Reducing Disparities in Teacher Provision in the Philippines: Progress and Constraints

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Reducing Disparities in Teacher Provision in the Philippines:

Progress and Constraints

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Outline of Presentation

I. The Teacher Disparity Issue

II. Patterns of Disparities

III. The Action Program

IV. Measuring the Disparities

V. Next Steps

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I. The Teacher Disparity Issue

• In the baseline year (2001-02):

– National average pupil to teacher ratios

Elementary: 36.46Secondary: 39.13

– But wide disparities among the 170 education divisions:

Elementary: 14.00 to 59.03Secondary: 18.46 to 59.67

– Even wider disparities among schools within many divisions

Earlier study found similar disparities in Indonesia (Nielsen and Somerset, 1992)

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Education in the Philippines

• Ten-year basic cycle: 6 years elementary 4 years secondary• Schools (Public & Private): 42,013 elementary

(2004-05 ) 8,072 secondary• Enrolments (both sectors): 13.05M elementary

6.44M secondary• Retention: 67% to Grade 6; 48% to Grade 10

Girls make up 55% of HS graduates• Achievement: In 2003 TIMSS, Philippines ranked 24th among 26

participating countries in Math and Science (Grade 4) and ranked42nd in Math and 43rd in Science among 46 countries (Grade 8)

• Many isolated schools (mountainous areas, small islands)

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Management of Education

• Three-tier administrative structure:Central Office (Manila)18 Regional Officesabout 187 Division Offices

• Major decisions (budget, curriculum, textbooks) taken centrally. Central office allocates new teaching positions to regions and divisions

• Some powers and authorities devolve to local-level managers. Divisional superintendents allocate new teaching positions to schools

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II. Patterns of Disparities

• At divisional level, disparities associated with recent demographic trends. Severest shortages in rapid population-growth areas

• At school level, additional influence of political and socio-economic factors are often apparent. Generously-supplied schools tend to have powerful backers (parents, mayors, congressmen). Marginal schools tend to lack an audible local voice.

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III. The Action Program

• Three sequenced initiatives in action program aimed at reducing disparities in teacher provision:

1. Introduction of Rainbow Spectrum (Early 2002)

2. Sharper targeting of new teaching positions to shortage divisions and schools (Deployment 2002, 2004 and 2005)

3. Mandatory transfer of vacant positions from surplus to shortage schools ( from June 2003)

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Rendering the disparities visible: The Rainbow Spectrum

Pupil to teacher ratio (PTR)

‘Cool’ colours

Blue Below 25 Relatively generous teacher provision

Sky Blue 25 – 29.99

Green 30 – 34.99

Yellow 35 – 39.99 Close to national average provision

‘Hot’ colours

Gold 40 – 44.99 Relative teacher shortageOrange 45 – 49.99

Red 50+

Black No nationally-funded teachers

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Gumaca

N

Jomalig

Patnanungan

Polillo

Panukulan

Burdeos

Gen, Nakar

Infanta

Real

Balesin Is.

Cagbalete Is.

Kalongkoan Is.

Palasan Is.

LAMON BAY

Perez

Alabat

Quezon

Mauban Sampaloc

Lucban

Dolores

Tiaong

San Antonio

Atimonan

Guinayangan

Buenavista

San Narciso

San Andres

San Francisco

Mulanay

Catanauan

General Luna

Macalelon

Sariaya Candelaria

Plaridel

Tayabas

Lucena City

Pagbilao

Plaridel

Pagbilao Grande

Padre Burgos

Agdangan

Unisan

Pitogo

Lopez

Tagkawayan

Calauag

TAYABAS BAY

Secondary Schools STR 41.01 - Gold

LEGEND:

(<25)

(25 – 29.99)

(30 – 34.99)

(35 – 39.99)

(40 – 44.99)

(45 – 49.99)

(50 + )

PROVINCIAL MAP OF QUEZON

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Locally-generated rainbow-spectrum map

(Secondary schools in Quezon Division, 2002)

