Department of Education Secretary Leonor Briones has thanked the parents, teachers, and all concerned stakeholders for having faith in them amid the challenges that hounded the education sector in 2020.
“Indeed, it will take an entire nation to raise our children and in that endeavor, we thank all of you parents, teachers, personnel, partners, stakeholders, and all of you for believing and keeping faith with us amidst these challenges,” she said in a message during the recent Virtual Thanksgiving and General Assembly attended by DepEd officials and personnel.
“This is for the future of our country and our children. Your continued support serves as an inspiration for us to further fulfill our duty and overcome all of these varied challenges. Together, let us heal and let us triumph as one,” she said.
Briones also took the opportunity to express the DepEd’s commitment to address recurring and new challenges in 2021.
“Many new things, challenges to face but we’ll persevere as we have always persevered as the Department of Education, as the primary institution for the molding and development of our learners, for the future of our country,” she said.
She cited the need for the country’s education to be further transformed not only in response to the drastic changes in education brought by the pandemic, but also in response to the changing world.
“Education is not going to be the same as education during my time or during your time it’s going to change and the change has already started. We already recognize the signals, we see the increased role of technology and science,” she said.
“We see the need to encourage not only our teachers but our learners to not only specialize and memorize; but to know many things, to know how to analyze, to know how to be objective, to know how to come to break a problem apart and come up with a solution. Ito ang klase ng edukasyon na gusto natin (This is the kind of education that we want to pursue),” Briones added.
Joining Briones in the virtual event were Undersecretary for Finance Annalyn Sevilla, Undersecretary for Planning Service and Bureau of Human Resources and Organizational Development Jesus Mateo, and Undersecretary for Legal Affairs Atty. Josephine Maribojoc.
As an expression of gratitude to organizations and individuals that supported the mission to deliver education amidst the pandemic, the DepEd produced a “Heal The World 2020” video.
The music video, dubbed as DepEd #Pasasalamat,featured Briones, Pilipinas Got Talent champion Marcelito Pomoy, teachers, learners, and other stakeholders singing together.