Lesson 3: Science Education in the Philippines

The Concept of Science Education

Science education focuses on teaching, learning, and understanding science. Teaching science involves
developing ways on how to effectively teach science. This means exploring pedagogical theories and
models in helping teachers teach scientific concepts and processes effectively. Learning science, on the
other hand, includes both pedagogy and the most interesting aspect, which is helping students
understand and love science.

Understanding science implies developing and applying science-process skills and using science literacy
in understanding the natural world and activities in everyday life.

Getting deeper into the discourse of science education, John Dewey (2001) stressed the importance of
utilizing the natural environment to teach students. Accordingly, nature must indeed furnish its physical
stimuli to provide wealth of meaning through social activities and thinking. It is not surprising therefore
that science education is important. In fact, Marx (1994) opines that science is going to be one of the
most important school subjects in the future.

Science education is justified by the vast amount of scientific knowledge developed in this area that
prepares citizens in a scientifically and technologically driven world. Science education provides skills and
knowledge that are necessary for a person to live in what Knight (1986) describes as the age of science
and to develop a citizenry that will meet the goals of science in the society (Tilghman, 2005). Developing
a science culture is therefore an immense responsibility for schools.

Science Education in Basic and Tertiary Education

In basic education, science education helps students learn important concepts and facts that are related
to everyday life (Carale & Campo, 2003; Meador, 2005; Worth & Grollman, 2003) including important
skills such as process skills, critical thinking skills, and life skills that are needed in coping up with daily life
activities (Chaille & Britain, 2002). Science education also develops positive attitude such as: the love for
knowledge, passion for innovative things, curiosity to study about nature, and creativity (Lind, 1997).
Science education will develop a strong foundation for studying science and for considering
sciencerelated careers in the future. This is an investment for the country to develop a scientifically
cultured and literate citizenry.

In tertiary education, science education deals with developing students' understanding and appreciation
of science ideas and scientific works. This is done through offering basic science courses in the General
Education curriculum. Science education in the tertiary level also focuses on the preparation of science
teachers, scientists, engineers, and other professionals in various science-related fields such as
engineering agriculture, medicine, and health sciences. The state provides scholarships to encourage
more students to pursue science courses.
Science Schools in the Philippines

One outstanding program for science education supported by the government is the establishment of
science schools in various parts of the country. There are also several government programs
implemented by the Department of Education and few private schools for science education.

Philippine Science High School System (PSHSS)

This is a government program for gifted students in the Philippines. It is a service institute of the
Department of Science and Technology (DOST) whose mandate is to offer free scholarship basis for
secondary course with special emphasis on subjects pertaining to the sciences, with the end-view of
preparing its students for a science career (Republic Act No. 3661). The school maintains a dormitory for
all its students.

Since its inception, the PSHSS continues to pursue its vision to develop Filipino science scholars with
scientific minds and passion for excellence. PSHSS students have proven to be a beacon of excellence,
courage, and hope for the country. They have brought honor to the Philippines through their exemplary
achievements in various international competitions and research circles. When the students graduate
from the school, they are expected to pursue degrees in science and technology at various colleges and
universities locally or abroad.

Special Science Elementary Schools (SSES) Project

The Special Science Elementary Schools (SSES) Project is in pursuance to DepEd Order No. 73 s. 2008,
and DepEd Order No. 51 S. 2010. This project started in June 2007 with 57 identified elementary schools
that participated or were identified as science elementary schools in the country. Since its inception, the
number have grown to more than 60 schools nationwide and this is now its sixth year of
implementation.

The SSES Project aims to develop Filipino children equipped with scientific and technological knowledge,
skills, and values. Its mission is to:

provide a learning environment to science-inclined children through a special curriculum that

The subject Science and Health is taught in Grade 1 with a longer time compared to other subjects: 70
minutes for Grades I to III and 80 minutes for Grades IV to VI. The curriculum also utilizes different
instructional approaches that address the learning styles and needs of the learners like the use of
investigatory projects.

Quezon City Regional Science High School

The school was established on September 17, 1967. Originally, it was named Quezon City Science High
School. It was turned into a regional science high school for the National Capital Region in 1999. The
school was a product of a dream to establish a special science school for talented students in science and
mathematics. The focus of the curriculum is on science and technology. The school still teaches the hoc:
education courses prescribed by the Department of Education (DepEd) for secondary education.
However, there are additional subjects in sciences and technology that students should take. The school
envisions to serve a venue in providing maximum opportunities for science-gifted students as to develop
spirit of inquiry and creativity. The school is wellsupported by the local government unit and by the
Parents and Teachers Association (PTA). The school is under the Department of Education.

