Belmonte renews vow to push for better education in Phl

MANILA, Philippines -  Speaker Feliciano Belmonte, Jr. has renewed his commitment to push Philippine education to higher levels through a capacity-building program for 5,400 teachers and 625 senior level education officials and master trainers.

“We in Congress are committed to pursue all possible options to upgrade Philippine education to best prepare our youth in managing our country’s future,” Belmonte said as he presented a P9.5-million seed contribution to the program managed by the Temasek Foundation CLG Limited.

The Temasek Foundation, with the assistance of the Office of the Speaker, the Ateneo de Manila University (ADMU) and Local Government Units (LGUs), recently launched a three-and-a-half-year “Policy, Governance and Capacity-Building Program for Philippine Leaders and Educators” from March 2011 to June 2014.

Belmonte has committed to help the Temasek Foundation provide financial support and oversee the release of funds to the ADMU, which implements the program with added technical and financial support from LGUs.

The Temasek Foundation had earlier launched the Leaders and Educators in Asia Program, wherein principals and teachers trained under LEAP introduced changes and innovations at the school level upon their return to the Philippines. However, experts said guidance and support at a higher level within the Department of Education (DepEd) is crucial in allowing change to take place and to sustain the culture of innovation within the division or district.

The foundation said given the size of the teaching force, a Train the Trainers program will be useful to reach all the teachers in the 10 participating divisions and districts.