Philippines: Strength and Weakness of Science Curricula

ISSN 2540 9859 (online) Edited by: Noly Shofiyah *Correspondence Dandan Sumardani s1090815@mail.ncyu.edu.tw Received: 21-10-2021 Accepted: 23-11-2021 Published: 30-11-2021 Citation: Sumardani Dandan (2021) Philippines: Strength and Weakness of Science Curricula. Science Education Journal (SEJ). 5:2. doi: 10.21070/sej.v5i2.1507 The Philippines is a country in Asia which in its curriculum requires English as the medium of Instruction, even so the scientific ability of students in the Philippines is not so good as seen based on PISA 2018. Many things can be learned from the curriculum of other countries so that it can be an illustration of how the curriculum should be perfected. This article provides an overview of how the process of science lessons taught in Philippine schools and the obstacles it faces. The method used is In depth Interview with qualitative analysis. This article suggests that the medium of instruction is important for the continuity of the learning process in the classroom, at the same time this can be a lesson for schools in any country that will carry out the bilingualization process in their schools or use a second language as a medium of instruction, to pay attention to the long-term effects on students and conduct research. depth before applying the approach.

The Philippines is a country in Asia which in its curriculum requires English as the medium of Instruction, even so the scientific ability of students in the Philippines is not so good as seen based on PISA 2018. Many things can be learned from the curriculum of other countries so that it can be an illustration of how the curriculum should be perfected. This article provides an overview of how the process of science lessons taught in Philippine schools and the obstacles it faces. The method used is In depth Interview with qualitative analysis. This article suggests that the medium of instruction is important for the continuity of the learning process in the classroom, at the same time this can be a lesson for schools in any country that will carry out the bilingualization process in their schools or use a second language as a medium of instruction, to pay attention to the long-term effects on students and conduct research. depth before applying the approach.

INTRODUCTION
Cross cultural study will show the strength and the weakness of education policy. A comparison study within two countries or more (cross-cultural) begins the trends since the popularity of globalization arises for over two decades (Bray, 2010). As the scientific concepts are universal across the world, various researchers see a cross-cultural study as a part of a programme to explore students' understanding of a certain topic and whether it influenced by the differences teaching and learning methods in the different educational context (Tan et al, 2008).
For the teacher, we can learn how to conduct the wellstructure classroom. We can learn from the perspective of another country that have strength than our own country, for example, Filipino that already use Bilingual Education.
This research would explore the Filipino curricula. This study aims to describe the general curriculum in Philippines and use as the preliminary research for comparative study to get insight from Filipino Teacher.

METHODS
In Depth Interview conduct in this study. Conversation but is designed to stimulate depth of meaning from the perspective of the participant (Rutledge & Hogg, 2020) and using Open Ended by Rutledge (2020). To conduct interview, we use oneon-one conversations that allow individuals the psychological space and time to tell their own story in their own words (Rutledge & Hogg, 2020). For analysing and coding, we use ATLAS.Ti ® to get the point in the data interview.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
Cross cultural study will show the strength and the weakness of education policy. (Rahayu & Kita, 2010) make suggestion for Japanese chemistry teachers and textbooks authors, he suggest introducing the technical words of chemistry carefully, so that students do not confuse the scientific meanings of the words.
Language definitely plays a crucial role in formal instruction. Herron in 1996 argues that the meanings of the same words in science chemistry and everyday life are different. In other words, students are able to understand the language of chemistry only within chemistry contexts (Chiu, 2007). For example, the word 融化 (Rónghuà) as melting and 溶解 (Róngjiě) as dissolving in Mandarin is almost similar in pronunciation and meaning.
The research from (Chiu, 2007) also reveals the most impressive finding that the Chinese characters that, on the one hand, served to facilitate student understanding of the nature of chemistry (such as acid rain implies acidity or the Chinese character with 金 "gold"), and on the other hand, had a detrimental effect on students' conceptualisation (such as carbon hydrate with 酸, acid in Chinese). Even the same character (酸) represented a different nature of matter.
The previous research proves the evidence that different approach, language, different country has different strength and weakness. Local Language (Japan, Taiwan) fail to state the meaningful learning. We need to realize that the knowledge come from wester (English). The solution for these problem, (Chiu M.H, 2007) state student should be introduced to the correct meanings of chemistry words only after acquiring some schemas (using mother tongue) in chemistry contexts. What if we change the All Instructional in classroom to English? because the original source for Science is from Western in English. Let's see what happen with Filipino teacher.
Curriculum Expect from Filipino Teacher K-12 (K to 12 Curriculum) is the latest curriculum of Philippine state in 2013. (Roy Montebon, 2014) state that students generally perceive that the implementation of the new science curriculum positively affects the way they learn science concepts, acquire scientific skills, and develop scientific attitudes and values. Among the different learning domains that the K12 science curriculum wants to improve, it is the values and attitude formation domain which students agreed to have relevance to them. Lastly, students generally perceive that their teachers judiciously implement the K12 curriculum. As mention by the interviewee that "the curriculum Expect us, as a teacher, in the Philippines, is to deliver a very good teaching learning process in a in the students like, for example, the students should achieve the certain skill or at the end of the of the concept that is being discussed with the teacher, if for example, inside they talk about certain concepts in chemistry, and then the teacher should also kind of knowledgeable enough to deliver the that certain concepts. so that at the end of kind of, we have these kinds of formatting something in formative tests in the Philippines." The main concept from the teacher is good in learning process (Pedagogy), and knowledgeable enough.

