short articles about education in the philippines for students

The Current Education Issues in the Philippines — and How Childhope Rises to the Challenge

  • August 25, 2021

Even before COVID-19 struck and caused problems for millions of families, the country’s financial status is one of the top factors that add to the growing education issues in the Philippines. Furthermore, more children, youth, and adults can’t get a leg up and are thus left behind due to unfair access to learning.

Moving forward, such issues can lead to worse long-term effects. Now, we’ll delve deep into the current status and how we can take part in social efforts to help fight these key concerns of our country.

Crisis in Philippine Education: How is It Really?

Filipinos from rich households or living in cities and developed towns have more access to private schools. In contrast, less favored groups are more bound to deal with lack of classrooms, teachers, and means to sustain topnotch learning.

A 2018 study found that a sample number of 15-year-old Filipino students ranked last in reading comprehension out of 79 countries . They also ranked 78 th in science and math. One key insight from this study is it implies those tested mostly came from public schools. Hence, the crisis also lies in the fact that a lot of Filipinos can’t read or do simple math.

Indeed, it’s clear that there is a class divide between rich and poor students in the country. Though this is the case, less developed states can focus on learning if it’s covered in their top concerns. However, the Philippines doesn’t invest on topnotch learning as compared to its neighbor countries. In fact, many public schools lack computers and other tools despite the digital age. Further, a shortfall in the number of public school teachers is also one of the top issues in the country due to their being among the lowest-paid state workers. Aside from that, more than 3 million children, youth, and adults remain unenrolled since the school shutdown.

It goes without saying that having this constant crisis has its long-term effects. These include mis- and disinformation, poor decision-making, and other social concerns.

The Education System in the Philippines

Due to COVID-19, education issues in the Philippines have increased and received new challenges that worsened the current state of the country. With the sudden events brought about by the health crisis, distance learning modes via the internet or TV broadcasts were ordered. Further, a blended learning program was launched in October 2020, which involves online classes, printouts, and lessons broadcast on TV and social platforms. Thus, the new learning pathways rely on students and teachers having access to the internet.

Education issues in the Philippines include lack of resources and access to online learning

This yet brings another issue in the current system. Millions of Filipinos don’t have access to computers and other digital tools at home to make their blended learning worthwhile. Hence, the value of tech in learning affects many students. Parents’ and guardians’ top concerns with this are:

  • Money for mobile load
  • Lack of gadget
  • Poor internet signal
  • Students’ struggle to focus and learn online
  • Parents’ lack of knowledge of their kids’ lessons

It’s key to note that equipped schools have more chances to use various ways to deal with the new concerns for remote learning. This further shows the contrasts in resources and training for both K-12 and tertiary level both for private and public schools.

One more thing that can happen is that schools may not be able to impart the most basic skills needed. To add, the current status can affect how tertiary education aims to impart the respect for and duty to knowledge and critical outlook. Before, teachers handled 40 to 60 students. With the current online setup, the quality of learning can be compromised if the class reaches 70 to 80 students.

Data on Students that Have Missed School due to COVID-19

Of the world’s student population, 89% or 1.52 billion are the children and youth out of school due to COVID-19 closures. In the Philippines, close to 4 million students were not able to enroll for this school year, as per the DepEd. With this, the number of out-of-school youth (OSY) continues to grow, making it a serious issue needing to be checked to avoid worse problems in the long run.

List of Issues When it Comes to the Philippines’ Education System

For a brief rundown, let’s list the top education issues in the Philippines:

  • Quality – The results of the 2014 National Achievement Test (NAT) and the National Career Assessment Examination (NCAE) show that there had been a drop in the status of primary and secondary education.
  • Budget – The country remains to have one of the lowest budget allotments to learning among ASEAN countries.
  • Cost – There still is a big contrast in learning efforts across various social groups due to the issue of money—having education as a status symbol.
  • OSY – The growing rate of OSY becomes daunting due to the adverse effects of COVID-19.
  • Mismatch – There is a large sum of people who are jobless or underpaid due to a large mismatch between training and actual jobs.
  • Social divide – There is no fair learning access in the country.
  • Lack of resources – Large-scale shortfalls in classrooms, teachers, and other tools to sustain sound learning also make up a big issue.

All these add to the big picture of the current system’s growing concerns. Being informed with these is a great first step to know where we can come in and help in our own ways. Before we talk about how you can take part in various efforts to help address these issues, let’s first talk about what quality education is and how we can achieve it.

Childhope Philippines' program employability session

What Quality Education Means

Now, how do we really define this? For VVOB , it is one that provides all learners with what they need to become economically productive that help lead them to holistic development and sustainable lifestyles. Further, it leads to peaceful and democratic societies and strengthens one’s well-being.

VVOB also lists its 6 dimensions:

  • Contextualization and Relevance
  • Child-friendly Teaching and Learning
  • Sustainability
  • Balanced Approach
  • Learning Outcomes

Aside from these, it’s also key to set our vision to reach such standards. Read on!

Vision for a Quality Education

Of course, any country would want to build and keep a standard vision for its learning system: one that promotes cultural diversity; is free from bias; offers a safe space and respect for human rights; and forms traits, skills, and talent among others.

With the country’s efforts to address the growing concerns, one key program that is set to come out is the free required education from TESDA with efforts to focus on honing skills, including technical and vocational ones. Also, OSY will be covered in the grants of the CHED.

Students must not take learning for granted. In times of crises and sudden changes, having access to education should be valued. Aside from the fact that it is a main human right, it also impacts the other human rights that we have. Besides, the UN says that when learning systems break, having a sustained state will be far from happening.

Childhope Philippines keeps abreast of changes to face education issues in the Philippines

How Childhope KalyEskwela Program Deals with Changes

The country rolled out its efforts to help respond to new and sudden changes in learning due to the effects of COVID-19 measures. Here are some of the key ones we can note:

  • Continuous learning – Since the future of a state lies on how good the learning system is, the country’s vision for the youth is to adopt new learning paths despite the ongoing threat of COVID-19.
  • Action plans – These include boosting the use of special funds to help schools make modules, worksheets, and study guides approved by the DepEd. Also, LGUs and schools can acquire digital tools to help learners as needed.

Now, even with the global health crisis, Childhope Philippines remains true to its cause to help street children:

  • Mobile learning – The program provides topnotch access to street children to new learning methods such as non-formal education .
  • Access to tools – This is to give out sets of school supplies to help street kids attend and be ready for their remote learning.
  • Online learning sessions – These are about Skills for Life, Life Skill Life Goal Planning, Gender Sensitivity, Teenage Pregnancy and Adolescent Reproductive Health.

You may also check out our other programs and projects to see how we help street children fulfill their right to education . You can be a part of these efforts! Read on to know how.

Shed a Light of Hope for Street Children to Reach Their Dreams

Building a system that empowers the youth means helping them reach their full potential. During these times, they need aid from those who can help uphold the rights of the less privileged. These include kids in the streets and their right to attain quality education.

You may hold the power to change lives, one child at a time. Donate or volunteer , and help us help street kids learn and reach their dreams and bring a sense of hope and change toward a bright future. You may also contact us for more details. We’d love to hear from you!

With our aim to reach more people who can help, we’re also in social media! Check out our Facebook page to see latest news on our projects in force.

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Quality and inclusive lifelong learning.

A boy smiles as he writes in class

Despite being a middle-income country with sufficient resources to support children’s education, many Filipino children miss out on opportunities to learn. The number of children accessing education, the quality of education they receive, and the condition of their learning environment are causes for concern.

Only half of children 3 to 4 years old are enrolled in day care, and only 78 per cent complete basic education.

Many schools do not have toilets and clean water. The number of children out of school has reached 2.8 million.

Because of low investment over the past decade, outdated teaching methods and limited attention to the development of children’s social and emotional skills, Filipino children lag behind. This situation is worse for vulnerable children, including indigenous children and children living with disabilities.

To fulfil a child’s right to quality and inclusive lifelong learning, UNICEF works with the Philippine government and partners to ensure that children are ready for school and schools are ready for children.

Our aim is to increase access to formal and non-formal learning opportunities for children and adolescents by strengthening the government's capacity to improve the quality and relevance of teaching and the learning environment.

UNICEF envisions schools to be a place of convergence of services and programs for children, including nutrition, disaster risk reduction, and water, sanitation & hygiene.

It is essential that every Filipino child, whatever their circumstance, has access to learning that offers a quality, inclusive and relevant curriculum.

UNICEF advocates for greater investment in the country’s cognitive capital. With skilled teachers, engaging educational materials, basic toilets, clean water and hygiene facilities, children can acquire knowledge and socio-emotional skills they need to thrive.

National Situation Analysis of Children in the Philippines

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After school crowd in Batasan National High school. The public school caters to more than 18,000 students a day

The school with 18,000 students: educating the Philippines’ booming population

The Philippines young population and changing demographics could present crucial new opportunities for economic growth

A t Batasan Hills National High School in the Philippines , every inch of space is used meticulously. Classrooms have been divided in half to make way for extra groups of students and there are designated entry points and passing lanes to accommodate the crowds in between lessons. Even the space under the staircases is not wasted: it’s here, below the sloped ceiling, with no natural light, that teachers cram together to plan lessons and hold faculty meetings.

It’s not, however, enough to fully accommodate the intake of 18,638 students, so instead, the school has resorted to running two shifts, with some students starting class at 6am, while others study from the afternoon until 7.20pm. Other classes are held online.

  • Beyond 8 billion

As the world's population passes another milestone, our series Beyond 8 billion examines the impact on some of the countries projected to have the greatest growth, as well as those facing the opposite problem: plunging birthrates and rapidly ageing populations.

“Based on our five year data this school is increasing in enrolment 600 students a year at the average. So it translates again – another room for next year, another teacher,” says principal Dr Eladio H. Escolano. Managing logistics, from the use of the canteen to car parking space for staff, is a constant juggling act.

The school, in Quezon City, is one of the largest in Metro Manila, but similar struggles for space and resources are played out across the national capital region, as teachers try to cater to the country’s youth population.

Just over 30% of the Philippines’ population, 33.4 million, is under 15. The country is among eight nations forecast to account for half of all global population growth by 2050.

The country’s large youth population has in some areas placed immense pressure on services, but economists say it now presents an opportunity. The Philippines’ demographics are shifting; the fertility rate has fallen over the decades as access to family planning services has widened, and the sharpest decline ever was registered between 2017 and 2022, possibly due to the uncertainty created by the pandemic. There are now less than two births per woman of reproductive age. The country’s youth population, meanwhile, will soon enter the workforce, which could help drive accelerated economic growth.