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Pupil-Teacher Ratios in Elementary SchoolsNational Capital Region (NCR), by Congressional District 2001-02

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The Rainbow Spectrum

• Raised awareness of teacher distribution issues by rendering the disparities visible

• Created a set of terms (e.g. red-zone division, blue-zone school) through which debate about disparities could be conducted without recourse to statistics

• Built on meanings already associated with colors. ‘Hot’ colors as signifiers of critical or dangerous situations (traffic lights, warning signs)

• By ‘clumping’ information, provided useful aid to effective thinking and communication

• Gave marginal schools a voice they previously lacked

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Sharper targeting of new positions

• Macro-level: In 2000 (before the project started) red-zone divisions received proportionally double the average national allocation of elementary positions.

In 2002 and 2004, red-zone divisions received

proportionally four to five times the average national allocation.

• Local level: In 2002, red-zone schools received 76.4% of elementary positions; 71.4% of secondary positions

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Deployment 2000

Deployment 2002

Deployment 2004

0.94%

0.16%

0.90% 0.88% 0.84%1.24% 1.21%

1.88%

0%

2%

4%

6%

8%

10%

12%

- 24.99 25-29.99 30-34.99 35-39.99 40-44.99 45-49.99 50 +

% I

ncr

ease

in

tea

ch

ing

po

siti

on

s

Allocation According to Divisional Pupil:Teacher Ratios in previous school yearAllocation to all Divisions

2.07%

0.21% 0.40%

1.23%1.65%

3.07%

5.40%

8.77%

0%

2%

4%

6%

8%

10%

12%

- 24.99 25-29.99 30-34.99 35-39.99 40-44.99 45-49.99 50 +

% I

ncr

ease

in

tea

ch

ing

po

siti

on

s

Allocation to all Divisions

Allocation According to Divisional Pupil:Teacher Ratios in previous school year

1.17%0.59% 0.48%

0.77%1.06%

1.71%

3.21%

5.72%

0%

2%

4%

6%

8%

10%

12%

- 24.99 25-29.99 30-34.99 35-39.99 40-44.99 45-49.99 50 +

Allocation According to Divisional Pupil:Teacher Ratios in previous school yearAllocation to all Divisions

% I

ncr

ease

in

tea

ch

ing

po

siti

on

s

Macro-level targeting:Central allocation of elementary teaching positions to the divisions in 2000, 2002 and 2004

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Transfer of vacant positions

• Incumbent teachers legislatively protected from non-voluntary transfer; but no legal barriers to transfer of vacant positions.

• However: Transfer proposals frequently meet local

opposition, especially from secondary schools and their backers. Teaching positions seen as ‘belonging’ to the school

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• Soon after introduction of rainbow spectrum, some local managers spontaneously began transferring vacant positions from cool-zone to hot-zone schools. Often in face of opposition from principals and other local stakeholders

• Visual evidence of disparities sufficient to initiate local remedial action – although only in a minority of divisions

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• In June 2003 local transfer ceased to be solely a matter for voluntary local action.

• Central office issued DepEd Order, initiating formal transfer policy.

• Divisions required to transfer vacancies from ‘cool-zone’ to ‘hot-zone’ schools.

• Order couched entirely in rainbow spectrum terminology

• Impact will be gradual, starting in 2004-05

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IV. Measuring the disparities

• Rainbow spectrum provides visual mode for representing disparities. Sufficient for most purposes.

• But for measuring impact of interventions, a more precise, quantitative measure needed.

• The Interquartile Ratio (IQR) preferred to the standard Gini coefficient

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The Interquartile Ratio (IQR)

• The IQR compares the proportion of a scarce resource (teachers) available to the most favored quarter of recipients (pupils) with proportion available to the least-favored quarter

• In theory, optimal IQR is 1.00, but in practice, ratios below about 1.30 are difficult to achieve.

• Specially-written software calculates IQRs, and prints out message explaining meaning of calculated values.

