Archive for July, 2012

DepEd implements HIV/AIDS information and prevention campaign

(PRESS RELEASE) 

The Department of Education will start implementing the school-based education and prevention campaign nationwide to provide accurate information and comprehensive knowledge on Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) in the workplace. 

Education Br. Secretary Armin A. Luistro FSC said the directive to conduct the orientation workshop on HIV and AIDS education is pursuant to Republic Act (R.A.) 8504 or the Philippine AIDS Prevention and Control Act of 1998 and the Civil Service Commission Guidelines in the Implementation of Workplace Policy and Education Program on HIV and AIDs.

“This move is guided by a sense of urgency to address the unabated increase in the incidence of HIV infection in high- risk areas in the country,” explained Luistro.

The Philippines is one of two countries in Asia which has registered a spike in HIV incidence in recent years. “This is happening while the rest of the region has been experiencing a downward trend,” Luistro added.

Official documents from the National Epidemiology Center (NEC) of the Department of Health reported 313 cases in its 2012 March AIDS Registry, which means ten cases of HIV infection are being reported in the country every day.

DepEd has already finished  the training of trainers on HIV/AIDS information and prevention program for the National Capital Region last  July 11 to 13  for participants from the initial 8 Metro Manila divisions. The second batch of training was held last July 18 to 20 and was attended by 8 more NCR divisions. The Visayas leg will be held in Cebu on August 8 to 10 while the Mindanao leg will be in Davao on August 15 to 17, 2012.

The Department, with assistance from core trainers of the education committee of the Philippine National AIDS Council (PNAC) will conduct the orientation for DepEd officials from the regions and divisions, including health personnel and administrative officers, education supervisors as well as alternative learning personnel.

“First we create awareness, then we communicate accurate, appropriate and comprehensive information, and then we institute measures on how to prevent its spread by translating such knowledge into positive behavioral change. This can be done through a continuing education and information campaign that is culture and gender-sensitive for our employees and teachers, said Luistro.

DepEd is duty-bound to accelerate the implementation of its HIV and AIDS education program in compliance with its duties and responsibilities as a member of the PNAC.

Japanese Ambassador turns over school building to DepEd

(PRESS RELEASE)

Japanese Ambassador to the Philippines Toshinao Urabe turns over today to Education Secretary Br. Armin A. Luistro FSC the symbolic key to the newly-constructed two-storey ten- classroom school building for the students of Maria Clara High School in Caloocan City.

The construction of the school building was financed by the Japanese government under the Japan’s Grant Assistance for Grassroots Human Society Projects.   

Luistro said the new building would mean better environment, more conducive to learning for Maria Clara High School’s more than 2,000 students. “We thank the Japanese government for their generosity and their solidarity with the Filipino learners. Surely, this gesture helped bridge the classroom gap we are slowly erasing,” he added. 

MCHS started in June 2000 as an annex school of Caloocan High School, the biggest school in Caloocan City. The current school site used to belong to Maria Clara Elementary School. It was then converted into a high school when student population ballooned to 2,084 in SY 2009 – 2010. 

In 2009, then school Principal Helen Grace V. Go, requested the Embassy of Japan for additional classrooms to accommodate the increasing number of enrollees. The request was granted in 2011 and the building was completed in April 2012. 

As of June 30, 2012, the school’s enrollment is 2,193.

DepEd, USAID assess public school computerization program

(PRESS RELEASE) 

The Department of education (DepEd) and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) will conduct an assessment of on- going information communications technology for education (ICT4E) initiatives to better integrate ICT in the K to 12 Curriculum. Read more…

DepEd PPP bid for over 9,000 classrooms nears contract award

(PRESS RELEASE) 

On July 18, 2012, the Department of Education (DepEd) received bid submissions for its Public Private Partnership for School Infrastructure Project (PSIP).

Of the six pre-qualified PSIP bidders, BF Corporation-Riverbanks Development Corporation Consortium and Citicore Holdings Investment, Inc.-Megawide Construction Corporation Inc. submitted technical and financial proposals for the PSIP.

The first phase of the PSIP comprises 3 Contract Packages -Contract Package A, which corresponds to 2,157 classrooms (with furniture, toilet and fixtures) for 666 public schools in Region I; Contract Package B, which corresponds to 2,885 classrooms for 592 public schools in Region III; and Contract Package C, which corresponds to 4,259 classrooms for 946 public schools in Region IV-A. In total, 9,301 new classrooms will be built for 2,204 schools in these Luzon regions under the PSIP.

