Preparedness and Initiatives of Educational Institutions in Addressing the Challenges of ASEAN Integration

Abstract

INTRODUCTION

The aim of this study is to determine the level of preparedness and initiatives of educational institutions in addressing the challenges of ASEAN Integration.

METHODS

The researcher used descriptive method. Furthermore, a qualitative research was also used. The respondents of this studywere Department of Education, CHED and TESDA of Region IV-A. Specifically, it includes five SUC Insitutions, five Department of Education pilot Senior High Schools and two TESDA Institutions

RESULTS

CHED's institution has the highest mean level of preparedness classified with high level of preparation. However, an opposing result was found in Department of Education's and TESDA institutions which attained an average remarks. Moreover, TESDA institutions had the record of lowest mean for the level of preparedness. CHED's institution still has the highest level of initiative as they did in preparedness. Department of Education schools again found to be in the average level of initiatives as well as TESDA institutions who found to have the lowest mean level for initiatives.

TESDA and Department of Education schools who conducted benchmarking activities are in the average level of preparedness while those CHED's Institutions who did not conduct benchmarking were the one classifies as very high and highly prepared. In addition, educational institution who offered scholarships to their faculty members such as Department of Education and TESDA also placed in average remarks while CHED institutions who also offered scholarship attained very high and high remarks of preparedness.

In terms of scholarships, the same institutions such as Department of Education schools and TESDA institution who offered scholarships were classified as low to average level of initiatives while CHED who did the same thing were classified as high to very high level of initiatives. Stakeholders and external constituents have significant effect to the institutions' level of preparedness and initiatives.

DISCUSSIONS

All institutions must strengthen its partnership and linkages to stakeholders and external constituents. In addition, they should be more aggressive in upgrading the level of quality assurance. It is prudent to recommend to all institutions to further strive for a much higher level of quality assurance. In order to request and realign budget for trainings, the curriculum must be reconstructed first specially those curricula that were aligned to the mandates of the Philippine Qualification Framework. All educational institutions should also increase the benchmarking activities based from their level of qualifications mandates.