Sixty-seven schools in Baguio will benefit from the Generate Opportunities & Lead in Education to Accelerate Development (GO & LEAD) program, an initiative that offers professional development for school principals, aiming to improve student outcomes and boost overall school performance.
In a statement issued Saturday, August 31, Philippine Business for Education (PBEd) announced that GO & LEAD concluded its series of training sessions for school heads this week.
The program was launched in November 2023 by the Australian government and PBEd in partnership with the Office of Baguio City Representative Mark Go and the Department of Education (DepEd)-Baguio.
Australian Embassy in the Philippines First Secretary for Education Vivienne Sykes stated that education has always been central to the strategic partnership between Australia and the Philippines.
“Like the Philippines, we have always believed that promoting teacher quality and school leadership is critical to improving student learning outcomes,” she said. “Australia will continue supporting long-term policy and institutional reforms that enhance the quality of Philippine human capital through education,” she added.
A ‘story for the books’
As part of the program, 67 school leaders received extensive training through a series of modules covering data-driven school management, leadership strategies, and the integration of educational technologies.
Participants also engaged in learning visits to various schools, institutions, and foundations, which provided valuable insights and broadened their perspectives on planning and executing sustainable school improvement initiatives.
Baguio City Schools Division Superintendent Dr. Soraya Faculo described the GO & LEAD program as a “story for the books.”
“Our goal was to create a data-driven assessment where school heads receive the right professional development,” Faculo said. “The entire program demonstrated a whole-school approach and provided us with ideas on developing interventions that are seamlessly connected,” she added.
DepEd Secretary Sonny Angara recently emphasized the crucial role of school principals in implementing the MATATAG curriculum. He noted that principals should tailor educational strategies to fit their local contexts, ensuring the curriculum's effectiveness in their respective schools. The GO & LEAD program supports this by strengthening the leadership skills of school heads through data-driven management and strategic planning.
For his part, Go stated that education is central to Baguio's vision of becoming a center for learning, driving human capital development and economic growth.
“Initiatives such as the GO & LEAD program empower our school heads to take actionable steps toward this goal, ensuring that our city continues to thrive as an educational hub,” he added.
Meanwhile, PBEd underscored the importance of local governments in supporting school heads and teachers through investments in their professional development.
The group also emphasized that these efforts will ultimately benefit students in their communities.
“We hope the initiative of the program will be replicated in other regions,” PBEd Executive Director Justine Raagas said.
“We saw how local education frameworks and strong collaboration among various sectors can boost teaching quality and address the learning crisis,” Raagas stressed.
“We want to see more educational initiatives tailored to local needs, leveraging diverse expertise and resources from various stakeholders,” she added.