Teacher’s quarters at Batasan National Highschool in Quezon city.

The demographic dividend

As the global population passes 8 billion this month, the picture varies widely across Asia. While some countries, such as Japan, need to support an ageing society, others with young populations, such as the Philippines, Pakistan and India, hope to benefit as young people leave school and begin their working lives.

Countries in East Asia, such as South Korea, have in the past managed to lift a large share of their population out of poverty as a result of shifts in the population structure, says Björn Andersson, Regional Director for the UN Population Fund in Asia Pacific .

“It is estimated that about one-third of long term economic growth in the context of east Asia could be attributed to the demographic structure,” says Andersson. This can occur when populations have a growing proportion of working-age people, and fewer children or older people.

“As households have a smaller number of children to take care of, the breadwinners of the household can invest more of their resources in each child. Households also save more money,” adds Andersson. This can accelerate the creation of jobs, lead to a rise in productivity and boost the economy.

Students during recess period at Batasan National high in Quezon city

Several Asian countries hope to capitalise on their large youth populations, but such gains are not automatic. In India, which will overtake China as the world’s most populous nation next year, fertility rates have fallen nationally but remain varied across the country - and youth unemployment is high, at 23%. Pakistan has more young people than ever before, but UN research points out that all sections of the population, not only the youth, are growing rapidly, making it harder to benefit from a changing population structure. A lack of economic growth, below the 7-8% per annum GDP growth needed to generate the necessary jobs, has been another barrier over the past three decades, according to the UN .

The Philippines is in a good position from a population perspective due to a decline in fertility rates, says Professor Michael Del Mundo, of the University of the Philippines. But this alone isn’t enough, he adds.

“We need to invest still in human capital development, health and education, and more importantly the economic productivity and economic welfare of our working population. Because the demographic dividend is not just based on population dynamics, there needs to be some interventions,” he adds.

“Under business as usual, we could actually miss it [the opportunity],” he says.

A recent study by Del Mundo found that only three out of the country’s 17 regions are ready to capitalise on such demographic changes. Higher levels of unwanted fertility in some areas and low levels of women participating in the labour force were identified as barriers. So too was high unemployment among young people, and lower education outcomes.

Teacher representatives say that if schools are to improve student’s attainment and prepare them for work, far greater investment is needed – both in buildings, which are storm-damaged in some areas, and in staffing.

“We cannot give quality education when we are teaching in a not comfortable … learning environment,” says Ruby Bernardo, secretary of the Alliance of Concerned Teachers. “Some schools here in the [national capital] region are holding 80 plus students [per class] and have three shifts in classes – especially in senior high school because of shortages of teachers and classrooms,” she added.

Classrooms have been divided in two to make room for 80 students due to the lack of space at Batasan Nation High school

Such shortages are longstanding problems, but they have become even more pressing in the wake of the pandemic, which resulted in students studying online for two years. The disruption has led to noticeable gaps in students’ knowledge, says Bernardo, who teaches the Filipino language. “I’m sad to say that even though it is our language, our students cannot even comprehend and read the text itself. We can see the extent of the effect on the learning of students for the past two years.” There has also been an increase in students transferring from private to government schools due to the pandemic, increasing pressure on the system, she adds.

At Batasan Hills National High School students say they are happy to be back in the classroom: studying online was stressful and some found it difficult to concentrate at home. “Our internet connection sometimes is unstable, our neighbour is kind of noisy,” says Michael Joel T Talacay, who is in grade nine. “It’s really hard to communicate with my classmates because I didn’t see their faces sometimes but I can hear their voices.”

But getting to school at 5am to start classes 6am is a struggle, especially when juggling a heavy workload, say others.

Michael is a student on the school’s Science Technology and Engineering program, a special programme for high achievers, which aims to prepare young people for higher education or work focused on the sciences. Each year students produce a research project: Michael’s project explores whether Indian snake roots extract and neem tree leaves extract can lower blood sugar levels, with a final product tested on mice.

Dr Escolano would like to expand practical assignments more widely. “Learning is by doing. Learning is experiential,” he says. It could also help bridge the gap between education and industry, helping students find jobs. But such teaching is costly, requiring special materials and, crucially, space.

The school has submitted applications for additional buildings to be developed on site, but this will take years to complete.

For now, the school relies heavily on the support of the local community says Dr Escolano – from local security officials, who help keep students safe during the busy rush hour, to parents who have donated equipment. It also depends heavily on creative thinking by staff.

“Here there are no spectators or bystanders,” says Dr Escolano. “Everybody must do your work, the security, the utility worker, because we have a big job here.”

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With Schools Closed, Covid-19 Deepens a Philippine Education Crisis

The country remains among the few that have not at least partially reopened, sparking worry in a place where many lack a computer or internet access.

short articles about education in the philippines for students

By Jason Gutierrez and Dan Bilefsky

MANILA — As jubilant students across the globe trade in online learning for classrooms, millions of children in the Philippines are staying home for the second year in a row because of the pandemic, fanning concerns about a worsening education crisis in a country where access to the internet is uneven.

President Rodrigo Duterte has justified keeping elementary schools and high schools closed by arguing that students and their families need to be protected from the coronavirus. The Philippines has one of the lowest vaccination rates in Asia, with just 16 percent of its population fully inoculated, and Delta variant infections have surged in recent months.

That makes the Philippines, with its roughly 27 million students, one of only a handful of countries that has kept schools fully closed throughout the pandemic, joining Venezuela, according to UNICEF, the United Nations Agency for Children. Other countries that kept schools closed, like Bangladesh, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait, have moved to reopen them.

“I cannot gamble on the health of the children,” Mr. Duterte said in June, rejecting recommendations by the health department to reopen schools.

The move — which has kept nearly 2,000 schools closed — has spawned a backlash among parents and students in a sprawling nation with endemic poverty. Many people, particularly in remote and rural areas, do not have access to a computer or the internet at home for online learning.

Iljon Roxas, a high school student stuck at home in Bacoor City, south of Manila, said the monotony of staring at a computer screen over the past year made it difficult to concentrate, and he yearned to return to a real classroom. The fun and joy of learning, he added, had evaporated.

“I miss a lot of things, like bonding with classmates during free time,” said Iljon, 16. “I also miss my teachers, believe it or not. Since last year we have been stuck in front of our screens — you listen, you tune out.”

The crisis in the Philippines comes as countries across the world, including the United States, have been grappling with one of the worst disruptions of public schooling in modern history. Governments have struggled to balance the imperative of health and safety with the public duty to educate children.

Some countries, like Britain, have taken an aggressive approach to keeping schools open, including from late spring into early summer, when the Delta variant surged. While many elementary school students and their teachers did not wear masks, the British government focused instead on other safety measures, such as rapid testing and widespread quarantining.

Where schools have been closed for a long time, such as the Philippines, education experts have expressed concerns that the pandemic has created a “lost generation” of students, buffeted by the limits of remote learning and by overstretched parents struggling to serve as surrogate physics and literature teachers.

Maritess Talic, 46, a mother of two, said she feared her children had barely learned anything during the past year. Ms. Talic, who works part time as a maid, said she and her husband, a construction worker, had scraped together about 5,000 pesos, or about $100, to buy a secondhand computer tablet to share with their children, ages 7 and 9.

But the family — which lives in Imus, a suburb south of Manila — does not have consistent internet access at home. They rely on prepaid internet cards that are constantly running out, sometimes in the middle of her children’s online classes, Ms. Talic said. She has also struggled to teach her children science and math with her limited schooling.

“It is very hard,” she said, adding that the children struggled to share one device. “We can’t even find enough money to pay our electricity bill sometimes, and now we have to also look for extra money to pay for internet cards.”

She said she understood the need to prioritize health ahead of keeping schools opened, but she feared for her children’s future. “The thing is, I don’t think they are learning at all,” she added. “The internet connection is just too slow sometimes.”

Even before the pandemic, the Philippines was facing an education crisis, with overcrowded classrooms, shoddy public school infrastructure and desperately low wages for teachers creating a teacher shortage.

A 2020 World Bank report said the country also suffered from a digital divide. In 2018, it said, about 57 percent of the Philippines’s roughly 23 million households did not have internet access. However, the government has since been working to narrow that gap. Manila City Mayor Francisco Domagoso , said in an interview that last year, City Hall had handed out 130,000 tablets for school children and some 11,000 laptops for teachers.

UNICEF said in an August study that the school closures were especially damaging for vulnerable children, already facing the challenges of poverty and inequality. It called for the phased reopening of schools in the country, starting in low-risk areas and with stringent safety protocols in place.

The school closures have had negative consequences for students, said Oyunsaikhan Dendevnorov , UNICEF’s representative in the Philippines. Students have fallen behind and reported mental distress. She also cited a heightened risk of drop outs, child labor and child marriage.

As remote classes resumed this week, Leonor Briones, the education secretary, sought to portray the electronic reopening as a success. She said that about 24 million children, from elementary school to high school, were enrolled in school. But she acknowledged that the enrollment figure included about two million fewer students than last year.

Regina Tolentino, deputy secretary general of the College Editors Guild of the Philippines, which represents college newspaper editors, said the government’s attempt to put a positive spin on the second year of shuttered schools was “delusional.”

With remote learning the only option, she said, poor students were being forced to spend money on computers and internet cards rather than on basic necessities like food. “The government must hear students out and uphold their basic rights to education even during the pandemic,” she said.

But leading doctors and health experts said that, while opening schools was an important aim, health and safety needed to be prioritized.

They pointed out that just over 14 million people in the Philippines were fully vaccinated, well below the government’s initial target of 70 million by the end of the year. Some hospitals were filled to capacity, and scenes of patients receiving oxygen in parking lots had become commonplace.

Dr. Anthony Leachon, a prominent public health expert who was a member of the government’s Covid-19 advisory panel, called for the vaccination of 12 to 17 year-olds to be fast-tracked to help clear the way for schools to be reopened.

“It’s dangerous,” he said, “to reopen schools with the Delta variant strains at the moment.”

Dan Bilefsky is a Canada correspondent for The New York Times, based in Montreal. He was previously based in London, Paris, Prague and New York. He is author of the book "The Last Job," about a gang of aging English thieves called "The Bad Grandpas." More about Dan Bilefsky

Pandemic teaching – evaluating and improving students’ reading skills

Pandemic teaching – evaluating and improving students’ reading skills

Education systems across the world have taken different approaches to addressing the challenges of teaching and learning during the pandemic. In the Philippines, the Department of Education introduced Distance Learning Modalities, which includes radio- and TV-based instruction and self-learning modules that can be printed or accessed digitally.

