(by Dang Samson Garcia)
SENATOR Risa Hontiveros urged the Department of Education to prioritize the School-Based Mental Health Program to boost the safety of the country’s learning environment.
In her manifestation after the chamber approved on third and final reading Senate Bill 2200 or the Basic Education Mental Health and Well-being Promotion Act, Hontiveros said that a school-based mental health program should be given funding priority.
“I do hope that our education authorities will be up to the challenge of institutionalizing and sustaining mental health programs in our schools,” she said.
“Buo po ang paniniwala ko na itong panukalang batas na pinasa natin for third reading ngayon would complement and further strengthen our existing Mental Health Act o RA 11036 na atin ding isinabatas five years ago,” Hontiveros said.
She said that students and their families will greatly benefit from accessible school-based mental health services.
These services can address academic stress self-injurious and harmful behaviors such as suicide.
By Vergel Labesig
MARIING itinanggi ng Department of Education na may ‘political pressure’ sa naging hakbang nito na palitan ang terminong “Diktadurang Marcos” ng “Diktadura’ sa kurikulum ng Araling Panlipunan para sa Grade 6 students sa ilalim ng MATATAG curriculum.
“Wala pong ganoong pressure kahit kanino. Ito ay academic discourse na nakapaloob sa aming strand (curriculum and teaching strand),” sabi ni DepEd Bureau of Curriculum Development Director Jocelyn Andaya sa isang press briefing online Lunes ng hapon.
“It is an academic discourse that we always observe and follow as we review and revise the curriculum,” dagdag pa niya.
Tiniyak din ni Andaya sa publiko na walang historical revisionism sa nasabing hakbang.
“Hindi po iyan revisionism because ultimately and inevitably in the discussion of this it will always leave to kung sino ang magpapatupad nito. So, wala pong revisionism dito,” ani Andaya.
“Hindi po maaaring hindi banggitin ang pangalang Ferdinand Marcos Sr. sa pagtatalakay sa paksa ng diktadura. Kaya wala pong revisionism na nangyari dito at hindi naman natin papayagan ‘yun,” dagdag pa nya.
Kamakailan ay binatikos ng Alliance of Concerned Teachers at ng Congress of Teachers/Educators for Nationalism and Democracy ang hakbang na ito ng DepEd kung saan inakusahan nila ang kagawaran sa paglilihis ng kasaysayan o historical revisionism.
By Dang Samson Garcia
PAG-AARALAN ng Senado kung maaaring ilipat sa regular funding ang ilang gastusin na nasa ilalim ng confidential fund ng Department of Education para sa 2024.
Ito ang binigyang-diin ni Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri upang hindi lumobo ang hinihinging confidential fund ng ahensiya.
Partikular na tinukoy ng Senate leader ang pagpopondo sa pagtatayo ng Last Mile Schools na naglalayong mailayo ang mga estudyante sa mga komunista.
“Kung kaya natin ilagay sa regular budget nila, kung may tulong sa Last Mile Schools advocacy na mawala ang communist rebels, influence sa mga last mile school tingnan natin kung baka puwedeng ilagay ‘yan sa kanilang Maintenance and Other Operating Expenses na lang o capital outlay,” pahayag ni Zubiri sa panayam ng DWIZ.
“Kung magtatayo ng additional infrastructure like dorm type facility para hindi na kailangang bumalik at umakyat teachers dyan para mabantayan nila ang population at hindi maimpluwensiyahan that can be done through insertion in capital outlay, halimbawa lang po ‘yan,” paliwanag ni Zubiri.
“Kung pwede ilagay sa MOOE o personnel services puwede natin gawin para hindi lolobo ang CIF ng ahensiya na sa tingin namin, hindi dapat makakuha ng ganun kalaki,” giit pa ng senador.
Una nang binuo ng Senado ang Special Oversight Committee on Confidential and Intelligence Fund upang masuri ang paggastos ng pondo ng mga ahensiya ng gobyerno.
Ito ay upang matukoy kung dapat pang tanggalin, tapyasan o dagdagan ang hinihinging confidential at intelligence fund ng mga departamento ng pamahalaan.
By Liezelle Soriano
THE Department of Education urged the public to watch out against fake news following the emergence of a fake memorandum on teachers’ rest day.
The memo titled “DepEd Memo re: Two Weeks of Rest Days in Celebration of Teachers’ Day Month” was circulated online.
“During this period, teachers are encouraged to take a break from their regular duties and focus on self-care and personal being. School administrators are kindly requested to ensure that teachers are not burdened with additional work during this time,” the fake memo read.
The department has asked authorities to investigate the source of the fake memorandum.
It called on the public to be vigilant against misinformation.
By Vergel Labesig
THE ALLIANCE of Concerned Teachers expressed deep dismay and concern over the Department of Education’s justification for its request for confidential funds saying its focus on issues beyond its primary mandate only undermines the urgent and pressing needs of the education system.
The group issued the statement after DepEd claimed that 16 public high schools in the National Capital Region are sites for New People’s Army’s recruitment.
“We find DepEd’s rationale for seeking confidential funds feeble and questionable. The shortages are enormous, and these are the real issues plaguing our education system. It is absurd that DepEd Sec. Sara Duterte asserts that education is intertwined with national security while she fails to see that poor learners’ performance is directly interrelated with the classroom and other education shortages,” Vladimer Quetua, the group’s chairperson, said.
“Nasa 150,000 dagdag na classrooms ang kailangan para tugunan ang kakulangan habang nasa 13 million armchairs ang kulang para sa bilang ng enrollees ngayong taong panuruan. Kung tunay na nagmamalasakit ang DepEd sa seguridad ng mga mag-aaral, dapat binibigyan nito ng sapat na classrooms at learning materials. Patunay ang bumulaga sa aming lagay ng classrooms nitong class opening na hinati na sa gitna, nasa higit 50 pa ang mag-aaral sa isang klase,” Quetua added.
ACT reiterated its call for confidential funds to be rechanneled to resolve the learning crisis and address enormous shortages in classroom, teachers, education support personnel, and teaching and learning resources.
“Hindi kailangan ng DepEd ng pondo para sa confidential funds. Hindi trabaho ng ahensya ang national security. Hindi malulutas ng confidential funds ang lawak at lalim ng learning crisis. Malinaw na mas prayoridad ni VP Sara Duterte ang mag-function bilang NTF-ELCAC Vice Chair kaysa bilang DepEd Secretary,” Quetua said.