Elem school atop Pangasinan islet thrives amid challenges

By Hilda Austria 

MALASIQUI, Pangasinan – The first and so far the only elementary school sitting atop a small island in Bolinao town in Pangasinan province continues to thrive amid challenges, a year since its founding on Sept. 9, 2022.
    Situated in the heart-shaped islet of Silaki in Barangay Binabalian, the Silaki Elementary School started with a single school building with two classrooms but now has two buildings with four classrooms where classes from kindergarten to Grade 6 are being held.
    In an interview on Friday, school principal Mailyn Cruz said the building was the realization of the promise made by the Rotary Club of Bolinao, which funded the construction.
    Two additional regular teachers were added to the roster of the faculty this school year, she said.
    "We now have five permanent teachers and one local school board from the municipality of Bolinao," she added.
Elementary pupils are taught by the school's permanent teachers, while kindergarten students are taught by a local school board teacher from the local government unit (LGU).
    Silaki Elementary School has produced seven graduates during the last school year who are now continuing their studies at the Binabalian Integrated School.
    Cruz said they have 38 enrollees this school year, a little lower than the 45 learners last school year.
    "The number of kindergarten decreased for this school year but we have a lot of learners in the day care center so we are expecting that by next school year there will be an increase in the number of enrollees," she said.
    Cruz said they are glad that the learners in the higher levels are mostly readers and majority of the children have good health and nutrition despite the challenges in their living condition on the islet.
    She attributed the good educational and health standing of the learners to the sacrifice of the teachers as well as the support and cooperation of the parents and the community as a whole.
    "The children do not need to cross the rough seas and we are grateful for that but we have the teachers who sacrifice as they are the ones who travel through the seas to teach the learners," she added.
    The boat ride from mainland Barangay Binabalian is 15 to 20 minutes, depending on the weather condition.
Cruz admitted that she sometimes worries for the safety of the teachers especially during the typhoon season.
    "When the weather would not permit them to travel, they stay at the house of the two other teachers who live in Silaki," she said.
    The school implements multi-grade teaching wherein a teacher handles two grade levels in one classroom.
"It may be difficult but given the number of learners it is possible," Cruz said.
    She said the pupils from the two grade levels take turns in doing their seatwork or listening to class discussion.
    Cruz said they plan to put up dividers in the classroom to limit distraction among the learners of both grades.
    Amid the sacrifice of the teachers at the Silaki Elementary School, Cruz said she hopes the teachers would be provided with allowances to compensate for their efforts.
    They are also hoping for more classrooms, a gymnasium, and more concreted and shaded areas that will serve as playground areas for the learners.
    Rosalda Padilla, who has two children studying at the Silaki Elementary School, said it was a huge relief to the parents as their children do not have to cross the sea to attend classes.
    The whole community, including the LGU, provincial government, academe, and even non-government organizations came together last year in hope to change the meaning of the word "silaki," which means unfortunate, by establishing an elementary school in the islet for the sake of its residents, especially the younger generation.
    The school was built on a 300-square-meter lot donated by Binabalian residents Marino Celi and his wife, while the LGU funded the temporary learning shelter.
    The Department of Education provided the manpower and the office supplies for the school. -- PNA

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Expanded voucher system to decongest public schools

By Filane Mikee Cervantes

The measure that includes kindergarten and elementary school students in the coverage of government assistance and subsidies to private schools would help decongest public schools, a House leader said on Tuesday.
    During the Bagong Pilipinas Ngayon briefing over PTV4, House committee on basic education and culture chair Rep. Roman Romulo of Pasig City's Lone District, said the proposal that would expand the application of the Government Assistance to Students and Teachers in Private Education (GASTPE) will also complement the Dept. of Education’s public and private education complementarity framework in its goal to decongest public schools.
    "Sa kasalukuyan po kasi, ang ating mga DepEd schools ay punong-puno na po ng estudyante, pero ang voucher system natin ay para sa Grades 7 to 10 at dahil sa K to 12 program nagkaroon din po voucher system sa 11 and 12 (Currently, our DepEd schools are completely packed with students. However, our voucher system is only for Grades 7 to 10 and since we have the K to 12 program, we also have a voucher system for [Grades] 11 to 12," he said.
    Romulo, however, pointed out that the bulk of the entire student population in the Philippines is in elementary schools.
    The complementarity approach between public and private schools would help address overcrowding in public schools and classroom backlog, he added.
    "So, hopefully po, with the passage po of this E-GASTPE law, expanded E-GASTPE law ay magkakaroon talaga ng complimentary partnership po talaga ang public and private schools natin (there would be a complimentary partnership between our public and private schools)," he said.
    Under the proposed measure, the government will provide vouchers to recognized private basic education schools for kindergarten, elementary, and secondary students.
    “At pag napasa po itong bill na ito ay puwede po nating mahingan ng tulong, magkaroon ng tunay na partnership. Para iyong mga hindi na talaga kakasya po sa DepEd schools natin ay makapag-enroll rin dito sa ating mga private schools (If this bill is enacted into law, we could ask [private schools] for help and establish a real partnership. So that those who can't be accommodated by our DepEd schools can be enrolled in private schools)," he said.
    The voucher assistance for students would be based on tuition and other fees charged by the schools, and the socio-economic needs of each student, according to the proposal approved by the House Committee on Basic Education and Culture.
    Most vulnerable and underprivileged students, or those belonging to the bottom first to fifth income deciles, as determined by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), shall be prioritized for the program. The priority students would receive a higher voucher amount.
    The participating private basic education schools, meanwhile, shall receive assistance based on the percentage of priority students in the school, the overall performance of the schools based on the rankings of its students in national and international assessments, and the geographic spread and size of student enrollment.
    Meanwhile, the Public and Private Education Complementarity Framework shall serve as the foundation to guide and support DepEd towards addressing the gaps in the public and private sectors of education.
    Last week, Vice President and Education Secretary Sara Z. Duterte, in her message read by DepEd Assistant Secretary Revsee Escobedo, cited the launch of the framework as "another step forward" in transforming basic education in the Philippines.
    "By working together, we can decongest public schools and expand access to quality education for students from low income families," Duterte said.
    "Clearly, our public schools cannot address the education crisis alone. Private schools have a pivotal role in addressing the challenges we face today. Our private schools' expertise, innovation, and commitment to provide quality education for our students have helped shape Filipino society," she added. -- PNA
 

