Patnubay A Monthly Newsletter of the Campaign for the Future of Filipino Children in the Philippines Series No1. June 2008

Sangkap Day-Care Center Opens School Second week of June

Sangkap Day-Care Center (SDCC), a preparatory school opened classes on June 16 with 55 pupil-enrollees.

The Department of Education, Culture and Sports (DECS) scheduled the nationwide school opening on June 10 for public and private schools. More than 21 million students from elementary, high school and college went back to school.

Autonomous and private schools have options to schedule their opening of classes. Likewise, SDCC has its own school calendar since its formation by the Campaign for the Future of Filipino Children (CFFC) in 1994. The Center schedules its own school opening and closing of classes for each academic year depending on the school curriculum.

Pupil-enrollees for the academic year 2008-2009 are not only residents of Phase 2, where the SDCC is located but also dwellers from other areas of Lupang Pangako. While the majority of pupils (32) are from Phase II, 9 enrollees are from Phase 1, 9 from Phase III and 5 from Group 6, which is the farthest site.

Parents of enrollees outside of Phase II preferred the center based on the positive endorsement of parents whose children were previous enrollees of the Day-Care.

As mentioned by Mrs. Abigail Ariola, mother of new enrollee from Phase I, she heard that the center provides quality education.

According to Crystalyn Lapid, a resident of Phase III, "The center has a good standard in preparatory education..."

SDCC has been in operation for the past 14 years with the help and continuous support of ordinary and working Japanese.


Sangkap Day-Care Center Holds Parents Orientation

Sangkap Day-Care Center recognizes the importance of the parent's participation in the development of the child. The management of the SDCC considers that the educational development of the child is a joint effort between parents and the Center.

It is the belief of the SDCC management that the parents should take major role in participating and coordinating in the activities of the Center to make the educational program workable.

In the context of mutual understanding on the belief of the Center, a parents orientation was conducted by the CFFC Coordinator on June 21 with 46 mothers attending the affair.

The discussions on the terms and conditions of the Center on child management, school activities and roles of parents were the highlights of the orientation.

After the orientation, the parents were asked to sign a Memorandum of Agreement as basis of their conformity in the terms and conditions of the Center.



Election of Officers in the Parents Teachers Association (PTA) and Its Role in Improving the Quality of Education

The participation of parents in the activities of the Sangkap Day-Care Center (SDCC) is vital in its operation. The commitment of the parents to actively work hand in hand with the teachers and staff of SDCC gave way to the annual formation of the Parents and Teachers Association (PTA).

Nine (9) officers of the PTA for the academic year 2008-2009 were elected last June 21 after the Parents Orientation. The positions elected were
President, Marlyn B. Guevarra; Vice President, Theresa T. Flores; Secretary, Crystalyn D. Lapid, Press Relation Officers (PRO) - Phase 1 Representative, Vilma Fersol; Phase II Representatives, Haide B. Camilon and Aurea B. Domingo; Phase III Representative, Vilma M. Gabon; Sargeants at Arms , Julie R. Baloloy and Marilou B. Llames

The parents elected vowed to help and support the activities of the center in whatever means they can. As voiced out by Mrs. Theresa T. Flores (PTA Vice- President). "I have 2 children but my services will always be available for the Day-Care."

In related news, Presidential Adviser Raul Banias said parents and teachers associations (PTA) should play a vital role in improving the quality of education in the country.

He said that the PTAs are seen as potent participants in assessing the performance of their respective schools in the country.

He said the PTAs are also tasked to be part of the initiatives in improving the quality of their students, not merely there to comply with monetary contributions or raise funds.


DepEd Directive - No Tuition Fees for Public School

Graduates of Sangkap Day-Care Center for School year 2007-2008 could now enroll in Grade I without paying any fees in Lupang Pangako Elementary School.

The Department of Education (DepEd) Secretary Jesli Lapuz issued a directive before the opening of classes to public elementary schools not to collect fees or contributions during enrollment.

He said that there's no reason for a student not to be enrolled this June because elementary education is free and compulsory.

Dr. Recaredo Borgonia, Department of Education (DepEd) assistant regional director said. "School principals are prohibited from collecting fees. If they have to collect contributions, this should be approved by the parents and the collection should be done by PTA (Parents-Teachers Association) officials,"

Borgonia said teachers or school officials who violate the "no collection" policy will be charged with violating simple office rules.

