PNoy leads storytelling session to Araw ng Pagbasa“Araw ng Pagbasa”

To
stress the importance of reading as the foundation of knowledge, President
Benigno S. Aquino III leads today a storytelling session with Grade V pupils of
T. Alonzo Elementary School in Project 4, Quezon
City.

Araw
ng Pagbasa is an annual advocacy program that began in 2008. Every year, public
elementary schools and high schools in Quezon
City simultaneously hold storytelling sessions in
Araling Panlipunan, Filipino, and English.

Araw ng Pagbasa was inspired by the ideals of the late Senator Benigno “Ninoy”
Aquino, who deeply believed that reading expands the mind that serves as a
key   to other learning.

To promote a nationwide advocacy for reading, November
was declared the National Reading Month which culminates with the “Araw ng Pagbasa” on November 27,
Ninoy’s birthday.

Education Secretary Armin Luisto said the move is in
support of the ten-point education agenda of the Aquino Administration which
promotes the Every Child a Reader Program (ECARP).

“Reading
enriches the mind and opens a host of other possibilities that is why we
encourage our children to start early and keep the habit as they grow older,”
Luistro added.

  

To highlight the Reading Month, Luistro directed all
regional, division and school level officials to lead the nationwide
synchronized reading program every first Monday of November from 9:00 to 10:00
in the morning.

“By encouraging reading among our school children
using many creative ways,   we are also motivating them to learn from the
lives of eminent Filipinos who can be our role models,” explained Luistro. 

House Overwhelmingly Approves K to 12 Bill on Third and Final Reading

A bill that will ensure the continuity of K to 12 and its corresponding funding by the state has been approved overwhelmingly by the House of Representatives by a vote of 190 in favor and eight against.

The Enhanced Basic Education Act of 2012, or House Bill 6643, was approved on third reading yesterday. It will then be reconciled with the Senate version for amendments and improvements until it becomes a law.

Education Secretary Br. Armin Luistro FSC said that DepEd is thankful for the support of the lawmakers in spearheading legislation that will open more opportunities to the Filipino youth by way of an education system that is relevant to the learners, the community, and industries. 

“We are getting closer to our goal of putting in place a basic education system that responds directly to what our learners need and to what the employment and entrepreneurship sectors require, even as it gives enough preparation for students who are geared for higher education,” added Luistro.

K to 12 starts with Univeral Kindergarten which mandates all public elementary schools to offer kindergarten class and accept 5-year old learners beginning 2011. It is followed by six years of Elementary, four years of Junior High School, and two years of Senior High School where students will pursue their preferred career track depending on their skills and inclination. K to 12 does not preclude students from pursuing a college degree and gives them better preparation for the rigors of higher learning. 

Luistro has expressed his appreciation to the K to 12 proponents in the House of Representatives, especially Rep. Rosenda Ann Ocampo, Committee on Basic Education and Culture Presiding Officer, Speaker Feliciano Belmonte, and the late Salvador Escudero III.

The K to 12 bill in the Senate is being championed by Senator Edgardo Angara. 

A most recent survey conducted by the Social Weather Station revealed that majority of the respondents approved of K to 12 and are confident that it will bring the much-needed reform in the country’s educational system.

Search for the best logo design for Voice of Asia ongoing

The Department of Education is launching a logo- making contest as part of its promotion of the Voice of Asia Speech Competition which aims to showcase the Filipino students’ skills in impromptu speaking in English

DepEd, The Manila Times, and The Manila Times College, in cooperation with the Coordinating Council of Private Educational Associations (COCOPEA), Emilio Aguinaldo College, and various corporate sponsors, will hold the 1st Voice of Asia Speech Competition from November 15, 2012, to March 20, 2013.

The first ever impromptu speaking contest is open to Filipino high school students from public and private schools in Grade 9 (Third Year) or Grade 10 (Fourth Year). The National Winner will represent the country in the International Finals.

The logo design contest is open to the public and a cash prize of P10,000 awaits the winner. The deadline for the logo design is November 23.

Each participant can submit only one entry of a single image file including both black and white and colored versions of logo on a white background in either .gif or .png format, placed in a 400x600 pixel format with a resolution of 150 dpi. A single multi-page pdf set for high resolution, containing the following in this order and with the following page restrictions:

• Page 1: logo in color
• Page 2: logo in black and white
• Page 3:&4: logo shown in use (eg. poster, webpage, invitations,
tarpaulin, etc.)
• Page 5: documentation (summary description or explanation of logo symbolism)
• Page 6: short biographic information of designer or studio, contact
information.

