Synergeia is a coalition of individuals, institutions, and organizations working together to improve the quality of basic education. Synergeia works with local governments, the Department of Education, socio-civic groups, schools, teachers, parents and students to implement systemic programs that will improve the processes, systems and structures of learning and teaching.
Synergeia initiates programs to improve the proficiency of grades one to six children to speak, read, understand, and write in English. The goal of the program is to raise achievement scores of children in English to 85 percent by the time they graduate from elementary schools. In some communities, programs include proficiency to read in Filipino and to handle Mathematics. These programs serve as entry points in making basic education the centerpiece of the governance agenda of local governments.
Synergeia is a pioneer in demonstrating how devolution of basic education to local governments can work. It has partnered with 250 local governments, their communities, and the DEPED in improving achievements of children in reading and mathematics. The students who are under Synergeia’s education governance program number about 1.5 million. With the support of USAID, Synergeia works with 11 LGUs in Muslim Mindanao with more than 50,000 Collaborative efforts have lead to a drastic reduction in the number of non-readers, e.g. from 76 percent in Barira to 47.44 percent. Children’s average scores in reading are jumping in many towns in the country:
Negros Occidental from 61.75% to 65.78%
Bulacan 71.0% to 79%
Naga City 35.2% to 51.2%
Nueva Vizcaya 62% to 78%
Ajuy, Iloilo 36% to 50%
Slow readers 53.84% to 72.60%
The goal of Synergeia is to make its programs sustainable by influencing local governments to make basic education its highest priority. With this goal in mind, LGUs can generate and allocate revenues to programs that are critical in promoting an effective school system. The reinvention of local school boards is an integral part of Synergeia’s programs. The Naga City experience is used as a model on how planning and budgeting can be made participative and transparent.
The process of reinventing school boards includes:
- Improvement of the administration of the Special Education Fund Tax
- Development of non-traditional means of financing education
- Effecting regular communications and feedback system between schools and the community
- How to energize Board meetings to keep parents informed and involved.
To complete the development of learning communities, Synergeia partners with institutions to implement programs on Developing Community Schools, I Love Museums Workshops, a Teachers’ Network, and Community Arts and Crafts workshops. Synergeia also supports a Mobile Library and the traveling exhibits of Museo Pambata.
