Deped shortens school breaks for make-up classes
Education Secretary Jesli Lapus said “Aside from holding Saturday classes in schools, semestral break is canceled.”
Secretary Lapus said that the holding of makeup classes was necessary to attain the required 204 class days in a school year. Remedial classes are usually held on Saturdays and semestral breaks.
The DepEd calendar says the school year shall begin on June 1, 2009, and end on March 31, 2010.
There should be 54 class days in the first quarter, 48 in the second, 51 in the third and 51 in the last quarter, Lapus said.
Lapus has directed DepEd National Capital Region director Teresita Domalanta and other regional directors to draw up the guidelines in the holding of makeup classes.
Lapus said that in general, classes will resume on Monday except in areas which remain inaccessible due to floods brought by “Ondoy” or where schools are still being used as evacuation centers and areas where classes are ordered suspended by local authorities due to bad weather.
“In most parts of these areas, schools are still being used as evacuation centers and many homes are still submerged in floodwaters and worse, mud, which would make it very difficult for students in these places to go to school,” Lapus said.
Records showed that 16,328 families from three regions, including Metro Manila, are temporarily sheltered in 204 schools.
Meanwhile, classes in the tertiary level are also expected to resume on Monday but no official announcement has yet been made by the Commission on Higher Education (CHED). (PIA)
DepEd shocked at reported beheading of kidnapped Sulu principal
Pasig City (9 November) — The Department of Education (DepEd) today expressed shock at the reported beheading of kidnapped principal Gabriel Canizares, following reports that the severed head of the abducted school head of Patikul, Sulu was recovered in the vicinity of Caltex in Jolo at 5:30am today.
Canizares, 36, was kidnapped last October 19 at around 4:20pm. He was the principal of Kanague Elementary School of Patikul, Sulu, according to DepEd officials.
In a statement released today to media, DepEd said: “The entire DepEd family is shocked and grieves with the family of one of our best-performing principals, Mr. Gabriel Canizares. A key catalyst in teacher trainings with Synergia in Sulu, he is a great loss to efforts to improve the quality of education of our children in the area. We condemn this heinous act committed against the people of ARMM. Violence creates more sufferings and sabotaging education by harming teachers will have dire consequences in the attainment of peace and progress.” (DepEd)
Tuguegarao City PopQuiz regional champion anew
Tuguegarao City (29 September) — The Department of Education Tuguegarao City division has retained its crown as the undefeated PopQuiz regional champion after dominating the other five provinces and three cities of Region 02 in the 2009 Regional PopQuiz held at the Department of Education Regional office here.
Marah Kryzzia P. Purificacion of Cagayan National High School (CNHS), coached by Grace Mabasa, outwitted his top rivals from Batanes National Science High School and Cabulay High School, Santiago City who also won second and third place respectively.
Purificacion will represent Region 02 in the upcoming National PopQuiz to be held at the Baguio City Convention Center on October 14 of this year.
The CNHS senior high school student said she is sharing the honor to the Tuguegaraoenos especially the students and teachers of CNHS who helped her in preparing for the competition.
“I will share the knowledge and information I gained from this competition to my fellow youth because I believe that these information will serve as our weapon in fighting poverty”, Purificacion added.
Purificacion received a cash prize of P3,000, trophy and certificate of recognition.
John Philip A. Peralta of Batanes National High School landed on the second place while Lucky Joy A. Domingo of Cabulay High School finished third.
Peralta and Domingo received cash prizes of P2,000 and P1,000 respectively. (PIA 2)
Public schools promote peace through simultaneous storytelling
Dubbed as Kwentong Pangkapayapaan: Mga Kwentong Binasa Mo, Natututunan ng Puso, the campaign supports Executive Order 570 entitled Institutionalizing Peace Education in Basic Education and Teacher Education.
Education Secretary Jesli Lapus said, “We harness education, seeing it is as one vital and effective tool for peace to take root, especially in areas where there is conflict.”
DepEd promotes reading stories that promote peace and understanding which can be engaging and enlightening to both young and old. They are among the department’s tool in building and nurturing a climate of peace in schools and communities.
He added, “Stories allow us to examine our attitude and prejudices and to turn our focus on the similarities rather than the differences.”
Lapus draws support from all stakeholders as the campaign aims to increase awareness and appreciation of creative and non-violent ways of resolving conflict. The event also aims to facilitate in removing biases and prejudices against Filipinos in Mindanao.
