SHORT ARTICLES -- BERICHTE -- NOTES 115

s i t u a t i o n . I t was f o u n d t h a t t h e p u p i l e n r o l m e n t would ill t h e n e x t t e n y e a r s

i n c r e a s e b y a p p r o x i m a t e l y 30 p e r c e n t n e c e s s i t a t i n g a n a n n u a l increase of 2,000 n e w
t e a c h e r s i n a d d i t i o n t o t h e n o r m a l r e p l a c e m e n t . H o w e v e r , if t h e p u p i l - t e a c h e r r a t i o
were c h a n g e d f r o m 40 : 1 t o 30 : 1, t h e n u m b e r of n e w t e a c h e r s w o u l d h a v e t o b e
raised t o 3,000 a year. T h i s seems a l m o s t a n impossible t a s k as a n effective s o l u t i o n
w o u l d i n v o l v e t h e b u i l d i n g of m a n y n e w colleges t o b e s t a f f e d b y l e c t u r e r s n o t y e t
t r a i n e d for t h e job. A n d t h e s i t u a t i o n will b e still f u r t h e r a g g r a v a t e d if t h e P r i m a r y
E x t e n s i o n school is m a d e c o m p u l s o r y , w h i c h m a n y people a r e h o p i n g for, b u t t h i s
p o s s i b i l i t y was n o t i n c l u d e d in t h e c o m m i t t e e ' s e s t i m a t e s . Seen a g a i n s t t h i s b a c k -
g r o u n d t h e s t o r m s a n d stresses of t h i s y o u n g d e m o c r a c y are n o t enviable, b u t t h e
T h a i people seem t o b e i m b u e d w i t h courage, f o r t i t u d e a n d e n t h u s i a s m w h i c h m a y
c a r r y t h e c o u n t r y h a p p i l y t h r o u g h t h i s t u r b u l e n t t r a n s i t o r y stage.
P. M. J u o z , Oslo, (formerly B a n g k o k )

THE NEW SECONDARY SCHOOL CURRICULUM IN THE PHILIPPINES

B e g i n n i n g w i t h t h e school y e a r 1957--58, all p u b l i c a n d p r i v a t e h i g h schools in t h e

P h i l i p p i n e s , n u m b e r i n g n e a r l y 1,600 a n d enrolling m o r e t h a n 600,000 s t u d e n t s (in a
c o u n t r y of 22,000,000 i n h a b i t a n t s ) , were i n s t r u c t e d t o follow a n e w c u r r i c u l u m , t h e
m a i n f e a t u r e s of w h i c h are as follows : T h e first t w o y e a r s are t o b e a c o m m o n core
for all p u p i l s ; a n d in t h e t h i r d a n d f o u r t h pupils m a y elect e i t h e r a college p r e p a r a -
t o r y or v o c a t i o n a l p r o g r a m m e . U p t o 1957, a s t u d e n t could follow e i t h e r a s t r a i g h t
a c a d e m i c c u r r i c u l u m or o n e t h a t was t w e n t y - f i v e p e r c e n t v o c a t i o n a l . B o t h courses
led t o college or u n i v e r s i t y .
T h e revised c u r r i c u l u m was b a s e d o n all e x p e r i m e n t a l s t u d y in t h r e e h i g h schools
in a n e q u a l n u m b e r of provinces, t h e effort b e i n g t o p r o v i d e for differences in a b i l i t y
a n d i n t e r e s t s a n d t o i m p r o v e t h e p r e p a r a t i o n of t h e s t u d e n t s for h i g h e r studies. T h e
r e s u l t s of t h e e x p e r i m e n t were a n a l y s e d b y t h e B o a r d of N a t i o n a l E d u c a t i o n , c r e a t e d
i n 1954, a n d c o m p o s e d of fifteen m e m b e r s r e p r e s e n t i n g t h e D e p a r t m e n t of E d u -
cation, t h e t e a c h i n g profession, i n d u s t r y a n d agriculture, t h e m a j o r religious groups,
a n d t h e v a r i o u s professions. O n t h e s e r e s u l t s was b a s e d t h e n e w p r o g r a m m e .
I t is p l a n n e d t o i m p l e m e n t t h e n e w c u r r i c u l u m in stages as follows:
1957-58 F i r s t Y e a r
1958-59 F i r s t Y e a r a n d Second Y e a r
1959-60 First, Second a n d T h i r d Y e a r
1960-61 All Y e a r s
T h e m a i n p r o v i s i o n s of t h e revised c u r r i c u l u m are as follows :
Objectives: T h e s e c o n d a r y school shall c o n t i n u e t h e u n i f y i n g f u n c t i o n s of elemen-
t a r y e d u c a t i o n b y p r o v i d i n g general e d u c a t i o n . I t s h a l l seek t o d i s c o v e r t h e v a r y i n g
abilities, interests, a n d a p t i t u d e s of t h e y o u t h , a n d offer courses in t h e d i f f e r e n t
fields of p r o d u c t i v e e n d e a v o u r a c c o r d i n g t o t h e t a l e n t s of t h e y o u t h s a n d in t h e l i g h t
of c o m m u n i t y needs. I t s h a l l also i n i t i a t e a p r o g r a m m e d e s i g n e d t o d e v e l o p c o m m u -
n i t y leadership.
T a k i n g i n t o c o n s i d e r a t i o n t h e e c o n o m i c n e e d s of t h e c o u n t r y , t h e s e c o n d a r y
school m u s t c u l t i v a t e v o c a t i o n a l efficiency w h i c h will help t h e s t u d e n t s t o b e c o m e
effective m e m b e r s of t h e i r f a m i l y a n d c o m m u n i t y . F o r t h o s e w h o will c o n t i n u e t o
h i g h e r s t u d i e s t h e s e c o n d a r y school m u s t offer courses t h a t will p r e p a r e t h e s t u d e n t s
for s u c h studies.
1 16 SHORT ARTICLES -- BERICHTE -- NOTES