• Local managers have access to software, and have

been trained in its utilization

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Data as of 31 August

Inter-quartile The most-favored 25% of pupils have 1.81

Ratio (IQR) times as many teachers as the least-favored 25%.

SCHOOL DISTRICT Legislative Total Total Pupil : TchrID NAME NAME District Enrolment Teachers Ratio

136770 Camp Claudio ES Paranaque City District III 0 611 21 29.10 Sky blue136771 Tambo ES I Paranaque City District III 0 658 22 29.91 Sky blue136768 Baclaran ES Unit I Paranaque City District III 0 1,013 31 32.68 Green136766 Tambo ES Paranaque City District II 0 2,816 83 33.93 Green136767 Baclaran ES Central Paranaque City District III 0 2,558 75 34.11 Green136769 Baclaran ES Unit II Paranaque City District III 0 1,763 47 37.51 Yellow136762 Don Galo ES Paranaque City District II 0 1,054 28 37.64 Yellow136756 Paranaque ES Central Paranaque City District I 0 3,731 95 39.27 Yellow136765 Sto. Nino ES Paranaque City District II 0 2,215 53 41.79 Gold136754 La Huerta ES Paranaque City District I 0 3,392 74 45.84 Orange136757 Paranaque ES Unit II Paranaque City District I 0 1,734 35 49.54 Orange136764 San Agustin ES Paranaque City District II 0 3,582 70 51.17 Red136758 Sampaloc Site II ES Paranaque City District I 0 2,218 43 51.58 Red136760 San Dionisio ES (Paranaque ES I) Paranaque City District I 0 1,642 31 52.97 Red136761 Col. E. de Leon ES Paranaque City District II 0 2,288 42 54.48 Red136763 F. Serrano, Sr. ES Paranaque City District II 0 3,929 72 54.57 Red136753 Fourth Estate ES (Paranaque ES III) Paranaque City District I 0 5,662 102 55.51 Red136759 San Antonio ES (Paranaque ES IV) Paranaque City District I 0 5,495 89 61.74 Red136755 Masville ES Paranaque City District I 0 2,232 31 72.00 Red136772 Vitalez ES Paranaque City District III 0 423 0 Black

TOTAL 49,016 1,044 46.95 Orange

ColorCode

SCHOOL

SCHOOL YEAR 2002-2003

NCR - National Capital Region

Paranaque City

Elementary SchoolsNCR - National Capital Region

Paranaque City

Elementary

1.816

Divisional Teacher Deploym ent Analysis

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IQR calculated at three levels:

Disparities measured Decision-makers influencing ratio(s)

Overall IQR Distribution of all teachers (elementary, secondary) among all schools in Republic

Central-level and local-level

Macro-level IQR

Distribution of all teachers (elementary, secondary) among all divisions in Republic

Central-level only

Local-level IQRs

Distribution of teachers (elementary, secondary) among schools in each division

Local (divisional)-level only

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Overall IQR: National

Distribution among schools

Macro-level IQR : National

Distribution among Divisions

Local-level IQR: Divisional


(median IQR)

INPUTS(New teaching positions)

POLICY INITIATIVES

2.17

2.052.09

2.00

1.58 1.57 1.591.54

1.72

1.59 1.601.57

1.00

1.20

1.40

1.60

1.80

2.00

2.20

2001-2002 2002-2003 2003-2004 2004-2005

School Years

Inte

r-Q

uart

ile R

ati

osless

eq

uita

ble

mo

re e

qu

itab

le

Deployment 20027,073 new positions

Introduction of Rainbow Spectrum

DepED Order No. 50, June 19, 2003 requiring redeployment of vacant teacher positions to under-provided schools

(b) Inter-Quartile Ratios (IQRs)


Teacher Deployment: Three-year impact analysis Elementary schools

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Overall IQR: National


Macro-level IQR : National

Distribution among Divisions

Local-level IQR: Divisional


(median IQR)

INPUTS(New teaching positions)

