Media urged to help boost math, science instruction

By Jonathan M. Hicap, Reporter

WHAT can the media do to encourage public-school students to improve in math and science?
Experts on education are turning to the media for help in promoting the two subjects among Filipino public-school students, whose proficiency in math and science, studies show, have been declining.
In a forum held on Wednesday Dr. Ester Ogena, Science Education Institute director of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST-SEI), and Dr. Merle Tan, University of the Philippines National Institute for Science and Mathematics Education Development director, said the media can improve the quality of math and science students.
The two experts are helping the Department of Education map out programs under its basic education reform agenda, a package of actions under five key reform goals in elementary and high-school education.
Media organizations, including The Manila Times, were invited to draw up national strategies on how newspapers, magazines, TV and radio can help students achieve “desired learning outcomes enhanced by national learning strategies, multisector coordination and quality assurance.”
In her presentation, Ogena disclosed that in the 2005 National Achievement Test, senior high-school students in public schools got scores below the passing mark of 75 percent in math, science and English.
Media representatives suggested the department forge agreements with the Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster ng Pilipinas, Philippine Press Institute, National Press Club and other media associations to give airtime and space for math and science education.
TV and radio programs focused on tutorial lessons on math and science can help students understand the subjects better, they said.
They added the education department can seek the help of TV stations in allotting airtime for educational programs. Newspapers can also devote pages for science and math education, and give space for educators to write columns on the two subjects.
Institutions such as the Philippine Business for Social Progress and the League of Corporate Foundations can also help provide funds or even act as endorsers to promote math and science subjects, they added.

New Philippine school schedule backed

Incoming Education Secretary Jesli Lapus is not opposed to move the opening of classes to September in order to minimize the number of times classes are suspended due to typhoons and flooding.
Lapus said the advantage of the September opening of classes is that by that month, the rainy season would have ended already and new classrooms have already been built, since the release of budget for education is usually delayed.
He said that if the plan pushes through, the country’s school opening would be the same as that in the United States and other countries.
However, opening of classes in September would mean extending the current school year up to May, which is not conducive to learning since during this month the temperature is too hot.
Several lawmakers, including newly installed Senate President Manuel B. Villar, have proposed resetting the opening of classes from June to September due to the rainy season.
Villar’s bill on the change of the school calendar has remained unacted in the Senate. A counterpart version is also pending in the House of Representatives.--Jonathan M. Hicap

RP kids stand out in world math tilt

By Jonathan M. Hicap, Reporter
EIGHT students from the Philippines garnered second and third honors in the prestigious Po Leung Kuk 10th Primary Mathematics World Contest, which ended Friday in Hong Kong.
In the individual contest, Vance Ong Go and Carmela Antoinette Lao, both Grade 6 students of St. Jude Catholic School, won second honors by getting 14 correct answers out of 15 items.
Third-place honors went to Arvin Alba of San Beda College-Alabang, Marc Terence Co of Xavier School, Zheng Rong Wu of Zamboanga Chong Hua High School, Aldric Cristoval Reyes of Chiang Kai Shek College of Manila, Immanuel En­car­nacion of College San Agustin-Biñan and Elvis Ayroso of St. Jude Catholic School.
Other members of the Philippine team were Paula Micah Chua of Du Hwa Luong Academy, Maria Socorro Medina and Fred Neil Tupaz of Philippine Science High School, Darwin Ivan Carrasco of Pamplona Elementary School, Michael Ongkauko, Brendon Go and Ryan Co of Xavier School and Arielle Chua from St. Jude.
Fifty-two teams from 16 countries competed in the contest, including those from China, United States, Australia and Japan.
The Philippine team was led by Dr. Simon Chua, president of the Mathematics Trainers’ Guild-Philippines, along with team leaders and deputies Dr. Sid Aguilar, Rechilda Villame, Sanet Hipolito, Elenita Trillana-Boo, Joseph S. Wee, Ge­raldine Subida and Eva Aguilar.
In the overall team performance, Hong Kong A team and Dalin emerged as the champions followed by Kaohsiung-Tainan of Taiwan.
The Po Leung Cup was won by the team from San Marcos, Texas, followed by the teams from California-Mathedge and Varna of Bulgaria.
Po Leung Kuk is a welfare and education sponsoring body in Hong Kong, which runs 105 educational centers from kindergarten to college.
The guild has been training students to compete in world math competitions.