The Anchor of Philippine Education: Humanism and Egalitarianism

former Department of Education Secretary, Mr. Jesli A. Lapus, the NCAE mainly seeks to guide graduating students on what career path is fitted for them.

It is also aimed at determining the best-suited college courses for the examinees after graduation from high school. When the NCAE was first introduced and took over the National Career Entrance Examination (NCEE) in 2006, it was mandatory for all graduating students of public high schools to take it but not for private schools.Now, even private schools are required to take the examination. It has been three years since the NCAE was implemented but the answer on what is the relevancy of the NCAE to the academic performance of the graduating students still remains unsatisfactory to the researchers.

In view of the foregoing, the researchers conducted an assessment on the significant correlation between the NCAE results and the academic achievement of the Fourth Year Secondary Science Curriculum students of Saint Ferdinand College, School Year 2009 – 2010.

STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

This study sought to find out if there was any relationship between the National Career Assessment Examination (NCAE) results and the academic performance of the Fourth Year Secondary Science Curriculum (SSC) students of Saint Ferdinand College for the School Year 2009 – 2010. More specifically, this looked for the answer to the following sub-problems: What is the performance level of the students in the following areas of the NCAE?  Mathematical Ability (NCAE Math)  Scientific Ability (NCAE Science)  Reading Comprehension & Verbal Ability (NCAE Reading and Verbal).

2009 – 2010. It is hoped that the study will be useful to all those concerned in improving and strengthening the present condition of teaching and learning activities

especially to the following: School Administrators. The outcome of this study hopes to serve as a basis for the school to determine the extent of the realization of the objectives of the shcool and the study in general.Students.

Being the direct clientele, the findings if this study will be beneficial to the students to challenge or motivate them to try to pursue their studies better regardless of being an achiever or underachiever and continue their efforts to develop their potentials to the maximum. Teachers. This will enable them to examine closely their teaching strategies and review their instructional objectives and processes for a high level of performance as a school. Parents.

The information that will be derived from this study will encourage them to provide better and higher education, living conditions and harmonious family relations. Furthermore, the study will make it possible for them to help their children decide on what course to take so that time, money and effort will not be unnecessarily wasted. Researchers. Being the inquirers of this study, the researchers will be enlightened with their queries on the correlation of the NCAE results and the Academic Performance of the students.

SCOPE AND DELIMITATION

This study was concerned with the comparison in the level of performance in the NCAE and the academic achievement of the Fourth Year Special Science Curriculum students enrolled at Saint Ferdinand College during the School Year 2009 – 2010. A total of 50 students composed the population of the study. The investigation is focused on the scholastic ratings of the students in Mathematics, Science and Technology, English and the NCAE ratings in the Mathematical Ability, Scientific Ability, Reading Comprehension and Verbal Ability

sub-tests.The final grade point averages found in the BPS form 137-A was the basis for determining the academic achievement. The other sub-tests of the NCAE (Non-Verbal Ability, Manipulative Skill, Clerical Ability, Entrepreneurial Skills) are excluded from this study for the reason that the researchers think these tests are minor to mention, and that the researchers are more concentrated on the major sub-tests, which are then included in this study.

One limitation of the study is subjectivity in grading some aspects of the criteria since different teachers were included in the teaching of Mathematics, Science, and English.Psychological factors such as emotions, motives and aspirations of the students when the test was conducted are other limitations which were considered. Results and conclusions arrived at are true only to Fourth Year Special Science Curriculum students of Saint Ferdinand College, Ilagan Isabela for the School Year 2009 – 2010.