‘Seamless’ learning system eyed as platform of reform for RP

Iloilo (6 September) — A “seamless” education system is eyed as platform of reform for the country in the years to come.

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo said she is pushing for this as part of her administration’s efforts to make Filipinos globally competitive, during her speech at the awarding ceremony of the 2009 Ten Outstanding Teachers.

Arroyo said this program dubbed by education experts as Main Education Highway framework toward a knowledge-based economy, is intended to remove the barrier between pre-school, grade school, high school and college.

The seamless education framework, apparently patterned after the learning system in the United States, allows any person of any age to enroll in any subject he wishes, where a high school student can at the same time take up college subjects.

Arroyo said she envisioned seamless education from basic pre-school education all the way to grade school and high school education, to vocational school or college to make the Filipino fit for whatever job and challenge life will bring his way.

She said government has been pouring in P3 billion for scholarship programs as part of carrying out reforms in education, especially to fund scholarships in science and engineering, which has so far enabled about 600,000 students to finish college, graduate and post graduate courses.

She added that government has also funded the Engineering Research and Development for Technology ERDT), a three-year program worth P3.5 billion.

The ERDT, which is a consortium of eight schools focused on engineering research on several areas, like information communication technology, semiconductor and electronics, energy, and environment and infrastructure. (PIA6/ESS)