By Meraki

Schools serve as avenues for students to thrive, learn, and gain experiences that will help them in the long run. Through daily interactions with fellow learners, consultations and discussions with teachers, as well as engagements in extracurricular activities, students learn how to grow not only academically but also socially, morally, and spiritually. Moreover, students learn to interact with people from diverse backgrounds, preparing them for future endeavors and professions as stewards of change and progress. With this, schools also play a pivotal role in instilling values and morals to students outside of the usual academic setup. However, when students act outside this established bracket of good moral and conduct, are they at fault, or is the system more to blame?

Do students fall short, or does the system disappoint their students?

The Philippines’ education system revolves around numerous facets and is influenced by a number of factors. One such factor is finance, wherein budget allotments greatly affect the quantity and quality of resources provided to students and even educators. However, despite how the basic education system is one of the most crucial aspects of the nation’s education system, it faces a Php 1.1 billion budget deficit in the 2024 National Budget, which speaks volumes about the government’s unclear priorities.

On top of this, there are also issues that have circulated regarding the politics at play within the Department of Education (DepEd). For one, the Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT) party-list group stated on December 25, 2023 that educators and staff members wanted a new secretary for the department for this Christmas, expressing dissatisfaction with Vice President and Education Secretary Sara Duterte’s handling of problems in the education sector. Aside from that, the “12 Wishes” of teachers and school workers for Christmas, published by the ACT Teachers on Christmas Day, included a desire for radical change in working conditions and higher pay. In a statement, the group mentioned, “One of the main wishes of many teachers and education personnel is for the DepEd to have a new secretary who prioritizes teachers and students, and one that has real experience in the education sector.” It emphasized that Duterte, who has led DepEd since June of last year, was unable to implement “tangible changes” in the field. 

The group also lamented that the Program for International Student Assessment (PISA), among other international student examinations, indicated that the Philippines is still falling behind. Furthermore, teachers and personnel who voice their calls and interests are reportedly being red-tagged and attacked by DepEd under Sara Duterte’s direction, according to ACT. Alongside their demands for an improved educational system, teachers also want those who had been red-baiting and terror-labeling them to be held accountable for their actions.

In a typical classroom setup, the ideal average class size, according to DepEd Order No. 21, s. 2006, is 50 students. This contradicts the department’s previous proclamation, aligning with Senate Bill No. 1892, that limiting the number of students to 35 would enhance learning conditions.  ACT highlights that teachers now manage 40 to 50 students per class, with 7 to 8 teaching loads, while also handling school administrative duties. “It is no longer uncommon to see teachers handling classes with 60 to 80 students,” Antonio Tinio, an ACT representative, notes. He adds that “an oversized class is one of the main causes of the marked decline in the quality of education provided by our public schools.” 

With these, there remains a noticeable gap in achieving the appropriate ratio for effective teaching and learning. In order to address the approximately 147,000 teacher shortage, ACT recommends a 14 billion peso proposal to cover for future enrollments and achieve an average target of 35 students per class. However, the fundamental issue contributing to this dearth of educators is the occasional unjustified workload imposed by the education system on Filipino teachers. Better treatment is due for our teachers—those who serve as the backbone of the Filipino people’s “nurturing parent.” In reality, the basic pay for teachers is far less than the national living wage and is not commensurate with the quality of their work.

Despite improvements in enrollment rates, the Philippines is experiencing a learning crisis because students are not learning much in the classroom. At age 10, over 90% of Filipino students are still unable to read and comprehend content appropriate for their age. Filipino students also lag behind students in other nations, performing poorly on standardized tests like the Programme for International Student Assessment and TIMSS (Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study), particularly in core subjects like reading, math, and science. 

Validation over virtuousness 

With the current context of the nation’s education system, many students may struggle to uphold academic integrity, especially with the longing to continuously progress academically in the hopes of being able to pursue future endeavors with excellent records to show.

In any school, values are an integral part of the academic system. These may include, but are not limited to, values and religious education, along with formation activities such as retreats, recollections, and daily reflections. Nonetheless, these activities and initiatives can only do so much. The success of such endeavors still greatly relies on the students’ willingness to cooperate and actually put these learnings into practice.

Academic fraud is pervasive and occurs in even the most esteemed universities. According to a 2012 study by the Josephson Institute’s Center for Youth Ethics, 74% of high school students reported having copied their friends’ schoolwork, with more than half admitting to cheating on an exam. Furthermore, between 2002 and 2015, a poll involving 70,000 high school students nationwide revealed that 58% acknowledged having plagiarized papers, and 95% admitted to engaging in some form of cheating.

The practice of academic dishonesty can stem from various factors, including personal, familial, and even with regard to established connections and friendships in school. One dominating factor from various studies is the mentality of many students. Many students feel anxiety for what the future holds. Additionally, it was found that high-achieving students, who feel pressured to attain perfection, may resort to cheating to gain a competitive advantage or to prevent a single poor test score from undermining months of hard work. Students who receive praise solely for their intelligence, rather than for their effort and progress, are more inclined to exaggerate their performance and cheat on assignments, likely due to the burden of lofty expectations they carry. Many students also feel pressure from those around them, leading them to adopt strategies to maintain or improve their academic performance. Thus, most resort to—although immoral—actions that can guarantee their success, specifically in academics. 

