European Journal of Science and Mathematics Education 

Vol. 3, No. 2, 2015, 177‐184 

School-related factors contributing to the delivery enhancement of

the special science program in Western Visayas, Philippines

Porferio S. Bangcaya1 , Grecebio Jonathan D. Alejandro2*

1College of Teacher Education, Biological Science Department, University of Antique, Tibiao Campus, 5707 Antique,

Philippines.
2College of Science and The Graduate School, University of Santo Tomas, Espana, 1015, Manila, Philippines.

For correspondence: [email protected]

Abstract:
In this mixed-method study, the secondary schools in Western Visayas, Philippines offering special science program
(SSP) were assessed as basis for delivery enhancement. The SSP along student-related factors and the extent of
implementation in the areas of curriculum and instruction, laboratory facilities, and administration in terms of the
different classification of Philippines’ Department of Education (DepED) were evaluated. A survey instrument was
used to gather information from the principals, department heads, science and mathematics teachers handling special
science classes, property or laboratory custodians representing nine participating special science classes (SSC) in
Western Visayas. Descriptive analysis was done using percentage, mean and standard deviation shown in graphs and
tables. Results of the study revealed that the National Achievement Test mean percentage score of the students for the
last three years had an irregular trend and majority of students’ participation in science-related activities was in the
regional level. There was a high extent of implementation along the areas of curriculum and instruction and
administrative support. The common problem encountered by teachers was the lack of laboratory facilities that were
described insufficient while the library resources were sufficient.

Keywords: special science program, delivery enhancement, national achievement test, curriculum and
instruction, laboratory facilities

Introduction

Evaluation and assessment are vital components of every school program because it conveys the
stakeholders whether such is successful or a failure. According to Calderon and Gonzales (1993),
evaluation is a process of determining the quality of worth of achievement in terms of certain
standards. Thus, it becomes a systematic procedure of determining the quality of the result of the
measurement with the end in view of improving and maximizing the acquisition of educational
outcomes such as knowledge, skills, attitudes and habits. On the other hand, assessment indicates a
wide selection of methods that educators use to evaluate, measure, and document the academic
development of students in several aspects (The glossary of education reforms, 2013).

Assessment of students is directed toward measuring their competence. Specifically, this process
measures their progress toward attaining those competencies from their schools or parents want them
to master. High quality assessment procedures take into consideration the fact that the students‘
performance on any task is influenced by the demands of the task itself, by the history and
characteristics they bring to the task, and by the factors inherent in the context in which assessment is
carried out (Silva and Ysseldyke, 1998).

A very important educational endeavour is the assessment of teacher‘s performance. Its relevance in
the context of school accountability on the learning of students cannot be underestimated (David and
Macayan, 2010). Accountability is a top priority in any educational programs and assessments to
measure the effectiveness of teachers.
178 European Journal of Science and Mathematics Education Vol. 3, No. 2, 2015

Furthermore, there are many factors contributing to effective classroom instruction and the teacher is
recognized as the greatest influence on the program‘s success (Shymansky, 1978). Hence, the
assessment of teachers‘ performance should be a major concern of educational institution to determine
how teachers perform their roles as facilitators of learning inside the classroom. Teachers performance
can be interpreted into students‘ learning achievement and their progress towards the desired skills
and abilities (David and Macayan, 2010).

The Philippines’ Department of Education (DepED) continues to evaluate the effectiveness of the
curricula used for elementary and high school to improve the quality of education in the Philippines.
In high school, a series of development has been done for the improvement of the quality of science
education in the Philippines. Several revisions have been made in the curriculum by enhancing the
mode of instruction, along with revitalizing its content to reflect current trends and improved cultural
relevance. A linkage is another managerial function that includes external communications and
activities that provide support to the school programs and goals. According to Gray (1990),
connections among schools, industry, and the community, both foreign and domestic, are very crucial
to research, education and competitiveness.

Likewise, a supportive environment is critical to the work performance in any system. The presence of
organizational support and resources may be much more critical for teachers, considering that they
are presented with challenges in dealing with a number of difficult tasks of making the students learn
(Yoon and Gilchrist, 2003). Yoon & Gilchrist (2003) further showed that lack of administrative support
has been linked consistently to stress and poor teachers’ performance. In the same manner, Fuller
(1987) also noted that the presence of laboratories raised science achievement in secondary schools in
India and primary schools in Thailand, Iran and Brazil.

The DepED aims to provide an education that is humanistic in spirit, global in perspective, and
patriotic in orientation; thus, envisions to produce technologically and globally competitive graduates.
This resulted in the implementation of a special science class curriculum for advanced and
scientifically inclined students. This is also a way to answer the demands of science-related courses in
the country.