Science Education in Philippines
We need to consider that every country has different approaches. Every country has a different way to teach science. For the Philippines, the official instruction of curriculum to teach all course in using English.
"Okay, the medium of the instructions is always English, and always English. And sometimes if the students don't understand some terms in science. The teacher, the official language in school are two; Filipino and English. So in science, math and science, math and other, especially in English, and the as much as possible, the medium of instruction is English. In public school" "like for example, I will tell you this kind of subject area,

Low Performance in Science
Filipino students' poor achievement levels in science have been documented for several years now (Bernardo et al, 2008). Also, in PISA 2018 as shown in Figure 1.
[ Figure 1 about here.] Given the poor performance of students in the NEAT and NSAT (the National Elementary Achievement Test [or NEAT] and the National Secondary Achievement Test [or NSAT]), Filipinos should not have been surprised with the results of the Third International Math and Science Study administered internationally in 41 countries in 1998, and which showed the Philippines as ranking second and third from the bottom in mathematics and science tests respectively (Lingard, 2013). Even in 2018, Filipino student is ranked as the second from the bottom in math and science.
Everybody in the Philippines necessarily must become a linguist, but the quality is often regrettably low, we are told. The greatest segment of time in the school curriculum is devoted to language work. Eventually this problem may become less acute, either by achievement of a truly national language, or by a change of policy; but at present it is a major obstacle to education in general, as well as to science education in particular (Hubler, 1964).
The language problem is continually uppermost in the minds of teachers. They ask how they can teach science when the children are unable to understand the language. The answer, of course, is to use concrete materials and experiences to circumvent language difficulties. Direct experience also is the best way to develop word meanings-in any language. But to compound the difficulties, suitable teaching resources are most limited. Asked by another teacher how direct experience could be provided to make atomic structure understandable, one teacher replied: "I always explain difficult concepts in the vernacular to avoid the language problem." Thus, the problem persists (Hubler, 1964).
The English language has enjoyed a privileged status in 1 https://www.officialgazette.gov.ph/k-12/ Philippine formal education since US President McKinley declared it the medium of instruction of the Philippine public educational system in 1900. But the pre-eminence of English has been vigorously called to question since then (Bernardo, 2004). One additional issue is that the official language of instruction in science classes is English. However, it is recognized that for most teachers and students, a mixture of English and Filipino dialects is used in classroom instruction and conversation (Beasley, 1999).
However, this English only order gave way to the official letter of instruction that seemed to acknowledge the difficulty in using the language of the people (however defined) when there were no teaching materials in the native languages. The reason why English-Only; first, the American teachers could more effectively teach in English. second, English was thought to be a language that could unite the Filipinos from the different regions who spoke different languages and dialects. Third, English was thought of as the language that would provide the Filipinos access to civilization (Bernardo, 2004).