The Curriculum. T h e r e shall b e a c o m m o n general c u r r i c u l u m for all s t u d e n t s in

t h e first a n d second y e a r s a n d d i f f e r e n t i a t e d c u r r i c u l a i n t h e t h i r d a n d f o u r t h years,
o n e b r a n c h leading t o college p r e p a r a t i o n a n d t h e o t h e r t o p r a c t i c a l life. U n d e r his
leadership, t h e s e c o n d a r y school p r i n c i p a l s h o u l d o r g a n i z e a n a d v i s o r y b o d y com-
p o s e d of r e p r e s e n t a t i v e s of t h e d i f f e r e n t i n t e r e s t s in t h e c o m m u n i t y , w h o s e functions,
a m o n g others, shall b e t o c o n d u c t periodic s u r v e y s of o c c u p a t i o n s a n d resources of
t h e c o m m u n i t y , t o r e c o m m e n d t h e v o c a t i o n a l courses t o b e offered, a n d c o n t i n u o u s l y
to r e - e x a m i n e a n d e n r i c h o t h e r c u r r i c u l a r offerings.
T h e v o c a t i o n a l courses s h o u l d b e g e a r e d t o t h e o c c u p a t i o n s , resources a n d in-
d u s t r i e s of t h e c o m m u n i t y or region w h e r e t h e school is located. S u c h courses s h o u l d
a i m t o develop n e c e s s a r y c o m p e t e n c i e s w h i c h will e n a b l e t h e s t u d e n t s t o help in t h e
e c o n o m i c d e v e l o p m e n t of t h e c o m m u n i t y a n d of t h e c o u n t r y as a whole a n d t o
f u r t h e r c u l t i v a t e a n d s t r e n g t h e n h a b i t s of i n d u s t r y , i n i t i a t i v e , a n d r e s p e c t for t h e
d i g n i t y of labour. P a r t of t h e t r a i n i n g s h o u l d b e g i v e n in school shops, school farms,
a n d w h e r e v e r possible i n t h e shops, factories, stores, offices a n d h o m e s in t h e
c o m m u n i t y . E v e r y school s h o u l d p r o v i d e a n effective g u i d a n c e p r o g r a m m e t o h e l p
t h e s t u d e n t s in t h e i r s t u d i e s a n d in t h e i r choice of f u t u r e careers.
G r e a t e r e m p h a s i s t h a n ever before s h o u l d b e g i v e n t o science a n d m a t h e m a t i c s
in t h e college p r e p a r a t o r y b r a n c h . A s y s t e m of electives m u s t b e p r o v i d e d t h a t
will m a k e i t possible for t h e s t u d e n t s t o follow t h e courses w h i c h b e s t fit t h e i r
abilities a n d s u i t t h e i r interests.
M i n i m u m Requirements. T h e following t a b l e gives t h e m i n i m u m r e q u i r e m e n t s for
g r a d u a t i o n in t h e t w o b r a n c h e s of t h e s e c o n d a r y school:

Common College P r e p a r a t o r y Vocational

Subjects I-II III IV Total III IV Total

English 2 2 2 6 1 1 4
Filipino L a n g u a g e 2-1 1 1 4 89 89 3
Social Science 2 1 1 4 1 1 4
Mathematics 2 2 2 6 1 1 4
Science 2 2 2 6 1 1 4
Health, PE & PMT 2 1 1 4 89 89 3
W o r k E x p e r i e n c e (Boys) or 4 - - 4 4 4 12
H o m e E c o n o m i c s (Girls)

