By: LORETA DIAZ FIGUEROA – Division English Coordinator
With the result of 2018 Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) which was released last December 2019 putting Philippines the lowest in reading comprehension and the second lowest in mathematics and science among 79 participating countries, the Department of Education launched “Sulong Edukalidad” which aims to make reforms on the areas of “KITE”: (1) K to 12 curriculum review ; (2) Improvement of learning facilities; (3) Teachers upskilling and reskilling through a transformed professional development program; and, (4) Engagement of all stakeholders for support and collaboration.
These PISA learning outcomes compelled Schools Division Offices to make reading advocacies sine qua nons in response to DepEd Memorandum No. 173, s. 2019 entitled “Hamon: Bawat Bata, Bumabasa (3Bs Initiative).
Foremost of the reading projects of the SDO is its continuous improvement of the parameters set in the selection of Outstanding Reading Advocates, an annual search that is meant to measure how schools respond in raising the comprehension levels of their learners through effective implementation of their reading intervention projects and programs. The validation of their management of reading projects and programs conducted last February 5 and 6, 2020 revealed that the schools find difficulty in the following criteria: (1) conceptualizing replicable reading projects; (2) manifesting effective utilization of teachers’ learning circles; and, (3) using readers’ reading data as source of researches.
The SDO personnel, particularly the Curriculum Implementation Division, (CID) headed by the Public Schools Districts Supervisors (PSDSs) likewise started to enforce one-master teacher adopts one non-reader project. However, the processes in the conduct of these types of projects still have to be delineated in order to accurately reckon the impact to their identified target beneficiaries.
Further, early in the first quarter of 2020, the SDO of Olongapo City was able to partner with Latter-Day Saint Charities-Philippines, Inc., a private sector stakeholder to fund “Olongapo School-Based Tutorial Program”. Under this program, the private partner shall provide fund not exceeding P 243,600.00 for materials and trainings. The program will be initiated in 40 schools with an estimated 433 participating students. However, the project is currently withheld due to the deference of all non-essential services described in the Covid-19 government directives. Both the SDO and LDC are hoping that the project shall take effect soonest.
Indeed, it takes a village to raise a child. Our SDO is set to work more arduously in interfacing and communicating its plans with all accountable, interested, and concerned stakeholders to support the 3Bs Initiative of DepEd.