Parents are required to file a complaint so that teachers who are charged can have a chance to defend themselves as part of due process.

He said that even the membership fee for the Girl Scout of the Philippines and the Boy Scout of the Philippines should not be collected during the enrollment period.

On enrollment requirements,. The DepEd official said, "The Lack of birth certificate is not a reason to turn down enrollees. The students can be enrolled temporarily. The parents can submit the birth certificate later."

He said that only grade one pupils, first year high school students and transferees in public schools are needed to be enrolled.

The DepEd officials re reminding heads of public elementary schools to accept children who are six years old in Grade I.


School Uniform is Optional and Not Mandatory in Public Schools

In the event of increasing prices of rice, gasoline, and utilities (electricity and water), President Macapagal-Arroyo urged DepEd Secretary Jesli Lapuz to make directives for public elementary and high schools on a "no uniform policy" to spare the parents of buying new set of uniforms for those entering into the first level of formal school and those enrolling into a new school.

Some parents, upon learning of the new directive however said that the move may even be more expensive for them.

Moreover, parents whose children are studying in public schools agreed that a uniform helps identify the school of a student, and it keeps parents from buying more clothes and spending more.

On this, he added students who already have school uniforms are free to wear them, but those who cannot afford uniforms are not compelled to buy them

Lapus however stressed that the overall goal of the directive, is to offer public education at no cost to public school students and to increase enrollment in the country's public schools.

He said "The government is trying to eliminate all obstacles to achieving quality education."

In Lupang Pangako, majority of parents in the Center who have children studying in public schools preferred school uniforms more than civilian clothes for their daily use.

As Marlyn Guevarra, a mother in the Sangkap Day-Care said, "It is nice to see children wearing uniforms and it helps hide the family's real status. Whether you have money or not, everybody looks the same."

"If the children will not wear uniform, there will be more discrimination," Marites Pelino added. Maritess has 4 children studying in public schools.


English as a Medium of Instruction in Schools

In the wakes of calls to enforce English as a medium of instruction in schools to address competent use of the language, the Department of Education two months before the school opening clarified that English as a primary medium of instruction will only begin at the Grade 3 level.

The DepEd stressed that as "provided for in the 2002 Basic Education Curriculum, English shall be used as the medium of instruction in English, Mathematics, and Science and Health subjects starting in Grade 3."

DepEd Order No. 36 provides the Implementing Rules and Regulations for Executive Order No. 210 also known as "Establishing the Policy to Strengthen the Use of the English Language as a Medium of Instruction in the Educational System."

The order read. "The English language shall be used as the primary medium of instruction in all public and private schools in the secondary level, including those established as laboratory and/or experimental schools, and vocational/technical institutions."

"As the primary medium of instruction, the percentage of time allotment for learning areas conducted in the English language should not be less than 70 of the total time allotment for all the learning areas in all year levels."

The DepEd said that starting in Grade I or during the formative years of learning, English and Filipino and other dialects, will still be used.

The order emphasized that the Department continues to recognize the Filipino language as an official medium of instruction in the basic education level, specifically in the subjects of Filipino and Araling Panlipunan (Social Studies).


Curricula on Climate Change to be Included in the Subjects of Public Schools.

Education Secretary Jesli Lapus said the lessons on climate change will be incorporated in elementary and high school curricula will soon help raise awareness on global environmental issues among public school students.

This was contained in a memorandum of agreement signed recently by the Department of Education (DepEd), the Presidential Task Force on Climate Change (PTFCC) and the National Power Corporation (NPC).

Energy Secretary Angelo Reyes, chairman of PTFCC, signed the MOA with Lapus. Also present during the signing is NPC Senior Vice President Silvano Zanoria.

According to DepEd Secretary, "This joint initiative will make our public school students realize that they have a vital role to play in the fight against environmental degradation."

DepEd and PTFCC, with funding from NPC, will develop training modules and lesson guides for public school teachers.

The teachers will also undergo training on the use of these modules. A web portal is likewise planned to provide both students and teachers access to relevant information on environmental issues around the globe.

Not all public school teachers in Payatas are aware of this MOA on Climate Change.