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BCDA told: Allow use of Camp John Hay school

BAGUIO CITY -- City officials recently urged the State-owned Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) to allow use of the closed John Hay Elementary School as an extension of Jose P. Laurel Elementary School at Scout Barrio for the increasing number of enrollees from the neighboring barangays.
    Under resolution 605, series of 2023, local legislators stated that there is a need for the BCDA to consider allowing the use of the facilities of the closed John Hay Elementary School for similar purposes or as an extension of the Jose P. Laurel Elementary School to allow students to have easier access to basic education, especially those coming from the various neighboring barangays of Scout Barrio and for the same to be maximized in providing quality basic education to the youth.

    Earlier the body considered a letter dated June 30, 2023 of Jeannette T. Lacana, principal of the Jose P. Laurel Elementary School, to city officials stating their strong support for the proposal of the Schools Division of Baguio City for extension classrooms making use of the John Hay Elementary School building since it is the nearest school to their institution to accommodate additional learners coming from adjacent barangays, thus, the need for additional classrooms as the school has no excess rooms for the said purpose.
    Also considered by the council is a letter dated July 22, 2023 of Ms. Marie Carolyn B. Verano, Schools Division Superintendent, Dept. of Education–Cordillera Administrative Region, to Baguio City Rep. Mark Go recommending the use of the John Hay Elementary School building as an extension classroom for Jose P. Laurel Elementary School.
    Another letter considered by the council dated Sept. 25, 2023 was that of M. Diana T. Ortiz, president, Scout Barrio Homeowners Association.
    She told the council the now closed John Hay Elementary School should be reopened.
Ortiz said the installed community facilities would be for the common use and benefit of the residents.
 

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SLU files reconsideration on LEB cease, desist order

By Angeline Marcelino

BAGUIO CITY -- The Saint Louis University (SLU) has filed a motion for reconsideration to address the Legal Education Board’s (LEB) cease and desist order on their Master of Laws Program (LLM).
    On Thursday, the LEB issued the order to stop the operation of SLU’s LLM, citing that the university is not authorized to offer the program.
    “To address this Order, a Motion for Reconsideration will be filed within the day,” said SLU in their statement issued Friday evening.
    The Baguio-based university shared that LEB issued them a show cause order on September 29, in which they complied on October 3, while they received the cease and desist order on October 5.
    According to SLU, they inquired to the LEB about the requirements of opening an LLM during a meeting held in their university in 2022, which was attended by “all LEB commissioners.”
    “During this meeting, then Associate Dean Tadeo inquired about the requirements needed to open a Master of Laws (LLM) program. In response to this question, the Chairperson of the LEB, Hon. Ana Marie Melanie Trinidad, unambiguously and unequivocally responded that there was no necessity to submit any document, as opening an LLM program is embraced in the University’s exercise of academic freedom,” SLU recalled.

“The other LEB Commissioners unanimously seconded Chair Trinidad’s response. It was this clear representation and declaration by the members of the LEB itself which sealed the plan of opening SLU’s LLM program,” the university added.

SLU shared that it took years of “meticulous planning and diligent preparations” in opening the LLM program, and that their School of Law Dean Christine Angelica Elveña emailed LEB requesting for a Certificate of Recognition, but it was not acted upon by the board.

“Dean Elveña also sent an electronic mail to the LEB requesting for a Certificate of Recognition or its equivalent, in order to reduce in writing the acknowledgment of the LEB that it was aware of the Master of Laws Program of the University. However, except for the transaction number assigned, such e-mail was not acted upon by the LEB,” SLU noted.

“Neither was the opening of the program surreptitiously done. The official Facebook page of the SLU School of Law has consistently posted announcements on the program. Additionally, the School of Law has been religiously complying with the regular LEB requirements such as the Law School Information Report which is submitted every semester, and which contains information not only on the JD [Juris Doctor] program, but on the LLM as well,” the university added.

The board is aware of their LLM, according to SLU, and it was a surprise that they were issued a show cause order.

\“The fact of the matter is that the issuance of the Show Cause Order was an utter surprise because through it, LEB, in effect, reversed itself and in essence, made SLU appear to have circumvented rules and regulations regarding the establishment of the LLM program,” the university said.

