DepEd eyes improvement of students' performance

CEBU, Philippines - The Department of Education (DepEd-7) will prioritize the improvement of the students’ performance in the National Achievement Test this year to increase the quality of education among elementary and secondary schools in the region.

“The proof of our performance is the NAT result. No other result can outweigh it,” said DepEd-7 director Recaredo Borgonia.

Borgonia said that they have to adopt initiatives to achieve high results in both elementary and secondary levels.

He stressed the important roles of schools division superintendents and school principals to achieve the goal as they are the front-liners and immediate leaders of educators in their respective schools.

Borgonia said that high performing schools will receive an incentive from the department.

During the Regional Executive Conference last December 29 at the Casino Español, Borgonia discussed with school masters the would-be impact of the Basic Education Reform Agenda (BESRA).

BESRA is DepEd’s package policy reforms in support of the achievement of “Education for All” goal of the national government.

“BESRA seeks to systematically improve critical regulatory, institutional, structural, financial, cultural, physical and informational conditions affecting basic education provision, access and delivery on the ground,” Borgonia said.

To specifically apply this, they identified various Key Reform Thrusts (KRTs) for the decentralization of decision-making authority to individual schools, allowing stakeholders to plan and implement goals.

The second KRT refers to the Teacher Education and Development Program which aims at increasing the competency level of teacher performance.

“These policy reforms are expected to create critical changes necessary to accelerate, broaden and sustain the improved education as already been started,” Borgonia said.

Critical changes effective this year include the submission of Division Education Development Plan to the regional office, thorough inspection of all private schools applying for government permit to operate.

Monitoring of low performing schools will be done weekly by Regional Field Technical Assistance monitoring teams while division and district supervisors will be required to do more field monitoring.

Borgonia said that DepEd-7 is planning to subsidize the salary of teachers who are receiving below the minimum wage. — Jessica Ann R. Pareja/LPM    (FREEMAN NEWS)