To prepare the entire department for the implementation of the learning recovery plan, the Department of Education (DepEd) has conducted the 2022 National Planning Conference (NPC) for the first time since the Covid-19 pandemic.
With the theme, “Learning Recovery, Resiliency, and Unity,” the 2022 NPC aimed to inform the field offices on implementing the Basic Education Development Plan 2030 (BEDP 2030) to achieve its commitments and goals.
“Today’s National Planning Conference will act as a sounding board in our learning recovery strategy for the upcoming school year,” Vice President and Education Chief Sara Z. Duterte said in her video message.
“Let us support the present administration’s goal of improving the country’s education quality through the use of evidence in planning, research programming, and policy development,” she added.
The said conference focused on innovative responses and initiatives from all DepEd strands and units to address educational imperatives in the Basic Education sector.
The participation of all executive committee members also provided policy and operational updates in preparation for the execution of plans for the Fiscal Year 2023.
“This will be critical because the output of this planning conference will be used by us to be able to project the administration’s priority programs for the next six years until 2028,” Undersecretary and Chief of Staff Epimaco Densing III said in his presentation on strategic directions.
Densing also highlighted the importance of using the grassroots approach Duterte is doing in addressing perennial issues in the education sector.
He also emphasized the need to accelerate efforts in addressing the enormous challenge of education quality and that everyone must be involved.
Moreover, Densing stressed that the administration of Duterte is “listening and acting on the various concerns of teachers” --- specifically, he noted that the DepED has started lessening teachers’ administrative work.
Spearheaded by the Planning Service (PS), Director Roger Masapol highlighted that the event was crucial in preparing the entire DepEd for the implementation of the BEDP 2030 and Learning Recovery Plan and ensuring alignment and synchronicity of education plans.
Key DepEd officials on field operations, strategic planning, and curriculum development also presented various topics for the Department to collaborate on in the future.
The DepEd also invited vital government agency representatives to share and streamline education plans to the national planning and development frameworks.
Undersecretary Ma. Anthonette Velasco-Allones of the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) presented the Strategic Foresight process; Philippine Statistical Research and Training Institute (PSRTI) Executive Director Josephine Almeda lectured on Big Data Analytics, and the Philippine Development Plan was shared by Undersecretary Rosemarie Edillon of the National Economic and Development Authority.
To address problems in management, operations, and curriculum in each regional office, DepEd Regional Directors also presented their respective Regional Education Development Plan (REDP) to the Executive Committee members and selected Central Office directors through breakout sessions.