All entries must be sent via email to communications@deped.gov.ph on or before November 23, 2012.The logo competition shall be judged onthe following criteria: Originality 30%, Significance 30%, Creativity 10% and Over-all impact 30%.

Submitted entries will be posted from November 26-30 at the official DepEd Facebook page.

DepEd, partners launch First Voice of Asia Speech Contest

Filipino
high school students will be given a chance to shine internationally in an
impromptu speaking contest in English that also aims to develop the public-
speaking skills of local students.

The
First Voice of Asia Speech Contest will start its selection of contestants from
November 15 to 23, 2012 at the school level and will culminate in the
international finals on March 20,2013.

The
contest is being launched by the Department of Education in cooperation with
The Manila Times, The Manila Times College, Emilio Aguinaldo College and the
Coordinating Council of Private Educational Associations (COCOPEA).

Education
Secretary Br. Armin A. Luistro FSC said the contest will highlight the
capability of Filipino high school students to discuss a relevant issue that is
exemplary in form and content. “By content, we mean thought organization,
logic, appropriateness of examples, and accuracy of data and delivery means,
correctness of grammar and syntax, level of language, posture and eye contact
with the audience,” said Luistro.

Contestants
should speak in English all throughout, thus, words used during the speech
other than English will mean point deduction. 

Each
regional office of DepEd is entitled to send two contestants, one each from the
public and private school enrolled in Grade 9 or 10. The selection of
contestants from the division level is from November 26 to December 7, 2012
while the selection in the regional level is from January 21 to 25, 2013. The
national finals is on February 15, 2013.

The
national winner who will receive P50,000 will represent the country in the
international finals, wherein the winning prize is US$5,000.    

HP and DepEd recognize the Metro’s ten best student writers in the Write&Read Program

The Department of Education-National Capital Region (DepEd-NCR) and technology giant Hewlett-Packard (HP) recognized ten of the Metro’s most promising young writers at the culminating activity of the Write&Read Program held at the SM City North EDSA Annex.


A collaborative story-writing competition, the Write&Read Program provided opportunities for the youth to hone their writing skills as well as their imagination in making illustrations. Among the top writers included five
winners from the Junior Division namely Naomi Therese Legaspi of St. Paul College-Pasig, Geri Angela Paragas of Miriam College, Isabella Dela Cruz of Our Lady of Perpetual Succor College, Gillian Sandigan of St. Paul College-Pasig, and Aira Maria Joy Amarante of Special Science Elementary Class-Santiago de Guzman, who entered inspiring stories about achievement and success.


The five winners from the Senior Division, Katrina May Jimenez of Marikina Science High School, Courtney Allison Tirol of Manresa School, Leonor Evangelista of Don Alejandro Roces Sr. Science &Technology High School, Pamela Jenna Sabuero of Caloocan City Science High School, and Kimberly Ann
Ramos of Quezon City Science High Schoolalso created winning compositions that centered on the value of technology in enriching the learning experience of today’s youth.


Themes for the Junior Division short story competition included “Technology makes learning so much fun,” “Young leaders: Going the distance with technology” and “Future dreams with A+ grades.” The Senior Division took a more serious approach, with themes such as “Score cool points in school with
technology,” “High fives for high grades: Win in school, win new friends,” and “Tech-savvy whiz: connecting to A+ grades, A+ future.” The ten finalists also joined the On-The-Spot Essay Writing Challenge, the final leg of the year-long Write&Read Program which also included other activities such as
writing workshops.


Panelists from DepEd-NCR and HP judged the entries to determine the final rankings. DepEd-NCR’s Assistant Regional Director Dr. Rizalino Rosales, Write&Read Program Ambassador Efren Peñaflorida andHP Philippines Country Manager Albert Mateo handed the students their prizes for exhibiting their
writing prowess.

A+ compositions and artwork

The first place awardees,Naomi Therese Legaspi and Katrina May Jimenez, eacreceived PHP 100,000. Second place winners Geri Angela Paragas and Courtney Allison Tirolcopped PHP 40,000 each, and the third placers Isabella dela Cruz and Leonor Evangelista were awarded PHP 20,000 each. The first to third
placers all received the HP Ink Advantage 5525 e-All-in-One printers.