The Science and Technology Education (STE) program, formerly Engineering and Science Education
Project (ESEP) of the DepED, was recognized by the Department of Science and Technology (DOST).
The revised curriculum of the Engineering and Science Education Project (ESEP) of Science and
Technology (S&T) − oriented high schools (DepED) Order No. 41.s.2004 enhanced the core subjects
offered in the 2010 secondary education curriculum.

While students of special science classes (SSC) perform very well in national entrance examinations in
the different colleges and universities in the Region, there has been no scientific assessment of how
well the special science programs (SSP) are delivered. It is the objective of this study to take a
comprehensive assessment of how well the different components or areas of the SSP are being
delivered. Specifically, this paper determines the profile of the student of the SSP in Western Visayas
in terms of National Achievement Test (NAT) mean percentage score and participation in science
related activities; and the extent of implementation of the SSP in Western Visayas along the areas of
curriculum and instruction, laboratory facilities, and administration in terms of DepED classification
as Type A, Type B, and Type C and further classified as DOST-ESEP-Old, DOST-ESEP-New, and Non-
DOST-ESEP-Existing.

Methodology

Participants

Participants of the study were the department heads, science and mathematics teachers, librarians,
and laboratory custodians of the nine participating SSC in Western Visayas. The SSC was categorized
into class A (old) with DOST-SEI support, class B (new) with DOST-SEI support, and class C (existing)
without DOST-SEI support.
 European Journal of Science and Mathematics Education Vol. 3, No. 2, 2015 179

Instruments

This study utilized a survey instrument. To assess the inputs of the SSPs, two sets of questionnaires
were utilized. First is the student-related factors to measure the student-related inputs of the SSPs
included their NAT mean percentage scores taken from the students‘ profile available in the
principals‘ office, and participation in science-related activities supplied by the science and
mathematics teachers. Second are the school-related factors to assess the extent of administrative
support and curriculum and instruction. The teachers were asked to respond on the extent of
administrative support given to them and the curriculum and instruction offered by the DepED on the
following basis: very high extent of implementation, low extent of implementation, and very low
extent of implementation.

Methods

A descriptive method of research was utilized in this study. A survey was employed purposively
among the participants. The survey instruments were distributed to purposively chosen informants in
SSC of Western Visayas. The instrument was personally distributed; thus, explicit instructions were
verbally given on how to administer the instrument and a reminder note was attached to the given
form. The accomplished survey forms were gathered a week after distribution from the informants
through their principal. To accommodate the returned form, a properly labeled box was placed in the
office of the principal for the informants to drop their forms. This was also done to ensure that the
informants could return their forms even if the principal was not around.

Data Analysis

The different sets of data were analyzed according to the requirements of the research problems using
appropriate statistical treatment. The mean and the standard deviation were utilized to obtain the
average scores of the curriculum and instruction, administrative support and availability of the
laboratory facilities. Frequency counts were utilized to determine the participation in science-related
activities. Data were processed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) software v.
19.

The following scale and corresponding descriptions were used in the interpretation of data:

For the extent of implementation along the area of curriculum and instruction.

Scale Description Interpretation

3.51 - 4.00 Very High Curriculum is fully implemented

2.51 - 3.50 High Curriculum is highly implemented
1.51 - 2.50 Low Curriculum is slightly implemented
1.00 - 1.50 Very Low Curriculum is not implemented

For the extent of implementation along the area of administrative support.

Scale Description Interpretation

3.51- 4.00 Very High Teachers are fully supported by

Administrators
2.51-3.50 High Teachers are highly supported by
Administrators
1.51-2.50 Low Teachers are slightly supported by
Administrators
1.00-1.50 Very Low Teachers are not supported by
Administrators
180 European Journal of Science and Mathematics Education Vol. 3, No. 2, 2015

Results and Discussion

Student-related Factors

Students-related factors included in this study were the mean percentage scores of the students in the
NAT which is a standardized test administered by the Department of Education National Educational
Testing and Research Center (NETRC), and the number of science-related activities engaged in by the
students. The data give a good picture of the performance of the students in the delivery of the SSC
program and the entire school with the concerted efforts of the principal, department head, faculty
members, as well as non-teaching personnel.

The NAT is an annual examination given to both Grades nine and ten students in the Philippines. The
students‘ knowledge and mastery of the subjects such as Mathematics, Science and Filipino are
measured using a multiple-choice type of test. In this study, only science and mathematics results
were used to determine the Students’ performance along the national standardized test. On the other
hand, the NAT mean percentage score (MPS) measures the student‘s proficiency which can be
attributed to the teachers‘ dedication and commitment to the teaching profession and the school itself,
especially giving focus on the academic achievement of their students.