With the ongoing situation, SLU assured that they will fight “lawfully and fiercely” for their LLM program.

 

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City Council to JHMC: Explain school closure in Camp John Hay

BAGUIO CITY – The City Council recently urged the Dept. of Education –City Schools Division to provide the local legislative body comprehensive report on the closure of John Hay Elementary School within Scout Barrio barangay for information and appropriate legislation when necessary.
    Under resolution 579, series of 2023, the Council stated earlier legislation stated that based on an entry, which is also in the title of the John Hay Elementary School, the closure of the school by the State-owned Bases Conversion and Development Authority subsidiary, the John Hay Management Corporation was  illegal.
    Earlier the body considered resolution 002, series of 2023 of the Scout Barrio Homeowners Association that urged the BCDA to donate/dispose to the local government unit or Scout Barrio barangay the remaining 7.9 hectares of Scout Barrio covering open spaces, forest areas, community facilities, recreation areas, roadways and waterways, parks, and roads, and to release the identified generated lots to its qualified applications areas which have been excluded from segregation In completion of Executive Order No. 64, series of 2001.
    The body stated the same resolution cited entry in the homeowner’s individual Transfer of certificate of title filed in the Registry of Deeds which states consistently that the properties described as per subdivision plan and that except by way of donation in favor of the national government or the local government, no portion of the said property shall be closed or otherwise disposed of by the registered owner without the approval of the court of first instance of the city pursuant to section 50 of Presidential Decree No. 1529.
    Copies of the approved resolution will be transmitted to the BCDA, JHMC and the Department of Education – City Schools Division and the regional office for their information, guidance, ready reference and further needed action.
 

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971 Ilocos classrooms damaged by storms

By Hilda Austria 

MALASIQUI, Pangasinan – Almost 1,000 classrooms in the Ilocos Region were damaged due to typhoons Falcon and Egay and the southwest monsoon (habagat), the Department of Education (DepEd) said on Monday.
    Of the 971 damaged classrooms, 514 incurred minor damage, 354 major damage and 103 total damage, according to Darius Nieto, project development officer of DepEd Ilocos, during a press conference in San Fernando, La Union.
    He added 72 toilets and 77 handwashing facilities were also damaged.
    “All the school divisions were affected. This still needs vetting from the central office and engineers for them to see the actual needs. The engineering office has already coordinated with the school divisions for those that need temporary learning spaces,” he said.
    Nieto said the restoration or renovation of the classrooms has to undergo a procurement process. It would also take 60 to 120 days to set up temporary learning spaces.

“The funding was already in the regional office or what we call standby funds for disaster risk reduction and management sources,” he said.

Meanwhile, DepEd Ilocos regional director Tolentino Aquino asked for the support of the stakeholders for this year’s “Brigada Eskwela” volunteer maintenance activities and “Oplan Balik Eskwela.”

He encouraged stakeholders, including parents, students, national government agencies, and non-government entities, to practice the “bayanihan” (cooperation) spirit in helping prepare the classrooms for the opening of classes on Aug. 29.

At least 144,705 enrollees have already enrolled as of Aug. 14 based on the learner’s information system quick count or 11.6 percent of last school year’s total enrollees of around 1.2 million learners.

Aquino said the agency’s preparations for the opening of classes include for possible extreme heat due to the El Niño phenomenon.

“Nakaranas na ng extreme heat noong April and May kung saan naglabas ng advisory and DepEd na sinasabi sa mga ganitong pagkakataon ay maaring magshift ng modality from in-person classes to distance modality kaya nagagamit pa din learning modules at ang mga guro ay nagkaraoon na din ng kasanayan ukol dito (We experienced extreme heat in April and May wherein the DepEd issued an advisory stating that in this case, we may shift modality from in person classes to distance modality so we were still able to use learning modules and the teachers were also trained on this),” he said.

Also part of the “Balik Eskwela” (Back to School) kickoff on Aug. 14 is the opening of hotlines to assist and answer queries regarding enrollment.

Aquino said they can be reached by phone (0968-5161347), email (paac.region1@deped.gov.ph) or via Facebook (www.facebook.com/depedregion1).

The Ilocos Police Regional Office said they have already coordinated with the schools, local government units and non-government organizations for traffic management.

The police’s public focus operations are around school premises to ensure the safety of learners. -- PNA

 

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Baguio university students demand stop to tuition hike

BAGUIO CITY—Students of Saint Louis University (SLU) and University of the Cordilleras (UC) are opposing the looming tuition and other fees increase in said universities, claiming it is “unjust” considering economic conditions.
    The impending tuition hikes, set at 9 percent for SLU and 10 percent for UC, are the highest in five years for both schools and will be implemented among the incoming freshmen.
    Private universities across the country are also planning similar steps. Last month, Manila students called on the Commission on Higher Education (CHEd) to intervene, citing intense inflation as grounds for a tuition moratorium.
    On Sunday, students from the two Baguio universities appealed to their respective school administrations to implement a moratorium on tuition increases or at least provide transparency. Both SLU and UC have yet to respond to the students’ call for a moratorium and explanation.
    “It is very frustrating, especially considering the grave economic situation with the 7.7-percent regional inflation,” said Ren De Jesus, a third-year behavioral science student from UC, in an interview with the Inquirer.
    De Jesus and other students at UC and SLU have been asking their university administrations how the funds from the impending fee hike will be spent.

