The Department of Education (DepEd) is conducting a series of workshops for its regional and division coordinators for the Adopt-A-School Program (ASP) to strengthen the capacity of its field offices for building partnerships and linkages with educational stakeholders from different sectors for the Department’s Senior High School and other last mile efforts.
The workshop aims to orient newly-designated ASP coordinators on their roles and responsibilities, strengthen coordination, and reinforce guidelines concerning the said program. Standardization among ASP-related processes from project preparation to implementation and monitoring was also emphasized.
DepEd Undersecretary for Partnerships and External Linkages Mario Deriquito said that partnerships with the Local Government Units (LGUs), National Government Agencies (NGAs), Non-Government Organizations (NGOs), companies, business establishments, cooperatives and schools and other training institutions are vital in achieving expected outcomes in DepEd's various programs.
“Co-ownership is what we need to establish,” he said. He underscored the importance of engaging stakeholders in institutionalizing educational reforms and in ensuring the continued delivery of quality basic education to Filipino learners. “Through partnerships, we are able to build a constituency, a community of supporters,” he added.
Deriquito cited some of the notable DepEd programs that need partnerships and linkages such the K to 12 Senior High School and programs for hard-to-reach learners like Pedals and Paddles Project, the Kariton Klasrum, and the recently launched LightEd PH.
The Pedals and Paddles Project targets to provide 35, 734 bikes and 1,216 boats to learners in far-flung areas to ease access to schools. Kariton Klasrum aims to provide street children, out-of-school children (OOSC) and school drop-outs aged 5 to 14 with access to basic education.
LightEd PH is a campaign that hopes to engage partners in expanding access to electricity and technology to 1,101,501 learners enrolled in over 5,000 schools that are still un-energized through conventional and alternative sources of energy.
Emphasizing that education is everyone’s responsibility, Deriquito added, “There is no need to do everything ourselves. Partnerships allow us to focus on what we do best.” As the Department heads in the full implementation of the K to 12 Senior High School (SHS), Deriquito believes that through the collective efforts of different sectors, we can deliver quality basic education to our learners.
“Local government units, national government agencies, companies and business establishments, civil society organizations, and other institutions can help provide work immersion opportunities, hands-on expertise, and additional resources for DepEd to be able to offer a more effective Senior High School program,” Deriquito said.