Result shows that the mean percentage scores of students reflect a relatively low performance across
various school types covering a period of three school years with a range of only 45-71.9% (Figure 1).
Nevertheless, students from Type A schools performed relatively better than those from other school
types. However, it is surprising to note that students in Type A schools showed a decreased trend
from 71.9 to 66.9%, while that in other school types it was fluctuating (Type B) or relatively constant
(Type C) although far lower. This finding needs to be further investigated to determine the reasons
behind such a trend. Likewise, the result for Type A schools for SY 2012-2013 does not appear because
the results released by the NETRC were for the entire school.

Figure 1. Mean percentage scores (MPS) of students in the National Achievement Test among
participating schools
 European Journal of Science and Mathematics Education Vol. 3, No. 2, 2015 181

As cited by Hamilton (2014), student activities support the academic mission of the school by working
to create experiential learning options outside of the classroom and encouraging students to actively
participate in the greater educational community. Basically, students’ participation in activities does
not only provide fun but a learning experienced as well to develop their leadership skills and
responsibilities. Activities displayed in this study are designed by the DepED to enrich the knowledge
and skills of the students and the teachers who are considered the core of excellence of the
department. These activities are performed for the SSC in the region.

Results revealed that among the various types of SSC schools evaluated, Type A Schools had the most
number of engagements in science-related activities at 217 compared with 117 and 101 only for Types
B and C, respectively (Figure 2). Students in Type A schools had more number of activities across
various types, such as research competition, seminar/training workshop, symposium, science camp,
and quiz bowl. The large difference among Type A and Types B and C may be attributed to the
linkages of the school, financial capabilities, proximity to venues, and support from local
administrators, among other factors. Thus, it is important that such factors be accorded to Types B and
C schools to ensure that their students are given equal opportunities as well.

The present findings is supported by Astin (1993) that almost any type of student involvement in
college positively affects student learning and development. Extracurricular activities provide a
setting to become involved and to interact with other students, thus leading to increased learning and
enhanced development. Likewise, National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP, 2009)
research suggests that, participation in student activities is associated with higher test scores increased
GPA, enhanced civic skills, better future job practices, lower drop-out rates, and lower incidence of
adolescence behaviours.

Figure 2. Total number of science-related activities engaged in by students in participating schools

182 European Journal of Science and Mathematics Education Vol. 3, No. 2, 2015

Extent of implementation of the Special Science Program in Western Visayas: Curriculum and Instruction and
Administrative Support

The data on the extent of implementation of the SSP along the areas of curriculum and instruction
together with the administrative support as perceived by the SSC teachers give a good picture that
they are satisfied with the curriculum as well as the support coming from the administration.
Curriculum and instruction along this line were categorized into four: instructional resources,
teachers’ competencies, evaluation and grading system, and learning styles and techniques. The
administrative support was grouped as to faculty development, instructional leadership, resources,
and the rules, policies, and admission requirements. They were assessed by looking into the mean
scores computed from their answers in the instruments.

The extent of implementation of the SSP in Western Visayas along the areas of curriculum and
instruction by classification was compared among participating schools in this survey. In general, it
was observed that there was a very high extent of implementation across school types (Table 1). This
very high extent of implementation suggests that all concerned parties have followed all
recommendations and guidelines set forth by the Department of Education for schools with SSC.

Table 1. Extent of implementation of special science program (SSP) in Western Visayas along the areas
of curriculum and instruction.

Type of School Mean Description

A. Entire Group 4.00 Very High

B. Type A Schools – DOST-ESEP (Old)
Instructional Resources 4.00 Very High
Teachers Competencies 4.00 Very High
Evaluation and Grading System 4.00 Very High
Learning Styles and Techniques 4.00 Very High

C. Type B Schools – DOST-ESEP (New)

Instructional Resources 4.00 Very High
Teachers Competencies 4.00 Very High
Evaluation and Grading System 4.00 Very High
Learning Styles and Techniques 4.00 Very High

D. Type C Schools – Non-DOST-ESEP (Existing)

Instructional Resources 4.00 Very High
Teachers Competencies 4.00 Very High
Evaluation and Grading System 4.00 Very High
Learning Styles and Techniques 4.00 Very High

Scale Description Interpretation

3.51 - 4.00 Very High Curriculum are fully implemented

2.51 - 3.50 High Curriculum are highly implemented
1.51 - 2.50 Low Curriculum are slightly implemented
1.00 - 1.50 Very Low Curriculum are not implemented

Evaluation of the support provided by the administration in terms of the implementation of SSP was
done among the participating schools. Data show that there is a very high extent of support provided
in all schools evaluated at 4.00 (Table 2). The same very high support was further seen in all schools in
terms of faculty development, instructional leadership, resources, and rules, policies and admission
requirements except for faculty development and resources in Type B school (3.27) (Table 2).This
suggests that the administration did not fail in its functions and responsibility to support the teachers,
especially in terms of instructional materials needed for the students. Teachers teaching better since
 European Journal of Science and Mathematics Education Vol. 3, No. 2, 2015 183

the support extended by the administration towards them is visible, most especially to their personal
and professional development.