According to CHEd Memorandum 3, series of 2012, student councils and faculty must be consulted before implementing TOFI.

No consultations?

When asked if their student council was informed about the TOFI at UC, De Jesus said they were not consulted.

“The TOFI announcement was released during our term break when people were not in school,” De Jesus said.

Mario Oriana, an incoming freshman at UC, described the TOFI as “unfair,” stating that the school administration did not involve students in the decision-making process.

“We really don’t know why it’s 10 percent or where the money from that increase is going to go. There’s no explanation or justification. It just existed,” Oriana said in a separate interview.

Gabrielle Francisco, the Supreme Student Council President at SLU, stated that the consultations for TOFI were delayed.

“The consultations were supposed to be done in the first semester. Technically speaking, what else do the students need to do? Imagine, three days before the deadline of CHEd, they only showed the proposed changes,” Francisco said.

Kevin Pineda, a third-year political science student at SLU, noted that the university’s explanation regarding TOFI was vague.

Recoup losses

In a previous dialogue with students in April, the SLU administration stated that the increase would help recoup profit losses from the past two years without TOFI.

But Pineda mentioned that SLU was charging fees for internet, visual and information technology, among others, despite these services not being used due to the campus being vacated.

According to the Inquirer, the additional funds generated from TOFI are spent by SLU based on CHEd Memorandum 3, series of 2012.

Seventy percent of the TOFI budget is allocated for faculty and staff wages and benefits, while the remaining 20 percent goes toward improving facilities, laboratories, and equipment.

However, Pineda lamented that in both SLU and UC, some facilities and equipment remained “dysfunctional.”

“Many classes use the laboratories and reagents, and they distribute the lacking laboratory equipment, maki

ng it harder to perform the lab activities. Inside the classrooms, there are many run-down chairs that are uncomfortable to use,” Pineda explained.

Francisco also stated that this problem is widespread across many colleges in SLU.

Other fees

De Jesus said it also remained unclear to UC students where all the additional funds from TOFI are channeled since the students also pay a fee for the maintenance and development of UC’s land and facilities.

“Aside from the increase in tuition, we also pay P500 LIMAD fee (land, infrastructure, maintenance, acquisition, and development), which will now be P550,” De Jesus said.De Jesus added: “The students have been questioning for a long time because even the breakdown is not included in our white form.”

Despite the increase in tuition and the LIMAD fee in recent years, De Jesus stated that UC students have not experienced any improvement in student services.

“[It is intriguing that the students have to pay excessively, but they do not even fix the portal. There are always errors. Other projectors also don’t work properly. We have to move to other classrooms so we can present and use the projector properly,” De Jesus said.

While the country reels from inflation and the rising prices of goods, “it would be best if we had a halt with the tuition increase,” according to De Jesus.

“But if that’s not possible, I hope the school administration is transparent,” Oriana said.

On April 24th, SLU students staged a rally at the main gate of their Bonifacio campus to protest the impending TOFI that the school administration plans to impose for the academic year 2023-2024.

“We want to have more discussions with [the school administration], too, to get an answer to why there’s a tuition fee increase in the first place,” Oriana said.

Officials of the two schools on Tuesday were not immediately available for comment.  -- Jethro Bryan Andrada, Justine Rhys Lawrence Martirez 

 

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Free meals for poor college studes pushed

By Jordan Habbiling

BAGUIO CITY -- Councilor Levy Lloyd Orcales has drafted an ordinance providing free daily meals to college students from low-income families including student assistants who are enrolled in any public or private higher educational institution in the city.
    Under the proposed ordinance, to qualify for the free youth meal program, the student must belong to a low-income family; maintain passing marks in all subjects; and not be a recipient of any subsidy provided by the local government unit.
    The proposed free meal program shall benefit 100 students but may be increased yearly upon the recommendation of the City Social Welfare and Development Office (CSWDO). The applicability and duration of the program shall be within one academic year exclusive of the summer term. All qualified students shall be eligible for yearly renewal.
    The allocation for each qualified student per month shall not exceed P1,000.00. Any unused amount shall be carried over to the succeeding months until the end of the current academic year.
    The city government shall reimburse all youth meals consumed by the beneficiaries monthly through a food voucher system. A memorandum of agreement shall be undertaken between the city government and the school.
    The proposed ordinance aims to complement other existing government efforts to promote proper nutrition to college students and mitigate student hunger.
     “This program may not be able to fully support the education of our Baguio youth in colleges and universities, but this would be a complementary program that supports our call for an equitable, accessible, and pro-student education system,” Oracles stated.
    The proposed ordinance is akin to Republic Act 11037 otherwise known as the “Masustansyang Pagkain para sa Batang Pilipino Act.”
    Orcales deemed it necessary to enact similar legislation at the local level in favor of college students since RA 11037 only provides free meals to learners in the K-12 Program.
    “Programs providing for free meals must not only be contained within the basic education level since our youth enrolled in colleges and universities are also being met with challenges in terms of their food provision,” Oracles said.
    Oracles also mentioned that, based on a number of studies focusing on student welfare, lack of government assistance to college students compels the youth to resort to various means to finance their own education such as gambling, running a micro/small business, taking part-time jobs, gambling, renting out bed spaces, and sex activities.
    He said such activities may put young people at a disadvantage, thus the need to expand the government’s support and programs to accommodate “deserving” students to help them focus on and prioritize their studies.
The proposed ordinance has been referred to the city council’s Committee on Youth Welfare and Development for review.
 

