City mayors commit to implement Senior High School education in 2016 With increased efforts to complement national government initiatives through local government engagement, the League of Cities of the Philippines (LCP) - The Asia Foundation (TAF) and selected pilot cities will ink their commitment towards a strategic implementation of the senior high school program (SHS) in 2016. The Commitment Signing Ceremony, which will be witnessed by the Department of Education (DepEd), the Australian Embassy and several education advocates, coincides with the 61st General Assembly of LCP at Microtel UP-AyalaTechnohub on November 18. The ceremonies follow the Keynote Speech from DepEd Secretary Br Armin Luistro FSC. We deeply appreciate the commitment of our city governments in ensuring that Senior High School becomes a reality in cities nationwide. We hope for the continued collaboration between local government units and the Department of Education in ensuring that all our learners have access to quality education,Luistro said. The League of Cities estimates that 40% of all public high school students study in cities who will enter Senior High School when it is fully implemented in the school years 2016 and 2017. According to data from DepEd, there were 5.8 million public high school students in the Philippines in 2013. LCP National President and Quezon City Mayor Herbert Bautista looks forward to sharing the lessons his city learned from their senior high school planning experience. “We could, and should not underestimate the importance and impact of Senior High School education on our youth and our country. With only a year remaining before the nationwide implementation, it is natural for city governments to fear. But we’re taking this as a perfect opportunity for national-local synergy on basic education. We are glad to be spearheading this initiative and Quezon City is happy to share its experience with fellow cities,” Mayor Bautista said. Dr. Steven Rood, Philippine Country Representative of The Asia Foundation and Mr. David Dutton, Deputy Head of Mission of the Australian Embassy in the Philippines will also deliver messages of support in improving education, specifically on the SHS program, in the country. The project orientation in the afternoon will focus on the project objectives, strategies for local DepEd and city collaboration through QC experience and a validation workshop on SHS issues encountered by pilot cities. LCP recently passed a resolution expressing support for the upcoming implementation of the SHS Program under the K to 12 Basic Education Curriculum in 2016.The resolution supports the upcoming implementation of the SHS program by entering into partnership with TAF to “champion the establishment of coalitions that support SHS initiatives;” and identify cities that will form the national coalition of SHS-supportive cities that “are willing to allocate local budget to support SHS implementation.” Each member of the coalition will undergo training and mentorship on SHS planning and budgeting, and will be assisted “in establishing local multi-stakeholder task forces for SHS implementation and in tapping national government allocation for SHS facilities.” This opportunity builds on and expands TAFs pilot project in Quezon City, which created a specific plan for SHS, examined financing options, and proposed allocations in the City budget. Quezon City is the largest City Schools Division in the country. Apart from coordinating with DepEd and its K to 12 Secretariat, and working with the influential leadership of LCP to build a coalition of City Mayors, cities will advocate for the increase in the resource allocation and utilization for Senior High School, a key component of the K to 12 reform program. RA 10533 or the Enhanced Basic Education Act of 2013 is a revolutionary education reform of the Philippines intended to meet basic learning needs. It encompasses kindergarten, elementary, and secondary education as well as alternative learning systems. Senior High School is a key component of the reform allowing students to choose from the following tracks: Academic, Arts and Design, Sports, and Technical Vocational. - Please feel free to SHARE! : - )
Posted on: Tue, 18 Nov 2014 02:19:00 +0000
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