The Trade School Principal and his role in the economic development of the Philippines

Title

Creator

Guirolfgico, Delfin G.

Language

English

Rights

In Copyright - Educational Use Permitted

Fulltext

The Trade School Principal and His Role in the Economic Development of the Philippines DELFIN G. GUIROLGICO Principal, Albay Trade School The economic and political needs of the Philippines at present demand a renewed and modified perspective of the role of the trade school principal. He should no longer consider himself just a mere masterworker in a particular trade. His is more than a trade technician. He is a leader in the community, a teacher in the educaitonal field, and a skilled worker in a specific technical line or trade. As an educational leader, he is responsible for the training of a "Vocationally Efficient Filipino Citizen' in a particular locality or region. As a trade school principal he is a specialist who recognizes that his mission is only achieved by the proper development of that consciOusness for real training in the salable skills, and orientation and practice in the art of culture living. He is matured ~~~~~j~i~fa!l~;~1ah~~~ti~d~:ti~~~ the trade. In a nutshell, he is expected to contribute to the economic development of the Philippines by creating that emerging vocational - education - consciousness ~~~it~h l:~!~~~liep;u;dc~~~~i~!:\0~; professional leadership, and a master or technical worker. As the head of a government enterprise, the school principal assumes the position in which he has to deal w1th the proletariat and middle class, and with politicians and other social and economic leaders in the locality or region. He becomes a community leader who should be understanding. In giving technical advice to the lawmaking body of the province, he should always be cooperative. Yet he should be firm and uncompromising when the minimum standards and requirements of the school are not considered in the proper perspective. Inefficiency arises if the trade school is allowed to operate on sub-standard facilities, equipment, and accommodations. This results to failure in turning out the much desired 'Vocationally Efficient Filipino Citizen'. Without the irreducible minimum essentials, the school ceases to be a vocational school. The principal should not, however, fail to consider the desirability of working towards augmenting the mea~r~cl~Jo!id, 0~yth;a~~i~0:1 t~:~ch~~~ trust fund in accordance with the provisions of Republic Act 364. sh~J1~ ~~~i~le ~~gfe~~~~~ ~::t~~~~ cess in this line is measured on his ability to participate in the social activities of the community. A proper dissemination of information about the school through the printed media and other means may be employed in rendering an accurate accounting of the people's investments in running the school, on what the school is, and what it is doing for the public. This informative service should be given priority by the trade school principal. He should find proper use of industrial fairs, trade school ~:,Yi~cc~l0~~c~~~i~~a~u~~i3 ~~~foe:!i publications, in giving a desired 39 40 THE PRILIPPINE EDUCATOR statement of the balance sheet of the school. The principal should protect the interest of the common people from being denied or stripped of their due share and attention in the public finances and laws. This group of people looks up to him as their spokesman and representatiYe in securing from proper authorities the just share for the education of its members. His personality and character as well as public actuations should secure the b~spae~~~?:a~~atJ~ub~ 0;11°~~~!s a~~ persons and all levels of social standing in the community. His role in the economic development of the country cannot be considered successful unless he sucff~~s a~o~~utf~~n~d~c~~;~~i!i fe~~: ers of the locality or region. The trade school principal should be bf:.fes~~n:~~uldaJ~~~vd ~~~~e~:p~~~ being well-informed not only in his sphere of specialization-that is trade education, but also he should be conversant with the general or cultural studies. To successfully bridge the gap between vocational education advocates and general education followers, he should experience continuous educational growth. This educational growth can be made possible f~~~~~~udi'!~e~nr~!~~~i~ch~1 sf:fi~~ tical and critical surveys, bt·oad public relations, intelligent :tnd conscious formulation and tryout of new theories and techniques of vocational education. travels and conferences, industrial participation, and the like. ln general, tne trade school principal should be well-informed both in vocational education and the field of general cultural education. As an example to be emulated, the trade school principal shoul4i ~tafiz~~r~r~adea~~ ;~~~~ft.in Thrr~ can be no more demoralizing incit~n~x~hc~~ew~ejo~he,J'h~~;i~~ ~;!~ fesses to be skilled. Then too, he should not stop in knowing only one specific line of work as he would not be able to properly exact a precision execution of training in all the phases that the school undertakes in trade education. He should be, in theory and practice, a leader of his teachers and students in every activity in the trade school. It is ridiculous for the principal to nssume knowledge of every spe· cialized job in the trade school when he has not gained mastery of one particular endeavor. He should secure for himself a work~ ing knowledge of all the vocational offerings to enable him to be sympathetic with all the activities undertaken in the school. It is not enough to assume that one can properly administer and SU· pervise an activity because he has interest in it. He can only admi~ nister or supervise effectively a particular work when he ha!). had ~~n~~cci~ssf~l ~~~tif~;a~~"ia:X~~d experienced the 'What, which and how of the work. Without this participating knowledge, he will not be able to check the minimum standan!s of performance required of every trainee. The greatest enemy of a functional vo~~r~0ci~~le~~cf~~o~~~j~i~~~t~~r-~~~ fveh;t'Z~c~~~o0 na)r~d~~~etio~0 isk~~d then makes inadequate provisions !~~~!h~vhfcotfe~eat!~~~~~~! ~~ tt: achieved by the school.

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