Download PDF, 752KB - UNESCO Bangkok

Dr Alberto P Mendoza, Director IV, Bureau of Secondary Education, 3rd FloorBonifacio Building, Department of Education, Culture and Sports Complex,Pasig City, Philippines, Tel: 632-633-7242.List of Projects by Country38. Pupil Learning Enhancement ProgrammeNumerous reviews of the education sector of the Philippines haveidentified a continuing problem of insufficient access to schooling. Toaddress this issue, the Department of Education, Culture and Sports(DECS) has initiated a programme whereby all incomplete schools are tointroduce multi-grade classes. As part of the United NationsDevelopment Programme's support for this initiative, the Bureau ofElementary Education (BEE) has been asked to provide a programme tostrengthen community support for multi-grade schools in remote regions.The project extends from 1996 to 1999. It aims to strengthen thecapacity and performance of multi-grade schools and their teachersthrough expanded community involvement, and to promote anunderstanding of the roles and responsibilities of the teacher and thecommunity. It was first piloted in four multi-grade schools and laterexpanded to seven similar schools across seven divisions.With the help of a community development specialist BEE provided a 5-day workshop focusing on the development of a community supportscheme. The workshop identified skills and knowledge required byparents for community support through team building, value formation,mobilization of local resources and problem-solving.To promote greater parental involvement in schools the project trainedparents as para-teachers, and promoted joint parent-teacher planning andmonitoring of school performance. Specific roles and responsibilities forteachers and for community members were identified, and strategiesdescribed to implement these. A community field worker was providedat each project site to reinforce the outcomes of the workshop.The project has strengthened and mobilized parent-teacher associations,led to higher levels of volunteer activities by parents, involved parents aspara-teachers, secured greater involvement of parents in the activities ofthe schools, and brought about greater interaction between teachers andparents. However it has been noted that some community members lackcommitment, some parents have negative attitudes to education, andsome families move away from the community.District officials are investigating the possibility of expanding the projectto other multi-grade schools.Contact62 © Snapshots of Primary and Secondary Education in Asia-Pacific