However, using English not meaning always good.
The impact of this on meaningful verbal learning at the high school level is not clearly understood. Filipinos (500 Filipino principals and teachers) generally believe that if the medium of instruction were their first language, then more meaningful learning might be forthcoming. Government policy would suggest that this is unlikely to occur in the foreseeable future (Beasley, 1999). The pros and cons are very strong in the application of this policy (Bernardo, 2004). (Shohamy E, 2011) stated that experiments provided empirical evidence on the pedagogical benefits of using local languages in education, or to state it negatively, on the pedagogical disadvantages of using English as medium of instruction.
There were two other relevant developments in the educational circles that contributed to the criticism of the English-only policy during the 1950s. The first was the UNESCO monograph affirming the necessity of beginning schooling in the students' mother tongue `because they understand it best and because to begin their school life in the mother tongue will make the break between the home and school as small as possible' (UNESCO, 1953) (Bernardo, 2004).
Students are able to learn best through their first language, their Mother Tongue (MT). Twelve (12)  it's different entity." Thematic approach (the science subject is connected with other subjects and integrated within a theme). The thematic approach in elementary schools is applied in Indonesia system through the curriculum revision in 2013. This approach is applied based on the research that learning is best carried out in thematic work, integrating different knowledge areas that facilitates a deeper knowledge and understanding of the surrounding world (Björklund & Ahlskog-Björkman, 2017). Whereas, in Taiwan, the learning approach is based on the subject-centered curriculum. This approach is established hierarchy of subjects, with the mother tongue, mathematics, and science invariably dominant in perceived importance (Granville, 2019).
When ask about the condition if student don't want to be scientists.

vital role to let them understand that even though you don't need to become a scientist in the future, you still need to know about Science. learning sciences is important"
This teacher argument is based on the philosophy of progressivism by John Dewey that took into account the students' individualities, stimulating teachers' creativity and focusing on a practice based education (Radu, 2011). And when it come to assessment. We as a teacher commonly believe if our student are not interested in the future to become scientists, at least you need to learn the least, the limit, it is like the limit of learning sciences. However, we still need to assess, Filipino teacher say: "Oh, okay. In the Philippines, we have, we have these kind of national achievement test in the Philippines. national achievement test is a kind of a measurement for measurement of the students knowledge in certain subject area. So, we, the teachers prepare them for the National achievement tests, because if Majority of the students fail in certain subject area, in that national achievement test, the principal will analyze the result. And the principal will advise the teacher why it is happening, So, meaning the teaching learning process is not good enough, because the students didn't pass the national achievement test. So, meaning it will always a blame to the teacher. What if the students are majority of the students pass? Meaning that the teacher deliver well curriculum, deliver well. the performs better in the teaching learning process of the child. Like, for example, I am the teacher, and then I need to prepare them in the national achievement test. And then, when the achieve national achievement test result comes, that the Minister of Education was submitted the basis and then the principal will discuss it to the teachers. So, and then by then they will assess on why your students like these were your students like that".

Instruction: Term of Evaluation
Likewise, national tests aimed at monitoring improvements in learning achievements reveal unacceptable levels of performance among the country's elementary and high school graduates. Between 1993/1994, when these tests (the National Elementary Achievement Test [or NEAT] and the National Secondary Achievement Test [or NSAT]) were instituted (Lingard, 2013).

For the school level of instruction: Evaluation in school level
Commonly, in school, in this nation achievement test. In the classroom, teacher commonly have kind of criteria or set the least minimum of student achievement of student outcome. Filipino teacher, "So, in the Philippines, it like this, like in one school year of the child it has four term grades, first grading, second grading, third grading for grading. So, in specific third grade, the teacher will mark them based on the quizzes, the performance of that child during the class. So they will have this kind of, you know, criteria on how to grade the students and how they will grade the students. For  condition in level of emotional intelligence, conflict management styles, and transformational leadership skills (Jimlan, 2019). For Philippine, monitoring the school in public especially in public school. "The school principal always do, we have this kind of monitoring tool in every school, and which is only be accessed by the principal. the principal, the principal should take good care or pick good supervision, oh, yeah, to the teachers to that specific school." For this case, Principle is being person that monitor the teacher. There is a sense of urgency about improving student outcomes, with the teachers feeling that they are being blamed to some extent by government and department officials for the poor results (Beasley, 1999).
Sometime, principle using secret monitoring and surprised monitoring to know the teacher performance. And then we have also this kind of surprise, surprise evaluation to the teachers so. So, um, so that the principal would know, if she or he delivers Well, the topic of the day, are kind of that.
"kind of monitoring tool or assessment tool to the teachers, because the principal would know how well how how good this teacher is in delivering the lessons of the day" Tool that teacher use is; "They do paperwork and read, then, submit to the principle. lot of paperwork to do for, for that teacher that needs to read to submit to submit to the principal," In this case, "the principal is responsible to the government and teachers responsible to the principal. So the teachers not responsible to the government directly" Period: some assessment tool that needs to be accomplished before a certain grading period "For the period, some assesment tools need to be accomplished before a certain grading period." This sense of personal concern, and debt of gratitude, reflects the Filipino and Asian values of taking care of one's own, as well as an emphasis on family as a model of employment relationships (Fry & Mees, 2014) (Salvador et al, 1997) (David, 2019).
Eight principals were interviewed. The result show that For some this relationship assumes a personal quality, that of a principle which considers the school a second home. Principal B stated that: "The relationship is like in a home. We consider (our school) our home, our second home". Counsellor B confirmed this, despite serving both college and high school, she maintained close coordination with the principal and assistant principal in the high school department (David, 2019).