Jaylene S Miravel is a Grade 3 teacher at Lal-lo North Central School in Cagayan. In this article, she shares how she is working to support students who are falling behind in reading during this prolonged period of remote learning.

Lal-lo North Central School, headed by Dr Fampito M Combate, devised a strategy on how best to ensure children continued to receive quality education during the pandemic, especially in reading. School leaders encouraged all the teachers to make their own schedule every week to monitor the situation with their own students.

I did home visits to evaluate and monitor students’ reading abilities. Through these home visits, I got to see the real scenario of my learners – I got to understand them and their family situation more. During visits, I:

  • brought various reading materials to students (in Filipino and English);
  • used the Marungko Approach, which is a phonics-based system, in Filipino (Boltron & Ramos, 2021);
  • used Dolch Sight Words in frequency order with students in Grades 1-3;
  • provided students with short stories with a comprehension check-up; and,
  • grouped my learners (non-reader, frustration, instructional, independent).

I found that only half of my learners were reading at Grade 3 level or above. From my observation, there were several issues – namely: difficulty in naming the letters; difficulty blending sounds to make words; reading speed below grade level; and poor comprehension skills.

My school uses the modular-printed method, with parents collecting a new learning pack each week. I found that the students who were falling behind usually belonged to poor families. Their parents found it difficult to find the time to help their children with the modules because they were focused on how to put food on the table. Access to learning materials, equipment such as computers, and support systems were also insufficient. On the other hand, parents with higher socioeconomic status had more time to teach and provide support to their children, or financial capability to hire tutors, and better equipment.

short articles about education in the philippines for students

[Lal-lo North Central School in Cagayan. Image: Supplied]

As a result of my ongoing evaluations and monitoring, I have changed the reading materials to better suit the needs of each student. This includes providing more colorful learning materials (Dzulkifli & Mustafar, 2013), changing the font style and increasing the font size. According to Vered Halamish and colleagues, children use font size as a cue when monitoring their own learning and remember large size font words better. When I introduced these changes, I noticed my students had better memory and better comprehension.

Also, before starting to teach reading, I arouse their interest – I show a colorful picture from the story we are about to read and ask something about it. In this way, their curiosity is activated and they are eager to learn more.

I also focus on giving the students additional help and guidance, especially those whose reading performance is low. Every day, I get a lot of calls and messages from parents, even at nighttime, asking for clarifications or more explanations about learning materials, and even requests for one-on-one teaching through video calls.

In this pandemic, there is a lot of responsibility that is put on the parents’ shoulders; however, they are less equipped with the skills to teach reading – teachers play a crucial role.

Boltron, M. T., & Ramos, A. L. (2021). Improving Beginning Reading Literacy through Marungko Approach. ASEAN Journal of Basic and Higher Education , 5 , 1-12. https://paressu.org/online/index.php/aseanjbh/article/view/285

Dzulkifli, M. A., & Mustafar, M. F. (2013). The influence of colour on memory performance: A review. The Malaysian Journal of Medical Sciences: MJMS , 20 (2), 3. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3743993/

Halamish, V., Nachman, H., & Katzir, T. (2018). The effect of font size on children’s memory and metamemory. Frontiers in Psychology , 9 , 1577. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2018.01577

If your school is still in a period of teaching remotely, how are you remaining connected to your students and families?

How do you evaluate and monitor the reading skills of each student? How does this knowledge help you in choosing learning materials and making decisions about additional support?

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COVID-19: Remote learning out of reach for one-third of schoolchildren

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Science Education in Countries Along the Belt & Road pp 331–345 Cite as

Science Education in the Philippines

  • Robert John D. De La Cruz 13  
  • First Online: 18 January 2022

602 Accesses

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Part of the Lecture Notes in Educational Technology book series (LNET)

This report gives an overview of the current situation of science education in the Philippines. In addition, this features the requirements and initiatives done by the government in terms of keeping up its science education program with the changes brought by the twenty-first century. The science curriculum in the Philippines was implemented to produce scientifically literate individuals who are responsible decision makers and can apply scientific knowledge to look for solutions to problems of the community. However, in the latest results of Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) 2018, the Philippines ranked last among participating countries in which Science was one was one of the subjects tested. The results of the first participation of the country in PISA has paved the way for the Department of Education to propose more programs to address the deficient academic performance and advance the quality of education in the Philippines. Furthermore, the rapid change brought by Industry 4.0 also brings challenge to science education implementers for the country needs to ensure that it can adapt with the emerging technologies like A.I. and Robotics. Several initiatives were done by the Department of Science and Technology and Science Education Institute through their responsive and tailor-fit programs and projects.

  • Science curriculum
  • Emerging technologies
  • Fourth industrial revolution
  • Philippines

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Department of Science and Technology. (2017). Harmonized National Research and Development Agenda 2017–2022. Retrieved from https://www.dost.gov.ph/phocadownload/Downloads/Journals/HNRDA_booklet_FINAL3_2018-10-23.pdf .

DOST Science Education Institute. (2011). Science framework for Philippine basic education. Retrieved from http://www.sei.dost.gov.ph/images/downloads/publ/sei_scibasic.pdf .

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Acknowledgements

I want to thank our God Almighty for giving me wisdom and perseverance to write this report. I also want to extend my gratitude to Prof. Lee Shok Mee of Penang, Malaysia for this opportunity. To my wife Cara, thank you for the love and support that you have given me in the writing process. To my friend, Mr. Romnick P. Nicolas, thank you for proofreading this paper.

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De La Cruz, R.J.D. (2022). Science Education in the Philippines. In: Huang, R., et al. Science Education in Countries Along the Belt & Road. Lecture Notes in Educational Technology. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-16-6955-2_20

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short articles about education in the philippines for students

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Education recovery beyond face-to-face resumption

short articles about education in the philippines for students

By Pilar Preciousa Pajayon-Berse

short articles about education in the philippines for students

“Literacy is a bridge from misery to hope.” — Ko f i Annan, former Secretary-General of the United Nations

T his article comes out a bit later than the global celebration of International Literacy Day which is celebrated worldwide in September. The theme for this year was “Transforming Literacy Learning Spaces,” a timely reminder of what needs to be done as the world continues to navigate a safe return to schools for learners of varying age after more than two years of disrupted learning.

Students lost basic numeracy and literacy skills due to the prolonged period of learning outside the classroom where such skills could have been acquired and this loss is too significant to be dismissed. According to UNICEF, learning losses due to school closures in low- and middle-income countries were up by 17% from its pre-pandemic status. From 53% before the onset of COVID-19, the percentage of 10-year-olds who are unable to read and write is now at 70%. This defines the very concept of learning poverty, an indicator introduced by the UNESCO Institute for Statistics to refer to the lack of proficiency in reading and understanding simple texts at age 10. Resolving it involves a retooling of academic policies fit for post-pandemic normalcy and a serious rethinking of the role of literacy in today’s society.

In the Philippines, the outlook towards this crisis is met with concern, a bit of defiance, but overall treated as a matter of national urgency. This is not without reason. Based on a recently released and updated version of the World Bank’s State of Global Learning Poverty (2022), the country’s learning poverty ranks among the highest in the Asian region. With learning poverty at 90.9%, the Philippines outranked all its ASEAN neighbors with the exception of Lao PDR (97.7%) and Brunei (no assessment included). Outranking does not mean the country fares well. On the contrary, the scoring is such that, the higher the number is, the poorer the performance is. Singapore, a small country with population that is just a fraction of the Philippines’, performed better at 2.8%. Indonesia, though more than double the Philippines’ population, likewise scored better at 52.8%.

THE NEED FOR AN EDUCATION PRESIDENT The dismal report on the country’s state of education was not lost on key stakeholders. Thus, it was not surprising that this became an integral part of critical conversations leading to the May 2022 national elections. The Philippine Business for Education, an advocacy group led by leaders in the business sector, expressed the need for the Filipino people to choose government leaders who are focused on education, emphasizing that literacy is an elections concern.

This sentiment was echoed by other organizations, such as Education Nation, particularly on the need to elect leaders who will prioritize reforms in the education sector. Experts from Education Nation and Philippine Business for Education, in search of an education president, released a scorecard giving former Vice-President and presidential candidate Leni Robredo a perfect score of 10/10 vis-à-vis her strategies and evidence-based solutions to address the learning crisis. Then presidential candidate Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos, Jr. received a 5/10.

MARCOS’ FIRST 100 DAYS Three months into the presidency, Mr. Marcos Jr.’s focus was on putting “together a government which is functional” (Cupin, 2022). A lot of premium was and continues to be directed towards livelihood and economic recovery as seen with the administration’s efforts to secure investment pledges, among other agreements, through bilateral deals such as the ones closed during the president’s recent trips to Singapore and Indonesia (CNN, 2022).

Aside from livelihood and economic recovery, a quick rundown of Marcos’ top policy measures during his first 100 days includes public health and peace initiatives. Partnerships with the private sector have also been actively sought out in order to advance the country’s agriculture, infrastructure, water, health, and tourism sectors (PNA, 2022). After 100 days it seems all is set in motion to “get things done” for what the administration sees as the country’s most pressing concerns, controversies and issues aside.

While assessment of an executive leader’s first months into the job rests on a lot tentative variables, it does provide a picture of how the next few years will unfold. To this end, it begs to be asked: Where does post-pandemic education recovery lie in President Marcos Jr.’s priority measures?

THE ROAD TO POST-PANDEMIC RECOVERY MUST INCLUDE EDUCATION RECOVERY It goes without saying that it will take more than 100 days to recover the learning losses incurred in the past two years of the COVID-19 pandemic. But 100 days is a good start to establish where the government stands with regard to addressing the said loss. The call for an education president who will also prioritize addressing the Philippines’ state of learning poverty is valid and must be heeded.

Students, especially in the basic level and those who are marginalized, need intensive and active support from the government to recover education lost due to school closures, aggravated by economic, personal, and social circumstances. There is a need, too, “to rebuild their mental and physical health, social development and nutrition” (UNICEF, 2022), which requires more than a return to face-to-face modality of learning. In President Marcos Jr.’s SONA (state of the nation address), references to the education sector included the students’ return to face-to-face classes, the appointment of Vice-President Sara Duterte as Education Secretary, putting an end to the poor quality of educational materials given to schools, the importance of connectivity and appropriate tools for digital education, and the reinstitution of ROTC (Reserve Officers Training Corps). Would these pronouncements suffice?

