Open Journal (on-going)

Entry #8: The Padrino System in the Department of Education

Copyright © 2014

Anne Joo Sell 

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The Padrino System in the Department of Education

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The Department of Education, in line with CHED and TESDA, is one of the government agencies that manages and supervises the educational system in the Philippines. Its responsibility is to develop and improve education in the country and provide Filipinos their right to receive proper education to become good and productive citizens. The main task of DepEd is to provide students a conducive learning environment, good school services, and effective teachers, but, what is happening now with the DepEd? Many issues have appeared and it says something about the crooked hiring system of teachers. This system is known as Palakasan or Padrino System.

As a future teacher, I can’t help but feel disappointment with the issue. This may not be felt by others but this is a serious problem. This will affect the school, the teacher, teacher-applicants, students, and the society as well. When I first heard about the issue, I really did not mind at first because I thought that this was rarely happening. When I happen to talk to a newly-hired and an education graduate of WVCST a year ago, she shared about the erroneous system of hiring teachers in their place.

The sad thing is that this is usually happening in rural areas, where, people are mostly uneducated. The governing bodies there, who are educated, take advantage f the people. They use their influence and power to do what they want.

I tried reading articles about this topic and I frowned when I read a part saying Region VI are among the other three Regions which are experiencing a serious problem regarding this Padrino System in the Educational System. I felt anger within me and I wanted to shout unfair! Imagine, you studied for four long years of hardships to finish an education course because it is your dream to become a teacher. You sacrificed and faced a lot of challenges just to get good grades then you’ll just find out that the employment world are only in favor with those who have connections in the government, family affiliation or friendship matter. Even if they are not qualified, let’s say their grades are low but, as long as they have a back-up, they could still land a job, while, you, who performed well, has good qualifications, passed the board exam, even if you obtained a laude, still, your papers will just become part of the stack of papers which will never be prioritized or even given a chance to be peeked on.

How embarrassing is the system. If this is the way everything will go, then, dreaming to be a teacher is worthless. Why take teaching courses?  Well, it should have been briefed from the start that it is not about the transcript, the credentials or the performance. It is about connections, power, and influence. If you’re an education student, you have to auger already at this moment on how you can get the favor of the superintendent, the HR or the supervisor.

The Padrino System is like cancer cells. It will slowly spread throughout and weaken your body. What will happen to the teaching and learning? If this is how the teachers will be hired, without basing on the qualifications, standards, performance or merits, then, there is no quality in the teaching force. There is no assurance that the hired teachers are effective teachers.

There are lots of cases in different schools where some teachers are teaching ‘wrong’ things to students. Some are teaching wrong spellings, using wrong grammar structures, and some are teaching misconceptions and etc. How terrible it is! If there is no appropriate screening of teachers, the students will learn the ‘wrong’ things and if they are not corrected they will find a lot of difficulties in the future. This must be taken action especially in the elementary level. In this level is where the basics are taught. This is the foundation of learning and teachers here should be experts.

This is not actually about promising applicants rejected for unknown reasons or a laude graduate who was ranked lower than an imcompetent graduate but has connections. This is really about the future of the students if this system continue, if the hiring of teachers are not based on qualifications, merits and standards.

What will happen if incompetent and unskilled teachers are hired? What will become of the teaching? What will become of the learning? What will become of the students? Isn’t it the students be the central focus of education? Isn’t there welfare should be considered first priority at all times? This issue is very alarming. Yes, the government maybe aware of this but are they making enough effort in stopping this? Because, right now, as I can see, this impertinent act is being tolerated. It is like seeing the actual killing but there is no brave voice to witness . I am disappointed because only few political personalities are campaigning to stop this. Only a few are concerned to straighten the crooked system of our education in the Philippines. But still, an action should be made, not only verbal corrections, not only words. There has to be an initiation of change! I wish that this will not end up in words only. I want to address this issue to the local government or to whom may this concern. Let us now wake up. See, there’s a lot to correct. Look, there’s a lot to change. We have to barely see it and bravely do something about it. It is not only for our good but also for the good of the generations to follow us. Let us seek true and just systems. Even if it is not in education, at all times, in any aspects, let us be vigilant and brave take action and make change for the better.

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A/N: The writer does not intend to bash or degrade. This is just an opinion based on the what is currently happening in the society. This is posted as an eye-opener to the present issues to encourage change for the better

GBU