With the opening of the School Year 2024- 2025, the Department of Education(DEPED welcomes former Senator Juan Edgardo “Sonny” Manalang Angara who is serving as the 39th secretary of education. He comes with impressive credentials as he attended Douai School in the UK, and finished his Bachelor of Science degree in International Relations with honors from the London School of Economics. He finished his law degree at the University of the Philippines College of Law, and earned his Master of Laws degree from Harvard Law School in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
When he made his rounds in Metro Manila, Secretary Angara was immediately confronted with the major challenge of classroom shortage wherein Angara pledged faster construction under his watch by strengthening the coordination between the DepEd and the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).
Secretary Angara is aware that as a developing country in Southeast Asia with a population of over 100 million people, has a long history of colonization, until 1898 when the American government established public schools that followed an English-language curriculum, which aimed to prepare Filipinos for the workforce. After independence in 1946, the education system underwent further changes, and in the 1987 Philippine Constitution states that “the State shall protect and promote the right of all citizens to quality education at all levels and shall take appropriate steps to make such education accessible to all.” And made education a key priority.
As reported by the Philippine Statistics Authority has reported that approximately 16.7 million Filipinos live below the poverty line, with many of them struggling to make ends meet on a daily basis.
According to a report by the Department of Education, around 5,000 schools the lack of resources and infrastructure, have no access to electricity, while 10,000 have no access to potable water, affecting the quality of education they receive. In addition, many schools lack adequate classrooms, textbooks, and teaching materials, making it challenging for students to learn effectively. In addition, the country is vulnerable to natural hazards like earthquakes, floods, and typhoons, leading to significant damage and disruption difficulty in distributing and retrieving modules, unavailability of equipment and gadgets, poor internet access, poor quality of learning materials, unpreparedness of parents taking on the role of teachers, teachers’ lack of training on the modality of learning, lack of technological knowledge, a one-size-fits-all approach to instruction, and inadequate learning management plans for blended learning. The country’s geography also poses challenges in terms of education access, particularly in remote locations and conflict areas. This challenge is not only limited to rural areas but is also present in urban areas.
Secretary Angara faces the challenges that are complex and multifaceted, ranging from poverty to armed conflict, lack of resources and infrastructure, and the digital divide and his intervention will require a comprehensive and multi-dimensional approach, including strategies to create more job opportunities, improve social services, and support education and skills development, bridge the digital divide, as well as providing alternative learning opportunities in conflict-affected areas and investing in education infrastructure.
Good luck, Sonny!
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