The window is narrow in terms of recovering basic literacy skills impacted by learning disruptions borne out of the COVID-19 pandemic. A more explicit expression of political will prioritizing literacy and education recovery, alongside other pressing concerns, is needed to accelerate said recovery and address the country’s high learning poverty rate in a sustained manner. Senate Minority Floor Leader Franklin Drilon’s recent statement echoed the importance of political will in focusing on urgent issues such as “inadequate healthcare and poor education” (Yang, 2022).

But then again, political will is just one thing, having a catch-up plan beyond returning to school is another. The current leadership must undertake a needs assessment in order to identify learning gaps and develop appropriate short- and long-term interventions. Merely returning to face-to-face modality in the delivery of classes might not be sufficient enough as there could be other factors at play including poor nutrition of the students or the state of school facilities. Finding out what these other factors are is critical.

Ultimately, the challenge at hand is to close the learning gap and lower the country’s learning poverty rate. Political will is needed to ensure that the role of literacy today and in the future is kept alive.

Pilar Preciousa Pajayon-Berse, PhD is an assistant professor at the Department of Political Science, Ateneo de Manila University.

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Perspective article, the philippine higher education sector in the time of covid-19.

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  • 1 Southeast Asian Research Center and Hub, De La Salle University, Manila, Philippines
  • 2 Department of Philosophy, De La Salle University, Manila, Philippines

This paper reports the policy-responses of different Philippine higher education institutions (HEIs) to the novel coronavirus, COVD-19 pandemic. It compares these responses with those made by HEIs in Indonesia, Thailand, and Vietnam. Publicly available data and news reports were used to gauge the general public’s reaction to these policies and how the Philippines’ responses fare with its Southeast Asian neighbors. The paper observes that despite the innovations made by Philippine HEIs in terms of alternative learning modes and technologies for delivering education, there are still gaps and challenges in their responses. It recommends that policy-responses and learning innovations should be grounded on a deeper understanding of distance education and should be sensitive to the call of the times.

Introduction

COVID-19 has become a global health crisis. As of October 6, 2020, almost 36 million people have been infected and over one million have died. In the Philippines, this translates into almost 325,000 infected and 6,000 deaths ( Worldometer, 2020 ). To curb the spread of COVID-19, most governments have opted to employ quarantine protocols and temporarily shut down their educational institutions. As a consequence, more than a billion learners have been affected worldwide. Among this number are over 28 million Filipino learners across academic levels who have to stay at home and comply with the Philippine government’s quarantine measures ( UNESCO, 2020 ).

To respond to the needs of learners, especially of the 3.5 million tertiary-level students enrolled in approximately 2,400 HEIs, certain HEIs in the country have implemented proactive policies for the continuance of education despite the closure. These policies include modified forms of online learning that aim to facilitate student learning activities. Online learning might be in terms of synchronous, real-time lectures and time-based outcomes assessments, or asynchronous, delayed-time activities, like pre-recorded video lectures and time-independent assessments ( Oztok et al., 2013 ). Case in point are top universities in the country, viz., De La Salle University (DLSU), Ateneo de Manila University (ADMU), the University of Santo Tomas (UST), and the state-run University of the Philippines, Diliman (UPD).

DLSU has resorted to remote online learning, which combines both synchronous and asynchronous activities. For students who cannot participate in online learning, there are flexible options for completing course requirements throughout the academic year ( De La Salle University, 2020a ). ADMU has suspended synchronous online classes but continued asynchronous online learning so that “all students can learn at their own pace” ( Villarin, 2020 ). UST, like DLSU, has opted to continue with synchronous and asynchronous online classes, and a flexible grading of student outputs and assessments ( University of Santo Tomas, 2020 ). Other private universities and institutions such as STI College, St. Scholastica’s College, Adamson University, Far Eastern University, the University of the East, Ateneo de Davao University, and the University of San Carlos have continued with their online classes as well.

Arguably, the HEIs’ pivot to modified forms of online learning attempts to concretize the government’s stance to continue learning despite the pandemic. As the Philippine’s Department of Education (DepEd) Secretary, Leonor Briones quipped, “Education must continue even in times of crisis whether it may be a calamity, disaster, emergency, quarantine, or even war” ( Department of Education, 2020 ). The Philippines’ Commission on Higher Education (CHEd), on the other hand, advised HEIs to continue the “deployment of available flexible learning and other alternative modes of delivery in lieu of on-campus learning” ( Commission on Higher Education, 2020 ). These pronouncements aim to encourage the continuance of learning. Without implementing rules and regulations, however, private HEIs are left to make their own policies.

The General Public’s Initial Reaction

For varying reasons, however, different sectors have chastised the proactive online learning measures by these HEIs. For example, through an online petition based on student and faculty sentiments, student governments from different universities urged CHEd to mandate the cancellation of online classes, stating that “while we understand the need for learning to continue, the different circumstances of students across universities are not ideal and conducive for such.” The petitioners argue that “access to the internet connection and learning devices continued to be a privilege up to this day, placing those with poor internet access at a disadvantage when it comes to online classes.” [For a better picture, 45% of Filipino citizens (46 million) and 74% (34,500) of public schools do not have access to the internet ( Jones, 2019 )].

Furthermore, “adding more workload for the students increases their burden and contradicts the purpose of the lockdown, which is to help their families prepare and adjust to the situation at hand.” Finally, there is an issue about the “lack of environments conducive to learning at home and the effectiveness of the online lectures” ( Bagayas, 2020 ). Social media hashtags like, #NoStudentLeftBehind, #NoSchoolLeftBehind, #EndOnlineClasses, #EndTheSem, and #NoToOnlineClasses strengthen these sentiments further.

In consideration of such petitions, the state-run University of the Philippines-Diliman (UPD) suspended all modes of online learning. In his message to the academic community on March 17, 2020, UPD Chancellor Fidel Nemenzo announced the cancellation of online classes due to (i) emergency concerns as “caring for our families and for ourselves comes first,” (ii) “unequal access to personal computers and the internet exists among our community,” and (iii) “the shift to online classes has also not been smooth for our faculty, who have had to learn new skills and revise their syllabi overnight” ( Nemenzo, 2020 ).

It is quite understandable that some of the backlashes stem from the stresses caused by the pandemic. The other concerns, however, have already been noted by experts in the field of distance education. First, there is the issue of social integration and peer culture, and the possibility of transmission of values in a “virtual” classroom. Since there is a lack of human interaction in the learning process, students may learn less in such a set-up as opposed to those in the traditional classroom ( Edge and Loegering, 2000 ; Gamage et al., 2020 ). Second, there is also an issue on the unnaturalness and the results of online learning, since it goes against how natural teaching and learning supposedly take place ( Larreamendy-Joerns and Leinhardt, 2006 ; Adnan and Anwar, 2020 ). The lack of face-to-face human interaction in the online learning space and process appears disconcerting to both educators and learners alike.

On top of these concerns, however, there are deep socio-economic concerns for online learning in a developing country like the Philippines. Students in far-flung areas in the country do not even have roads or electricity, let alone access to computers and the internet. Moreover, given current internet infrastructure, even students in urban areas may have limited internet access. This then results in a “digital divide” between those who do have access and those who do not.

Furthermore, there is also an issue of social policy. The Philippines does not have a national policy dealing directly with online platforms such as Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs), Open Distance e-learning (ODel), and Open Educational Resources (OERs). While there are laws, like the Open Distance Learning Act ( Sixteenth Philippine Congress, 2014 ), which provide legal bases for funding such platforms, they are not enough as “some national policies will have to be put in place to sustain the growth” of these online platforms ( Bandalaria, 2019 ).

The Idea of Distance Education

At the time of quarantines and viral outbreaks, it would seem that online learning is the only viable way to continue learning at a distance. This, however, seems to rest on a mistaken assumption. It should be emphasized that online learning is just one mode of distance education.

Distance education is broadly characterized as any form of learning experience where the learner and the instructor are physically separated from each other (not only by place but also by time). Arguably, such a dislocation is “the perfect context for free-flowing thought that lets us move beyond the restricted confines of a familiar social order” ( hooks, 2003 ). Moreover, this type of education is a way of providing learning opportunities to every learner, whatever their circumstances might be. This means that distance education may extend access to education through distribution and economies of scale ( Guri-Rosenblit, 2005 ; Owusu-Agyeman and Amoakohene, 2020 ).

One may claim that the main thrust of distance education is to bring education to those who are unreachable, under-resourced, less-privileged and inaccessible ( Biana, 2013 ). Taken as such, distance education “reaches out to students wherever they live or wish to study” ( Guri-Rosenblit, 2005 ). This kind of flexibility gives students more freedom to actively participate in learning ( Guri-Rosenblit, 2005 ; Daniel, 2016 ). Students learn even if they are separated from their instructors by space and/or time ( Edge and Loegering, 2000 ). In the time of COVID-19, distance learning became a necessity for learners and educators all over the world ( Ali, 2020 ).

Such a form of education, however, need not be limited to online learning ( Baggaley, 2008 ). Some have suggested using cell phones and (SMS) texting technology to facilitate learning ( Flores, 2018 ). Others urge to employ TV programs, radio broadcasts, and other non-internet based media ( Punzalan, 2020 ). Perhaps, some teachers might go back to basics and distribute annotated physical textbooks to their students through courier services. As long as the education sector is engaged, teachers and students have ample support, the curriculum and content of the learning modules are well-defined and personalized, technological limitations are acknowledged, and user-friendly and enjoyable materials are present, education will continue one way or another ( Ramos et al., 2007 ; Ali, 2020 ). Such support presupposes a collaboration between teachers and policy makers and authorities to develop the relevant referenced programs as well.

Notwithstanding the various stresses it brings, the outbreak of COVID-19 not only forced us to think about the technologies for delivering education ( Kim, 2020 ), it also compelled us to rethink the very nature of education itself. The government should create and implement concrete policies that will support a new breed of distance educators. Educators in turn need to innovate to ensure that education remains inclusive and accessible, and that distance learning is not limited to pure online learning.

The Current Situation

Several months after the initial backlash in March 2020, CHEd Chairperson, Prospero De Vera qualified the idea of flexible learning as “more encompassing than online learning.” De Vera explains that while online learning requires internet access, flexible learning does not necessarily require connectivity. Instead, it “focuses on the design and delivery of programs, courses, and learning interventions that address the learners’ unique needs in terms of pace, place, process, and products of learning” ( Parrocha, 2020 ).