The Revolution
Across Asia, countries have signed and ratified the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD) (United Nations, 2006) with its clear position of inclusive education as a right. Furthermore, the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, signed by all states parties (United Nations, 2015), contains Goal 4: Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all. Therefore, across the globe, countries to a greater or lesser extent are pursuing inclusive education (Faragher et al, 2021).
"Okay, I want to change I want to include actually. I don't want to change, but I want to include some idea about our curriculum about our system, I just want to promote inclusive education, inclusive education because in in in the Philippines, students with learning difficulty has been isolated from the regular class. So we have this kind of experimental classrooms, like they, the experimental classrooms, they place all the students with learning difficulties, so so that the teachers will focus will focus more about them, and then, you know, the regular class is still a regular class, but I hope in the future, it will change like, I should, I hope we could, the Philippine government will promote more about inclusive education, although it's very hard to school, it's very hard to do the teachers, it's very hard for the policy, but little by little we can we can change we can adapt, because inclusive education is you know, we don't we don't it's not it's not there, it's use, it's not their fault, why they have the this kind of learning difficulty. So, as much as we want, like, you know, sometimes we learn something from our friends something so through inclusive education, maybe that someone who has been has a learning difficulty, which is included the regular what if, he or she will improve a lot. So like, like that, so that the students with learning difficulty will not think, Oh, I was put in learning difficulty. I guess. I was put in the in the night Yes. I was put in the in the in the experiment classroom, and then, oh, maybe I'm really, really bored, blah, blah, blah. And so it will not it will affect their self esteem. For too long though. I want to bring something that you want to change this inclusive, energy efficient classroom is really important." Barriers to inclusive education and other issues noted by (Lim & Thaver, 2014) include: • excessively competitive school culture (Korea), • challenges of policy to practice implementation leading to exclusionary practices (Malaysia), • public pressure rather than policy being the driver for more inclusive education practices (Hong Kong), • cultural perceptions of disability, and challenges with policies and resources (Thailand), • need for teacher education to support and promote inclusive practices (Brunei Darussalam, Singapore), and • capacity of mainstream schools to include students with dis-abilities (Singapore). In September 2019, the Philippine Department of Education launched the Transition Curriculum for Learners with Disabilities in different packages (not publicly available). This curriculum is based on a program implemented in Ireland. There are five transition program packages available for students with dis-abilities. Common to all these packages is the aim of supporting these students become functionally literate and holistically developed Filipinos (Pawilen, Sibayan, Manuel, & Buhat, 2018 The Philippine Department of Education recently released the revised K to 12 basic education guidelines (DepEd, 2019). A new component of this document is the Inclusive Education Policy Framework for Basic Education, released as the Fifth Annex to the Basic Education Guidelines (Faragher et al, 2021).
The role of teacher/researchers is crucial in the implementation of inclusive education in the Philippines. Efforts to promote inclusive education in various dimensions of education such as in curriculum, programs and projects and recruitment are observable based on the uploads in Department of Education portals. However, whether these efforts are research-based or purely experiential remain unclear and need further inquiry (Faragher et al, 2021).
While progress towards provision of inclusive education is evident, a significant issue for equitable provision of inclusive education in the Philippines is the presence of civil unrest. Schools in war-torn areas in Southern Philippines present evi-dence for inadequate support from the government. Besides its geographical characteristics, the situation is exacerbated by the continuous conflict between armed groups and the government (UNICEF, 2018a) (Faragher et al, 2021).

CONCLUSIONS
The description of the Philippine Curriculum provides a brief overview of the importance of medium of instruction which is equally well understood by students and students in the classroom. The description of Filipino educators can also be a reference for educators in any country to pay attention to communication with students. In addition, the description of Filipino educators can also be a consideration for schools in several Asian countries, such as Indonesia, Taiwan, Korea, and Japan to consider the long-term effect on the development of science and mathematics on students by using secondary language as a medium of instruction.