A Contemporary Text: Political Rhetoric on Education in the Philippines

In the Philippines, contemporary political rhetoric and public policy on education can be seen through the lens of the Department of Education's (DepEd) ongoing reforms and pronouncements. A recent and highly relevant example is the government's response to the COVID-19 pandemic's impact on learning, encapsulated in initiatives like the "Matatag" (Strong) Agenda. This platform, championed by Vice President and Education Secretary Sara Duterte, sets out social objectives for education that reveal a nuanced blend of didactic and authentic pedagogical approaches, often without explicitly using those terms.

Commentary on Didactic and Authentic Substance

The "Matatag" agenda, while broad, contains clear didactic and authentic objectives. The call for "21st-century skills" and a curriculum review to reduce learning competencies points to an authentic education goal: to create a system that is relevant and not just focused on rote memorization. The emphasis on skills like critical thinking, creativity, and collaboration reflects a desire to move beyond basic factual knowledge and prepare students for a rapidly changing world. On the other hand, the agenda's focus on "addressing learning losses" and a return to "foundational skills" in literacy and numeracy is a strongly didactic objective. The government is signaling a need to double down on direct, structured instruction to ensure that every student masters the basic building blocks of knowledge. This is a pragmatic response to the measurable decline in student performance in core subjects, an acknowledgment that a strong foundation is necessary before more authentic, project-based learning can be truly effective. The rhetoric, therefore, balances the need for direct instruction in core subjects with the broader goal of producing well-rounded, capable citizens.

The political discourse in the Philippines, much like its educational system, rarely presents didactic and authentic education as opposing forces. Instead, they are framed as complementary tools in a shared mission to improve educational outcomes. The substance of the rhetoric isn't about choosing one over the other but about integrating them strategically. Didacticism is used to build a strong academic base, while authentic learning is championed as the means to apply that knowledge to real-world problems. The rhetoric reflects a recognition that a student can't be an effective problem-solver (authentic) without first having a solid grasp of fundamental concepts (didactic).