Similarly, DepEd sets a distance learning approach that utilizes three methods: (1) delivery of printed modules to students, (2) access to DepEd Commons , an online education platform DepEd developed to support alternative modes of learning, and (3) delivery of lessons or self-learning modules via radio and television. The specific guidelines on the implementation of distance learning, however, are still under review ( Magsambol, 2020 ).

Private universities and institutions have likewise adapted to the limitations imposed by the pandemic and are poised to go either fully online, blended learning, or scheduled in-person classes in case the government lifts quarantine measures. In July 2020, DLSU adopted an alternate mode of education that is technology-enabled dubbed Lasallians Remote and Engaged Approach for Connectivity in Higher Education (R.E.A.C.H). R.E.A.C.H emphasizes the importance of engagement between faculty and students and offers three different delivery modes: (1) fully online (synchronous and asynchronous), and whenever possible (2) hybrid (blending of online and face-to-face), and (3) face-to-face. All online academic tools and materials are organized and made accessible via the university’s learning management system (LMS), AnimoSpace ( De La Salle University, 2020b ).

Similarly, ADMU piloted the Adaptive Design for Learning (ADL). ADL combines three different modes of delivery: (1) online, and, whenever possible, (2) blended, and (3) face-to-face; and offers uniquely designed courses that suit faculty style and respond to learner’s needs and contexts. The curricula materials are hosted in AteneoBlueCloud , an online platform branded as the university’s virtual campus ( Ateneo de Manila University, 2020 ).

Meanwhile, UST through its learning management platform, UST Cloud Campus implemented an Enriched Virtual Mode (EVR) that combines both online (synchronous and asynchronous) and offline strategies to ensure accessibility and flexibility in learning. Other than team-teaching, the approaches in EVR include a combination of the following: (1) complementing of professional competencies with industry partners and alumni interactions, (2) collaborative online learning with foreign partner institutions, and (3) remote encounters with community partners ( Alejandrino, 2020 ).

Finally, the University of the Philippines System shifted to blended learning using already existing platforms like University Virtual Learning Environment (UVLE), and UP Open University (UPOU). UPOU maximizes online learning and distance education and also offers free special courses in online learning. UP College of Education presented an Education Resilience and Learning Continuity Plan (ERLCP) to help schools transition to an alternative learning environment. ERLCP recommends enacting flexible learning options that are learner-centered and are made available in various modes of delivery such as face-to-face instruction, remote learning, and blended learning ( University of the Philippines - College of Education, 2020 ).

The Response of Southeast Asian HEIs

The Philippines is not the only country facing these problems. Its Southeast Asian neighbors have creatively responded to the same challenges and started to pivot to a new era of education. Indonesia, Thailand, and Vietnam have initiated some form of distance learning as early as May 2020. Thailand’s Education Ministry originally planned to implement a learning program using a Distance Learning Television (DLTV) platform. Seventeen television channels were set up to broadcast educational courses, vocational education, non-formal and informal education ( Praphornkul, 2020 ). The approach combines television or on-air learning and online learning. The rollout, however, was met with criticisms due to broadcasting problems and poor connectivity ( Bangkok Post, 2020a ). The ministry adjusted its plan and focused instead on preparing for schools to reopen nationally after a survey found that 60–70% of students are not ready for TV education ( Bangkok Post, 2020b ).

As Thailand universities move their operations online, the Ministry of Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation (MHESI) provided more than 60,000 educators and 2 million students access to Microsoft applications ( Microsoft, 2020b ). Universities have also taken key initiatives and partnerships to ensure that the transition to digital is successful. Chulalongkorn University has launched its own learning platform called the Learning Innovation Center (LIC) which contains resources, information, tools, and methods to support online learning ( Chulalongkorn University, 2020 ). Mahidol University has partnered with Siam Commercial Bank to create an improved virtual platform for both students and teachers ( Siam Commercial Bank, 2020 ). Thammasat University partnered with Skilllane to launch a degree program on data science. Some universities like Chiang Mai University also offer MOOC to encourage online learning ( Phongsathorn, 2020 ).

Indonesia’s Education and Culture Ministry, in collaboration with TVRI, a state-owned broadcaster, released their own distance learning program called “Learning from Home” ( Jakarta Globe, 2020 ). The program focuses on improving literacy, numeracy, and character building for all levels of elementary and high schools. The implementation, however, proved to be challenging given issues like uneven access to the internet, the disparity in teacher qualifications and education quality, and the lack of Information and Communications Technology (ICT) skills ( Azzahra, 2020 ). A survey of 1,045 students found that a majority of students who responded, 53.7%, cited concerns about online learning due to poor streaming, limitation in network quota and reception. Though the reactions are mixed, in general, there seems to be a positive response to online learning in Indonesia ( Yamin, 2020 ). Ninety five percent of Indonesian universities carry out online learning using the Online Learning System Program (SPADA) ( Yamin, 2020 ). SPADA supports LMS across all tertiary education hosting online lectures and course materials made freely available to students.

Vietnam’s Ministry of Education and Training (MOET) hosted a national online conference with 300 live meeting hubs to find ways to improve online learning before launching its educational program ( Nguyen and Pham, 2020 ). The conference was attended by HEI leaders, technology and technical service providers including Viettel Group, VNPT, MobiFone, Vietnamobile, Microsoft, Google, Amazon, and FPT ( Nguyen and Pham, 2020 ). MOET reported that 110 out of 240 HEIs in Vietnam had initiated online training. However, not all HEIs have a fully developed LMS ( Nguyen and Pham, 2020 ). Recognizing that they are presented with a unique opportunity to work together and enhance digital teaching and learning, the delegates started working out plans to implement online education long-term and not simply as a response to COVID-19. Notable partnerships and initiatives seemingly inspired by this collaborative discourse include MOET’s partnership with Microsoft which equipped education institutions with digital tools to implement remote learning ( Microsoft, 2020a ), Viettel’s offer of free 3G and 4G data to teachers and students using their e-learning platform called Viettel Study, and VNPT’s launch of its online learning solution called VNPT E-Learning which also comes with free 3G and 4G data ( Lich, 2020 ).

After months of experimenting, online teaching is now recognized as a formal method in Vietnam, an interesting development considering that any proposal to formally conduct online learning before COVID-19 had been poorly received by the country’s academic community ( Nguyen and Pham, 2020 ). Minister of Education and Training Phung Xuan Nha admitted, however, that issues like connectivity problems, especially in remote areas, as well as some pedagogical concerns, like management of student performance, need to be sorted out for the program to succeed.

Conclusion and Recommendations

The Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam, and Indonesia are on the same economic and socio-cultural boat and are now facing the same COVID-19 challenges in education. What comes with these problems, however, is the opportunity to improve the way we think about education and implement permanent and sustainable changes that will enhance the quality of our educational systems.

Moving forward, the Philippines needs a clear set of policies and guidelines based on an innovative educational framework. This requires a careful and sincere assessment of the country’s readiness to offer learning programs that demand more than the traditional requirements.

As the Philippines ventures into a new mode of learning, several factors need to be considered. This includes teacher capacity, situation and context of the learner, and efficiency of the learning environment. These are, of course, on top of the more obvious issues of internet speed, cost of materials, and mode of delivery. The best way to move forward is to take a step back and design a strategy that engages teachers, students, parents, school administrators, and technology-based companies. This collaborative response based on a collective vision is the kind of creative solution this novel problem warrants.

As the new academic year begins this October, CHEd seems confident in its prescribed flexible learning mode. Stressing the “spirit of bayanihan,” or the unique Filipino value of communal unity, De Vera states that we must find ways to cope with the pandemic during these challenging times and ensure that while “learning must continue,” “we learn as one, we are ready” ( De Vera, 2020b ).

In support of such statements, CHEd together with HEIs sought to provide the following mechanism: (1) free training and capacity building for faculty members on flexible learning, (2) launch of the online resource PHL CHEd CONNECT, and (3) putting up of the CHEd Hi-Ed Bayanihan digital community of educators to “explore innovative responses in the context of Philippine HEIs.” The CHEd Hi-Ed Bayanihan is a partnership between the government and various HEIs in the country -it is said to be the first of its kind in CHEd history. Through this effort, De Vera claims that the challenges in education brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic may only be surpassed “if we altogether educate and learn as one” ( De Vera, 2020a ). These learning innovations, however, should be grounded on a deeper understanding of distance education and should be sensitive to the call of the times.

Author Contributions

JJ and HB conceptualized the study and wrote the first draft of the manuscript. MD validated the data used and edited the manuscript. All authors contributed to manuscript revision, read, and approved the submitted version.

Conflict of Interest

The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

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Keywords : COVID-19, Philippine education, policy and institutional actions, online learning, distance education, flexible learning

Citation: Joaquin JJB, Biana HT and Dacela MA (2020) The Philippine Higher Education Sector in the Time of COVID-19. Front. Educ. 5:576371. doi: 10.3389/feduc.2020.576371

Received: 26 June 2020; Accepted: 28 September 2020; Published: 22 October 2020.

Reviewed by:

Copyright © 2020 Joaquin, Biana and Dacela. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY) . The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) and the copyright owner(s) are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

*Correspondence: Jeremiah Joven B. Joaquin, [email protected]

This article is part of the Research Topic

Education Leadership and the COVID-19 Crisis

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Journal of Service-Learning in Higher Education

Unveiling the Transformative Power of Service-Learning: Student-Led Mental Health Roundtable Discussions as Catalysts for Ongoing Civic Engagement

  • April N. Terry Fort Hays State University
  • Ziwei Qi Fort Hays State University

This current study measured the impact of a one-time semester-long course-based civic engagement activity on student learning and participant impact, particularly participants' willingness to engage in community dialogue and promote awareness of social justice issues within their communities. The service-learning project involved on-campus and online students from three criminal justice courses and a hybrid format event titled " Finding Common Ground: Social Justice Issues Surrounding Mental Health & Mental Illness & Disorders " at a Midwestern teaching institution.The two-hour event included roundtable discussions to promote open dialogue about mental health and mental health illness and disorders. Learning and self-impact were measured via self-constructed questions and the Civic Engagement Short Scale Plus (CES 2+ ). Results indicated increased endorsement for community engagement and positive qualitative feedback on self-empowerment. The findings provide insights into the potential benefits of service-learning activities, such as mental health community roundtables, for fostering community dialogue, personal growth, and social justice activism. The insights gained from the current study can inform future planning and enhancement of civic engagement initiatives while also contributing to developing community-based education and outreach strategies.

