Recognizing the impact brought by the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic on children, the Department of Education (DepEd) reaffirmed its commitment to protect and champion their rights.
“Our efforts, our reflections, our projects, our hard work – are centered on the child,” said Education Secretary Leonor Briones in a statement issued Dec. 20.
“This pandemic has taught us to build more partnerships and be relentless in our pursuit of protecting our children and championing their rights,” she added.
In November, DepEd also held a groundbreaking 3rd National Summit on the Rights of the Child.
The event aimed to reinforce efforts on upholding the rights of the child in education at present and in post-pandemic times.
The National Summit is the culmination of DepEd’s celebration of the 2021 National Children’s Month. It was held in partnership with Stairway Foundation Inc., Save the Children Philippines, and UNICEF Philippines.
DepEd said that the summit introduced the rights-based education (RBE) framework of the department, Child Rights in Education Desk (CREDe), Child Protection Unit (CPU), and other efforts of the agency on child rights during the pandemic.
Built on the gains of the first two Summits, DepEd created the Child Rights in Education Desk (DO No. 3, s. 2021) in January 2021 to strengthen its advocacies on the rights of the child in basic education.
“CREDe, using a legal and child rights lens, is mandated to act as the lead unit of DepEd to flesh out and articulate standards and meanings of child rights in basic education, as well as advocate and build capacity on the rights of the child in basic education, with a view to anchoring and integrating child rights in the mandate and work of the DepEd,” Undersecretary for Legal Affairs Josephine Maribojoc explained.
With theme, “Batang May K: Karapatan ng Bata sa Edukasyon, Kasama ang Lahat sa Pagsulong!”, the Third National Summit also aimed to facilitate discussions and elicit recommendations on upholding RBE through a whole-of-school, whole-of-DepEd, whole-of-government, and whole-of-society approach.
During the event, UNICEF Philippines Representative Oyunsaikhan Dendevnorov reiterated that every child has a right to education.
“Through our strong partnership and close coordination with the Department of Education and partners, UNICEF helps build teachers’ skills, develop learning materials, and make programs accessible that ensure the well-being of children, no matter where they are,” Dendevnorov said.
“Together, we can ensure that the best interest of every child comes first, especially now as in-person schooling started in selected areas,” she added.
DepEd said that participants of the Summit include officials and representatives from all governance levels of DepEd nationwide, public and private schools, national agencies, local government units, NGOs, and international organizations, the academe, professional organizations, business, media, parents, and the children and learners.
Consistent with the previous events, DepEd said that the forum ensured that the participation and opinion of children are “heard and considered seriously” --- especially on policies affecting them.
DepEd said that student-leaders, Alternative Learning System (ALS) learners, and Special Education (SPED) learners participate in the summit by narrating their experiences in their respective schools and through a roundtable discussion with selected DepEd officials headed by Briones.
To prepare the children and learner participants for the Summit and to contribute to the design and content of the Summit, a pre-summit conference was also held on Nov. 19.