Special citations were also given to Junior Division finalists Gillian Sandigan and Aira Amarante and Senior Division finalists Pamela Sabuero and Kimberly Ramos, each receiving PHP 10,000 as well as HP Ink Advantage 3515 e-All-in-One printers. To complete the A+ experience, all ten winners also received an HP Mininote laptop and anHP Ink AdvantageAll-in-One printer for their schools.


More than 200 students from grade school and high school all over Metro Manila submitted compositions and illustration masterpieces. Only tenclassified into the Junior and Senior Divisions, made it to the finals.


Molding education through reliable, affordable printing technology In its aim to improve education for the country’s youth, HP, in partnership with DepEd-NCR, spearheaded the A+ campaign, with the Write&Read Program as its biggest component.


Dr. Luz Almeda, Regional Director of DepEd-NCR lauds the partnership in empowering kids of today: “It is an honor to be working hand-in-hand with HP in this wonderful undertaking for the future of education. With their commitment to providing tools that will help children reach their full potential in academics, families and schools can be assured that technology is there to create a brighter future for the world,” she says.


HP Printing and Personal Systems Country General Manager Albert Mateo shared his insight on the project: “We’re glad to be partners with the Department of Education-NCR in this endeavor. Through the Write&Read program, we have reached a lot of students and encouraged them to develop a habit of writing
and reading to enhance their education. We’re proud that HP has helped these children through the use of HP Ink Advantage printers that enhance their potential through affordable and reliable printing.”


HP’s Ink Advantage printers, the company’s products aimed at families and students, make use of the best of today’s technologies that incorporate wireless connectivity and the internet. Students can enhance their learning experiencewith a suite of ground-breaking features such as ePrint, wireless
direct and print apps at a low running cost.

Nationwide Survey Reveals Increasing Public Approval of K to 12 and High Confidence in DepEd’s Capacity to Achieve Goals

The K to 12 Basic Education Program of the Department of Education has increased public approval rating based on latest survey of Social Weather Stations (SWS).

In a survey conducted from August 24-27, results showed growing acceptability of the key features of the reform program compared to survey results in March 2012 and earlier.


72% of Filipino adults believe that K to 12 will give students more sufficient knowledge and preparation for work and college compared to those who finished 10 years of basic education, garnering a net rating of +48, up from +35 last March.

The percentage of Filipinos who believe that more students will be encouraged to finish Senior High School (SHS) in the K to 12 Basic Education Program because it is equivalent to two years of college showed a ten-point increase with 69%, a significant increase from 59% in March, with a net rating of +41.

Moreover, results showed that 68% of Filipinos with a net rating of +39 believe that more students will finish SHS even with the additional cost and number of years because K to 12 graduates will be better prepared for work, higher education, and business.


K to 12 prescribes an enhanced basic education program that covers one year of Kindergarten education, 6 years of elementary education, and 6 years of secondary education consisting of 4 years of Junior High School and two years Senior High School. K to 12 graduates will be equipped with middle-level skills, readiness for higher education, and readiness for livelihood, may it be employment or entrepreneurship.


Looking at the complementary aspects of providing access to quality and equitable education for all Filipinos, the same survey revealed that 72% of the respondents agree that DepEd will be able to improve the quality of teachers while 7 out of 10 say DepEd will be able to address classroom shortages.


Overall, public satisfaction with DepEd increased by 12 points while awareness of Education Secretary Br. Armin A. Luistro FSC was at a record high of 90%.


The Third Quarter 2012 Social Weather Report was conducted nationwide with 1,200 respondents representing all economic classes, and a balance across genders, age groups, and locale (urban and rural).

DepEd reiterates semestral break for the School Year 2012-2013

The Department of Education reiterates that this year’s semestral break is from October 22 (Monday) to 25 (Thursday) as stated in the official calendar of activities for the School Year 2012-2013. Regular classes in all public elementary and secondary schools will resume on October 29, Monday. The school calendar, duly signed by Education Secretary Br. Armin A. Luistro FSC, is stip

ulated in DepEd Order no. 26 series of 2012 released last April 4, 2012.



Strict compliance with the DepEd Order is required for all public elementary and secondary schools. However, due to previous suspension of classes brought about by inclement weather conditions, the Department gives full discretion to concerned field officials and/or school administrators on whether they will have a semestral break or use the days for makeup classes instead to meet the mandatory 180 days non-negotiable teacher-learners contact time.



Private schools may opt to deviate from the calendar, provided that the total number of school days is not compromised.