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Intelligent use of intelligence fund

LETTERS FROM THE AGNO

March L. Fianza

BAGUIO CITY -- Four of my five grandchildren go to school. The youngest is in the first grade. When asked, he prefers to be in the shade of the classroom during hot weather and can just run home after school even under a scorching sun, rather than getting soaked on rainy months.
    Due to the high heat index reported daily by the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration – Department of Science and Technology (PAGASA-DOST), those concerned are again proposing to move back the opening of classes to June from August.
    They reason out that schoolchildren are the most affected by the hot weather months of March, April and May in most places lower than the altitude of Baguio, Benguet, Ifugao, Mountain Province and other cold climate mountainous areas in the Cordillera.
    But the reality is that schoolchildren are always at the risk of facing bad weather the whole year round, whether during the hot months or during the typhoon months where they wade flooded urban streets or cross swollen barrio rivers.
    The inconvenience of studying in classrooms with no air-condition systems is the same as learning in a school with leaking roofs and flooded floors. In other words, the distress in having classes in very hot weather is the same danger met in having to cross flooded roads and raging rivers.
    With all their reasoning, they are blind to the reality that bad weather, both hot and stormy, is unpredictable.     The threats to good basic education are not because of the seasons but due to very poor school infrastructure.     These are the leaking roofs, no air-condition units, clogged waterways that cause floods, uncovered manholes and more.
    This is the reality that is faced by the public, including high school and college students, teachers, the working sector and public utility vehicle drivers; not only schoolchildren. Changing the schedule for opening of schools everytime the weather is unbearable is not a solution to the problem.  
    By building better school infrastructure, we might just be able to prevent bad climates from threatening the education of our schoolchildren, and stop moving school schedules. If not, then the crisis in the education sector will be waist-deep like the floods.
    It is surprising that everytime communities are hit by floods, houses burn down, farmers and fishermen are unable to work due to an environmental disaster; our government officials resort to distributing relief goods and even cash assistance.
    Our elected and appointed officials resort to these solutions that make Filipinos too dependent on social amelioration but fail to address issues related to education. For decades now, we have been hearing about the lack of infrastructure like better classrooms, in addition to the salary increase of public school teachers that has been a grievance for the longest time.
    The solution to alleviate the situation is not to move the opening of classes in June and free the schoolchildren from the hot months of March, April and May because weather is unpredictable, and the tendency of which is for LGU heads to cancel classes during typhoons.
    The better solution is to build better infrastructures by simply providing air-condition units in classrooms so that schoolchildren will have the finest education they can experience while the sun is burning so hot outside, or when it is raining cats and dogs in the playground.
    For decades, appointed and elected officials of a certain LGU know which schools in their areas suffer from annual flooding. It is time they build or look for elevated grounds to relocate the schools from flood-prone areas.
    Why this has not been done before is quite puzzling. As if to “not relocate” has a deeper purpose, one of which is for the situation to be a legitimate alibi to distribute “ayuda” or relief goods and cash assistance. This does not solve the problem, it worsens our educational woes but it perpetuates political careers.
    Funding drastic reforms for our educational system through better infrastructure and the way we treat our schoolchildren and their teachers would really be costly, even while it is not a secret that a bigger portion of our taxes are always allotted by congress to the Department of Education.
    It is indeed more intelligent for Vice President Sara Duterte to spend the intelligence fund allotted to her office for the installation of air-condition units in classrooms that need them and seal those leaking roofs.
    Provide better school infrastructure to escape the heat and elevate or relocate the schools to avoid the floods.     That way, school opening won’t have to be moved every time the bad weather hits us, and VP Sara’s intelligence fund would definitely improve the intelligence of our schoolchildren.

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SLU students in Baguio City hit tuition increase

Gabrielle Francisco, president of Saint Louis University Kasama Supreme Student Council in Baguio City, leads protest against the looming 9-percent increase in tuition and other school fees outside their campus on Monday, April 24. -- Photo by Jethro Bryan Andrada

BAGUIO CITY — Students of Saint Louis University (SLU) here on Monday staged a rally at the main gate of their Bonifacio campus to oppose the looming 9-percent increase in tuition and other school fees (TOFI) that the administration is eyeing to impose for academic year 2023-2024.
    The tuition increase, one of the highest in recent years, is set to be implemented among freshmen in SLU’s undergraduate, graduate, law, and medicine programs.
    Gabrielle Francisco, president of the SLU KASAMA Supreme Student Council (SSC), said the 9 percent TOFI is “unjust.”
    “Magsisilbi itong dagdag pahirap sa mga kabataan at mag-aaral ng SLU (It will serve as an additional burden to the students of SLU),” Francisco said.
    Francisco also expressed concern about an SLU memorandum announcing there would be “no increase” in tuition of students who are in their second to fifth year at the university.
    She said that the increase was instead funneled to their other fees, effectively making TOFI applicable to all SLU students.
    A dialogue between KASAMA SSC and the administration was also held on Monday afternoon, along with another silent protest on campus grounds.

Francisco also said if the SSC is unsuccessful in preventing the administration from increasing tuition, they were still hoping for a moratorium or transparency from the university.