Manila Science High School

The school was established on October 1, 1963 as the Manila Science High School (MSHS). It is the first
science high school in the Philippines. The organization and curriculum of the school puts more emphasis
on science and mathematics. MSHS aims to produce scientists with souls. In order to do this, humanities
courses and other electives are included in their curriculum. Students are also encouraged to participate
in various extracurricular activities. The school administers an entrance exam, the Manila Science High
School Admission Test (MSAT), for students who wish to enroll. The MSAT has five parts: aptitude in
science, aptitude test in mathematics, problem-solving test in science, problem- solving test in
mathematics, and proficiency in English. The school prides itself from producing outstanding alumni and
for winning various national competitions.

Central Visayan Institute Foundation

It is the home and pioneer of the prominent school-based innovation known as the Dynamic Learning
Program (DLP). The DLP is a synthesis of classical and modern pedagogical theories adapted to foster the
highest level of learning, creativity, and productivity. The school takes pride in its Research Center for
Theoretical Physics (RCTP) established in 1992, which organizes small international workshops to foster
the informal but intense exchange of ideas and perspectives on outstanding problems in physics and
mathematics.

Lesson 4: Indigenous Science and Technology in the Philippines

Indigenous Knowledge System

Indigenous knowledge is embedded in the daily life experiences of young children as they grow up. They
live and grow in a society where the members of the community prominently practice indigenous
knowledge. Their parents and other older folks served as their first teachers and their methods of
teaching are very effective in transmitting cultural knowledge in their minds. The lessons they learned
are intimately interwoven with their culture and the environment. These lessons comprised of good
values and life stories of people on their daily life struggles. Their views about nature and their
reflections on their experiences in daily life are evident in their stories, poems, and songs.

Some examples of indigenous knowledge that are taught and practiced by the indigenous people are:
 • predicting weather conditions and seasons using knowledge in observing animals' behavior and
celestial bodies
• using herbal medicine;
• preserving foods;
• classifying plants and animals into families and groups based on cultural properties;
• preserving and selecting good seeds for planting;
• using indigenous technology in daily lives;
• building local irrigation systems;
• classifying different types of soil for planting based on cultural properties;
• producing wines and juices from tropical fruits; and
• keeping the custom of growing plants and vegetables in the yard.

Indigenous Science

Indigenous science is part of the indigenous knowledge system practiced by different groups of people
and early civilizations (Gribbin, 2001; Mkapa, 2004; Sibisi, 2004). It includes complex arrays of
knowledge, expertise, practices, and representations that guide human societies in their enumerable
interactions with the natural milieu: agriculture, medicine, naming and explaining natural phenomena,
and strategies for coping with changing environments (Pawilen, 2005). Ogawa (1995) claimed that it is
collectively lived in and experienced by the people of a given culture.

According to Cajete (2004), indigenous science includes everything, practiced by indigenous peoples
both past and present. Iaccarino (2003) elaborated this idea by explaining that science is a part of
culture, and how science is done largely depends on the cultural practices of the people.

Indigenous beliefs also develop desirable values that are relevant or consistent to scientific attitudes as
identified by Johnston (2000), namely: (1) motivating attitudes; (2) cooperating attitudes; (3) practical
attitudes; and (4) reflective attitudes. These cultural beliefs therefore can be good foundation for
developing positive values toward learning and doing science and in bringing science in a personal level.

Pawilen (2005) explained that indigenous science knowledge has developed diverse structures and
contents through the interplay between the society and the environment. According to Kuhn (1962),
developmental stages of most sciences are characterized by continual competition between a number of
distinct views of nature, each partially derived from, and all roughly compatible with the dictates of
scientific observation and method Sibisi (2004) also pointed out that indigenous science provides the
basics of astronomy, pharmacology, food technology, or metallurgy, which were derived from traditional
knowledge and practices.

Pawilen (2006) developed a simple framework for understanding indigenous science. Accordingly,
indigenous science is composed of traditional knowledge that uses science process skills and guided by
community values and culture.
1. Indigenous science uses science process skills such as observing comparing, classifying, measuring,
problem solving, inferring, communicating, and predicting.

2. Indigenous science is guided by culture and community values such as the following:

• The land is a source of life. It is a precious gift from the creator.

3. Indigenous science is composed of traditional knowledge practiced and valued by people and
communities such as ethno-biology, ethno-medicine, indigenous farming methods, and folk
astronomy.

Indigenous science is important in the development of science and technology in the Philippines. Like the
ancient civilizations, indigenous science gave birth to the development of science and technology as a
field and as a discipline. Indigenous science helped the people in understanding the natural environment
and in coping with everyday life. UNESCO's Declaration on Science and the Use of Scientific Knowledge
(1999) recognized indigenous science as a historical and valuable contribution to science and technology.