DepEd execs present major priority interventions to partners ahead of Partners’ Forum

Wazzup Pilipinas!?



The Department of Education (DepEd) presented on Thursday the priority interventions to the Official Development Assistance (ODA) and local partners in a convergence meeting at the Asian Development Bank (ADB) Headquarters.

“The Department of Education gives a special place to our partners. We have to realize that the DepEd's goal to provide quality and accessible basic education to all Filipino learners requires collaboration and a helping hand from organizations and stakeholders like you,” Undersecretary for Finance Annalyn Sevilla said.

The Finance strand, led by Usec. Sevilla presented its key reform objectives that focus on several programs geared towards the digitalization of finance processes. The strand also aims to prioritize scholarships including capacity building on loan management, and financial literacy programs for DepEd personnel.

Meanwhile, Undersecretary for Administration Kristian Ablan discussed possible collaborations with partners on DepEd initiatives in digitization of forms, enhancement of existing systems, and assistance for its parametric and indemnity insurance for public schools.

As one of the main pillars in the MATATAG Agenda, the Curriculum and Teaching (CT) strand led by Undersecretary Gina Gonong focused its priority interventions on strengthening of its literacy and numeracy programs, review of the Mother Tongue-Based Multilingual Education (MTB-MLE), digitizing of national assessments, strengthening of inclusive education program, and inclusive teaching approaches, among others.

Undersecretary for Human Resource and Organizational Development (HROD) Gloria Jumamil-Mercado presented the development of quality assurance effectiveness, upscaling of the National Educators' Academy of the Philippines and knowledge sharing from the partners in their expertise as their priority programs for interventions.

Assistant Secretary for Operations Dexter Galban, on the other hand, presented the mobile medical and dental clinics project of the strand as a program consideration for the partners. Additionally, he also presented the school-based feeding program, learner rights and protection mechanisms, mental health program, learner and youth program development, and the farm-to-table nutrition project of DepEd as the main programs of the Agency promoting learner welfare, as stated in the MATATAG Agenda.

The School Infrastructure and Facilities strand, led by Undersecretary Epimaco Densing III, requests assistance from the partners in addressing classroom shortages through construction or rehabilitation, building disaster-resilient schools, retrofitting of classrooms, and electrification programs. Further, he also shared with the partners that more than a million of learners are still conducting classes under a makeshift/temporary classrooms or some are under the trees.

Assistant Secretary Omar Alexander Romero also discussed the plans of the Procurement strand to improve procurement processes of the Department through continuing capacity building and digitalization.

This convergence meeting wrapped up the preliminary activities of DepEd for the Partners’ Forum on May 25. The first meeting held in Baguio City involved DepEd Central Office and Regional Officers for the development of the menu of interventions.