“Sana magkaroon man lang ng transparency and disclosure report para we know where it increased funds in TOFI is allocated. We hope that there can be at least a transparency and disclosure report so that we know where it [increased funds in TOFI] is allocated),” Francisco added.

 

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Gov alarmed; public school literacy drops

By Leander C. Domingo

TUGUEGARAO CITY -- Amid the alarming drop in the literacy rate in the province of Cagayan, Gov. Manuel Mamba has issued an executive order that aims to give priority for the effective implementation of the education system in public schools.

    In his executive order 1, series of 2023, Mamba is ordering the municipal chief executives and the schools division superintendent to strictly implement the education system in public schools and fully support the learning recovery plans of the Department of Education.

    He said the issuance is in response to the province's alarming decline in the literacy rate and the ballooning number of learners who can't read well in the province.

    Mamba added that the EO aims to give priority to the effective implementation of the education system to combat the low rate of literacy in public schools.

    According to Claire Lunas, the provincial government's consultant for education, the latest survey shows that 12.72 percent or 29,529 of the 231,667 students enrolled in public schools in Cagayan cannot read well.

    Lunas also noted that based on the 2017-2018 early language, literacy and numeracy assessment, the province of Cagayan has a literacy rate of 49.52 percent.

    She said the results of the survey are worrying. However, Lunas is confident the EO can help improve the literacy rate among schoolchildren in the province.

    Meanwhile, Dr. Orlando Manuel, Schools Division superintendent, said the Department of Education (DepEd) in the province is thankful to the governor for his support of the department's recovery program.

    "We thank the governor for issuing the executive order. We view it as a big support to our recovery plans and the DepEd's order from Vice President Sara Duterte," Manuel said.

    Giving assurance that they will follow or comply with the EO, Dr. Wilma Bumagat, Cagayan Assistant Schools Division superintendent, said they will support the provincial government's move to address the problem.

    Lunas said the local chief executives, including parents, have a big role in monitoring school children to achieve quality education.

    One of the reasons for the decline of literacy is the learning gap caused by the two-year pandemic.

 

 

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Classes stopped in Cagayan school after 154 students, teachers get Covid symptoms

By Villamor Visaya Jr.

TUGUEGARAO CITY — Mayor Samuel Siddayao of Gattaran town in Cagayan province suspended in-person classes in a high school after 154 students and teachers displayed symptoms of Covid-19.
    On Monday, Dec. 5, Siddayao issued an executive order stating that the rural health unit and the municipal health office recommended that classes at Calaoagan Dackel National High School-Capissayan Annex be canceled after tests revealed that 145 students and nine teachers had fever, cough, and sore throat.
    The mayor said the suspension of in-person classes began on Monday and would end on Dec. 16.
    He said the school would shift to blended learning for two weeks or during that period “to promote the safety, security, and health protection of learners, faculty, and staff of the institution, as well as the public.”
    The average daily attack rate (ADAR) of Covid-19 in Cagayan rose from 18.2 percent to 21.4 percent last week, the data showed.
    ADAR refers to the number of individuals found infected for every 100,000 people.
 

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Scare tactic less effective vs illegal drugs: DepEd-CAR

PERSONALITY DEV’T. Dr. Angeline Calatan (right), medical officer of the Department of Education in Cordillera, says in a press conference on Monday (June 27, 2022) that their agency focuses more on developing critical thinking among learners than on scare tactics to keep the youth away from illegal drugs. She said the DepEd has integrated anti-drug topics into its age-appropriate curriculum for the learners' better understanding. (PNA photo by Liza T. Agoot)

By Liza Agoot 

BAGUIO CITY – The Dept. of Education (DepEd) in Cordillera on Monday said the youth should be taught to focus on becoming productive and responsible citizens, instead of scaring them with the penalties if they get involved in illegal drugs.
    In a press conference, Angeline Calatan, medical officer at the DepEd-Cordillera, said scare tactics are not the best way to keep learners out of the influence of illegal drugs, adding that reducing dropouts is actually a more effective approach.
    "We are more focused on personality development and imparting the importance of finishing their studies by staying in school which will make them better persons," Calatan said.
    She said while they tell learners about the consequences of illegal drugs, they want to concentrate more on making the learners capable of thinking for themselves.
    "We want to develop critical thinking among the learners, how to say yes, how to say no," she said.
    In 2018, the DepEd ordered the integration of anti-drug education in the school curriculum, crafting the messages and the content based on the age of the learners.
    "We should be clear with our messages and the content we want to impart, not just on making them aware of the effects and the misconceptions," Calatan said.
    She said subjects like Health and Good Manners and Right Conduct (Edukasyong Pagpapakatao) could also be used as vehicles to inculcate values that will help learners stay away from illegal drugs.
    In Cordillera, the DepEd's Education Support Unit also has the program "Barkada Kontra Droga," which also emphasizes the government's anti-illegal drugs program.
    Ensuring a safe environment for the schools through Disaster Risk Reduction Management is also incorporated into the department's effort, said Calatan.
    She said the DepEd-Cordillera has also institutionalized the "Salaknib tan namnama," an Ibaloi phrase that means saving and giving hope to help "learners in need."
    Calatan said the program was piloted in the DepEd Benguet division and is being carried by the Abra division.
    The program taps volunteers who support "distressed" learners or those at risk of dropping out.
Prosecutor John Carlo Carantes, assistant regional director of the Department of Justice-Regional Prosecution Service, said cases of minors involved in illegal drugs are referred to the Department of Social Welfare and Development.
    Under the juvenile justice law, minors below 15 years old are exempt from criminal liability while those 15 and above but below 18 at the time of the commission of the offense are subjected to an assessment to determine their discernment. -- PNA
 
