The Proof of Concept (POC) initiative, with the Province of Iloilo as the lead actor in the devolution of basic education to LGUs, hit the ground running in three noble ACTs enabled by Synergeia’s Kickstarter training workshops for the main performers- LSBs, principals and teachers. The core objectives of these workshops are to find out what issues and challenges do we face and what should be done to obtain our bottom line of having all Grade 3 students read during the School Year 2024-2025.
ACT 1: LSBs Pushed the Button for HANDA
What happens when 60 participants from the LGUs, DepEd, the local schools, the PTA and local communities bond together and agree to pivot and make Local School Boards more functional and responsive to children’s needs for a better quality of education?
The insights and perspectives drawn from the workshop were clear, diverse and realistic. They saw the risks worsening for education should the LSBs not break through the barriers of innovating how to improve learning and reading, of enabling LSBs to lead, guide and transform towards having a more systemic approach on education planning, budgeting, prioritization and overall governance and of organizing the LSBs for increased effectiveness, efficiency and results-driven strategies.
As an outcome, the group pushed the button to start moving towards an action program that will make LSBs ready to raise its performance level or what can be summarized as HANDA:
H– aving a reinvented or expanded membership.
A– ctive and involved leadership of local mayors or the LCEs in the LSBs.
N-eed to have more consistency in lSB meetings and proper documentation.
D-evelop capacity for data development, utilization and analysis to improve strategy and outlook, SEF planning and prioritization, and conductnof education summits for needs asessment and strategic planning.
A– wareness and information campaigns in the roles, responsibilities, accountabilities and performance of LSBs and LCEs.
Indeed, ACT I ended with a resolve to make LSBs HANDA or prepared to evolve as more strategic, engaged and performance-driven agents of change and realize the POC’s goal of having Grade 3 pupils able to read during the School Year 2024-2025.
