DepEd expresses gratitude to Australian gov’t for basic education program
By Merlina Hernando-Malipot
The Department of Education (DepEd) expressed its gratitude to the Australian government as the six-year development program designed to help improve the country’s education system nears its completion.
DepEd and the Australian government – through its Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID) – formally concluded the Basic Education Sector Transformation (BEST) Program recently. The BEST Program started in 2013 and is headed to complete the entire six-year development process on June 30, 2019.
The program reflects the ties between the Philippine and Australian governments towards refining the quality of and access to basic education in the Philippines through enriched service delivery and governance which all formed part of its end-of-program outcomes.
DepEd Undersecretary and Chief of Staff Nepomuceno Malaluan, in his keynote address during the formal closing ceremony, said that the BEST has “helped DepEd build the foundation for K to 12 and opened the paths for further refinements such as curriculum review, which is ongoing already.”
The ceremony, Malaluan added, celebrated the “partnership, the friendships, the journey, and the accomplishments of the BEST education sector transformation program.”
The BEST program assisted the Philippine education sector in its shift from 10-year to K to 12 curriculum for basic education by supporting major reform areas in the DepEd. It includes the pre-service and in-service teacher development; education leadership and management; curriculum and assessment; development of learning and teaching materials; construction of disaster-resilient, gender sensitive, and disability-inclusive classrooms; context-specific learning systems; policy and planning; unified information systems; gender and development; and organizational development.
Furthermore, Malaluan added that through the programs of BEST, DepEd has “continued to upgrade the professional competencies of teachers and school leaders and has paved the way in building the capability of schools to provide the learning environment towards the delivery of quality, accessible, relevant, and liberating basic education for all.”
Also present in the event were representatives from the Australian government headed by Mat Kimberley, Deputy Head of Mission; and DepEd officials, including Undersecretary for Planning, Human Resource and Organizational Development, and Field Operations Jesus L.R. Mateo, Undersecretary for Legislative Office, External Partnerships, and Project Management Tonisito M.C. Umali, Central Office Directors, Regional and Assistant Regional Directors; Bureau chiefs, and various partners and stakeholders.
Among the highlights of the event were the ceremonial handover of project outputs and signing of deed of donation, BEST products exhibits, video presentations, panel discussions, and the closing remarks from the directors of BEST regions, including the National Capital Region (NCR) and Regions 5, 6, 8, 8 and 10.