 

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COA flags Nueva Ecija LGU for hiring unlicensed teachers

The Commission on Audit (COA) has flagged the provincial government of Nueva Ecija for hiring teachers who did not pass the Licensure Examination for Teachers (LET) and did not undergo screening by the Provincial Local School Board (PLSB).
    In its 2021 annual audit report, the COA said only 45 of the 110 teachers hired were LET passers while only nine were listed in the Department of Education (DepEd)’s Registry of Qualified Applicants (RQA) for schoolyear 2020-2021.
    The COA said this contravened a joint circular of the DepEd, Department of Budget and Management and Department of the Interior and Local Government, which states that local school boards should utilize the list found in the RQA.
    The COA also cited the operations manual of the Nueva Ecija LSB, which states that only LET passers are allowed to become public school teachers.
    ”Though there were exemptions in hiring non-LET passers to be assigned in remote areas of the province, the LSB could not provide proof that the offer was made to the enlisted names in the RQA and they declined or waived the teaching opportunity,” the audit report read.
    The COA said the PLSB point person admitted that the hiring of the non-LET passers was a discretion of the district supervisor and did not pass screening by the board.
    The audit agency said the hiring of the non-LET passers deprived teaching opportunities to those who are more qualified, adding that it might compromise the quality of education in public schools in the province.
    In a written reply, the provincial government admitted that its PLSB “may have overlooked” the prescribed qualification standards and procedures in the hiring of teachers for the schoolyear.
    The PLSB committed to “revisit” the screening and selection procedures to fully comply with qualification and procedural parameters in applicable guidelines. – Elizabeth Marcelo
 

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989 Ilocos villages have no elementary schools

SAN FERNANDO CITY, La Union – A study conducted by the Dept. of Education Ilocos Region revealed out of 3,267 villages in the region, 30 percent remain without any public schools.
    This constitutes 989 villages without an elementary school, while 564 have a secondary school. The study also showed that more than 60,000 out of 1.3 million enrolled learners came from these villages without schools.
    The Education department said there should be at least one elementary school for every village and at least one high school for every municipality or city. But this was not the case in the Ilocos Region.
    "With limited access to school, learners go to nearby villages to enroll but eventually drop out due to transportation costs and allowance, while others decide not to go to school anymore," the DepEd said in a statement.

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28 Baguio schools set for face-to-face classes

BAGUIO CITY – A total of 28 public elementary and high schools here are set for limited face-to-face classes in transition to "new normal" education.
    Mary Jane Malihod, Education program supervisor of City Schools Division said Thursday Gibraltar Elementary School and Sto. Tomas Elementary School started implementing in-person classes on March 7.
    Twenty six schools composed of 19 elementary and seven high schools, she added, are still subject to compliance with School Safety Assessment Tool or SSAT for resumption of face-to-face classes from kindergarten to Grade 6.
    Malihod said schools ready for the transition might start holding classes in the next several days after completion of the validation, simulation and orientation of the students who will be allowed to attend in-person classes.
    According to her, these are students permitted by their parents to do so or who will sign a waiver while others will continue with blended learning.
    Malihod said students will only be allowed to stay in the schools for a maximum of 4.5 hours.
    She added there are designated areas in school premises where parents and guardians will be allowed to wait for the dismissal of their children from their classes for them to be able to bring them home immediately to prevent them from loitering in the schools.
    Malihod said schools have been mandated to put up directional signs to serve as guide for students and teachers in going to and out of their classrooms and the school compound to ensure there will only be a single entrance and a single exit for orderly movement of people.

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BeNHS conducts limited F2F classes limited F2F classes

SCHOOL CONCERNS 

Madison B. Kiong

LA TRINIDAD, Benguet -- Benguet National High School (BeNHS) has received its Safety Seal Certification in preparation for limited face to face instruction starting Feb. 16. The Safety Seal certification was issued by the Dept. of Interior and Local Government.
    BeNHS was found compliant with minimum public health standards (MPHS) and implemented digital contact tracing integrated in StaySafe.ph application. The certification is valid until August 2022.
    The kick-off of a limited face-to-face (F2F) class for technical vocational livelihood (TVL) students was graced by the Director IV Jocelyn D.R. Andaya of DepEd Central Office- Bureau of Curriculum and Development, regional director Estela L. Cariño and School Division superintendent Gloria B. Buya-ao and other DepEd officials in welcome program Feb 17 at the BeNHS covered court. The TVL students of the school were excited during the program, they wore their complete uniforms and looked highly esteemed as they lined-up to visit their classrooms.
    Prior to the re-opening of the limited f2f classes, parents and teachers orientation including learners were conducted and all other requirements reflected in the school safety assessment tool (SSAT) were provided and validated.
    The limited F2F learning for TVL was inspected by guests assisted by the teachers. Students demonstrated skill-based learning applied in their classrooms. While observing the MPHS protocols and physical distancing, the students worked on their tools in their laboratories.
    The cookery for instance prepared their food plates for the guests. Others showed prowess table setting, hospitality while other students demonstrated very good hair-cut and hairdressing.
    The hands-on assistance and actual F2F learning proved beneficial to students as they observed the process and had opportunity to try out mastering the skill under the guidance of the teacher. This is a far-cry from MDL where students have labored in answering modules without the student-teacher interaction which is crucial to the success of learning.
    The said activity was attended by the school faculty headed by Principal IV Nestor O. Dalay-on. Meanwhile, director Andaya and with Dr Cariño and team also visited other schools in the region.
 
