Duterte: ‘DepEd not blind to reality'; unfolds roadmap to address education woes

BY JOSHUA JAVIER

“The Department is not blind to the reality,” Vice President and Department of Education (DepEd) Secretary Sara Duterte admitted in her Basic Education Report (BER) 2023 speech last January 30, unveiling all the issues that DepEd is currently facing, and the roadmap on resolving these challenges for a better quality educationforFilipinolearners

The DepEd secretary identified the school facilities and learning resources as the “most pressing issue,” citing the need to build, repair, and maintain school infrastructures to cover the learner populationinthecountry

Duterte also discussed the enrollment and Learner School Data, where she revealed the need to bridge the gap for the indigenous people’s communities, geographically-isolated and disadvantaged areas, Muslim youth, learners with disabilities, and out-of-school youthandadults.

InherBER,Dutertealsohighlightedthecongestedcurriculum,its missing and misplaced learning competencies, and the insufficient work immersion programs for actual skill acquisition of students.

AnothermainissuethedepartmentsecretaryreportedintheBER concerned the need to upscale teachers’ knowledge and skills, realign with 21st-century skills, and eradicate the burdens of administrativetasksforteachers

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