Angara: Private sector important to DepEd

MANILA, Philippines —  Education Secretary Sonny Angara has stressed the importance of the private sector’s support of the Department of Education, as he highlighted the early gains of the DepEd on his nearly 100th day in office.

“With your support, we can transform this massive (education) system into a force for positive change,” Angara said on Wednesday at a luncheon meeting hosted by the European Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines in Makati.

Angara said the DepEd is keen to collaborate with more private groups in various initiatives, such as laptop provision to teachers and students, learning resources, electrification, educational technology, infrastructure and support for children with special needs.

Angara, who officially assumed office last July 18, cited the gains of the DepEd, including its initial steps to craft a flexible and globally competitive curriculum.

“We created a PISA (Programme for International Student Assessment) Task Force to prepare our students for the upcoming international assessment. We’re assessing our reading interventions and senior high school curriculum,” he said.

Angara also cited efforts to improve teacher support, including the review of the Teacher Development Plan, policy on career progression and additional benefits.

“Our teachers need policies that give them more: more time to teach, more resources for their lessons, more salary in their bank accounts. They require sturdy career progress and reliable support like guidance counselors, both currently lacking in our system,” he said.

Angara also underscored the DepEd’s newly signed partnership deals with private groups like Khan Academy, Frontlearners, iamtheCODE, Jollibee, Rebisco and Milo, as well as international bodies such as the World Bank and UN Children’s Fund.