DepEd chief favors sex ed in schools

Incoming Department of Education (DepEd) Secretary Jesli Lapus said yesterday he favors sex education in schools but would like to talk to all sides to come up with a learning module that is favorable to everybody.

"I think extreme positions may not be the correct position for both sides. Maybe we must start with what is acceptable for all… we must discuss it," he said in his first press conference as DepEd chief.

The newly appointed DepEd head, a former Tarlac congressman, also said he would ask education experts in other countries about their approach to sex education.

"We have to live in a practical world. Can we insulate and isolate the kids? Do they have access (to the Internet) that could lead to some misinterpretation or misguided behavior? What kind of formal intervention is necessary?" he explained.

The proposal to integrate sex education in the public schools curriculum became controversial after the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) questioned the lesson guides distributed to pilot schools in Taguig and Parañaque cities.

A dialogue was held recently in Intramuros, Manila between DepEd and CBCP officials. The DepEd had agreed to revisions suggested by the CBCP.

In the press conference at the Metrowalk in Pasig City, Lapus also vowed to make dramatic improvements in the quality of education in the country.

He bared three important thrusts in his strategy for improving the department: strengthening human resources, solving the resource gaps and professionalizing the bureaucracy.

"Education, to my mind," said Lapus "is the most important department because it accounts for 30 percent of the entire bureaucracy. Our country became famous for being literate and proficient in English. But this seems to be a thing of the past. Our parents can read and write English better than many of the college graduates (at present). The Philippines’ biggest asset is human resource," Lapus said.

Strengthening human resources is thus at the top of his agenda because he believes it would have an automatic impact on the quality of education.

Lapus said that because of the problems besetting the education department, an entire generation might be lost in a globally competitive world if the education system is not improved.

Huge challenge

The Philippines is ranked among the lowest 10 percent in math and science subjects, he said. 

"We accept this huge challenge. We believe the area in education in our country is the most crucial. The future of the country literally depends on the human resource we produce," he said.

The second biggest challenge for the education department now is the huge resource gap, which the DepEd must find ways to address.

For repairs of existing classrooms alone, he said it would cost the government P46 billion. According to a World Bank study, 70 percent of the classrooms in the country are in need of repair. "As we talk of new classrooms, we must not forget the existing (ones) that need to be repaired," he said.

The problem of resource shortages will also become bigger. Lapus pointed out that 92 percent of all students in grade school are studying in the public schools and the public school population is still increasing.

Meanwhile, private school population is decreasing because of tuition increases and the problems besetting the Philippine pre-need industry.

"There is a 2.7 percent increase in public school population. The budget is only increasing by two percent every year and the gap now is quite big. The budget is not even enough for the new entrants. There is also a backlog in textbooks, classrooms and teachers," Lapus disclosed.

According to the World Bank, for the education department to catch up with the resource gap by 2015, the increase in education budget should be 11 percent every year.

This means an additional P11 billion to P12 billion in appropriation for DepEd year on year, a big leap from the average P2 billion increase the department gets every year, Lapus said.

Because inflation rate is pegged at six to 10 percent, he said that there is really no monetary increase.

"Some 90 percent of the budget of DepEd goes to personnel services and there are more than 500,000 personnel in the department," he explained.

Lapus also emphasized the need to professionalize the ranks of the DepEd bureaucracy.

Management system needed

"One time I called up the DepEd, and everyone was out of town. I wonder who’s running the place? There must be a system on who should be left in the office, and their location chart," he said.

Lapus said DepEd’s management system is a big challenge. His thrust along this line is manpower training.

The teachers, he said, have been asking for re-training. In English proficiency, 84 percent in the survey of those teaching English admit that they are not proficient in English. Those who are teaching Science and Math subjects are not majors in these subjects. There is no match because of the big number of schools.

"Quality of education in the classrooms is in the hands of teachers. There should be an improvement of quality of teachers," he said.

As a complement to manpower training, Lapus sees the need to introduce professional management at DepEd.

A principal or teacher-in-charge is not just a teacher but also a school manager. He or she needs to be innovative to be able to tap the community, the local government unit, set up a good Parent-Teacher Association, manage the teachers and other personnel well.

"Everything boils down to management, especially in a huge department like the DepEd," he said.

Lapus also noted that it is important to have a very close coordination with the Commission on Higher Education (CHED). Under the law, education must be integrated, complete at all levels, formal and informal.

There should be a close coordination between CHED and DepEd.

"I have to talk to Chairman (Carlito) Puno (about the plan to revamp the college programs)," he said.

With the huge task at hand, Lapus brushed aside the protesting members of the DepEd National Employees Union led by lawyer Domingo Alidon.

"It is the sole prerogative of the President to appoint her Cabinet, because she’s responsible for her administration. This is not a popularity contest, which the minority wants. There is a proper way to ventilate grievances. This is an internal problem," said Lapus.

He also downplayed Alidon’s threats to hold a series of protests and denied all allegations against him.

"I cannot dignify such allegations and stories," he said, citing that good Cabinet secretaries are not even professionals in the field they are heading, but are good management experts.

Lapus also said he had worked and worked very well with DepEd Undersecretary for Programs and Projects Fe Hidalgo in the past.

"Yesterday we talked. We had a meeting for almost three hours. Undersecretary Hidalgo told me that she never entertained ideas that she would be made secretary. And she knew that this was forthcoming and she was pleased. I was grateful that she was pleased, and she called it a wise choice that I was the one appointed. I have requested her to help me in the transition. I have requested her to stay as undersecretary for Programs and Projects until such time that she takes a decision to retire. Everything is congenial. No disagreements. Turnover is on end of the month," he explained.

"What is important is we do justice to the position. In three years, I expect to show very dramatic catch up," he said.

"Our education system is not rated very high, not world class. Our mission is to restore (what was in the past). It would take some time and a concerted effort from everybody, not only from DepEd but also from local communities," he said.

Meanwhile, Alidon and the union members again held a protest action yesterday afternoon at the DepEd central office in Pasig City. They raised the same issues raised earlier such as Malacañang’s supposed blunder for appointing a politician to head the education department.

The militant Teachers Dignity Coalition (TDC) also said yesterday that the best person to run the DepEd is an educator.

"As teachers, we are very saddened by the news. We find it somehow illogical to remove OIC Fe Hidalgo, who was herself a public school teacher, and be replaced by a politician like Rep. Jesli Lapus," said Benjo Basas, a teacher in Baesa High School in Caloocan City and the group’s chairperson.

"We are willing to hold dialogues with the new secretary in the coming days. Should he ignore our calls, mass actions will follow," Basas added.