by: Loida S. De Joya
Teacher 3, Ricardo A. Pronove Elem. School
Magdalena Sub-Office, SDO Laguna
The proverb that reads, “Give a man a fish and you will feed him for a day; teach a man to fish and you will feed him forever,” captures the essence of the “Edukasyon Pantahanan at Pangkabuhayan” (EPP) educational program. A man cannot survive by relying solely on the support of those around him. It is a truth that we need to equip ourselves with practical skills in order to thrive in this ever-evolving world. EPP appears to be a helpful subject that, contrary to what the classic quote suggests, students should never take for granted.
With the technology being readily accessible and available, students nowadays tend to forget the importance of knowing and mastering basic life skills, particularly those that involve the household. Common pupils does not possess the basic skills like cooking, doing the laundry, planting, etc. All these used to be taught not just at home, but also within the confides of the school. But, unfortunately, the pupils of this generation can no longer be interested in learning these skills. Ultimately, the said group of pupils find it hard to cope with the hardships of living in the outside world once they move out of their homes.
This is the sad truth that EPP teachers are now facing. Although equipped with the knowledge and skill set that the subject requires, the teachers and their lessons are being compromised due to the learners’ lack of interest.
Moreover, inadequate facilities undoubtedly also have an impact on how well instruction and learning go in all schools. It is well recognized that each student’s academic achievement is mostly dependent on the resources they are exposed to during their education, but when such resources are missing, certain issues arise. Students are impacted by school facility quality in two ways. First of all, a student’s capacity to do extracurricular and diverse learning activities is restricted by the lack of facilities. Second, inadequate facilities have a detrimental effect on teachers’ job satisfaction, which lowers their desire to instruct. Therefore, it is also crucial for the people in the top management to monitor and procure the needed school facilities needed in teaching EPP for the subject delivery to be a success.
Our journey towards complete personal improvement is strengthened by the various activities we learn from EPP. EPP fosters the development of technical skills in industrial arts, home economics, entrepreneurship, and agri-fishery. The aforementioned fields are crucial areas of expertise that can arm us against this ignorant and lazy world. They will act as a bridge for us to a more promising future and source of income. With that being said, literacy and numeracy should not always be the sole focus of today’s education. Life skills that are also relevant in today’s world should also be prioritized so that we can create a generation that is truly global-ready.
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