T o t a l ( 4 0 - m i n u t e periods) 16 9 9 34 9 9 34

I n o r d e r t o m a k e t h e v o c a t i o n a l courses effective, a c a d e m i c classes s h o u l d b e

held in t h e m o r n i n g a n d v o c a t i o n a l classes i n t h e a f t e r n o o n , or vice versa. T h e
s t u d e n t s s h o u l d b e e n c o u r a g e d t o dress for w o r k as well as t o e n g a g e in it. W h e r e v e r
possible t h e s t u d e n t s s h o u l d b e g i v e n a c h a n c e to engage i n w o r k p r o j e c t s t o e a r n
t h e i r t u i t i o n fees a n d o t h e r school expenses. I n doing so, t h e y will a t t h e s a m e t i m e
l e a r n t h e v a l u e of m o n e y b e c a u s e t h e y will e a r n a n d s p e n d it.
I t is t o o e a r l y t o tell w h e t h e r a n d t o w h a t e x t e n t t h e n e w c u r r i c u l u m will b e
effective. T h e r e seems t o b e little t o b e desired o n t h e o r e t i c a l grounds. O n l y
p r a c t i c e will tell. T h e r e is n o d o u b t t h a t t h e r e will b e p r o b l e m s b e g i n n i n g t h e school
y e a r 1959-60. H o w m a n y of t h e s t u d e n t s will a c t u a l l y select t h e v o c a t i o n a l b r a n c h
is h a r d t o tell, since u p t o n o w w h i t e - c o l l a r o c c u p a t i o n s h a v e p r o v e d m u c h m o r e
a t t r a c t i v e t h a n m a n u a l work. To w h a t e x t e n t t h e n e e d e d e q u i p m e n t a n d specialized
 SHORT ARTICLES -- BERICHTE -- NOTES 117

teachers will be provided, especially in the private schools which enroll more than
sixty per cent of the students and whose courses have been entirely academic, it is
difficult to estimate. Guidance workers, fully trained, and guidance material are in
short supply, and so are specialized vocational teachers. The fact is t h a t there have
been doubts raised as to whether, if ever, the revised programme will be fully
implemented.
PEDRO ORATA, Paris

EDUCATIONAL DEVELOPMENTS IN T H E UNITED STATES

D U R I N G 1957 AND 1958

Education in the United States during the years 1957 and 1958 was characterized
by m a n y of the same problems which had developed earlier in the decade 1). Thus,
the number of qualified teachers was insufficient, school buildings and equipment
proved still inadequate, and the general financing of education was hardly satis-
factory.
The estimate by the U.S. Office of Education of the enrollment for 1958-1959
was as follows: 31,793,000 in kindergartens and primary schools (public and pri-
vate); 8,880,000 ill secondary schools (public and private); and 3,623,000 in the
various higher educational institutions. The overall figure of 44,945,000 was an
increase of 1,750,000 over 1957-1958 and of 3,500,000 over 1956-1957.
I t was obvious t h a t the rising enrollments would aggravate the existing pro-
blems on all levels of education. Despite the apparently discouraging conditions,
American educators continued to plan and provide for the gifted and retarded
children. They kept up their campaign for the recruitment of new teachers and for
better salaries for those already in the profession. Special attention was bestowed
upon tile late bloomer, the pupil whose abilities become apparent several years after
most pupils have been classified with respect to their special gifts in education. To
bring special educational opportunities to the many, educators made use of 33
educational television stations during 1958. Local and national television programs
in a variety of subjects of study were well received by the public.
During 1957, despite President Eisenhower's urgent appeal for a law to furnish
Federal funds for the construction of school buildings all over the country, Congress
failed to enact any general legislation on educational finance. However, in August of
the following year, after much debate, Congress did pass the National Defense
Education Act of 1958 aiming "'to strengthen the national defense and assist in the
expansion and improvement of educational programs to meet critical national
needs." The new law made available a sum of $877,000,000 for the next four years
for graduate fellowships to future college instructors, loans to students, tests to
identify talented students, and adequate teaching materials for the sciences,
mathematics, and the modern languages. While this law appeared to benefit higher
education primarily, the U.S. Commissioner of Education, Dr. Lawrence G.
Derthick, maintained t h a t its influence "will be felt from the elementary grades to
the graduate school." Most educators looked upon the law as a compromise, rather
than as a satisfying act of legislation.
Throughout 1957 and 1958 U.S. educators placed particular stress on the teaching
1) William W. Brickman, "Educational Developments ill the United States
during 1956", International Review ol Education, I V / l , 1958, pp. 124-126.