  • Authors submitting articles to the Journal of Service-Learning in Higher Education are responsible for securing any permissions or licensing pertaining to the use of copyrighted materials and photographs/graphics. Authors of accepted articles assign the Journal of Service-Learning in Higher Education the right to edit, publish, and distribute their text on the Internet, to archive it, and make it permanently retrievable.
  • Authors do retain their copyright, so articles may be reprinted after publication as long as the Journal of Service-Learning in Higher Education is acknowledged as the original site of publication. Articles that have already been published or are being considered for publication elsewhere are not eligible for publication in the Journal of Service-Learning in Higher Education, unless a cross-publishing arrangement has been previously negotiated.
  • Opinions or points of view expressed in the publication are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official position of the University of Louisiana System or institutions or organizations affiliated with the Journal of Service-Learning in Higher Education .

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Paying attention to attention: a program evaluation of faculty-delivered mindfulness-based attention training to optimize wellness and professionalism in medical students

  • Chloe Zimmerman Gunsilius 1 , 2 , 3 ,
  • Malena M. Price 4 ,
  • Scott L. Rogers 5 ,
  • Ellen Flynn 6 , 7 &
  • Amishi P. Jha 4  

BMC Medical Education volume  24 , Article number:  182 ( 2024 ) Cite this article

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As physician distress rises, medical schools must provide programs to counter such distress at the earliest stages of training. Mindfulness training (MT) is one intervention that can alleviate stress during medical school. However, framing MT around wellness alone misses the opportunity to connect core cognitive and psychological capacities strengthened by MT to professional goals and skill acquisition inherent to successful medical training. Here, we highlight how the attentional components of MT align with students’ goals of becoming attending physicians while promoting academic, psychological, and interpersonal flourishing. MT courses that focus on strengthening attentional capacities can intuitively link academic and professional development with wellness, appealing to a wide array of students.

We iteratively recontextualized an existing short-form mindfulness training program for high-stress pre-professionals, known as Mindfulness Based Attention Training (MBAT), to the medical school context (MBAT-Rx). MBAT-Rx was offered by physician trainers to first-year medical students at Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University as a tool for improving study habits and focus in addition to the development of both self-care and patient care strategies. MBAT-Rx consists of weekly, two-hour sessions over four weeks, with 10–15 min of daily mindfulness practice between sessions. At the end of the four weeks, students submitted voluntary program evaluation responses detailing their experience of the program.

Optional program evaluation responses ( n  = 67) highlight that students found the program to be useful for their academic success and ability to pay attention, their interpersonal relationships, and their psychological health. By framing MT as an opportunity to boost core attentional capacities and connecting this to professional and academic goals in addition to wellness, MBAT-Rx appealed to a wide variety of students.

Conclusions

Our ongoing work suggests that framing MT as both a professional development and wellness promotion tool, taught by physicians themselves, and structured around students’ time demands, may be a successful model for medical schools looking to increase the impact of their mindfulness offerings. Such programs are needed to equip medical students to navigate the demands of a challenging healthcare training landscape.

Peer Review reports

Medicine is facing a crisis of distress within its workforce. Medical professionals are at elevated risk for burnout compared to other US working adults [ 1 ]. This risk has been further heightened recently by the extraordinary demands placed on physicians during the COVID-19 pandemic [ 2 ]. Physician distress often has professional consequences, as medical errors are more likely to be committed by physicians who self-report a higher burden of burnout symptoms [ 3 , 4 , 5 ]. In addition, patient satisfaction and trust are eroded by negative interpersonal interactions with disgruntled medical professionals [ 6 ]. Together, these performance and interpersonal challenges form a noxious feedback loop and further heighten physician distress, as evidenced by high depression and anxiety levels and increased risk of suicide among physicians, residents, and medical students [ 5 , 7 , 8 ].

The precursors of physician distress can be traced back to the earliest stages of medical education and training. Although trainees begin medical school with psychological health profiles on par with age-matched members of the general population [ 9 ], their profiles significantly diverge over subsequent years, driven primarily by increases in rates of depression and suicidal ideation [ 8 , 10 ]. Such findings lead to an obvious question: How can future physicians be best trained to navigate the competing psychological, interpersonal, and professional stressors inherent within the medical field, while maintaining optimal wellness and professional conduct?

In recent years, mindfulness training (MT) programs aiming to improve student wellness have become more readily available at medical schools [ 11 , 12 , 13 , 14 , 15 ]. Mindfulness is often defined as “moment-to-moment, non-judgmental awareness, cultivated by paying attention in a specific way… as non-reactively, as nonjudgmentally, and as open-heartedly as possible” [ 16 ]. One manualized, frequently-offered, MT program, Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR), has been shown to benefit medical students’, residents’, and physicians’ mental and emotional health [ 13 ]. Findings demonstrate that MBSR significantly dampens depression, anxiety, fatigue, stress, and burnout symptoms, while increasing prosocial emotions such as empathy and compassion [ 12 , 17 , 18 , 19 , 20 , 21 ].

Central features of mindfulness practice emphasize the ability to pay attention, nonjudgmentally, in the present moment [ 16 ]. Such abilities are essential to the developing physician ’s professional goals. For example, one must learn how to pay attention nonjudgmentally to whatever a patient discloses, while also attending to the demands of comprehensively documenting this disclosure, accessing previous knowledge to formulate a diagnosis and treatment plan, and working within the dynamics of an integrated healthcare team. Developing the capacity to hold these competing sources of information in mind, without unnecessary rumination or distraction, is an important cognitive skill all future physicians must develop. When properly contextualized to the goals of medical training, MT may thus directly influence professional development. Prior findings within the psychology literature suggest that motivation to engage in behaviors is higher when these behaviors satisfy multiple goals simultaneously rather than a single goal [ 22 ]. In line with these findings, MT courses framed to include superordinate academic and professional goals, versus psychological and interpersonal well-being alone, may have greater appeal for medical students.

The medical training environment places significant cognitive demands on medical trainees, as they master didactic material, technical skill acquisition, and patient care. These cognitive demands impact trainees on multiple levels: psychological, interpersonal, and professional. Importantly, medical students report that academic performance is highly valued and considered relevant to their psychological well-being over time. They also consistently report that intensive academic demands are a significant barrier to their wellness [ 23 ]. Attention and associated executive functions are critical for successful academic performance as well as professional success as “Attending” Physicians [ 24 , 25 ]. Attentional lapses are known to correspond with psychological health challenges, [ 26 ] and increase medical errors in medical trainees [ 27 ]. Without intervention, attentional lapses have been previously linked to performance errors [ 28 ]. Within the medical context, such lapses may contribute to instances of patient harm.

Mindfulness practice explicitly engages attention. Attentional processes and the psychological, interpersonal, and professional domains they affect are highly vulnerable to degradation amidst the ongoing stressors [ 29 ] common to medical education [ 30 ]. Empirical studies investigating the effects of MBSR, or a related program, Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) among medical students, indicate that MT may improve attentional outcomes [ 31 ], problem-focused coping [ 32 ], and the ability to manage the challenging workload demanded by medical education [ 33 ]. A growing body of research indicates that MT is also highly effective for improving attentional performance across other high-demand professional training settings including among soldiers during pre-deployment intervals [ 34 ], university football players during pre-season training, [ 35 ] and undergraduates during the academic semester [ 36 ]. For this reason, attentional processes represent an important target for intervention in any prolonged high-stress cohort. Practices that preserve attentional functioning may have a multifaceted impact on academic success, professional development, and psychological health alike.

Despite MT’s demonstrated ability to benefit functions critical for success in medical training, many practical barriers pose challenges to effective implementation within medical schools. Two primary challenges, time demands and contextualization, may hamper medical students’ engagement with MT.

First, issues of time demands: MT offered to medical trainees should fit within the small pockets of time medical students have outside of their daily responsibilities. The popular MBSR program requires participation in an 8-week class with 2 to 2.5-h weekly class meetings, as well as 45-min daily “homework” practices that must be completed out-of-class [ 37 ]. This program requires a time commitment that is often infeasible for medical students’ schedules, limiting participation. Fewer and shorter weekly meetings with reduced minutes of daily practice may achieve greater participation among trainees. However, too few training hours spaced too far apart in time may not offer any real benefit to participants, as evidenced by a recent study that demonstrated the null effects of a novel, short-form mindfulness program for pediatric residents on burnout, empathy, or overall mindfulness [ 38 ]. For maximum impact, short-form MT programs must tightly balance scheduling demands with sufficient mindfulness practice exposure at the ideal time in medical education.

Second, issues of contextualization : MT should be contextualized for professional and educational goals, in addition to psychological and wellness improvements [ 12 , 39 ]. While MBSR has been shown to benefit wellness outcomes in medical trainees, this program is frequently not offered by trainers who are embedded within the medical context, and thus, they may not be privy to the specific challenges medical students face. Short-form mindfulness programs specifically contextualized to the medical training setting and taught by physicians with medical education context familiarity may have greater impact on students’ practice engagement.

Here, we describe our implementation of a 4-week Mindfulness-Based Attention Training (MBAT) course for first-year medical students at the Warren Alpert School of Medicine of Brown University. MBAT is a short-form MT program developed to address the challenges of time pressure and context specificity inherent in high-stress professions [ 34 , 40 ]. MBAT explicitly focuses on the use of mindfulness practices to develop core capacities of attention. Core themes highlight how attention is affected by stress, and its role in psychological health, academic success, and professional development. The program requires a two-hour session with a trainer for each of the four weeks of the course. Participants are encouraged to complete 15 min of out-of-class MT practices daily, for a minimum of 3–5 days per week. This program additionally employs a train-the-trainer (TTT) dissemination model in which context-familiar trainers are rapidly trained to deliver the program to their respective workplaces. To date, the core MBAT program has been adapted for a variety of occupational settings [ 41 , 42 ].

Development of MBAT to preserve attentional and psychological capacities in high-stress professional training environments

A distinguishing and central feature of MBAT is its emphasis on the use of domain-contextualized mindfulness instruction and practices to promote attentional functioning necessary for specific professional training environments, while also supporting optimal psychological health. MBAT explicitly aligns learning and professional goals with wellness training. This alignment may increase receptivity and interest from a broader range of participants in medical education settings. That is, some medical students may resist participating in an MT program because of skepticism regarding the wellness components in the traditional framing of mindfulness. Yet, these same students may be receptive to participating if the program is framed as a way to improve learning a skill that could bolster their professional performance [ 23 ]. By framing MT as a route by which to improve learning or skill acquisition, MBAT may appeal to a wider array of trainees and professionals committed to improving their occupational performance.

