Angara: DepEd 'red urgent' challenges now fewer

Nearly 100 days since he assumed office, Secretary Sonny Angara reported Wednesday that the "red urgent tags" of the Department of Education (DepEd) have lessened.

In his speech during the European Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines (ECCP) meeting, Angara highlighted recent DepEd accomplishments, specifically granting flexibility in the K-10 curriculum, creating a task force to improve students' performance in the next Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA), and assessing reading interventions and the senior high school curriculum.

"Even before assuming office, my team and I were ranking and re-ordering DepEd's challenges. In business and medicine, they call this 'triage.' We are reaching our 100 days. I have to tell you—we're already low on our red urgent tags," he said.

"I remind my team that there are no quick, easy answers for a system of this scale. Policies, though long-awaited, remain works in progress. Nothing is final. Everything will be up for feedback," he added.

When it comes to the welfare of teachers, Angara mentioned that DepEd has provided them additional benefits like vacation service credits.

He said the agency is also reviewing the teacher development plan for their career promotion and progression.

Despite all these, Angara said the DepEd still needs the help of partners like the private sector to ensure that programs for the basic education would continue.

"We need you in rural areas. Two million laptops still need to be delivered all over the archipelago. Our students there still look at these tools with fascination, not familiarity," he said.

"We need you in far-flung schools. We're racing to energize 2,001 schools that still don't have electricity," the Education chief said.

Angara said the department also needs partners in building 8,000 last mile schools to reach more students in far-flung areas.

He also sought assistance for the 300,000 differently abled students, whom he said are awaiting official diagnosis so they can continue learning under the right supervision.

Angara officially took over the helm of DepEd on July 18, 2024, following the resignation of his predecessor, Vice President Sara Duterte. — VDV, GMA Integrated News