified and assessed.
9. Education and employment should be effectively integrated.
10. Employers, workers’ unions, and the government should work hand-in-hand to achieve their respective goals.
11. Effective financing schemes should be put in place.
12. The government must aggressively market their continuing education programs.
13. The academe should closely cooperate with all providers of continuing education.
14. The educational system must be reformed.
15. A policy review of the laws and guidelines concerning CPEs should be undertaken.
16. Areas for further research should be identified.

In this era of increasing globalization, the primary goal of continuing education in the country is to develop a more competitive labor force. An efficient employee should have the capability, competence, and potential to perform well to meet the grueling demands of the work place. If major reforms in the educational system of the country would be put in place, and if the government has the political will to implement their programs for continuing education and resources are properly allocated and utilized, then this goal will be realized. Continuing education shall eventually provide the momentum for a sustainable effort towards becoming a learning society.


References:
• Atchoarena, D. (ed). 1993. Lifelong Education in Selected Industrialized Countries. Paris, France: International Institute for Educational Planning & National Institute for Educational Research.
• Cervero, RM. 1988. Effective Continuing Education for Professionals. San Francisco, CA. Jossey-Bass.
• Conferido, RD. 1998. Building-blocks Towards Lifelong Learning in the Philippines. Manila, Philippines: Institute of Labor Studies, DOLE.
• Edralin, D. 1999. Continuing Professional / Technical Education in the Philippines. Manila, Philippines: De La Salle University.
• Ofreneo, RE, CL Erickson, S Kuruvilla, MA Ortiz. 2001. Recent Developments in Employment Relations in the Philippines. Ithaca, NY: Cornell University.
• http://solair.upd.edu.ph





this post is the extended, academic version of the feature article I have written for a company newsletter