The present findings support the ideas of Blasé and Blasé (1999) that formal supportive administrative
measures underlie effective classroom situations; Van de Grift and Houtveen (1999) that the weak
relationship between leadership and student achievement was due to the influence of their school
factors (quality of curriculum, amount of instruction time, attentiveness of pupils, opportunities to
learn and capabilities of teachers); and Evans (1998) on a situation exposing the effect of poor
management has on teacher morale.

Table 2. Extent of Implementation of Special Science Program (SSP) in Western Visayas along the area
of Administrative Support.

Type of School Mean Description

A. Entire Group 4.00 Very High

B. Type A Schools – DOST-ESEP (Old)
Faculty Development 4.00 Very High
Instructional Leadership 4.00 Very High
Resources 4.00 Very High
Rules, Policies, and admission
Requirement 4.00 Very High
C. Type B Schools – DOST-ESEP (New)
Faculty Development 3.27 High
Instructional Leadership 4.00 Very High
Resources 3.13 High
Rules, Policies, and admission
Requirement 4.00 Very High
D. Type C Schools – Non-DOST-ESEP (Existing)
Faculty Development 4.00 Very High
Instructional Leadership 4.00 Very High
Resources 4.00 Very High
Rules, Policies, and admission
Requirement 4.00 Very High

Scale Description Interpretation

3.51 - 4.00 Very High Teachers are fully supported by Administrators

2.51 - 3.50 High Teachers are highly supported by Administrators
1.51 - 2.50 Low Teachers are slightly supported by administrators
1.00 - 1.50 Very Low Teachers are not supported by Administrators

Conclusions and Recommendations

The irregular trends of the NAT-MPS of students among the various Types of SSC indicate the
students’ mastery of learning concepts, which the teachers facilitate in the transfer of learning. They
have the competencies for effective teaching. While they have strengths, they also have needs to be
addressed. The teachers‘needs that must be enhanced are those related to curriculum, particularly on
content, methods and strategies of teaching content and theories and the use and integration of ICT in
the classroom. Competencies of the teachers on the application and use of authentic and non-
traditional modes of assessment must also be enhanced. In addition, the increasing trend may be due
to the sustained support given by the DOST- SEI ESEP and the parents in terms of funding,
instructional materials, and facilities. The schools are able to provide SSC students with the latest
state- of- the- art facilities that make learning fun and enjoyable.
184 European Journal of Science and Mathematics Education Vol. 3, No. 2, 2015

Curriculum, instruction, and administrative support influence the performance and achievement of
the SSC teachers and the school in general. The relationships between and among the school heads,
teachers, and students greatly influence the learning outcomes of the students. The progress of the
school and the delivery of the program depend on the concerted efforts of the school personnel and
the internal and external stakeholders. In addition, the better the awareness of the teachers, the more
open they are to change, the higher the administrative support they receive, the more committed they
are, and the better is their teaching performance.

Since the study revealed the irregular trends of the students NAT-MPS performance, teachers should
conduct remediation sessions particularly in science and mathematics subjects. Likewise, teachers
should be experts in their field of specialization. Library resources should be upgraded and updated
by replacing obsolete books and references to further enhance the learning outcomes of the students.
Likewise, teachers should develop science inquiry-based process skills in order to make learning more
fun and enjoyable. Each school should review its coverage of concepts covered in a year‘s academic
work in class. The DepED should review the SSC curriculum annually or biennially and come up with
a list of the revised minimum learning competencies (MLCs) that should be patterned to the call of the
K to 12 curriculums.
Support of the school administration, particularly the school principal and heads of the SSC teachers,
must be enhanced. The fact that the SSC teachers perform better in teaching the subjects could be
attributed to the fact that the principals of the SSC are more supportive, especially in providing the
needed materials related for instruction. More direct supervision and response to teachers‘problems
and concerns, most especially related to the SSC curriculum and instruction performance, may bring
better teacher perception of the demands of the curriculum and instruction. Likewise, commitment to
and love for the teaching profession must be nurtured in the hearts and minds of the students.

Acknowledgement

The first author thanks the Department of Science and Technology - Science Education Institute
(DOST-SEI) for the dissertation grant.

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