The content and delivery of MBAT has been extensively tested and refined in a variety of high-stress professional environments including active-duty military personnel [ 34 , 40 , 43 ], and first responders [ 41 ]. Research results indicate that MBAT participation yields significant improvement in these populations on functional domains related to attention [ 40 ] and related executive control functions, such as working memory [ 44 ], psychological health [ 41 ], and professional goals [ 42 ]. Notably, the core content and practices remain the same during delivery to different high-stress populations, but program contextualization is adapted to the specifics of that population (for contextualization to medical student training, see Table  1 ). This feature helps to generate early awareness amongst participants of how the course is relevant to their professional and personal goals, thereby maximizing engagement with course content.

To facilitate ease of course delivery, each 2-hour class follows the same structure. Two specific themes are highlighted during each class session, with one hour dedicated to each theme (see Table  1 for specific themes in each class). To structure the hour, dedicated MBAT-Rx training cards are distributed at the start of each hour. The trainer begins by leading a short 3–5 mindfulness practice to help students settle in and refocus. The trainer then briefly introduces the theme of the hour using representative quotes presented on the training card. These quotes help facilitate a short 5–10-min discussion where students identify ways they have noticed that theme show up for them in medical training. After this discussion, students are directed to a short series of 3–5 questions which prompt them to consider their own reactions and reflections related to that theme. After a period of 5–10 min to quietly consider and write out responses to those questions, a trainer-led group discussion follows. This discussion is meant to be an exploration of students’ own insights and direct experience and serves as a way to introduce the upcoming mindfulness practice. The trainer then leads the students in a 15–20-min mindfulness practice which is targeted toward the theme of the prior discussions. The hour-long session concludes with a final 5–10-min debriefing session tied to their direct experience with the mindfulness practice they just completed. The second hour follows the same structure, using a new training card dedicated to the explicit theme for that hour.

Over the course of the two hours, participants will have engaged in approximately 40–50 min of explicit mindfulness practice. This training structure reinforces the importance of mindfulness practice, boosts students’ direct familiarity with practice, and provides an opportunity for the trainer to respond to any practice-related questions to ensure that students feel comfortable engaging in practice before doing it at home.

At the end of the two-hour session, participants are given a final training card to take home that summarizes the themes of the day and lists out the home practices to complete before the next class. Home practices for each week include the mindfulness practice that was first introduced and experienced during that class. Students are able to keep all training cards as reference material, and are encouraged to look back over them as needed to solidify insights.

Training physicians to facilitate MBAT-Rx via the Train-the-Trainer (TTT) practicum

Another critical component of MBAT’s framing is the employment of context-familiar trainers who are able to relate the content of the MBAT program to the demands of individuals’ professions. Given recent evidence that delivery of MT via context-familiar vs unfamiliar trainers is a best practice for effective delivery of MT [ 34 ], medical school faculty may be best-positioned to deliver MT to medical students. In prior studies, context-familiar trainers received a 10- to 12-week MBAT trainer practicum in which they gained foundational knowledge of mindfulness concepts and practices and developed proficiency in delivering contextualized programs to their specific group. Individuals who have received MBAT delivered by a trainer who participated in this TTT model have been receptive to their mindfulness trainer [ 40 ], and have reported benefitting from the training [ 42 ].

MBAT’s development within professional training environments, focus on one's capacity to pay attention as foundational for professional development and psychological health, as well as the train-the-trainer dissemination model made it uniquely suited for the demands of the medical education environment. For this reason, in the current project, MBAT was contextualized for the medical school environment, and referred to as MBAT-RX.

Four medical school faculty members who are community-based physicians across four separate medical specialties, completed the TTT program. This program was organized around issues commonly faced in medical training. Having four trainers provided flexibility of delivery year-round, further increasing the feasibility for student participation. Physician faculty trainers were carefully selected to ensure that they were not concurrently involved in academic or clinical evaluation of first-year medical students. This consideration helped facilitate an environment of openness and ease among students. They could freely discuss difficulties without fear it may influence evaluation of their performance in other environments.

Delivery of MBAT-Rx

Initial delivery of MBAT-Rx to medical students by trainers was offered in the Spring of 2018 to first-year medical students. This specific interval was chosen to provide students sufficient time to acclimate to the demands of medical school. Yet, it was also early enough in medical training to advantage their use of MBAT-related skills throughout their future education. Each year, students were first introduced to the course through an optional 20-min lunch time information session, where course instructors detailed the purpose and structure of the MBAT program. This session was advertised to the entire first year medical school class of around 140 students per year. Approximately 70 students from each class voluntarily signed up for the information session each year, indicating a high interest in this program across the medical school classes.

A total of 105 students enrolled in MBAT-Rx courses between 2018 and 2023. In 2018, the course was delivered twice, once early in the Spring Semester (February), and one later in the Spring Semester (April). Each of these courses had 15 students enroll, with approximately 7 students completing the program feedback in each course. Student feedback indicated that participants preferred the MBAT-Rx course offered earlier in the semester, as they were able to use the skills throughout the semester. To be responsive to this feedback, subsequent MBAT-Rx delivery was conducted in January or February, and it was only offered once per year. Between 2019–2023, 20–30 students enrolled in MBAT-Rx and 10–15 students completed the optional program evaluation responses each year, which resulted in 67 total students who provided feedback between 2018–2023. Since this was a program evaluation project and not a research study, no demographic information was collected.

While 2018 and 2019 cohorts experienced in-person training, a virtual format was required in 2020 and 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In-person delivery was resumed in 2022 and 2023. Remote and in-person delivery platforms resulted in similar enrollment numbers and program evaluation completion rates (10–15 students/year). Anecdotally, trainers felt that course discussions reached a deeper level during in-person years and underscored the importance of in-person training. In line with this feedback, once pandemic restrictions were lifted, the in-person format was resumed.

Medical education is a dynamic environment that continuously exposes students to novel programs aimed at improving their educational experience. Often, these programs are one-off experiences, and it can be difficult to understand the extent to which students feel the program benefitted their overall learning experiences. Program evaluations can therefore be useful to ascertain how valuable participants found the program by allowing them to provide feedback. This feedback can then be used to generate insights regarding aspects of the course that participants found more versus less useful, to guide program modifications before subsequent program delivery [ 45 , 46 ].

The program evaluation of MBAT-Rx was conducted to glean program specific feedback versus advancing generalizable knowledge. While program evaluations are indeed informative, unlike formal research, they do not empirically investigate a research question, and therefore, research conclusions may not be made from findings derived from these evaluations [ 46 ]. Relatedly, the present program evaluation does not test a specific research question. The summary findings provided herein are intended to inform and improve future programs of short-form MT offered at medical schools. Before drawing empirical conclusions regarding MBAT in the medical school context, formal research of this program will need to be conducted.

With both remote and in-person delivery, MBAT-Rx is typically offered to class sizes of 20–30 students but can also scale to larger class sizes. The structure of the course, core themes, contextualization of the themes within medicine, and home practice assignments are detailed in Table  1 .

Students’ voluntary program evaluation responses indicated that they felt that MBAT-Rx addressed aspects of their life relevant to attention, psychological health, interpersonal function, and professionalism (see Fig.  1 for graphs and quotes).

figure 1

Student Experiences in MBAT-Rx across Functional Domains. Program evaluation of n  = 67 students completing MBAT-Rx are presented in relation to ( A ) Impact on attention, ( B ) Impact on psychological health, ( C ) Impact on Interpersonal relationships, and ( D ) Impact on professional development. Representative quotes by students that speak to each domain are included to illustrate the subjective experience in the course. All responses to program evaluation questions were collected after the final MBAT-Rx class meeting

Program evaluation responses also indicated that MBAT-Rx successfully addresses the two main structural challenges of time demands and contextualization. In terms of time demands, students reported they were able to meet the time requirements for the weekly class meeting, as well as incorporate the daily practice requirements into their daily schedules, with the majority (82%) indicating that they completed the home practices from a few times a week to every day (Fig.  2 b). It is important to note that while the majority of students (61%) reported that it was not difficult to participate in the overall MBAT-Rx program (Fig.  2 a), 36% of students reported they did not find it easy to incorporate mindfulness into daily life (Fig.  2 b). This indicates that students were able to complete the allotted home practice time (10-15 minutes), but did not necessarily find it easy to do so. Because the broader MT literature reports that greater practice engagement corresponds with greater benefits for participants [ 40 ], trainers consistently emphasized the importance of finding the time to do home practice even when it feels difficult. They checked in with students each week about it to provide motivation and support. This attention to practice engagement may be one reason why the majority of students reported completing the home practice at least a few times a week, despite finding it difficult to do so (Fig.  2 b).

figure 2

Student Perception of MBAT-Rx’s Time Demands. A The majority of n  = 67 students in MBAT-Rx did not feel that the MBAT-Rx program was difficult to participant in. B Students reported a range of experiences in how easy it was to incorporate daily mindfulness practice, but the majority of participants (82%) reported practice at least a few times a week, despite the fact that 36% report finding mindfulness practice difficult to incorporate into daily life. All responses to program evaluation questions were collected after the final MBAT-Rx course

In terms of contextualization, students reported that the program was relevant to their goals in medicine and felt the knowledge and skills they gained would improve their performance in medicine (Fig.  1 d, and  3 ).

figure 3

Student Perception of MBAT-Rx’s Contextualization to Medicine. A The majority of n  = 67 students completing MBAT-Rx felt the program was relevant to the medical school context. B Students strongly felt that the physician faculty trainers were effective at relating the material to the medical context. All responses to program evaluation questions were collected after the final MBAT-Rx class meeting

The train-the-trainer program was crucial for contextualizing MBAT-Rx to the medical school context and simultaneously meeting trainees’ goals across functional domains (Fig.  3 ). Students responded extraordinarily well to the physician faculty trainers. Students’ typical interactions with faculty in their first year of medical school primarily entails evaluation, leaving little room for informal discussion and mentorship. Given this, some students expressed appreciation for the opportunity to engage with their faculty trainers and openly discussing their difficulties and triumphs of medical training. The small group format and conversations guided by the trainers and the MBAT-Rx training cards further fostered a sense of camaraderie and facilitated a supportive environment amongst peers, which can be difficult to achieve in wellness programs for medical students.