POLICY INITIATIVES

2.62

2.482.59

2.54

1.541.60

1.651.60

2.12

1.95

2.11 2.10

1.00

1.20

1.40

1.60

1.80

2.00

2.20

2.40

2.60

2.80

3.00

2001-2002 2002-2003 2003-2004 2004-2005

School Years

Inte

r-Q

uar

tile

Rat

iosle

ss e

quita

ble

mor

e eq

uita

ble


Introduction of Rainbow Spectrum

DepED Order No. 50, June 19, 2003 requiring redeployment of vacant teacher positions to under-provided schools

(b) Inter-Quartile Ratios (IQRs)


Teacher Deployment: Three-year impact analysis. Secondary Schools

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Equity of local-level teacher distribution patterns

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

1.20-1.29

1.30-1.39

1.40-1.49

1.50-1.59

1.60-1.69

1.70-1.79

1.80-1.89

1.90-1.99

2.00-2.09

2.10-2.19

2.20-2.49

2.50-2.99

3.00-3.99

4.00+

Local-level Interquartile Ratio (IQR)

Nu

mb

er o

f D

ivis

ion

s

2001-02

2004-05

Changes between 2001-02 (baseline year) and 2004-05

Elementary schools

(Baseline year)

MORE equitable LESS equitable

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• Among elementary schools, local-level disparities substantially reduced since 2001-02 (baseline year). – Only 4 divisions with local-level IQRs below 1.30

(target level) in baseline year; 12 in 2004-05 – 35 divisions with IQRs above 2.00 in baseline year;

only 10 in 2004-05

• But among secondary schools, disparities have persisted– Only 2 divisions with IQRs below 1.30 (target level) in

baseline year; still only 2 in 2004-05– 16 divisions with IQRs above the high level of 3.00 in

baseline year; still 15 in 2004-05

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Equity of Local-Level Teacher Deployment in the National Capital RegionChanges between 2001-02 (baseline year) and 2004-05

1.00

1.20

1.40

1.60

1.80

2.00

2.20

0% 1% 2% 3% 4% 5% 6% 7% 8% 9% 10% 11% 12% 13% 14% 15% 16% 17% 18%

Percentage increase in existing teaching stock (Deployment 2002 plus 2004)

Inte

rqua

rtile

Rat

io (I

QR

)

Elementary Schools

Equity measure (IQR) in SY 2001-02 (Baseline year) Equity measure (IQR) in SY 2004-05or

LES

S E

QU

ITA

BLE

MO

RE

EQ

UIT

AB

LE

Mandaluyong City

Pasay City

Manila

Malabon & Navotas

Marikina City

Pasig City & San Juan

Quezon City

Taguig & Pateros

Valenzuela City

Muntinlupa CityKalookan City

Parañaque City

Las Piñas City

Makati City

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• Three possible reasons why secondary schools less responsive to intervention measures than elementary schools:

1. Status and influence. Secondary schools more powerful institutions; better able to lobby for additional teachers or resist pressures for staff reductions

2. Administrative complexities. Secondary transfers more complex, because they involve budget changes. Rigidities may constrain moves toward more-equitable deployment

(continued)

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3. Enrolment growth. Grade 1 enrolment campaign in mid-1990s currently generating ‘enrolment wave’ in secondary schools: enrolments up 14.5% since baseline year (elementary level, only 1.1%).

Enrolment growth most rapid in red-zone divisions and red-zone schools.

Hence, despite sharp targeting of new positions, disparities have tended to persist.

Continued:

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IV. Next steps• Further analysis of reasons for high and

persistent IQRs, specially at the secondary level

Secondary enrolment wave likely to peter out in next 1-2 years. Impact on disparities in teacher provision will provide evidence as to which of the three suggested reasons:

Status and influenceAdministrative rigiditiesEnrolment growth

• Continues monitoring of teacher deployment

contributes most to the currently wide disparities in secondary teacher provision

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Documents

Reducing Disparities in Teacher Provision in the Philippines: Progress and Constraints