Last year, DepEd joined the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process (OPAPP), DepEd, Commission on Higher Education (CHEd), National Economic Development Authority (NEDA) and civil society representatives in drafting the implementing rules and regulation (IRR) for Executive Order 570.
DepEd and OPAPP have also developed elementary and high school peace education exemplars as a way of mainstreaming peace education in the basic formal and non-formal education curriculum.
According to EO 570, DepEd will spearhead the mainstreaming peace education concepts, skills and values in the learning content of the basic education and alternative learning systems (ALS).
It is tasked to encourage and nurture local peace initiatives in schools, ALS local systems and communities and to organize peace education learning circles/teams in the region, division and school level.
Lapus noted, “Our practical experience shows that without education, the community cannot develop its full potential.”
The DepEd Chief directed Region and Division Peace Education Coordinators as well as English supervisors to engage the schools on the peace education activities. (DepEd)
DepEd beefs up on good governance
“Just as we demand accountability and honesty from others, so should we assess ourselves and strive to be law-abiding citizens,” said DepEd chief Jesli Lapus. He added the topics were timely and relevant for DepEd officials in performing their duties as public officials.
It may be noted that the DepEd recently ranked number one least corrupt agency and number one in public approval rating in a 2009 Pulse Asia Ulat ng Bayan national survey. Secretary Lapus was also voted best performing cabinet secretary in the same poll.
A two-day Anti-Graft and Corruption Seminar was conducted by the Council for the Restoration of Filipino Values (CRFV) for various government agencies. It is pursuant to President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s on-going thrust for good governance and campaign against graft and corruption.
CRFV held seminars for Regions I, II, III, and IX including school divisions and districts from January to July 2009. Anti-graft and corruption seminars are slated soon for Region I, IVA, IVB and VI.
Lapus urges participants to, “walk out of the seminars with a plan to, not only spread these good values by word of mouth but to aggressively live them as well.”
According to Nenita Olairez, Education Supervisor II, Elementary Education Division, “It boosted morale, served as guide and inspired us in carrying out our tasks as public servants.”
“The seminar reminded us not only of our rights and privileges, but also our duties, limitations and responsibilities,” shared Marlene Castillo, an elementary school principal.
Last year, Lapus was conferred the Manuel L. Quezon Good Governance Award for his exemplary management skills and leadership that saw the Department of Education registering marked efficiency in resource mobilization as well as improving performance of public school students in national tests.
The award was bestowed by the Good Citizenship Movement during the Joint Congress of the Federation of Catholic Schools’ Alumni Association. The movement comprises 200 non-government organizations nationwide. Other awardees in 2008 were Metropolitan Manila Development Authority Chairman Bayani Fernando and SM Prime Holdings President Teresita Coson.
CRFV enjoins all sectors of the government, including officials and employees, to actively participate in eradicating graft and corruption practices. (DepEd)
Lapus urges private sector to support ICT-enhanced education
Pasig City (11 September) — Education Secretary Jesli Lapus has enjoined the private sector to work closely with the department in promoting learning systems enhanced with information communication technology to improve teaching and learning outcomes.
“Enhancing the curriculum with ICT is the only way for our public school children to meet the challenges of 21st century learning,” Lapus said as 40 Intel Classmate PCs were turned over to public schoolchildren in Concepcion, Tarlac recently.
Lapus said, “We thank our partners in Intel for investing in education, and for supporting our major thrust to introduce technology in education. This intervention would not have been possible without their support to DepEd through the Adopt-A-School Program.”
A Classmate PC includes two gigabytes of memory storage and Microsoft Office. It is internet-ready, portable, and user-friendly for children.
To date, 280 Classmate PCs have been turned over by DepEd’s Adopt-A-School Program to public schools in Pampanga, Baguio City, Sagada, and Taytay, Rizal. Some 400 Classmate PCs are scheduled for turn-over to other DepEd elementary schools in different divisions nationwide.
Lapus added, “This partnership with Intel is geared towards building the ICT Enhanced Elementary School Model, which puts a premium on ICT-enhanced education. We hope to achieve this goal and turn every public school into a space where teaching and learning outcomes are improved by technology.”