While our initial pilot implementation of MBAT-Rx only examined voluntary program evaluation responses, participants broadly indicated that MBAT-Rx may not only surmount the barriers commonly faced by MT programs in medical training environments, but they also found the program helpful for improving their attention, psychological, interpersonal, and professional functions. Their responses indicated that MBAT-Rx’s framing may successfully utilize mindfulness practices to link academic, professional, and personal flourishing. Future systematic research involving objectively indexed MT-related neurocognitive performance changes, as well as psychological health changes indexed via self-report, relative to controls, is necessary (see Jha et al., 2007) [ 31 ]. Additionally, systematic investigations of the impact of MT on objective measures of medical school performance (e.g., exam grades or standardized patient physical exams, OSCEs) may be important for linking participation in MBAT-Rx to metrics of academic and professional development that students value. Such work could underscore if and how the practice of mindfulness is both protective of wellness and cognitive health throughout high-stress pre-professional training, while also bolstering professional development.

It is important that MT programs are understood as one approach among many to counter medical students' distress and facilitate professional development. Mindfulness interventions alone cannot eradicate the institutional challenges endemic to medical education that pose detrimental consequences on medical students’ personal and professional lives. Structural changes that foster an optimal learning environment are necessary to promote medical student flourishing (e.g., pass/fail grading, implementation of duty hour restrictions, regulation of 24-h call shifts, etc.) [ 39 , 47 ]. MT may represent one step towards promoting such changes, as it allows students to become aware of their circumstances with steadiness versus reactivity, and attend to thoughts and emotions in a way that can elicit the most effective actions and long-term change.

While the program feedback presented here suggests the utility of short-form mindfulness programs such as MBAT-Rx, there are a number of notable limitations. First and foremost, due to this simple program evaluation format, we did not collect comprehensive demographic information from participants. We, therefore, cannot gain meaningful insights into factors that may differ between those who decided to enroll versus those who did not, and secondarily into those who completed the program and program evaluations versus those who did not. Of a medical school class size around 140, approximately 70 students voluntarily attend the MBAT-RX info session, indicating a high degree of student interest in the course content. However, only 20–30 students typically enrolled in MBAT-Rx per year, which is a relatively low percentage of total students. Course scheduling may have influenced this. MBAT-Rx was offered one day a week, which could have conflicted with other events, and precluded more students from participating. One solution to this going forward is to offer multiple simultaneous sessions of MBAT-Rx on different days/times to maximize the number of students who can enroll.

Another major limitation is that we did not track engagement with home practices. Students were sent MP3 recordings of the weekly mindfulness practice after each class. Future research studies should track participants’ engagement with mindfulness practices. This would allow researchers to ascertain the amount of practice necessary to confer salutary effects on a particular outcome. Delivery of recordings via a smartphone application, with daily notification reminders, could be another way of both tracking practice engagement and also encouraging formation of a daily practice habit. The program evaluation indicated that some students struggled to incorporate mindfulness into their daily lives. Future research should investigate the extent to which this perceived difficulty influences students’ engagement with mindfulness practices.

One major drawback of the feedback format was that it did not include long-term follow-up questions to assess continued engagement with mindfulness practices after course completion. Importantly, at the end of the course, students were encouraged to continue their practice by seeking out weekly drop-in mindfulness offerings hosted by students at the medical school, or setting up a “buddy-system” with classmates to hold each other accountable. Tracking the extent to which students utilize these suggestions and the effect of such continued engagement on measures of interest, will be important for establishing the impact of MT on medical students over time.

The generally positive feedback of MBAT-RX presented here is meant to motivate future research to understand the impact of short-form MT on the cognitive, emotional, and professional development of medical students. Research measures of interest could assess effects on academic performance such as exam scores, or on clinical assessments of patient care via OSCE assessments. Established measures of attentional, psychological, or interpersonal health, as well as stress, resilience, and burnout may be additionally important. Neurocognitive effects could be assessed with EEG or MRI during laboratory-based tasks. It will be very important to systematically assess such effects against classmate controls who do not engage in MBAT-Rx and to include plans for long-term follow-up.

Overall, our implementation of MBAT-Rx to medical students in their first year suggests this short-form MT program can integrate seamlessly into the existing structure of medical education and is well-adapted to the medical context. While student feedback indicated that MBAT-Rx did address wellness domains, it is notable that it also appeared to improve core competencies relevant to the educational goals of becoming an attending physician. We focused specifically on delivery of MBAT-Rx to first-year medical students to foster protective/preventive skill training at the outset of medical training. MBAT-Rx can be easily adapted to later delivery in medical school or residency that focuses more on trainees’ experiences during the intense clinical years. Future work can explore the offering of additional “booster” sessions to promote mindfulness practice along the continuum of medical education as well.

As medical schools continuously refine medical curricula to promote the highest quality of medical education, we argue that mindfulness offerings have a valuable role to play not only in addressing and preventing distress during training, but also, in nourishing a professional identity that takes into account the whole person. By contextualizing mindfulness offerings to the specific goals of each stage of medical education, MBAT-Rx appeals to a wide range of medical students. In offering mindfulness courses at convenient times within training, schools can more effectively engage a wide array of students. Future efforts to incorporate MT into medical curricula or wellness initiatives may thus benefit from using MBAT-Rx or similar programs that emphasize and employ the principles of contextualization, and time efficient delivery by physician faculty trainers.

Availability of data and materials

No datasets were generated or analysed during the current study.

Abbreviations

Mindfulness Based Attention Training

Mindfulness Based Attention Training - medical student context

Mindfulness Training

Train-the-Trainer dissemination model

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Acknowledgements

We wish to thank Mariah Stump, MD, MPH and Elizabeth Toll, MD for taking part in the Train-the-Trainer program and acting as physician MBAT trainers. We thank members of the Alpert Medical School Administration who have supported the use of MBAT in the medical school curriculum and worked with us to ensure ongoing delivery of MBAT including Dr. Allen Tunkel, MD, PHD, Dr. Star Hampton, MD, Dr. Jordan White, MD, MPH, Dr. Luba DuMenco, MD, Dr. Thais Mather, PhD, Dr. Roxanne Vrees, MD, Kelly Holder, PhD, and Emily Green, PhD, Chelsea Reyes, and AngelMarie VanGyzen. We would also like to thank research assistants Helen Ding, Samuel Fredericks, Nikisha Vajghiani, MD, and Heba Heleem, MD for their help with delivering and setting up the courses and earlier versions of the program.

The contextualization of the existing MBAT program to the medical school experience was made possible due to generous funding to Brown University/Alpert Medical School by the Berkman-Landis Family Fund. We thank the Mindfulness Center at Brown University and the Brown University Office of the Vice President of Research Internal Seed Grant number GR300093 for funds that enabled the delivery of the Train-the-Trainer program and costs associated with MBAT delivery. CZG’s effort was supported by grant number F30AT012306 from the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health.

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All authors discussed initial ideas for the framing of the manuscript. EF and CZG were trained in the delivery of MBAT by SR and APJ, and helped to contextualize it to the medical context. EF delivered the MBAT-RX courses. CZG compiled and organized the program evaluation responses and generated the figures. CZG and MMP drafted the initial manuscript, with extensive input from APJ. All authors read, provided comments, and approved the final manuscript.

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Correspondence to Chloe Zimmerman Gunsilius .

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The MBAT-Rx course offering constituted a curricular activity at the medical school. We did not collect any information related to participant demographics, questionnaires, or any research-related measure. We simply offered a voluntary feedback survey at the end of the course that participants could anonymously answer regarding specific questions related to the MBAT-Rx course delivery. We consulted with the Brown University IRB to determine whether simply offering the course to medical students with this feedback form met the regulatory definition of “Research” requiring IRB approval. According to Brown University IRB policy ( https://www.brown.edu/research/sites/research/files/HSR%20Determination%20Chart.pdf ), our program evaluation did not meet the regulatory criteria for “Research”. This is because the program evaluation presented here was not designed to be a systematic investigation that was hypothesis driven, and was not designed to develop or contribute to generalizable knowledge. The goal was simply to see specific feedback from MBAT-Rx participants at Brown about what factors they found useful in the delivery and experience of the program so we could better refine our delivery of this program and understand its utility for students, prior to undertaking future research efforts that may lead to generalizable knowledge, for which we have secured separate IRB approval.

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Amishi Jha and Scott Rogers are co-developers and copyright holders of the Mindfulness-Based Attention Training program materials. All other authors declare no competing interests.

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Gunsilius, C.Z., Price, M.M., Rogers, S.L. et al. Paying attention to attention: a program evaluation of faculty-delivered mindfulness-based attention training to optimize wellness and professionalism in medical students. BMC Med Educ 24 , 182 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12909-024-05119-5

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    This paper reports the policy-responses of different Philippine higher education institutions (HEIs) to the novel coronavirus, COVD-19 pandemic. It compares these responses with those made by HEIs in Indonesia, Thailand, and Vietnam. Publicly available data and news reports were used to gauge the general public's reaction to these policies and how the Philippines' responses fare with its ...

  22. PDF Challenges in STEM Learning: A Case of Filipino High School Students

    high school students in the Philippines enrolled in June 2016 which marked the full implementation of the K12 basic education curriculum. The Philippines was the last country in Asia to have a 10-year pre-university basic education. The enactment of the Republic Act 10533 or the Enhanced Basic Education Act paved

  23. education in the Philippines

    Philippine schools gradually transition to old academic calendar. Feb 20, 2024 5:25 PM PHT. Philippine News.

  24. USAID allots P1.6 billion for Philippines' higher education

    Students walk to their schools in Manila yesterday. The Department of Edu- cation announced the opening of school year 2024-2025 for basic education on July 29.

  25. Texas school district not violating CROWN Act, judge says

    ANAHUAC — A Texas judge on Thursday said the Barbers Hill Independent School District can punish a Black student who wears his hair in long locs without violating Texas' new CROWN Act, which ...

  26. Unveiling the Transformative Power of Service-Learning: Student-Led

    This current study measured the impact of a one-time semester-long course-based civic engagement activity on student learning and participant impact, particularly participants' willingness to engage in community dialogue and promote awareness of social justice issues within their communities. The service-learning project involved on-campus and online students from three criminal justice ...

  27. California can't abandon undocumented students after UC vote

    The UC Regents voted 10-6 behind closed doors to keep in place a ban on hiring undocumented students for another year, until January 2025.. Adopting this position changes course from the UC ...

  28. Paying attention to attention: a program evaluation of faculty

    These quotes help facilitate a short 5-10-min discussion where students identify ways they have noticed that theme show up for them in medical training. After this discussion, students are directed to a short series of 3-5 questions which prompt them to consider their own reactions and reflections related to that theme.