As part of their technical proposal, each of the bidders constructed a 2-storey, 4-classroom mock up structure in Sta. Isabel Elementary School and in Malolos Marine National High School in Bulacan. A technical team comprised of the DepED, the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), the Department of Labor and Employment’s Occupational Health and Safety Center, and the Ernst and Young Consortium (the DepED PSIP’s transaction adviser) will evaluate the compliance of the mock up structures against the PSIP’s Minimum Performance Specification and Standards startinh next week.

The DepED expects to award the PSIP contracts in August 2012 so that construction can commence this year. Upon acceptance of the classrooms, a ten-year lease period will commence where DepED makes annual payments to the winning bidder. During the lease period, the winning bidder undertakes periodic maintenance activities on the classroom structures every 4.5-5 years, while the DepED is responsible for day to day wear and tear.

“With all systems go under the PSIP scheme, I am confident that we will be able to achieve zero backlog in classrooms by 2013” said Education Secretary Br. Armin A. Luistro FSC.

Indeed, the construction of classrooms and other school infrastructure under this public private partnership scheme will enable DepED to tap private sector technical and financial resources to improve the quality of school facilities and fast-track the wiping out of classroom shortages in public schools. Succeeding phases of the PSIP will be implemented in the Visayas and Mindanao regions.

Mall exhibit tour to broaden understanding of DepEd’s K to 12 program

(PRESS RELEASE)

The Department of Education (DepEd), will hold a series of interactive mall exhibits to raise awareness about its K to12 basic education curriculum reform program dubbed GO! Education (Greater Opportunities! Education). The tour will kick off at The Block Atrium Activity Center in SM North EDSA on July 27.

DepEd has partnered with the Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID), United States Agency International Development (USAID) and the Philippine Business for Education (PBED) for the exhibit which will also be held at SM malls in Pampanga, Pangasinan, Iloilo, Cebu and Davao.

“With the interactive exhibit, we hope the public would understand how our GO! Education program could help provide solutions to increase the competency of our public school teachers, improve our basic education curriculum to be at par with global standards and build more classrooms and other learning facilities with the help of both public and private partners,” said DepEd Secretary Br. Armin A. Luistro FSC.

The exhibit will be divided into three walk-through sections. Go! Teachers! tackles the problems, existing policies and solutions to produce highly competent teachers; Go! K to 12! offers a look at the new basic education curriculum and what it aims to achieve while Go! Classroom! talks about addressing the problem of classroom shortages.

During the exhibit kick-off, GO! Education ambassadors will be on hand to expound on the features and benefits of the K to12 education program.

Public school teacher Lou Sabrina Ongkiko of the Culiat Elementary School in Quezon City will talk about teacher training, mother of five Peachie Flaviano will answer parents’ concerns on the two additional years of high school while DepEd-Bicol Assistant Regional Director Diosdado San Antonio will discuss how the government promotes the public-private partnership scheme to build much needed classrooms.

“I know that some people are still skeptical about this, but with small steps, we at the Department of Education believe that we’ll be able to move towards greater opportunities through a reformed educational system,” Luistro added.

DepEd to sharpen skills of mathematically-gifted

(PRESS RELEASE) 

The Department of Education, in partnership with the Mathematics Trainers’ Guild (MTG), will conduct a qualifying examination for mathematics wizards from public and private elementary and secondary schools nationwide to further develop the mathematical potentials of promising students and be at par with international standards.

Education Secretary Br. Armin A. Luistro FSC said the qualifying examinations set on July 21, 2012 seek to evaluate the breadth of the students’ mathematical knowledge and skills and select superior students to undergo further training and advancement.

“Qualifiers will be given a chance to further enhance their mathematical skills through a series of intensive training so that we can optimize their full potential,” Luistro added.

Those who will pass the qualifying examinations shall be eligible to enroll as trainees in the 12-Saturday Mathematical Challenge for Filipino Kids Training Program.  In this program, they can earn the chance to participate in different international correspondence mathematics competitions which include the Mathematics Olympiad for Elementary and Middle Schools, American Mathematics Competitions, Canadian Open Mathematics Challenge, Canadian Mathematics Competitions – Pascal, Caley, Fermat Contests, Rio Tinto Big Science International Competitions and International Competition and Assessment for School Mathematics, Science and English.

Relative to this, the MTG will give 16 free slots per  region for public school students to participate in the Australian Mathematics Competition. Four slots are allotted for incoming Grades 3 and 4 in the middle primary division; four slots for incoming Grades 5 and 6 under the upper primary division; four slots for incoming first and second year high school for the junior division and four slots for incoming third and fourth year students for the intermediate division.

For more information about the program, interested parties may visit the MTG website www.mtphil.org or email rid182001@yahoo.com or call Roberto Degolacion at 0917-3246302.