Aside from Intel, collaboration is ongoing with Aralandesk.Net for the creation of the ICT Enhanced Elementary School Model. Together with these partner institutions, DepEd ensures full utilization of ICT facilities to improve the teaching and learning process in public schools.
A workshop on mapping digital resources in English is being conducted with support from Aralandesk.Net at no cost to DepEd. The department is also heavily investing in the drafting of a Digital Learning Resource Management Guide that will serve as standards for identifying and harvesting digital materials, and matching these with the curriculum.
The Adopt-A-School Program is DepEd’s venue for cooperation between the government and the private sector. Since it was relaunched by Lapus in 2006, more than PhP12 Billion worth of assistance to public schools have been committed by the private sector. Private groups and individuals can support DepEd’s education initiatives in exchange for up to 150% tax incentives.
Private sector assistance ranges from technology support to supplementary learning materials, from literacy programs to physical infrastructure and facilities to feeding programs. Companies and individuals may also extend direct assistance to public schoolchildren in the form of school supplies.
The DepEd Chief added, “I urge other companies to invest in education through Adopt-A-School and join us as we say Edukasyon Ang Solusyon. Our initiatives in education would not have been successful without our partners’ all out support.” (DepEd)
NGO assists pupils in Mt Province
by Juliet B. Saley
Bontoc, Mt. Province (5 September) — In support to government’s priority concern for education, the Action Center for Enhancement and Social Services (ACESS) is continuously giving assistance to some elementary pupils in the province.
The ACESS is an organization of a group of professionals in the province tied up with Educational Research and Development Assistance (ERDA) in Manila that is supportive to the educational development program of the national government.
Now on its sixth year of operation, the ACESS this year is benefiting 90 identified elementary pupils in the province. There are 20 pupils each from Betwagan Elementary School in Sadanga, Puya-ao Elementary School in Natonin, Caneo Elementary School in Bontoc, Ogo-og Elementary School in Barlig and 10 from Guinaang Elementary School, also in Bontoc.
According to Mr. Norberto Cobaldez, a member of the organization, the assistance given to each identified beneficiary who belong to low-income families include T-shirt, notebooks, ball pen, color and padpaper. (PIA MP)
Madrasah Education: DepEd invests in peace-building in Mindanao
Pasig City (25 August) — In an unprecedented move, the Department of Education has started to grant financial assistance to private madaris (Muslim schools) that adopted the Madrasah curriculum which has both Islamic studies and standard basic education subjects taught in all public schools.
Education Secretary Jesli Lapus said the mainstreaming of Madrasah education in our system of basic education will give our Muslim schoolchildren an education that is culturally-sensitive, Islamic friendly and will give them equal work opportunity. “This is DepEd’s significant contribution in building a culture of peace in Mindanao through education,” he added.
A total of 36 private madaris with 3,834 Muslim pupils have qualified for financial assistance of P5,000 per enrollee per school year which started in school year 2008-2009. The guidelines are contained in DepEd Order no. 81 series of 2007.
DepEd has earmarked P20 million from its 2008 budget as financial assistance to private madaris to encourage Muslim educators to adopt and implement the standard Madrasah curriculum.
Secretary Lapus led the ceremonial turnover of the financial grants to the private Madaris today at the DepEd Complex in Pasig City. It was attended by DepEd partners, representatives from member countries of the Organization of Islamic Conference and other DepEd and ARMM key officials.
In the ARMM region, 26 madaris from Marawi City, Lanao del Sur, Maguindanao, Shariff Kabunsuan and Tawi-tawi qualified after a thorough and rigorous screening and validation, There are two in Davao City and eight in Cotabato City and General Santos City.
The financial assistance for each recipient Madrasah shall be for specific purpose: 80% will go to pay the salaries of teachers handling secular subjects and 20% will be for the improvement of classroom and other school facilities.
This is the very first time ever in the history of Philippine education that private madaris are mainstreamed as a component of National System of Basic Education following a single curriculum for basic education, common to both public schools and private Madaris.
“We purposely designed the Madrasah education to be able to respond to the needs and realities of our Muslim learners,” Lapus explained.
There are two types of curriculum prescribed in Madrasah Education — the Enriched Curriculum for Public Elementary Schools and the Standard Curriculum for Private Madaris. The former has been implemented in all DepEd regions nationwide for Muslim students and is known as the Arabic Language and Islamic Values Education (ALIVE) Program. Islamic culture and language can be preserved among Muslim children while they are enrolled in public schools.
