CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY (PIA) — “No one can beat a product of collaboration,” said Department of Education (DepEd)-10 Regional Director Arturo B. Bayocot during the Kapihan sa Bagong Pilipinas held in Cagayan de Oro City on October 15.
“I strongly believe that it really takes the entire village to educate the child. The Philippine Information Agency, our local media, and other partners of the Department of Education constitute that village, and this is not just their business. Education is everybody’s business,” he said.
The director also highlighted their efforts during the pandemic, stating that the entire region was in lockdown, but education has continued. DepEd-10 was able to put forward education continuity. Strong partnerships with other government agencies, private entities, schools, teachers, parents, and learners also made this possible.
In DepEd, the pandemic marked the start of the Rx ADOBE, a computer-based regional achievement test, which has been in use for the past three school years.
Bayocot also stated that they worked closely with parents during the coronavirus pandemic, when children had to stay at home.
“Parents are the first teachers of the children. You may not be a teacher by profession, but you are the teacher of your children,” he said.
Moreover, he claimed that the pandemic made his office understand how crucial it is for a student to receive physical assistance from a teacher in order to learn.
Bayocot added that the pandemic was a challenging time for everyone. Therefore, DepEd strongly encouraged parents to participate and support their children’s learning at home. However, the director shared that some parents are unable to assist their children at home due to their primary focus on providing food, while others may wish to assist but lack the necessary capabilities.
This is why DepEd is currently utilizing its resources to encourage reading among students. He stated that this is crucial because reading is a fundamental component of all subjects.
Regarding health programs in education, DepEd-10 has implemented Oplan Kalusugan-Healthy Learning Institution (OKD-HLI) in four pilot sites, targeting the Last Mile Schools (LMS) in the provinces of Bukidnon, Lanao del Norte, Misamis Occidental, and Misamis Oriental.
The Department of Health (DOH) and local government units (LGUs) were major stakeholders in this capacity-building series, and the DOH will donate P20 million to four Schools Division Offices (SDO) and LGUs.
DepEd-10 also enrolled Regional Office (RO) and SDO teaching and non-teaching personnel in the PhilHealth Konsulta to avail of free check-ups with laboratories and medicines.
Moreover, DepEd-10 trained 100 principals and school heads from the 14 SDOs on Comprehensive Sexuality Education—Adolescent Reproductive Health (CSE-ARH) Curriculum Integration sponsored by DepEd-10, and the Commission on Population and Development (CPD). Lastly, the department also implemented the school mental health program in the amount of P8.4 million through a series of activities in coordination with the registered guidance counselors and mental health focal persons.
Further, Bayocot shared during the Kapihan sa Bagong Pilipinas some of their innovations and milestones. The assessment innovations include the sustained implementation of the Rx ADOBE: Computer-based Regional Achievement Test and the Regional Unified Quarterly Assessment (RUQA) for the school year 2024-2025.
They also have curriculum innovations such as Project CELLS, or Project Course for Executive Learning and Leadership in Schools, PANAGTIGOM: Regional Assembly of Education Leaders, and several others.
He said the DepEd strongly implemented their mission of protecting and promoting the right of every Filipino to quality, equitable, culture-based, and complete basic education where students learn in a child-friendly, gender-sensitive, and motivating environment.
“It takes a village to nurture, educate, and raise a child, and that village is composed of all of us. Probably, DepEd is the frontrow, as we are mandated to deliver education to children, but that delivery of education cannot accomplish the best if it is not supported by the ecosystem where all of us live.” Bayocot said. (IJBD/PIA-10)
