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This June, the Department of Education (DepEd) subjected all public schools, from Grades 1-5 and from First to Third Year, to the Basic Education Curriculum (BEC). The curriculum has five subjects: Pilipino, English, Mathematics, Science and the so-called Makabayan. Combined under Makabayan are the erstwhile separate subjects of Social Studies; Home Economics and Livelihood Education; Music, Art and Physical Education; and Good Manners and Right Conduct for the elementary level. For high school, lumped under Makabayan are Social Studies (that tackle the subjects History and Government, Asian Studies, World History and Economics for the four levels of secondary education); Technology, Home Economics and Livelihood Education; Music, Art and Health and Physical Education; and Values Education. The number of hours allotted to Makabayan looks deceptively long compared to that of other subjects. In actuality, the number of hours allotted to teaching the subjects under it has been reduced to add to that of other BEC subjects. The DepEd imposed the BEC to further mold the youth into soldiers for "globalization". Education Secretary Raul S. Roco himself said that the BEC aims for a "patriotism" that recognizes global interdependence � in short, complete subjection to imperialist "globalization". The BEC�s emphasis on vocational and technical training is based on Asian Development Bank (ADB) and World Bank (WB) recommendations from as far back as 1998. The latter state that the Philippines� ability to be "competitive" depends on the existence of graduates with a high level of work skills in the fields of electronics, manufacturing and tourist services. This pegs the role of the Philippines as a supplier of workers for multinationals. The reduction in the number of main subjects likewise follows ADB and WB dictates to streamline the curriculum as a belt-tightening measure and to ensure the Philippines� ability to service its debts especially to imperialist institutions like them. The bec is clearly a section in a series of supposed reforms in the educational system pushed by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and WB since the 1970s. As early as 1962, the IMF-WB already had plans to pour funds into the country�s educational system to expand vocational studies. This, to enhance the capacity of the Philippine labor force to answer the needs of the international capitalist system. Based on the results of a US-funded survey, the Marcos dictatorship imposed in 1972 the Educational Development Decree or PD 6-A. The latter emphasized the training of technical and vocational workers. Textbook publication was assigned to the Instructional Materials Corporation, another US funded institution, to ensure that the content of schoolbooks hewed to the decree. In 1974, the regime limited the number of students entering college through the National Collegiate Entrance Examination (NCEE) to push more students to take up technical or vocational courses. Though later replaced by the National Secondary Achievement Test, the NCEE remained in essence. When the Marcos regime imposed the Education Act of 1982, the state completely abandoned its obligation to provide educational services to the people. The education budget dwindled. Private schools were allowed to commercialize through uncontrolled tuition fee hikes. The education system programs implemented by succeeding regimes merely perpetuate these measures. Other educational system programs enforced since 1986
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