C. Visayas 100% ready to implement K to 12, Dep Ed 7 says
By Fayette C. Ri�en
CEBU CITY, May 23 (PIA) -- An official of the Department of Education here said they are "100 percent ready and prepared” to implement the K to 12 Program in Central Visayas.
Dr. Carmelita Dulangon, officer-in-charge of the Department of Education (Dep Ed) 7 said public school teachers of Grade 1 in Region 7 are currently undergoing training to prepare them for the implementation of the program with classes due to start in less than two weeks’ time.
According to Dulangon during the PIA Kapihan this morning that tackled on the K to 12 Program, “classrooms and facilities are being readied as this week, the 19 school divisions in the region are doing the Brigada Eskwela campaign.” The Brigada Eskwela is a school maintenance program of the Dep Ed where parents, teachers, students and other stakeholders undertake beautification works every third week of May to prepare for the opening of classes.
Based on the data of the Dep Ed 7, there are 4,838 Grade 1 public school teachers from the 19 school divisions in Central Visayas. The number however, is higher because there are other public school teachers that are locally-hired by the local government units to augment the lack of teachers of Dep Ed, bared Dr. Milagros Gabia, chief of the Policy, Planning and Research Division of Dep Ed 7.
“Dep Ed 7 has already started conducting a series of training to its over 4,500 Grade 1 public school teachers by batches since early May. This week, we are training the 3rd batch and next week will be the last batch in time for the opening of classes on June 4,” disclosed Dr. Emiliano Elnar Jr., chief of the Training and Development Division of Dep Ed 7 in the same PIA forum.
But Dulangon said the number of Grade 1 public school teachers including the local hires of local government units may reach up to 6,000. “Our target is to train all these teachers before school opens,” said the Dep Ed 7 acting director.
Dulangon said training the Grade 1 public school teachers is critical as the K to 12 Program makes kindergarten mandatory. “The mandatory additional two more years in high school is set for implementation on 2016 yet,” she added.
Although Dulangon said there are 2,600 Grade 7 public school teachers in the whole region that need to undergo training under the K to 12 focusing on strengthening education on subjects like English, Math, Science and Technology and Livelihood Education (TLE).
Meanwhile, the different city and provincial education superintendents from Central Visayas are in Cebu City today for a conference meeting with Dulangon to thresh out various concerns including the K to 12 Program prior to the opening of classes. (PIA-Cebu)