Diving Headfirst: The ASHS’ Pulse in Academic Integrity

The Ateneo Senior High School (ASHS) is esteemed for its renowned student formation initiatives, in addition to its excellent quality of education. Beyond forming a group of skilled educators who instill knowledge to learners, there exists a team of counselors, formators, and campus ministry officers dedicated to supporting students beyond the realm of academics, particularly in personal, moral, and spiritual development. Despite these tireless efforts, immoral acts, including academic dishonesty, still prevail within the ASHS.

Mr. Ignacio Soriano, usually addressed as Sir Bong Ignacio, expressed his take on the issue as the school’s Head of Discipline and Grade 12 ABM Strand Coordinator. 

Sir Bong puts emphasis on the values instilled by the school to its students, especially the 5Cs: Competence, Conscience, Compassion, Commitment, and Christ-centeredness. These values help students navigate life with moral and spiritual competence. Additionally, Sir Bong highlights the numerous formation activities initiated by the school. “We have formation sessions. We start with the Code of Discipline way back in August because we want [the students] to know [their] parameters,” Sir Bong explains. At the beginning of the school year, activities such as Ignatian Spirituality and Ateneo Culture (ISAC) and Schola Brevis, along with weekly formation sessions, reinforce Atenean and Ignatian values through various modules and activities. “Those formation sessions are team efforts. We have the guidance counselors, strand coordinators, and the Campus Ministry Office (CMO). So, all of them really team up to make sure that all those formation sessions are aimed to attain our mission,” he adds. In spite of this, Sir Bong acknowledges the fact that the formation team doesn’t have control over everything and that there are so many unknown variables that may influence students to choose dishonesty and engage in other immoral activities.

The administration’s approach, according to Sir Bong, involves various proactive measures. For instance, regarding long tests or quizzes, every teacher creates their own sets of tests for each section to avoid leakage, despite this being tedious. Strict exam protocols are also ensured, such as seats being set apart and belongings separated from students. Additionally, CCTV surveillance is installed in every classroom to address this particular need. In terms of online and output submissions, the school also initiated the use of Turnitin to avoid plagiarism or the submission of AI-generated projects. If students also find lessons difficult to understand, teachers offer daily individual consultations, whether in person or online, and even provide study halls twice a week. With this, Sir Bong stresses that there is no substitute for good teaching and learning as he believes that, “If one is really competent, there is no need to resort to shortcuts.”

In dealing with cases of academic dishonesty, a Disciplinary Intervention (DI) 3 program is initiated involving collaboration among various school personnel and student involvement in tasks addressing values. In this process, the presence of parents of students involved is required, as the formation team believes that parents will be able to provide moral support to their children. The CMO is also involved for spiritual support, while the guidance team ensures that psychological support is provided. Strand Coordinators, the Assistant Principal for Formation, and the Principal also facilitate the investigation process, including a series of dialogues to help students address their concerns. According to Sir Bong, they are also required to come up with an output, which should reflect all the realizations and learning from the various tasks they completed. Throughout this process, the team assures that involved students will be provided with all the support they need, as Sir Bong also acknowledges that it is not easy to go through.

Generally speaking, Sir Bong, on behalf of the formation team, advises students to nurture their relationship with Christ and cultivate their spiritual life, as it serves as their guide to upholding morality even beyond the school’s premises. “If one establishes commitment to doing the right thing, this is something that you would never even imagine that you would fall into. And then, if you have compassion for yourself, this is something that you would not wish yourself to be in,” Sir Bong highlights. Additionally, Sir Bong also stresses that students of the ASHS, at this time, are exposed to numerous influences, making it challenging for them to navigate life. Thus, he also encourages practicing mindfulness and ‘finding the right heart and mindset.’ Sir Bong also adds, “I think of those [tools] as something that can work for you or against you, so it’s really up to you to make it work for you, and not you being used by it.” With that, Sir Bong recognizes that the school can only take care of students as long as they are here, and there are limitations to what they can do. Nevertheless, he firmly believes in the school’s mission.

Academic Dishonesty: Still Up in The Air

Following recent incidents, investigations have been conducted, and students are advised to uphold academic integrity by nurturing their relationship with Christ, practicing competence, and recognizing the need for improvement, emphasizing personal responsibility amidst external influences.

The persistent prevalence of academic dishonesty remains evident to this day. This reality carries with it the disappointing implication that the current academic system still has a long way to go, particularly in terms of instilling values in its students. This deficiency has a ripple effect on the society to be shaped by future stewards and agents of our nation’s supposed betterment—our youth. To build a society that is not only intellectually excellent but also morally upright is clearly not a dime a dozen, but it does not necessarily mean that it is impossible to achieve. With the proper mindset and alignment of values for future generations, the gradual construction of a better world becomes feasible. However, without ample commitment from all parties involved, achieving such goals would truly be like a cold day in hell. With that said, the disenchanting fact remains that the issue surrounding academic integrity is still up in the air, speaking volumes about the current reality we face to this day.