 
 

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77 Ilocos Region schools join in-person classes

By John Michael Mugas

LAOAG CITY, Ilocos Norte — At least 77 public schools in the Ilocos region have opened their doors for the expanded in-person classes beginning Monday (Feb. 21), the regional Department of Education (DepEd) said Tuesday.
    The DepEd said these schools joined 20 other schools in the region that had already resumed limited in-person classes in November last year.
    Of the 77, at least 39 schools are in Pangasinan, 32 in Ilocos Norte, and six in Ilocos Sur, according to Pedro Jose Cudal, planning officer for the regional DepEd, during a virtual press briefing on Tuesday.
    Physical classes were allowed to resume in the region after it was placed under COVID-19 Alert Level 2, the DepEd said.
    All the schools have undergone and passed a safety audit. Depending on the school’s capacity, students enrolled from Kindergarten through Grade 12 may attend classes physically.
    Only vaccinated teachers may participate in the in-person classes. Students, meanwhile, are encouraged to get vaccinated, but it is not a requirement, said DepEd.
    To ensure the safety of students, schools are required to strictly implement health protocols while giving them the “flexibility” to lay down contact time for teaching and learning. INQ

 

 

 

 

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CHED monitors opening of face-to-face classes in universities, colleges

The Commission on Higher Education (CHED) will monitor opening of limited face-to-face classes in higher education institutions (HEIs) expected to start this February.
    CHED Chairman Popoy De Vera told reporters in a series of Viber messages on Thursday, Feb. 3 that the number of HEIs that will offer limited face-to-face classes for all degree programs is not yet available.
    “The opening of the second semester in many universities will start this February so that data will be available in two weeks’ time,” De Vera said in a mix of English and Filipino.
    De Vera explained that in November 2020, he issued an advisory stating that HEIs that were ready can start holding limited face-to-face for all degree programs.
    Universities and colleges located in areas under Alert Level 2 were allowed to open limited face-to-face classes in December 2021.
    Those HEIs in areas under Alert Level 3 were allowed to open in-person classes for all degree programs by January 2022.
    However, due to the surge in coronavirus disease (COVID-19) driven by the highly transmissible Omicron variant, CHED and the Department of Health (DOH) decided to make some adjustments in the schedule.
    “In January, upon discussion with DOH, I issued an advisory saying that HEIs in Alert Level 3 may open by Jan. 31, 2022,” De Vera said.

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Cordillera schools start face-to-face classes

LA TRINIDAD, Benguet -- Twenty elementary and secondary schools in the Cordillera pilot tested the Education department's limited face-to-face learning starting Nov. 29.
    Dr. Estela Cariño, DepEd regional director, said nine schools in the Mountain Province, five schools in Kalinga and Tabuk City and two schools each in Benguet, Abra and Ifugao were qualified for face-to-face classes.
    The schools permitted for limited face-to-face learning were Dalit National High School in Pilar, Abra; Mabungtot Elementary School in Langiden, Abra; Ja'pa Elementary School in Atok, Benguet; Asipulo National High School in Asipulo, Ifugao; Liyang Elementary School in Tanudan, Kalinga; Bonong Elementary School in Balbalan, Kalinga; Gayang Elementary School in Sabangan, Mountain Province; Masla Elementary School in Tadian, Mountain Province; San Pablo Integrated School in Tabuk City; Toppan Integrated School in Tabuk City; Naguey Elementary School in Atok, Benguet; Maket-an Elementary School in Tadian, Mountain Province; Gonogon Elementary School in Bontoc, Mountain Province; Dalican Elementary School in Bontoc, Mountain Province; Cagubatan Elementary School in Tadian, Mountain Province; Monamon Proper Elementary School in Bauko, Mountain Province; Dacudac Elementary School in Tadian, Mountain Province; Haliap Elementary School in Asipulo, Ifugao; Lubon National High School in Tadian, Mountain Province; and Guilayon Elementary School in Tabuk City.
    Cariño said these schools, under minimal risk areas got concurrence of concerned local government units.
    They also accomplished their School Safety Assessment Tool.
    No schools in Baguio City and Apayao were included because these areas were at high risk, and the local governments did not give consent for face-to-face learning.
    In the elementary level, allowed to participate in the pilot test of the limited face to face learning were from kindergarten to Grade 3 while senior high school students allowed to join the limited face-to-face classes were those enrolled in technology and livelihood track.
    Under pilot testing guidelines, all teachers must be fully vaccinated and capacity of the classroom will be dependent on the enrolled population to ensure compliance to physical distancing among students.
    However, the installation of plastic barriers were not mandatory, but the health department stated in its memorandum that these plastic barriers were encouraged.

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