ARMM educational reforms underway

MANILA, Philippines - The Department of Education-Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (DepEd-ARMM) and the Affiliated Network for Social Accountability in East Asia and the Pacific (ANSA-EAP) yesterday signed an agreement that would promote transparency in public schools.

The agreement will set up the Checkmyschool initiative in ARMM, an impoverished region with the lowest literacy rate in the country.

Checkmyschool is a participatory monitoring initiative that aims to enhance service delivery in public education through social accountability and transparency.

It enables school communities to monitor the services of the DepEd through data collection, data provision and feedback and issue resolution.

The initiative also uses technology like websites, social networking sites, and mobile phones to share information and send feedback.

“The shared goal is to achieve the following outcomes—improved planning and implementation of projects and programs, greater readiness of stakeholders to engage on education issues, and delivery of adequate school services and facilities,” the Checkmyschool website read.

DepEd ARMM Secretary Jamar Kulayan and ANSA-EAP Executive Director Redempto Parafina signed the agreement yesterday morning in Manila. The signing was witnessed by representatives from the Open Society Foundation, which funds health, business development and education programs around the world.

“We hope this partnership will strengthen the reforms in education in ARMM,” Kulayan said.

Parafina cited the need for all stakeholders to be involved in the initiative, noting that governance is “a shared responsibility.”

The literacy rate in ARMM stood at 82.5 percent as of last year.