To discuss the ongoing reform initiatives for basic education in the country, the Department of Education (DepEd) is set to hold a virtual forum series starting this week.
In collaboration with the Philippine Forum for Quality Basic Education (Educ Forum), the virtual forum series titled “Addressing the Challenge of Education Quality: An Educ Forum Series,” series will deal with issues and topics surrounding DepEd’s flagship campaign for education quality called “Sulong Edukalidad.”
“Through this series, we aim to raise greater awareness on education issues among the public and consult our partners on the existing reform programs in order to address the biggest concern and challenge in basic education today, which is quality,” Education Secretary Leonor Magtolis Briones said in a statement issued Wednesday, Aug. 25.
The four components of “Sulong Edukalidad” namely: K to 12 curriculum review and update, improving the learning environment, teachers’ upskilling, and reskilling, and engagement of stakeholders for support and collaboration will be the centerpiece of the virtual forum series.
The first installment of the series will be on Thursday, Aug. 26.
This will focus on the K to 12 Curriculum Review Results with Undersecretary for Curriculum and Instruction Diosdado San Antonio and Dr. Marie Therese A.P. Bustos as the presenters and Dr. Christopher Bernido, President of the Central Visayan Institute Foundation (CVIF), and Dr. Bert Tuga, President of the Philippine Normal University, as the reactors.
DepEd Regional Director Ramir Uytico will moderate the open forum.
In the upcoming episodes, other related issues will be discussed which include: Learning and Insights on the Results of PISA; Revisiting the Language of Instruction; NEAP Transformation; Best Practices in Blended Learning; Technology in Education; Strengthening Lifelong Learning (Inclusive Education and ALS); Financial Management Reforms; Revisiting Trifocalization; and Education Futures.
The forum presenters and reactors will come from DepEd, Educ Forum members, and invited education experts and resource persons.
DepEd, through the Order No. 10, s. 2021, has institutionalized the convening of the Educ Forum.
Composed of DepEd and other government, education sector organizations from civil society and the private sector, and bilateral agencies and multilateral organizations, the Educ Forum serves as a platform for consultation and collaborative research and analysis, and high-level advice to strategic basic education policy, planning, and programming.
Likewise, the Educ Forum Series also “seeks to inform stakeholders, deliberate on the reform programs, and address complicated and unresolved issues on education quality.”
To widen participation and reach, DepEd said that the virtual forum series will be held through an online conferencing platform and will be live-streamed on DepEd Facebook page and Youtube channel.