The Standard Curriculum for Private Madaris, approved in 2004, aims to put in place an educational system that is appropriate for the Muslim population.
The Standard Curriculum combines basic secular subjects with religious subjects such as Qur’an, Aqeedah and Fiqh, and Seerah and Hadith. Through this curriculum, the Filipino national identity is promoted even as the Muslim’s cultural heritage is preserved.
Lapus stressed: “With such a curriculum, the Philippines will have a Madrasah education system where students from private madaris can transfer to public schools and vice versa. It will likewise give them equal chance in employment opportunities.”
The education chief added that this year, DepEd shall expand the program by renewing the financial assistance to the current 36 madaris which are expected to accept grade 1 new entrants by school year 2009-2010.
“We shall also accept new applications from other private madaris and will continue to do so until all madaris shall have adopted the standard Madrasah curriculum,” he said.
“We all want peace and we want it now. With this curriculum now in place, we are actually building the foundation for national understanding and unity. And hopefully lasting peace.” (DepEd)
16 rebel-returnee dependents get scholarship grants
by L. Lopez
Tabuk, Kalinga (8 August) — Sixteen children of former rebels got scholarship grants this schools year, bringing to 29 the current number of scholarship grantees under the government’s rebel returnee program in the province.
Rebel Returnee Program Coordinator Bing Haddac of the Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office (PSWDO) said the grantees are provided scholarship under the Study Grant Program of the Office of Presidential Assistance on Peace Process (OPAPP) and Commission on Higher Education (CHED).
The students who are now enrolled in various colleges and universities get P5,000 cash stipend per semester, Haddac said.
Haddac clarified that the scholarship is limited only to direct family members of former rebels such as wives and children. She noted that many wanted to apply but were found out to be relatives of rebel returnees.
The Study Grant Program of OPAPP and CHED aims to provide educational support to family members of rebels who returned to the fold of the law, as part of the government’s Social Integration Program.
Haddac said since the start of the program, many beneficiaries successfully finished college and are now employed in government agencies.
Last April, two grantees graduated Bachelor of Science in Nursing at St. Toni’s College here, while some expect to graduate from other courses this year.
As additional support, the PSWDO offers food-allowance to student-grantees who render extra-work during their free time at the office, to augment their needs, Haddac said.
Government’s program for rebel returnees has been so effective in the campaign against communist insurgency in this part of the country. (PIA-Kalinga)
DepED to pilot on-line education program in Baguio City
by Lito Dar
Baguio City (8 August) — In line with the country’s commitment to provide an “Education for All” by 2015, under the Millennium Development Goals, the Education Department (DepED-CAR) will be pilot- testing “On-line education” at the Baguio City National High School (BCNHS), as part of its Drop-Out Reduction Program (DORP).
According to BCNHS Principal, Dr. Elma Donaal, the existing Drop-Out Reduction Program of BCNHS consists of two components, the Effective Affordable Secondary Education or EASE and the Open High School.
Donaal explained that under the EASE component, they provide a modular program to currently enrolled students, who for some reasons (such as getting sick for a month) would experience a hard time coping with his studies, so as to prevent the student from dropping out.
In the Open High School, drop-out students who are not currently enrolled for some reasons (like marriage, having children or because of work) could be able to continue their studies through this program, wherein they need not need come to class daily but could continue studying by attending class once a week.
Donaal also proudly announced that they have already 56 graduates under the said program. “We have been proud of helping people who are enthusiastic to finish high school,” she said.
The “on-line education,” Donaal explained is an added innovation under the Open High School program. Drop out students can continue their studies through the internet. Instead of attending class once a week as in open high school, they do their lessons on line.
In the same forum, Donaal lauded the government’s effort, under the initiative of the President, for including education in its primary focus. Donaal is also grateful for the new salary increase given to teachers.
Donaal also affirmed that the state of education in Baguio, especially in BCNHS, is better today, not only in terms of teacher’s salary but also in terms of equipment. BCNHS is also a beneficiary of new classrooms/buildings under DepED’s School Building Program, aside from the on-going renovation of its oldest building in its main campus.
Donaal also stressed, that they are lucky in BCNHS because their teachers and even their non-teaching staff are involved in massive trainings, as part of the government’s effort to standardize everything in the education department, under its Basic Education Sector Reform Agenda. (PIA)
