Go for it: Improve, enhance, achieve

The Department of Education (DepEd) has launched the Go! Education campaign as part of its continuing effort to address the needs in the Philippine basic education system.

The initiative focuses on   three primary components to improve access and quality of basic education in the country:  Improvement of teacher quality, enhancement of the curriculum through the K to 12 Basic Education Program and achievement of set goals in addressing resource deficits.

Education Secretary Armin A. Luistro presided over the program’s launch where Go! Education ambassadors were introduced.

Lou Sabrina Ongkiko, an elementary public school teacher is representing teacher quality. Peachie Flaviano, a mother of five students in public schools, is representing curriculum. DepEd Assistant Regional Director Diosdado San Antonio is representing resources.

To ensure that teachers are well-prepared and equipped to handle the new curriculum, the DepEd has conducted intensive training and other activities to improve the mentors’ core competencies and boost their morale.

Some 140,000 Grade 1 to  Grade 7 teachers are currently being prepared for the implementation of K to 12. With the decongested curriculum, teachers will be able to focus on their areas of expertise.

The School-Based Management system aims to improve the competency of school heads.

Training is also given to educators who will implement the Mother Tongue-Based Multi-Lingual Education (MTB-MLE).

With the K to 12 program, the DepEd aims to transform the basic education curriculum to  prepare learners for higher education, middle-level skills development, employment and entrepreneurship.

The K to 12 program aims to decongest the curriculum that   used to be delivered in a 10-year time frame to ensure students’ mastery of subjects by adding senior high school (Grades 11-12).

Under the K to 12 program, specializations depending on students’ areas of interest will be offered, like academics, skills development, sports and arts and entrepreneurship.

A student who completes K to 12 will be equipped with skills, competencies and recognized certificates equivalent to a two-year college course. Students will meet legal and other formal requirements of employment and pass the test of global comparability.

Another Go! Education program establishes the value of preschool as an important foundation. Under Republic Act No. 10157, the Universal Kindergarten Act, kindergarten is now required for admission to Grade 1.

Kindergarten will also be offered soon in Madrasah schools, under the Madrasah Education Program for Muslim students.

The DepEd is introducing the MTB-MLE in elementary classes starting 2012-2013 using 12 local languages—Tagalog, Iloko, Kapampangan, Pangasinense, Bikol, Cebuano, Hiligaynon, Waray, Maguindanaon, Maranaon, Tausog and Chavacano.

This year, the department expects to have zero backlog in textbooks and classroom seats, the first time that a 1:1 student-textbook and student-seat ratio will be achieved.

It plans to decongest the 771 most heavily congested schools with 10,621 classrooms through Alternative Delivery Modes, such as home-study programs and the transfer of students to other schools.

Using funds from the 2012 budget and through public-private partnerships, classroom  shortage is expected to be reduced to 19,579 from 66,800 in 2010.

The DepEd aims to build enough classrooms in all public schools by 2012 through  public-private collaboration. The national budget allocates funds for 10,000 classrooms annually, while private organizations, through the Bayanihang Pampaaralan and TEN Moves, have pledged to donate 10,000 classrooms as well.

Classrooms for senior high school will be built beginning 2015.

The DepEd is also mounting a drive to address the shortage in sanitation facilities from 135,847 in 2010 to 80,937 by this year.

Overall, the department is committed to close all gaps in classrooms, teachers, water and sanitation facilities within four years.